Chapter 11: Let Them Wonder - Riven's POV

She snapped herself out of a daze. “No, that’s not how my family works.”

“Maybe not,” I said, stepping closer and backing her against the wall. “But Marcus thinks it is how things work. He’s not going to give up just because I kissed you in public.”

Her cheeks heated, flushing a deep crimson. “But I have…your…mark on my shoulder. I’m Moon Marked. What am I supposed to do?” Her voice grew sharp with frustration. “You’ve made us a target before it was necessary. Everyone is going to be watching us now and questioning why the bond manifested two years early. They’ll wonder what it means.”

“Then let them wonder about it.” I cupped her face, my thumb brushing across her cheekbone. “The only thing that matters is that you are mine, and I’m yours. Everything else is just unnecessary noise.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one everyone’s going to interrogate. My parents are going to find out before I even have a chance to explain this to them. My father is going to—”

“He’ll understand,” I interrupted. “Because when the full moon rises at the ceremony, our bond won’t be able to be hidden. It’s better they hear it now from you than to see our marks and find out then.”

“Our…marks?”

I slid my shirt collar to the side, revealing the two crescent shapes. “Is it real for you now?”

She closed her eyes, her shoulder sagging. “This is a nightmare. I need to wake up now.”

“No, Callista. It’s a gift from the Moon Goddess herself,” I leaned in, my forehead resting against hers. “It truly depends on how you look at it. We are blessed by her to find our fated mate this young. Some never do.”

“A gift,” she scoffed. “You threatened my family, showed me a vision of everyone I love dying, and now you kissed me without my permission. What a gift.”

Guilt twisted in my chest. The demon hissed as he felt me softening for her, but I shoved it aside.

“I know and I’m sorry about the threats,” I said quietly. “But the vision was necessary.”

“Then explain to me why it was necessary,” she said, her eyes opening and searching mine. “Tell me what you’re so afraid of and what leads to that moment. What forces are at work? Why won’t you just open up?”

I couldn’t, because telling her about the demon inside of me would mean admitting that I was dangerous. The darkness inside of me could consume everything if I wasn’t careful. It also meant falling in love with her might be the only thing that saved us both or doomed us completely.

“Soon, I promise,” I said, wanting to kiss her again. “Let’s just get through the ceremony.”

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed loud enough for me to hear it. She fumbled in her pocket for it, her hands shaking slightly as she yanked it out. The moment she read the screen, she grew pale.

“No,” she said, her voice barely audible. “No, this can’t be happening. Riven—”

I felt her dread coiling in my stomach. “What is it?”

She turned the phone so I could see with trembling hands, showing a text from her father. It made my wolf growl.

“Come home immediately. We need to talk about what happened at school.” I paused, at first not sure what he was talking about, but then I looked lower. There was a screenshot from a pack group chat with a crystal-clear photo of us kissing in the cafeteria. The image had been shared dozens of times, by the looks of it and reactions had piled up.

“It’s only been an hour?” Callista’s voice rose with each word, panic bleeding through. “How did they share it so fast?”

“Looks like your pack doesn’t know when to shut up and stay out of people’s business,” I said grimly. “Someone must have posted it the second it happened and it was probably more than one.”

“Oh, fates.” She switched to the group chat, frantically scrolling through messages. Her breathing became more rapid. “My mom and aunt commented. Half of our pack elders have seen this too. I haven’t even told them yet and they’re finding out through a video. This is a disaster.”

Though I had known kissing her publicly would speed things up, I hadn’t fully considered how it would feel for her to lose control of the narrative. I also didn’t expect it to spread this fast.

“Go now,” I told her, forcing my voice to stay calm even as my wolf whined at the thought of her leaving without me. Facing her parents would be hard enough as it was, and I really wanted to be there with her when she talked to them. But I needed to take care of something first. “Talk to your family and explain it before they hear more twisted versions from people who don’t know anything.”

“What about you?” She shoved her phone back in her pocket just as someone called for her over the intercom. “What are you going to do while I do this?”

“I’m going to take care of things here,” I said carefully. “I’ll make sure Marcus understands the message and that you’re not available for whatever he has planned. Then I’ll see what I can do about the pictures.”

“Riven, don’t start anything or—”

“I won’t,” I promised, though the demon laughed at the lie. “It’ll just be clear and civil.”

She didn’t look convinced as her gaze dragged over me. “Why don’t I believe you?”

“Because you’re too smart,” I said, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She leaned into my touch and it drove me mad. “But I promise that I won’t do anything that will make things worse for you. So, go talk to your parents and I’ll see you soon.”

She hesitated for another long moment, her dark eyes searching mine. Then her phone buzzed again.

It was another text from her father, telling her to come now, that he had already checked her out of school.

“I have to go,” she said, backing away. “But if you do anything stupid, I—”

“You’ll make me regret it and keep your kisses away from me,” I said, smiling despite the tension. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, because finding a way to make you cave would be fun. Go on before I change my mind.”

She turned and rushed down the stairs to the first floor, clutching her bag tight to her chest. I watched her disappear around the corner, fighting every instinct that told me to go with her. Then I took a deep breath, rolled my shoulders, and turned toward the next class, which would be boring without her.

I made it about four steps before Marcus stepped directly into my path with his arms crossed and a smug smile on his face.

“Well, look at what we have here,” he drawled. “That was quite the show you put on in the cafeteria, Nightshade.”