The moon was a traitor, spilling silver light through the blinds of Aiden Blackwood’s off-campus house, turning every shadow into a threat. I stood on his porch, my backpack heavy with mythology books, my heart heavier with the memory of Lucius’s ambush last night. The omega and the dragon prince. His words haunted me, a puzzle I couldn’t solve. How did he know about Aiden? And why did my wolf, silent for years, keep snarling awake around him? I adjusted my glasses, my fingers brushing the silver dagger in my pocket. I wasn’t here for answers—I was here to tutor Aiden, to keep my scholarship, to survive. But the smoky scent of him, fire and ancient power, lingered in my mind, pulling at something reckless inside me.

I knocked, the sound sharp in the quiet night. No answer. I checked my phone: 8:57 p.m. I was early, but Aiden had insisted on a late session, claiming his practice schedule left no other time. The street was silent, Eldridge City’s hum distant, but I felt exposed, like Lucius’s amber eyes could flare from any corner. I knocked again, harder, and the door creaked open, unlocked. My pulse spiked. Unlocked doors in a city crawling with supernaturals weren’t careless—they were dangerous.

“Aiden?” I called, stepping inside. The house was dark, all sleek furniture and basketball trophies glinting on shelves. His scent was everywhere, thick and intoxicating, making my wolf stir, a low growl vibrating in my chest. I shut the door behind me, my sneakers silent on the hardwood. The living room was empty, my notes from our last session still scattered on the coffee table. I set my bag down, scanning the room, when a muffled shout came from the backyard.

My instincts screamed to run, but curiosity—and that stupid pull toward Aiden—propelled me forward. I crept through the kitchen, past a counter littered with protein shake cans, and peered through the glass sliding door. The backyard was a sprawl of grass and shadows, lit by the moon and a single flickering patio light. Two figures moved in a blur—fast, too fast for humans. Aiden and another guy, taller, broader, with dark hair and a leather jacket. Thorne, his brother, from the gym fight. They weren’t talking. They were fighting, their movements a dance of violence, all fluid grace and raw power.

Then it happened. Aiden’s body shimmered, his skin rippling like heatwaves, and wings—wings—erupted from his back, massive and scaled, glinting like molten copper. Fire flared from his hands, a blaze that lit the yard in orange. Thorne countered, his own form shifting, ice crackling along his arms, his wings a shimmering blue. Dragons. They were dragons. My breath caught, my wolf howling inside as I pressed against the glass, my fingers trembling. Their powers clashed—fire meeting ice in a hiss of steam—and I couldn’t look away, my heart racing with fear and something else, something hot and dangerous. They were fucking sexy.

The tattoos swirled across Aiden's chest like ancient runes, and he was shirtless, his muscles taut in the moonlight. The sight of him, half-human, half-myth, sent a jolt through me, my wolf clawing at my control. I’d spent years hiding my own broken nature, but seeing him—raw, powerful, other—stirred a hunger I didn’t understand. My nails lengthened, scraping the glass, and I bit my lip, tasting blood, to keep from growling aloud.

They didn’t see me. They were too caught up, Aiden dodging Thorne’s ice blast, his laughter sharp and wild. “You’re slow, brother!” he taunted, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down my spine. I should’ve left, should’ve run back to my dorm, but my feet were rooted, my body betraying me with every thud of my heart. He was a dragon, like Lucius had said, and the truth of it made my crush—stupid, reckless—burn hotter. We were both monsters, hiding in plain sight. Did he feel this pull too?

A twig snapped under my foot as I shifted, and Aiden’s head whipped toward me. His eyes locked on mine, glowing ember-bright, and my breath stopped. He froze, wings folding back, his fire dimming. Thorne cursed, his ice melting into puddles, but I barely noticed. Aiden’s gaze pinned me, intense, unreadable, and for a moment, the world narrowed to just us—his bare chest heaving, my pulse hammering, the air crackling with something electric.

“Elara?” His voice was rough, edged with something dangerous. He took a step toward the door, and my wolf surged, my vision sharpening, my skin prickling with heat. I stumbled back, my backpack catching on a chair, and bolted for the front door. I didn’t think—just ran, my sneakers pounding the pavement, my glasses fogging with panic. Dragons. Aiden was a dragon, and I’d seen it, and now everything was different.

I didn’t stop until I reached my dorm, my chest burning, my mind a storm of fear and longing. I locked the door, sliding to the floor, my dagger clutched tight. Mia was out, probably chasing her urban legends, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Aiden’s face—those glowing eyes, that smirk—kept flashing behind my lids, and my wolf wouldn’t quiet, its howls echoing with a need I couldn’t name. I’d spent years burying my nature, but he’d cracked it open, and I didn’t know how to seal it back.

My phone buzzed, and I flinched, expecting Lucius’s taunts. But it was Aiden: We need to talk. Tomorrow. Don’t skip tutoring.

My heart lurched. He knew I’d seen him. Did he know what I was? My fingers hovered over the screen, wanting to reply, to demand answers, but fear stopped me. Lucius was out there, hunting, and now Aiden was a wildcard—a dragon prince who made my blood sing and my instincts scream danger.

I crawled into bed, the dagger under my pillow, but sleep wouldn’t come. Every creak of the dorm made me jump, every shadow a threat. When I finally drifted off, my dreams were fire and fangs, Aiden’s wings wrapping around me, his lips brushing mine—until Lucius’s laugh tore through, his claws reaching for my heart. I woke up gasping, the moon still mocking me through the window, and I knew tomorrow’s tutoring session wasn’t just about mythology. It was about secrets, and whether they’d save me or burn me alive.