I pressed my palm against my face, the frustration rolling over me in waves. I had thought everything was going perfectly. For a moment, it felt like heaven that afternoon. But the next, it felt like I'd been dragged straight back to hell.

After that kiss—after we kissed.

"Diarmid..." Arwen whispered my name, her breath brushing against my lips as I kept my gaze locked on her, savoring the moment. I was still lost in the feel of her soft lips on mine when she slowly opened her eyes. But then, everything shifted. Her eyes widened in shock, and suddenly, she pushed me away.

I stumbled back, utterly taken by surprise. "Arwen—" I began, my voice sounding foreign to my own ears. I was never the nervous type—never. But with her, I felt like a boy again. She made me weak, unsure, and more afraid than I cared to admit. Afraid of what she might do next.

I watched as she took deep, uneven breaths, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Arwen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rush you." The words tumbled out before I could stop them. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to explain, desperate to fix the crack that had suddenly formed between us. "But I'm not sorry I kissed you." The last part was softer, a confession I had to make. I needed her to know it wasn't a mistake—not for me.

At my words, her wide, panicked eyes flicked back to mine, and I saw her fidgeting, her hands trembling in her lap.

"I... I don't know what to say," she whispered, her voice barely audible. She looked so lost, her gaze darting around like she was trying to escape.

Without thinking, I reached out and took her hands, holding them tightly in mine. I needed to ground her, to stop the whirlwind of panic I could feel building inside her. Her eyes met mine again, and I could see the alarm flashing in them. She was spiraling.

"Arwen..." I said softly, hoping to calm her. But before I could say anything more, she yanked her hands out of mine and pushed back her chair, moving so fast it made my heart drop.

She began packing her things into her bag with trembling hands, not even looking at me. She was leaving—running away from me.

"Arwen—" I barely managed to say her name before she stormed out, leaving me standing there, stunned and helpless.

I stared after her, every nerve in my body screaming for me to follow her, to fix this. But my legs refused to move.

Damn it! I grabbed the bottle of liquor I'd been nursing and took a long, angry swig, letting the burn settle deep in my chest. I couldn't shake the feeling of her lips on mine, the way she'd pulled away from me so suddenly.

Why did it have to turn out this way? Frustration gnawed at me, eating me alive. I had been so sure that kiss meant something—that it was the start of something between us. But now? Now it felt like everything was falling apart like I was losing her before I even had a chance to really have her.

I chugged more from the bottle, hoping the alcohol would dull the ache, but it didn't. Nothing could drown out the bitter taste of disappointment.

After a few minutes, I felt my friends arriving. Roisin and Rhyian came in together. They wasted no time. Rhyian headed straight for the bar, carefully selecting her drink, while Roisin slid into the seat beside me, casually taking the bottle from my hand and drinking from it.

"Where's Brigit?" I asked, leaning back against my seat. I knew Finn had gone straight to the palace after class. I had discussed a few details with him regarding the situation in Europe, especially concerning the territories that had been attacked. My father had aborted his request for me to return home last month, saying he could handle things and that the attacks had stopped. But I warned him that we couldn't get too comfortable. We needed to keep investigating, to stay vigilant. Thankfully, he agreed.

Rhyian appeared with her drink in hand. "She went out. Said something about going shopping. And don't ask me to go with her—I'm done. My feet are killing me," she muttered, sinking into the seat next to Roisin.

I glanced at my watch—it was already past eight in the evening. Maybe Brigit was just missing Finn. Even though they weren't soulmates, they'd been together for what felt like an eternity. I tried to talk them out of it before, knowing the heartbreak that could come once they met their true mates. But Brigit didn't listen. And as for Finn, well, he's my best friend. I couldn't complain. He's been good to my sister, taking care of her in ways I couldn't fault.

"Diarmid, give her some time," Roisin said, interrupting my thoughts. "It's normal for a girl to panic, especially when someone as good-looking as you kiss her." he shot me a smirk, his teasing tone cutting through the tension in my chest.

I chuckled despite myself, shaking my head. Leave it to Roisin to break the mood with his sharp wit. "Thanks for the ego boost, Roisin," I muttered with a half-smile. But his words hit deeper than I let on.

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I knew I had to be patient with Arwen. She was different—so different from anyone I'd ever known. She was soft-spoken and shy, still skittish around me. I wasn't going to give up on her, though. I'd wait. I'd wait as long as it takes.

Rhyian raised her glass, taking a sip before speaking. "So, what happened, really? You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

I sighed, the memory of Arwen rushing out on me still fresh, still raw. "We kissed, and... she panicked. Pushed me away and stormed out." I looked down at the bottle in Roisin's hand. "I didn't think it would turn out like that."

