Bonds at War: The Virgin is Mine

ARDEN

"No way," I muttered, staring at the letter in my trembling hand. It had just arrived in the mail, and I had been waiting for it all week.

The gold imprint on the back of the envelope caught my eye-a symbol that confirmed its authenticity. It was a letter from the 'Elite Order Academy,' or simply 'Elite' for short.

By the time a werewolf turns 20, they can apply to Elite-a name that speaks for itself. Reserved for the most skilled young werewolves in the entire country, it represents the pinnacle of excellence.

For two transformative years, they are moulded into the leaders of their packs, equipped with skills that ensure a promising future. Ever since childhood, I had dreamed of becoming one of the 'Elites.' In fact, it seemed that every young werewolf aspired to gain acceptance. However, the stakes felt higher for me.

My parents had graduated from there. So had my two older brothers-one of whom was now in his final year. As the youngest in the family and the so-called 'black sheep,' I was met with skepticism at every turn. It was no surprise that my mother had urged me to apply to the local academy, believing that was all I was good for.

I could still replay our dinner conversation from last month in my mind.

"I want to apply to Elite," I announced, gathering the courage to speak up.

The clinking of utensils halted momentarily, but not a single gaze turned my way.

"Good luck with that, I guess," my mom, Lorelei, remarked, inspecting her nails with disinterest.

Lucian, my oldest brother, pursed his lips. "Do you really think you can do it?"

"Yes," I replied, my voice steady despite my racing heart.

Kieran, my brother just a year older, let out a mocking chuckle. I shot him a glare, but it had little effect.

"Oh, sorry," he said, though he didn't sound apologetic in the least. "It's just funny. We all came from Elite; that doesn't mean you should too. It's called 'Elite' for a reason."

My dad, Dominic, nodded in silent agreement, his attention glued to his phone. "Just apply to the local academy. I'm sure they'll accept you based on your last name alone."

I shook my head, pushing the memory of that bitter conversation away. Then, with trembling hands, I opened the letter that had arrived-my future contained within its folds.

Everyone else had received their acceptance or rejection letters last week.

Except me.

My mom had claimed that I performed so poorly on the written exam that they didn't even bother to send a letter. But here it was.

I closed my eyes for a moment, fear gripping my chest. When I finally opened one eye, my heart raced as I spotted the word-'accepted.' I nearly leapt with joy.

Instead, I stifled my excitement, covering my mouth with my hand to suppress a grin. Out in our expansive garden, I was alone, but my family was still inside the house. As much as I wanted to share this incredible news with them and prove them wrong, I needed to tell someone else first-the one person who had always supported me, even when my family turned their backs.

Jaxon Trevane, my mate and the future Alpha of the West.

We had known we were mates since we turned 18, and he had been my unwavering ally since that day. Despite the disapproval of his parents regarding our relationship, he consistently made me feel valued and accepted.

He never asked for much except for one thing.

My virginity

Since the moment we met, he'd been patiently waiting for me to be ready. And now, with this news of acceptance, I felt it was time to give him the reward he had longed for.

As I made my way up the grand staircase of their mansion, my heart raced wildly, the letter clutched tightly in my hand.

"He's going to be thrilled," I whispered to myself, a smile creeping onto my face.

When I reached his door, a wave of dread rolled through my stomach. I brushed it aside, placing my hand on the handle and twisting it open.

The smile vanished in an instant. There lay Jaxon-naked, and beneath him lay none other than my best friend for the past decade, Sienna Graves.

"Ah, Jaxon. Right there!"

I froze, my feet rooted in their spot. My throat went dry and I felt numb. I was sure that all of the color from my face had also drained.

"Fuck me better than how you fuck Arden," she screamed, and I unconsciously clenched my fists, my acceptance letter getting crinkled in the process.

"That prude won't even let me touch her," Jaxon growled, devouring her neck. "She thinks her body is a prize just because she's a virgin."

"I've been treating her kindly for two whole years because of it."

I felt my heart break. The one person whom I trusted and loved never loved me after all. I shook my head, the tears threatening to fall. However, I bit my lip, not allowing myself to show some weakness.

"And you will never get to touch me," I spat.

That was when they finally noticed my presence. Their eyes widened, and Jaxon pulled himself out of Sienna, their genitals on full display, making me grimace.

"Arden," Jaxon muttered. However, there wasn't an ounce of regret on his face.

Sienna, on the other hand, turned to the side to suppress her smile.

"So, you've never loved me after all?"

Jaxon pursed his lips. Then, he sighed. "How can you expect me to love you when you can't satisfy my needs? Aside from that, I'm going to Elite soon. We won't see each other then."

I softly nodded, feeling my knees grow weak. "So, you won't even apologize," I muttered.

"Fine," I said, holding my chin up high.

"I reje-"

"I reject you, Arden Stone, as my mate," Jaxon said, beating me to it. I felt undeniable pain go through my body, my heart feeling like it was getting ripped out of my chest.

