“…I mean, can you believe Tristan actually did it?”
Valeria slowed her steps. She had been walking down the corridor toward the library when she caught the unmistakable sound of giggling and hushed whispers from behind the stone archway near the lounge. The voices were familiar, her vampire classmates.
“I thought it was just a joke,” one of them, Mira, said between muffled laughter. “We told him vampires liked rabbits as a tradition. It was supposed to be funny!”
Valeria pressed her back against the cold wall, heart suddenly hammering.
“He came up to me and asked if vampires bond with rabbits,” said Dorian, voice full of amusement. “And I said, ‘Absolutely, it’s symbolic of trust and affection.’ The guy looked so serious, like he was about to take an oath or something.”
“Oh my God,” Mira snorted, “and then he asked what kind of rabbit. I told him white ones with red eyes were considered the most sacred. I didn’t think he’d actually go buy one!”
Valeria’s eyes widened as the pieces clicked together in her head.
Tristan… He didn’t just randomly bring her a rabbit. He had asked them. He had done his research.
Valeria didn’t wait to hear more. She stepped away, quickly walking down the hall, her pulse rising with every step.
He had gone out of his way to learn about her kind, her culture. And all she had done was humiliate him all along.
Minutes later, she stood in front of the small rabbit cage in her room. The little creature inside twitched its nose at her, completely oblivious to the whirlwind of emotion surging through her.
“I owe you an apology,” Valeria murmured as she opened the cage.
The rabbit hopped into her arms without hesitation.
“You’re a peace offering I rejected,” she whispered with a sad smile. “But I think it’s time I changed that.”
She stroked the rabbit’s fur gently. “I’m going to name you Alpha. Because clearly, you’ve got more courage than I do.”
Alpha nudged her hand with its tiny nose, and for the first time in what felt like weeks, Valeria let out a genuine laugh.
Valeria walked through the courtyard, holding Alpha securely in her arms. The gentle breeze brushed her cheeks, and students milled about in small clusters. A few eyes turned toward her, and several heads subtly turned to whisper, but she ignored them.
She spotted Tristan near the fountain, his back turned, clearly waiting for someone or maybe just enjoying the sunshine. Her heart stuttered.
She stopped a few feet away and cleared her throat softly.
Tristan turned, and then froze when he saw her. His eyes dropped to the rabbit in her arms and then lifted to her face, disbelief etched across his features.
Valeria offered him a small smile. It wasn’t much, but it was real.
Tristan blinked. “You… you kept him?”
She nodded. “I named him Alpha.”
His mouth opened slightly, as if to say something, but nothing came out. Then, slowly, he smiled. Not his usual smirk. Something softer.
Valeria looked down, suddenly very aware of the people around them. The moment felt exposed, fragile under public scrutiny. Her smile faltered. She instinctively took a step back.
And that’s when she saw him.
Lucien.
Leaning casually against the doorway to the east wing, arms crossed over his chest, one eyebrow arched. His gaze wasn’t just on her, it was on everything. Her. The rabbit. Tristan.
She hadn’t seen him since that day. Since the confrontation about the photo he took without her permission. Since she had practically declared him her enemy.
Now he was here. Watching.
And then he moved.
Lucien walked over at a slow, deliberate pace, cutting across the courtyard like a shadow moving through sunlight. Students fell silent as he passed, sensing the tension.
He stopped a few feet in front of her. His eyes dropped to Alpha, then rose to meet hers.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
Valeria stared at him, jaw clenched. “No. We’re not friends, Lucien. I thought I made that clear.”
His lips curled faintly. “Right. You did.”
“Then you know there’s nothing for us to talk about.”
He tilted his head slightly, then looked at Alpha again. “He gave you this, right? That werewolf dog?”
She didn’t respond. Lucien chuckled softly. “I saw you two last night.”
Valeria’s entire body went rigid. Her grip on Alpha tightened.
Lucien took a step closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “I’m happy to tell you something else, too.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not interested.”
He leaned in, the smirk never leaving his face. “Your parents are here.”
Valeria’s breath caught in her throat. She stared at him, frozen. “What…?”