Page 5 of Bound By Fate
"That’s us," Rhett agreed, his voice hard. The lightning in the air crackled, making the hair on my arms stand up.
"It’s starting," Lucien said, looking at the Queen of Hearts card on the fridge. "The Assembly today. It’s not just an introduction. It’s a roll call."
Kai reached out, taking my hand. His grip was warm, solid. Anchor-strong. "Let them look," he said fiercely, his golden eyes burning. "Let them take attendance. They’ll see exactly what we want them to see."
"Which is?" I asked.
"That we’re solid," Rhett said, stepping up beside me. He placed a heavy hand on my shoudler. "That we’re not an anomaly. We’re a fortress."
Lucien joined us, completing the circle. "And fortresses," he added softly, "are built to withstand a siege."
I looked at them. My boys. My pack.
Then I looked at Ivy, who was aggressively buttering toast to hide her worry.
"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath and letting the fear settle into resolve. "We go to the Assembly. We listen to the Dean. We pay Ivy’s ticket. And if Officer Stone or anyone else tries to come for us?"
I walked over to the fridge, grabbed the Queen of Hearts, and ripped it in half.
"We show them exactly why the House always wins."
Ivy cheered, raining crumbs everywhere. "Yes! Anarchy! Rebellion! While we're at it, can we steal my broom back?"
I laughed, the tension breaking. "Let's start with coffee, Ivy. Then we’ll see about the felony theft."
"Deal."
2
The Grand Assembly Hall of Northcrest University was designed to intimidate.
It was a cathedral of stone and stained glass, built centuries ago by the founding covens. The ceiling vaulted so high it was lost in shadow, and the walls were lined with the portraits of past Deans—stern Warlocks, regal Fae, and grim-faced Shifters who watched the current student body with painted disapproval.
Usually, the Hall smelled like beeswax and bored teenagers.
Today, it smelled like fear.
It was 9:00 AM on the first Monday of the semester. Every student at Northcrest—Wolf, Vamp, Fae, Witch, and "Other"—was packed into the pews.
"I hate this," Rhett rumbled low in his throat. He was sitting on my right, his large frame squeezed into the polished wooden pew. He was wearing his 'public face'—a mask of bored indifference that didn't quite reach his storm-grey eyes. "It’s too crowded. Too many scents. It smells like panic and cheap deodorant."
"Focus on me," I murmured, sliding my hand into his. "Find my scent. Anchor."
Rhett exhaled slowly, his thumb rubbing over my knuckles. "Cedar. Vanilla. And... maple syrup. You smell like breakfast."
"Better than panic," I whispered.
On my left, Kai was bouncing his leg. A nervous habit. He was smiling at everyone who looked our way—a bright, dazzling, golden-boy smile that was entirely fake.
"Look at them," Kai said under his breath, his voice tight. "Everyone is looking at us. I feel like a zoo exhibit."
He wasn't wrong.
As we had walked down the center aisle, the Hall had gone quiet. Heads turned. Whispers rippled through the crowd like wind through dry grass.The Triad. The Bonded. The Anomalies.
We were the only fully formed Triad pack Northcrest had seen in fifty years. And after the events of last semester—the explosion, the exposure of the Brotherhood—we were practically celebrities. Or pariahs. I still wasn't sure which.
"Let them look," Lucien said from Kai’s other side. He was perfectly still, his posture regal, his violet eyes scanning the room with clinical detachment. "Curiosity is better than hostility. For now."