I took deep breaths, trying to lessen the pain. Then, I saw his expression, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"Sorry, Arden," he said, walking closer to me, still with the same unapologetic look. "You and I weren't a match anyway."

ARDEN

I ran out of the house like a fire was chasing me down. I felt the urge to cry, but I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of showing my tears.

On my way out, I could hear some of our pack members discussing among themselves.

"She finally found out."

"She's stupid for not seeing it."

"I don't even know why she was born into that family when she's clearly talentless."

"Of course, Alpha Jaxon is going to choose Sienna. She, too, had been accepted to Elite Order Academy."

With their words, I hastened my steps and arrived at our front yard. It was there that I allowed myself to cry. Tears ran down my cheeks as I slumped on the grass. All the kisses, stories, and memories shared were for nothing, huh? He was fooling me for two whole years just because he wanted my body!

Like the skies wanted to mock my feelings further, the rain poured aggressively, soaking me in seconds. However, even then, I couldn't feel anything but the ache inside my chest.

It was only when the door opened and my mother saw my drenched figure that I snapped out of it.

"Arden!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing out there? Hurry inside. If you get sick, no one is going to take care of you!"

Her words hurt, but I had gotten used to it. I picked myself up and entered our house. My mom grimaced when she saw the wet carpet.

"Goodness," she muttered. "Why are you always causing trouble? Why can't you be like your brothers? I never had a hard time raising them."

That was definitely untrue. When my brothers created trouble, she merely brushed it off as 'boys being boys.' However, she was never patient with me. A tear fell from my eyes, making her frown.

"You're crying?" she asked. "What happened? Are you being overdramatic again?"

I pursed my lips and roughly wiped the tears from my eyes. Somehow, someway, I still wanted to pour out my feelings. Usually, I would talk to Sienna. However, I had lost her too.

"Jaxon cheated on me with Sienna and broke our mate bond," I said shakily.

I wasn't expecting her to comfort me, but I was expecting her to be shocked, at least. However, her facial expression remained neutral.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked.

My brows furrowed. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "What?" I managed to say.

"His family has never been fond of you. I have told you plenty of times that he is too good for you. You were no match for him at all. All you could have done was satisfy him in bed, but you never did that, too."

How could a mother say these words to her child?

"Besides that," she continued, tearing me down before I could even pick myself up. "Sienna is going to Elite with him. You better settle on the local academy and find yourself a mateless partner."

I closed my eyes and felt another tear fall. "So, all this time, you knew? And you never bothered telling your own daughter about it?"

"Oh, come on, Arden," she exclaimed. "Everyone practically knew. You're just too blind and delusional to see it."

Just then, my father came into the room, glancing at me like I was gum at the bottom of his shoe. At that moment, the wet acceptance letter fell from my hand, and his eyes widened when he saw the emblem of Elite Order Academy on top.

"You..."

"I got accepted," I finally revealed, although I doubted they would be happy about it.

My mom's brows furrowed, and she gently picked up the paper to read its contents. "Oh, this cannot be," she muttered. "There must be some kind of mistake."

"There isn't," I insisted.

My dad crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Did you fake this acceptance letter, Arden? Is that how desperate you are?"

"I did not!" I exclaimed. "I passed! Can't you be happy for me just this once?"

My mom's jaw hardened, and before I knew it, she had torn the acceptance letter into pieces.

"No!"

"Sorry, honey," she unapologetically said. "There truly must be a mistake. Someone like you wouldn't be able to survive in Elite. It's for the strongest, most influential, and smartest young werewolves of the land."

"That's true," my dad backed her up. "And even if they somehow accepted you-Moon Goddess, forbid it, for their standard must be worsening-there is still no way you can attend the school."

"W-why not?" I stammered, looking at the torn piece of paper like it was the fragments of my broken heart.

"We can't afford it," he said.

I looked up and glared at the two of them. "Liar," I said. "You sent Lucian before. Kieran is also studying there right now."

"Exactly," my mom said. "Kieran is staying at the Elite Mansions because he cannot live in the dorms. That, in itself, is very expensive. Like I said, we will support you going to the local academy-"

"No," I said before she could finish her statement.

The two of them halted, disbelief on their faces. I had always agreed to their wicked plans, always the obedient daughter, hoping they would finally love me equally as my brothers. However, it never happened.

I had finally snapped.

"No?" my dad asked. "Young lady, are you hearing yourself?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "No," I repeated. "I'm not going to the local academy."

"Then, do you want to become a laborer-"

"No," I cut her off again. Then, I looked into their eyes. "I'm going to Elite."

"Arden, don't push us," my mom said, not a hint of joking in her tone.

"No matter what you do or say, I am leaving."

With that, I turned my back to them, and I could practically feel the rage radiating off their bodies.

"If you choose to leave, then consider yourself not part of this family. You will not gain our support, may it be financially or emotionally. You will be nothing to us," my mom spat, the words digging into my heart like a blade.

I didn't hesitate this time.

