The Packs Connection

the pull

The door clicked shut behind Nova as she stepped into her dorm room, the weight of the long first day of classes settling on her shoulders. Her mind raced, still replaying moments from the day—the way Kade’s eyes seemed to linger on her during psychology class, the scent of his cologne that seemed to follow her even now, and the deep, warm tone of his voice that echoed in her mind.

She tossed her bag onto the desk, slumping onto her bed with a sigh. The room felt suffocating, as if it couldn’t contain the thoughts swirling inside her. She hated this. She hated that, despite all her attempts to focus on school, her thoughts kept drifting back to him. Kade. His presence had consumed her from the moment their eyes met at the party, and the fact that he was in her class now only made it worse.

You’re being ridiculous, she told herself firmly. You have Dorian. You need to focus on your relationship.

But as she stared at the ceiling, she couldn’t deny the strange connection she felt to Kade. The pull was undeniable, and it gnawed at her with an intensity that was starting to feel dangerous.

Shaking her head, she reached for her phone. If she could just focus on Dorian, everything would settle. He’d been patient, he’d been supportive, and she owed it to him to make this work.

She dialed his number, her fingers slightly trembling.

"Hey, babe," Dorian’s voice came through the speaker, warm and familiar. "How’s the first day been?"

Nova forced a smile, trying to sound more engaged than she felt. "It’s good, just a lot of new stuff to take in. The classes are fine."

Dorian chuckled. "Glad to hear it. I miss you. I can’t believe you’re already off to college and I’m here. It feels weird without you around."

She was silent for a moment, her mind drifting. "Yeah, I miss you too."

"How’s your dorm? Settling in alright?" Dorian continued.

Nova nodded, but her gaze drifted to the window, her mind replaying Kade’s smile from earlier.

"Dorian?" she said, her voice quiet, almost distant.

"Yeah, what’s up?" he asked, sensing the change in her tone.

She snapped out of her daze, trying to refocus. "Sorry, I’m just... tired. It's been a long day."

Dorian’s voice tightened. "You sure? You’re sounding kinda off. You’ve been a little quiet lately. What’s going on, Nova?"

The question hung in the air, a weight she wasn’t sure she could carry. She could feel the tension building in her chest. "Nothing’s going on. Just a lot to think about, that’s all."

There was a pause, and then Dorian’s voice hardened. "If you’re hiding something, I want to know. You’re not acting like yourself, and it’s starting to bug me."

Nova’s heart raced, a flare of frustration rising in her. She didn’t want to have this conversation, not like this. "Dorian, I told you. It’s just... school stuff. Can we not do this right now?"

The silence on the other end felt heavy, and before she could stop herself, she snapped, "I have to go. I’ll talk to you later."

Without waiting for his reply, she ended the call abruptly. Her breath came in shallow bursts, and she stared at her phone, the screen reflecting her frustration.

A buzz from her phone broke the silence. It was a message from Dorian.

Dorian: If you won’t tell me what you’re hiding, I’ll find out myself.

Nova rolled her eyes, tossing the phone onto her bed. What the hell was that supposed to mean? She didn’t have time for this. She didn’t need to be interrogated.

The door swung open just then, and Sienna strolled in, holding a coffee in one hand and a box of doughnuts in the other.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Sienna teased, raising an eyebrow. "How’s the first day of college treating you?"

Nova looked at her friend, a small smile tugging at her lips despite her frustration. "It was okay. Long day. I’m already missing my bed."

Sienna plopped down on her bed and set the coffee and doughnuts on the desk. "So, how’s the hot guy from last night? Did you give him your number or what?"

Nova blushed, her mind flashing back to the way Kade’s eyes had met hers in class. She sat down on the edge of her bed. "You won’t believe this, but Kade’s in my psychology class. He sat next to me."

Sienna’s eyes widened with excitement. "No way! That’s so cool. What happened? Did he talk to you?"

"Yeah," Nova replied, feeling the heat in her cheeks. "He actually asked me to hang out sometime."

Sienna grinned mischievously. "Girl, you have to text him. Invite him out. You need to make your move before Dina starts pulling her claws out."

Nova hesitated, her thoughts drifting back to Dorian. He had offered to come visit this weekend, and she had turned him down. It was hard to ignore the guilt that crept up on her. "I don’t know… Dorian kind of wanted to see me this weekend."

"Forget Dorian for a minute," Sienna interrupted. "You need to have some fun! Besides, I’m renting a cabin with June this weekend. Why don’t you invite Kade? I know he’s interested."

Nova chewed on her bottom lip, torn. "I guess... I could."

Sienna grinned. "Do it! I’ll help you pick something cute to wear if you need it."

Reluctantly, Nova reached for her phone, the weight of her decision settling on her. She sent Kade a text, inviting him to the cabin with a casual message about the cute wolf couple also coming.

Kade’s reply came almost instantly.

Kade: Can’t wait to see you! I’m in.

Nova’s heart fluttered at the quick response, and she smiled to herself. She glanced at Sienna, who was practically bouncing on her bed.

"He said yes," Nova said with a grin.

Sienna’s eyes sparkled. "See? It’s meant to be."

Nova thought about the photo Kade had sent her earlier, and her curiosity got the better of her. She texted him back, asking, "Where’s Dina? Haven’t seen her tonight."

Kade: She’s angry. Doesn’t like me talking to you at the party. But trust me, it’s no big deal. She’s always overreacting.

Nova paused before replying, guilt gnawing at her. I’m sorry if I caused any problems between you two.

Kade: It’s fine, really. Dina’s just being Dina.

Nova leaned back, letting out a slow breath as she put her phone down. The idea of spending the weekend with Kade—alone—was both thrilling and terrifying.

Sienna snatched her phone up eagerly. "Oh my God, he’s so hot. Look at this picture he sent you!"

Nova hesitated before showing her the photo of Kade, and Sienna’s excitement was palpable. "Girl, you need to stop holding back and go after what you want."

With a deep breath, Nova closed her eyes for a moment. "Let’s just go get something to eat. I need to clear my head."

As they headed out, the day’s events swirled in Nova’s mind. Kade’s eyes, his smile, the pull she felt toward him—it was undeniable. But what did that mean for her and Dorian? Was she making a mistake? She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to change.