Roisin clicked his tongue and leaned back. "She's probably just overwhelmed. You have to remember, Diarmid, she's not like us. This whole connection thing—it's new to her."

"I know that." I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of my frustration. "But I also know she felt something too. I saw it in her eyes before she freaked out."

"Then you'll get your chance to explain," Rhyian said, her tone unusually serious. "Give her some space, but don't disappear. She'll come around."

I nodded, knowing they were right. I had to be patient, even if waiting felt like torture. Not in this lifetime or the next would I give up on her.

I slowly took off my helmet, my eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. I'd been away from school for three days, giving in to the turmoil inside me. My Lycan was hurt, and I needed time to think—not about giving her up but about how I could make her mine. In an attempt to keep my mind off her, I had gone back to Europe to check on things. I investigated the areas that had been attacked, finding that all the werewolves had been relocated and were safe. But there was still a troubling fact: the female population had suddenly decreased. Finn had gathered all the reports, and later this evening, we would go over them together.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I scanned the area, ensuring that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Yet, as I did, I felt a strong pull ahead of me. I turned my gaze in that direction and saw her. Arwen was standing there, facing me, looking directly into my eyes.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. I didn't do anything; I just stared back at her, lost in the depths of her gaze. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and electric. Then, just as quickly, she turned her gaze away from me, breaking the connection that felt so profound.

I knew she wanted to talk to me—wanted to confront whatever was between us—but I couldn't promise myself that I wouldn't end up kissing her again, and worse... claiming her.

I saw her give me a final look before retreating, and a wave of sadness washed over me. I felt clearly disappointed with how things were turning between Arwen and me. After fixing my bike, I headed to the open field. Finn had mind-linked me, letting me know that they were watching a game.

When I reached the open field, I scanned the area where Finn told me they would be seated. I spotted them beside Arwen's group, but she still wasn't there. Taking a deep breath, I made my way toward them, feeling the stares of other students on me. It was as if I had stolen the spotlight away from the entire game, but I chose to ignore it. I greeted Josh and Leroy, then took my place beside my pack, settling in next to Finn.

"About time you showed up," Finn said with a teasing grin. "We were starting to think you were scared of facing Arwen."

"Ha ha," I replied dryly, my heart still heavy from our earlier encounter. "Just had some things to sort out."

As the game went on, I tried to focus on the field, but my mind kept wandering back to her. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Arwen emerging from the entrance. Our eyes locked, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through me. I noticed her biting her lip, a nervous habit that drove me wild. It was an action that made my heart race and my thoughts spiral, tempting me to abandon all restraint.

So, I looked away, trying to regain my composure, but it was futile. Every moment felt amplified; the laughter of my friends, the cheers from the crowd, the bright lights illuminating the field—all of it faded into a blur as I became hyper-aware of her presence.

"Diarmid, you good?" Finn nudged me, pulling me back to reality.

"Yeah, just—" I hesitated, searching for the right words. "Just thinking."

"About Arwen, right?" he asked, raising an eyebrow knowingly.

I shot him a glare. "You're not subtle, you know that?"

Finn chuckled. "Well, it's hard not to notice. You look like you're about to jump out of your skin. Just talk to her, man. Clear the air."

"I want to," I admitted, my frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "But I don't want to scare her away even more."

Before he could respond, I saw Arwen making her way toward us. She was laughing with her friends, but as soon as she spotted me, her expression faltered. It was a split second, but I caught it—the way her smile faded, replaced by uncertainty.

I stood, ready to greet her, but she hesitated. "Hey," she said softly, her voice almost lost in the noise around us.

"Hey," I replied, trying to keep my tone light.

"Thanks," she murmured, shifting her weight as if unsure of where to place her gaze. The tension in the air was palpable, and I could feel the weight of our unspoken words hanging between us.

"Are you enjoying the game?" I asked, desperate to fill the silence.

"Yeah, it's fun," she replied, but her smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Do you want to sit?" I gestured toward the empty space beside me.

She glanced at her friends, then back at me, and for a moment, I thought she might say yes. But instead, she nodded to her group. "I think I'll stay with them for now."

Disappointment settled in my chest like a heavy stone. "Sure, no problem," I said, forcing a smile.

As she walked away, I felt Finn's gaze on me. "You should have just asked her to join you."

"I tried!" I shot back, frustration creeping into my voice. "But it's like there's this invisible wall between us now."

Finn shrugged. "Walls can be broken down. You just have to be brave enough to take the first step."

I watched as Arwen laughed with her friends, my heart aching at the distance that had suddenly grown between us. I knew I had to find a way to reach her—before it was too late.