"Then, so be it."

ARDEN

I let out a deep breath as I gazed at the tall gate in front of me. It was impeccably maintained, glinting as if forged from real gold. Given the sky-high tuition at Elite and the prestigious sponsors backing it, the theory didn't seem too far-fetched.

"I'm really here."

I clutched the single duffel bag slung over my shoulder. It was what I managed to pack before my mom shoved me out of the door. She had confiscated my phone, claiming I hadn't paid for it. Thankfully, I had set aside some money for tuition, and despite the hundred-mile journey, I had decided to travel with my wolf to reach this place.

Just as I was about to step forward, I felt something hard slam into my back, sending me sprawling onto the ground. Fortunately, my bag cushioned my fall. I was ready to glare at the culprit when I caught sight of a tall, imposing man radiating an indescribable aura.

My mouth fell open in shock, and I struggled to find the right words.

Beside him were two women clinging to his shoulders like leeches. They didn't bother to apologize and continued walking. Frowning, I called after them.

"Excuse me?"

They halted, giving me a once-over before scoffing. The man didn't even turn around. I clicked my tongue, feeling irritated. They were clearly in the wrong!

"Aren't you going to apologize?"

"How dare you?" one of the girls exclaimed.

"You were standing there like an idiot," the other chimed in, her tone scathing.

I bit my lip, frustration bubbling up within me. Just then, the man finally turned around, and my breath caught in my throat. Now that I was standing, I could see his features more clearly.

Blonde hair. Blue eyes. A strong jaw. It was a dangerously attractive combination, but my annoyance at him overshadowed my appreciation for his looks.

"You... want me to apologize?" he asked slowly, striding closer.

I pursed my lips and took a step back as he approached.

"You bumped into me," I muttered, my confidence wavering slightly under his intense gaze.

A small smirk danced on his lips. "What's your name?" he asked, brushing aside my statement.

"I don't think that's relevant to this situation."

His eyebrows arched in surprise. "Interesting," he replied and then offered his hand.

"The name's Rowan."

"And you still need to apologize," I said, crossing my arms defiantly.

He laughed-a loud, rumbling sound that echoed around us. The girls beside him shot me daggers with their glares. I frowned, unsure of what I had done to provoke such a reaction.

"Really interesting," he murmured, then turned to leave. "Well, see you around," he added with a wink, backing away while his hands found their way to the waists of the two women. Glancing over his shoulder, he planted a kiss on one of them, his tongue making its way into her mouth.

Disgusted, I turned my gaze away.

"Did they really allow such odd people on this campus?" I muttered, shaking my head. Let's just hope I never run into that guy again.

Once they were out of sight, I approached the guard.

"Name?" he asked, not bothering to look my way.

"Arden Stone," I replied.

"Look into the sensor," he instructed, pointing to an iris scanner. I complied, holding my breath as the scanner processed my identity. After a few tense moments, it turned green. I sighed in relief-there was no mistake. I was really admitted.

"Go in," he said, finally meeting my gaze.

I smiled and stepped inside, the air feeling different compared to the outside. I inhaled deeply, taking in my dream school. The campus was so vast that it would require a car just to navigate. On the far right were the Elite Mansions, reserved for the crème de la crème-those who could afford the outrageous fees. When I found out how much a single room cost, I nearly fainted. It was even pricier than the tuition.

I had heard that's where Alphas, Betas, and the offspring of wealthy tycoons stayed.

And that's where my brother was residing. I shook my head, feeling the familiar pain of unfairness. My parents claimed we couldn't afford it when they easily paid for his accommodation.

With determination, I turned my focus to a large map a few steps away. I needed to locate the Hades Dorms-the cheapest option, though it had received mixed reviews.

"Where is it?" I muttered, scanning the enormous map. "A-ha!"

A frown creased my forehead as I realized its distance. "It's at the farthest part," I mumbled, estimating it must be around twenty kilometers away.

"It's a whole marathon," I chuckled to myself. It was the only housing I could afford, so I had no right to complain. Besides, I was already here!

With renewed resolve, I embarked on my journey to my new home for the next two years. Unfortunately, in my distraction, I bumped into yet another person.

This person was solid, and I found myself losing my balance, but a pair of strong arms quickly wrapped around my waist, steadying me. A shiver ran down my spine, making me bite my lip.

"I'm sorry," I began, realizing I was at fault this time. "I was just in a hurry-"

My words caught in my throat when I looked up into the eyes of the person next to me.

"Pretty," I murmured before I could stop myself.

His eyes, the shade of stormy skies-gray, neither too dark nor too light-held a depth that seemed to shimmer despite their dullness. His dark hair added to his striking appearance, and for a moment, the world around us faded away.

"I'm sorry again-"

Before I could even finish my sentence, however, he had stepped back, not acknowledging my statement. Then, he walked toward the Elite Mansions, leaving me as a silent mess.

I had barely stepped foot into the campus, but there was already a question that lingered in my mind.

Did this school only accept attractive people?