The heirs forbidden mate

The moment Elara stepped out of the taxi, an eerie feeling settled over her. She looked up at the enormous iron gates of the university. For a few seconds, she simply stood there, staring. She couldn't explain it, but something about the place made the hairs on her arms rise. Her fingers instinctively found the moon-shaped pendant around her neck. It was the only thing she had left of her mother. Elara rubbed the smooth metal between her fingers before letting it fall back against her chest. “Don't start imagining things,” she muttered. It was her first day. She was probably just nervous. Adjusting the strap of her bag, she headed toward the entrance. “ID, please.” Elara looked up. The security guard held out his hand. She handed him her identification card, then paused. He didn't exactly look like a security guard. With his sharp jaw, dark hair, and striking features, he looked more like someone who belonged on a magazine cover than at a university gate. But it wasn't his face that caught her attention. It was his eyes. His contact lenses were an unusual shade of red, with a strange ring of green around the edges. Elara stared a little too long. The guard raised an eyebrow. “Something wrong?” She blinked. “No. Sorry.” He handed her ID back along with a folded campus map. “You'll need the administrative block. Freshers collect their timetables there.” “Thank you.” She stepped through the gates. For some reason, she glanced back. The guard was still watching her. Elara quickly looked away. Probably nothing. --- The administrative block was packed. A long queue stretched down the hallway, filled with students complaining about the heat, their schedules, and how badly organized everything was. Elara joined the line. It wasn't long before she heard what had caused the commotion. Apparently, a fresher had gotten into a fight with a senior. She listened for a few seconds before losing interest. She couldn't care less. She just wanted her timetable. Eventually, she found an empty seat and settled down. Her eyes wandered toward the courtyard. Students filled the wide space between the buildings, laughing, arguing, rushing to lectures, and pretending they weren't already lost. A smile tugged at Elara's lips. This was exactly what she wanted. A fresh start. New friends. A life of her own. No one constantly watching her. No Mara asking where she was going every five minutes. No one treating her like she was still a child. Elara had spent years wanting this. Now that she finally had it, she wasn't going to waste it. Her attention drifted toward the football field. A group of boys were playing. One of them immediately caught her eye. He was tall—noticeably taller than most of the players around him—with a lean build and dark hair that fell neatly across his forehead. There was something different about the way he moved. He wasn't the loudest player on the field, nor did he seem interested in showing off. He simply played. Calmly. Precisely. As though he already knew what his opponents were going to do before they did it. He intercepted a pass, turned smoothly, and sent the ball across the field. Then he looked up. Straight at her. Their eyes met. Elara froze. Had he been watching her too? She couldn't tell. His expression barely changed. Then, just as calmly, he looked away and continued playing. Elara frowned slightly. That was strange. She turned her attention back toward the courtyard. A second later, she took a step backward. Her heel caught against something. “Ah—” She stumbled. The next thing she knew, she crashed into someone behind her. They both hit the ground. “Ouch!” Elara scrambled to her feet. “Oh my God. I'm so sorry.” She immediately offered the boy her hand. He looked at it. Then at her. He didn't take it. Instead, he pushed himself to his feet and dusted off his shirt. “Really?” Elara frowned. “I said I'm sorry.” “Was that supposed to get my attention?” She stared at him. “What?” He gave her an amused look. “Pretending to stumble just so you could fall into me?” For a moment, Elara was speechless. This guy couldn't be serious. “I actually lost my balance.” “Sure.” His lips curved into a smug smile. He was attractive. Annoyingly so. His dark hair was slightly messy, and there was something effortlessly reckless about him. Unlike the composed boy she'd seen on the field, this one looked like he enjoyed trouble. Elara folded her arms. “Once again, I apologize. It wasn't intentional.” He tilted his head. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Elara stared at him. Who did this guy think he was? A few students nearby had started watching. Great. Exactly what she needed on her first day. She sighed, opened her bag, and pulled out a five-dollar bill. She placed it in his hand. “If I knew you wanted money, I would've done this earlier.” The nearby students went quiet. His eyebrows lifted. Elara smiled sweetly. “Keep the change.” Then she turned and walked away. She didn't bother looking back. --- After completing her formalities, Elara headed toward the nursing faculty. The rest of the day passed surprisingly quickly. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that people were watching her. Maybe it was because she was new. Maybe she was imagining it. Either way, she ignored it. When her classes ended, she decided to explore the campus before going home. She wanted to know her way around before the next day. One building became another. One path became another. Soon, she was no longer sure where she was. Her phone rang. Aunt Mara. Elara answered immediately. “Hi.” “How was your first day?” “Crowded.” “That isn't what I asked.” Elara smiled. No one knew her better than Mara. “It's fine.” “Just fine?” Elara laughed. She began telling her about the day—the long queue, her classes, and the ridiculously arrogant boy she'd accidentally knocked over. Mara listened. Then her voice softened. “Are you sure you're okay?” “I'm fine, Aunt Mara.” “You sound different.” “I'm just tired.” There was a pause. “Call me when you get back.” “I will.” “And don't stay out too late.” Elara rolled her eyes. “Yes, ma'am.” She ended the call. Then she looked around. Her smile disappeared. She had no idea where she was. “Okay…” She pulled out the campus map. The paths around her didn't seem to match it. Elara turned around and tried to retrace her steps. Nothing looked familiar. She walked for several minutes. Still nothing. The noise of the university gradually disappeared behind her. The further she went, the quieter it became. Elara slowed down. “That's weird.” She checked her phone. No signal. Perfect. She sighed and slipped it back into her pocket. Then she heard something. A branch snapping. Elara froze. She looked toward the trees. Nothing. She waited. Another sound. Closer this time. Her heartbeat quickened. “Hello?” No answer. She took a cautious step backward. Something moved between the trees. At first, Elara thought it was a dog. Then it stepped into the clearing. Her breath caught. It was a wolf. A massive one. Its dark fur almost disappeared into the shadows around it. Elara stared. There was no way. Wolves didn't wander around university campuses. The animal stared back at her. Neither moved. Elara slowly stepped backward. “Okay…” The wolf's ears flattened. A low growl rumbled from its throat. Elara's heart slammed against her ribs. She turned. She ran. She barely made it two steps. Something hit her from behind. She screamed as she crashed to the ground. The weight of the animal pinned her down. Elara twisted beneath it, trying to get away. Then she looked up. Those eyes were inches from hers. And for one terrifying second, she could have sworn there was something almost human in them. Elara stared. Then everything disappeared.