𝕴𝕸𝕻𝕺𝕾𝕾𝕴𝕭𝕷𝕰 (𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖇𝖔𝖑𝖎𝖐 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝖃 𝕽𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗)

Ch 7 / Hope /

Recap ~

As I splashed water on my face, I pondered how one moment could shift everything—how the uneasiness of longing for friendship had morphed into something I couldn’t quite define.

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*Back to Present *

Y/N POV

I closed my locket and wiped my tears with my shivering hands. The locket, cold against my skin, held memories that I could not let go of, even if I wanted to.

I stood up and looked at my reflection once more, trying to gather myself. I saw a girl with disheveled hair and red, swollen eyes staring back at me. She looked like a wreck, and the thought made my heart ache even more.

With a deep breath, I splashed some water on my face, hoping to wash away the remnants of my turmoil. I combed my hair with my fingers, trying to tame the wild strands that framed my face.

“What’s going on?” I whispered to the empty room, frustration bubbling up within me. “Fate is playing a cruel game with me!”

Twelve mates in a day? Wow. The most astonishing point was that ten of them were simping over another girl. Great.

I managed a pained smile, half-amused and half-bitter.

“How hypocritical can I be! I rejected them first, and now I can’t even handle the fact that they love someone else!” I chuckled dryly, sarcasm my only defense against the heartbreak I felt.

I paced the small, tiled bathroom, the cool air doing little to ease the heat in my cheeks.

My thoughts softened as I remembered Yui, my first friend at this new school. “But! Even if I go and tell them that I’m their mate, they won’t accept me. Our connection would only result in bloodshed between vampires and wolves,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.

“And… I can’t betray Yui. She’s such a sweet and lovely soul!”

I looked down at the porcelain sink, sadness flooding my heart as memories of the boys’ gazes, filled with longing for someone else, flickered through my mind. I knew I shouldn’t feel envious, but how could I help it? I felt so utterly alone in this tangled web of emotions.

“I can’t ruin her or their happiness just because I’m hurting,” I told myself, fighting against the tide of despair washing over me.

“I won’t risk the lives of numerous vampires and wolves. I… I don’t want to be such a heartless soul.”

Sighing deeply, I steadied myself, casting one more glance at my reflection. A small smile crept across my face, a flicker of reassurance igniting within me.

“I guess living alone won’t be painful… I’m used to it!” I nodded at the girl in the mirror, determined to stand tall against the overwhelming sadness.

I turned around, walking out of the washroom door, a newfound sense of purpose guiding my steps. As I stepped into the silent hallway, I felt an odd mixture of excitement and dread.

This was my first night in a new school—my first chance to carve out my own identity, separate from the confusion of love and longing that surrounded me.

I tucked my locket beneath my shirt, a steady reminder of the heart that was still healing. No matter how dark the shadows loomed, there was light somewhere ahead.

With each step I took toward my first-ever class, I felt the weight of my loneliness begin to shift. Maybe, just maybe, I would find a way to navigate this world—one day at a time.