Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1
Vivian's POV
I stared at the board, but my mind wasn’t in class. Mr. Allen’s voice was just noise in the background while my thoughts drifted to the new book sitting in my bag. A werewolf fantasy — thick, dark cover, the kind that begged to be opened. I hadn’t had time to read even a page yet, and it was driving me crazy.
I was imagining what the first chapter might hold when Mr. Allen’s voice cut sharp through my daydream.
“Vivienne.”
My stomach dropped. The whole class turned to look at me.
“Yes, sir?” I forced my voice steady even though my heart was racing.
“What year did the Treaty of Versailles officially end the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers?” he asked, one eyebrow raised like he’d caught me.
“1919. Signed June 28th, though the armistice had already been in effect since November 1918.” The answer rolled off my tongue before I even thought about it.
A few kids snickered. Mr. Allen blinked, then gave a small nod. “Correct. At least someone’s paying attention.”
I hid a smile and looked back at my notebook, pretending to take notes. The second he turned to the board, my thoughts slipped right back to the book in my bag.
The bell finally rang, loud and freeing. Students rushed for the door, laughing, talking, escaping as fast as they could. I stayed behind. No reason to hurry.
When the room was almost empty, I pulled the book from my bag. My fingers traced the embossed wolf on the cover, and a little thrill ran through me. At last. I opened it and started reading, the words pulling me in so fast the real world faded away.
“Vivienne!”
I jumped, the book nearly slipping from my hands. Looking up, I saw Emma, my best friend, leaning against the desk in front of me with a knowing grin.
“Seriously? Still here? Everyone else bolted five minutes ago. What’s got you so glued?” she asked, trying to peek at the cover.
I hugged the book closer to my chest, cheeks warming. “Nothing. Just… reading.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Reading. Sure. Is it another one of your fantasy books?”
I pressed my lips together, refusing to give her the satisfaction.
She smirked. “Knew it.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off. “Anyway, forget your book for one night. Come with me.”
“Where?” I asked, already wary.
“The hockey championship. Our school versus Westfield. It’s happening right now. Everyone’s heading to the arena.”
I groaned. “Emma, you know I don’t care about hockey. A bunch of guys chasing a puck? What’s so exciting about that? I’d rather read.”
“Of course you would.” She leaned closer, her grin turning wicked. “But my brother’s playing.”
That made my heart skip. Heat crept up my neck before I could stop it. “Rafael?” I whispered, like saying his name too loud might give me away.
Emma caught it instantly, her smirk growing. “Ohhh, you should see your face right now. Don’t think I don’t notice how you go all red whenever he’s around.”
“I do not,” I said quickly, though my burning cheeks betrayed me.
“You totally do,” she teased, poking my arm. “Come on, Viv. He’s out there on the ice tonight. Final game. If they win, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.”
I hesitated, staring down at the book in my lap. I really did want to read. But the thought of seeing Rafael — skating across the rink, everyone cheering for him — made my stomach flip in a way no story ever could.
Emma raised a brow. “So? You coming, or are you going to sit here alone with your imaginary wolves?”
I sighed, closing the book carefully. “Fine. But only because you begged.”
She laughed. “Sure. Whatever you tell yourself.”
And before I could change my mind, she pulled me up, and we joined the crowd heading toward the hockey arena.
The arena was buzzing when Emma and I walked in. Students filled the stands, waving banners and chanting our school’s name. Emma dragged me through the crowd until we found two empty seats with a clear view of the ice.
“Perfect,” she said, plopping down beside me.
I sat, hugging my bag close, pretending I wasn’t already searching for him.
And then I saw him.
Rafael Vega. Captain of the Ridgeway Wolves hockey team. The most popular guy in school. The one everyone either wanted to be or wanted to be with. He skated onto the ice like he owned it, helmet under his arm, flashing that easy grin that made the crowd scream louder.
I couldn’t look away.
I’d been in love with him since the first day I saw him.
It was ridiculous, I knew.
He’d never once looked at me the way I looked at him. To him, I was just Emma’s quiet friend — the nerd with her nose always in a book. He’d made that clear enough, throwing the word “nerd” at me like it was my name. Sometimes he’d smirk, sometimes he’d roll his eyes, but mostly… he ignored me.
And still, my heart didn’t listen.
Watching him now, powerful and fast on the ice, I felt that same hopeless pull. Like no matter how invisible I was to him, a part of me would always be caught in his orbit.
Emma nudged me. “You’re staring.”
I snapped my eyes back to the game, cheeks burning. “No, I’m not.”
“Sure,” she said, grinning.
The whistle blew and the game started. I didn’t know the rules, not really.
All I saw were sticks clashing, skates cutting across the ice, and the puck flying too fast for me to follow. But every time it slipped into the net, the crowd roared, and I found myself clapping and cheering right along with them.
Still, my eyes weren’t on the puck. They were on him.
Rafael moved like the ice belonged to him. Fast, sharp, completely in control.
The way he leaned into every turn, the way his stick connected with the puck — it was like watching something out of a movie. The crowd chanted his name, “Raf! Raf! Raf!” and my chest swelled with something I couldn’t explain. Pride, maybe. Admiration. Or just that same stupid crush that never seemed to fade.
I barely noticed the score climbing until Emma elbowed me. “We’re up by two!” she shouted over the noise.
I grinned back, then my gaze darted right back to Rafael. He didn’t even look tired. His focus was absolute, his movements smooth and powerful. And when he scored near the end, the arena exploded. I jumped to my feet with everyone else, cheering so loudly my throat burned.
The final buzzer rang. Ridgeway had won. Championship secured. Students around me screamed, hugged, and waved banners in the air. Emma was yelling something in my ear, but it all blurred into background noise.
Because my eyes stayed locked on him. Rafael Vega, helmet lifted high, grin bright under the stadium lights.
As soon as the buzzer went off, Emma grabbed my arm.
“Come on! Let’s go congratulate them!”
My stomach flipped. “Wait—Emma, no. We can just clap from here.”
She was already dragging me down the bleachers. I clutched my bag tight against my chest, trying not to trip as we pushed through the crowd. My heart pounded harder with every step closer to the ice. I told myself it was just nerves from the noise, but I knew better.
By the time we reached the rink, the players were already streaming off, sweaty and laughing, helmets tucked under their arms. Emma squeezed my hand and pointed. “There he is!”
Rafael.
He looked even better up close, his blonde hair damp with sweat, that easy grin spread across his face. For a second, it felt like everything around me blurred. This was it. Maybe Emma would say something, maybe he’d finally—
But then he stopped.
And there she was.
A girl with perfect waves of brown hair ran straight into his arms, squealing his name. Before I could even breathe, Rafael leaned down and kissed her. Full-on, right there in front of everyone. The crowd cheered even louder, like it was all part of the celebration.
I froze. My chest felt tight, like someone had just punched the air out of me. I forced a smile so Emma wouldn’t notice, but I couldn’t look away.
Rafael Vega, captain of the hockey team, the boy I’d been crushing on forever… already belonged to someone else.