Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers

Evaline:

I kept my eyes glued to the scenery outside the car window, doing everything I could to not fidget.

The world beyond the glass was looking like it had been dusted with powdered sugar - white snow clinging to rooftops, tree branches, and the empty roads. The forest we passed through was quiet and hauntingly beautiful beneath the soft gray sky. Still, no matter how pretty it was, it did nothing to calm the anxious rhythm pounding in my chest.

Instead of heading to Council Headquarters like usual, I was picked up directly from the Academy that morning. River was already seated in the sleek black car when I climbed in, sipping black coffee and scrolling through his tablet. Now, over half an hour into the journey, we hadn’t spoken a single word... until he finally broke the silence.

"Why are you so anxious?"

I stiffened, dragging my gaze away from the window to glance at him. He hadn’t looked up from his screen, but I could feel his attention shift toward me. Like always, he had this quiet way of making you feel like he knew everything already and was simply testing how well you would lie.

"I’m not anxious," I replied, perhaps a little too quickly.

The corner of his mouth tugged upward. "Miss Evaline."

That was all he said. Just my name. But somehow, it sounded like a warning and a challenge all at once.

I exhaled slowly, giving up the act. "Maybe I’m nervous," I admitted. "Just... not for the reason you think."