Bloodbound to the Witch Heir: Claimed By Four

Celeste’s POV

*****

7:20 PM, Girls dormitory building

Silence.

That’s all I’ve been sitting in for well over two hours now. Even Willow left the suite when she first came in, telling me to say "hi" to my mother.

But mom didn’t call me to say hi.

"Celeste, what did you do?" She’d asked me that question, tone filled with disappointment and something else. "Professor Amelia called. She told me you flung Lysandra and her friends down the stairs of your dormitory building."

"M–Mom—"

"What if you had hurt them?" She didn’t let me speak. "We won’t be having this conversation now. Instead we’d be apologizing to the Australian Alpha King... Who if I’m being honest, I don’t like really much."

Then she went on to tell me to keep a low profile at all times and also said I should thrive to keep my grades and performance on "Dual Affinity" class high or at least average by the end of the semester.

"You might not have a wolf... But you’re still a hybrid." Her tone had been soft. "One slip up and your powers could react far more violently than a witch. Don’t let yourself lose control, Celeste. I’ll be checking on you another time."

Those last words before she hung up lingered more than anything else in my mind.

Because they were bull crap.

"She’ll check up on me," I repeated with a scoff, rising off the bed. "By the end of the semester maybe. Only reason she called was because of what happened. And Dad didn’t even say anything... As always."

I stretched my limbs, swerving my head to the open balcony entrance. Moonlight shone into the dark room, illuminating the spotless marble floor.

Laughter, chattering and activities resounded outside, sparking a desire to join in the fun.

If only I wasn’t the main topic in that "fun".

Mom was right on one thing. Keeping a low profile was very important right now.

Sighing, I walked to the balcony still, taking in the cool evening breeze. I haven’t heard from any of my mates since the news dropped.

Not Silas. Not Atlas. Definitely not that bastard Luther...

And not even Azrael.

The last one stung more because he should be affected by the gossips and all the chaos that came with it. He should’ve been here to check on me. Ask if I was holding up. Maybe... Maybe be the first to ask me if I would be his girlfriend. Or whatever we’d call ourselves in contrast with the others.

But nope. Nothing but radio silence and those haunting words he told me right before the news dropped.

"It’s the people around me who need protecting. Especially you, little miss."

What in the name of the Olympians did THAT even mean? Why was he being so vague? So mysterious? And why the fuck was I getting so affected by it?

"Gods," I grabbed the metal railing on the balcony, lowering my head. "Having feelings for a man is a humiliation ritual."

I’d hoped he’d be different.

Hoped whatever we had going on would lead to something that would let me finally heal from the madness with Luther.

I pulled away from the railing, chest tight, and reached for my phone again.

I didn’t even pretend it was for any useful reason.

My thumb already knew where to go.

Blood Eye.

The screen lit up instantly, brightness stinging my eyes. The headline was still there. Pinned. Trending. Mocking.

ACADEMY’S PRINCESS CAUGHT KISSING NEW TRANSFER — MULTIPLE MATES CONFIRMED?

My stomach twisted.

I scrolled.

There were more pictures now. Different angles. One where Azrael’s hand was cupping my jaw. Another where my fingers were threaded into his coat. One where I was clearly leaning into him like I’d done it a hundred times before.

Gods.

I shut my eyes, exhaling through my nose. When I opened them again, I noticed something that made my chest ache even worse.

My contact list.

I scrolled through it slowly, like maybe my eyes were lying to me.

Willow. Caelum. My mother. My father’s assistant. A few classmates. My father himself.

That was it.

I didn’t have Silas’ number. Didn’t have Atlas’. Didn’t have Azrael’s.

Not even Luther’s—thank the gods for that small mercy. I’d blocked and deleted the idiot the night of the Lupine Ball.

A bitter laugh slipped out. "Wow," I whispered to the empty room. "That’s... embarrassing."

I slept with one of them.

Shared steamy glances with another.

Even stole one of the best kisses of my life with one.

And I didn’t even have a single number saved.

As I thought about the soap opera that was my life, my phone buzzed suddenly, making me flinch.

Caelum.

My twin’s name glowed on the screen, his picture staring back at me like he already knew I was about to mess up.

I stared at it.

Let it ring.

He’d ask questions. He always did. Try to fix things. Try to be the calm one, the rational one and the wolf I wasn’t.

I couldn’t do any of that right now.

My finger hovered over decline when—

Something shifted in the air.

Not a sound. Not exactly.

Just... pressure.

The air in the room felt thicker. Heavier. Like the space itself had leaned inward. The balcony curtains fluttered even though there was no wind now. My skin prickled, every nerve ending lighting up at once.

I lowered the phone slowly, heart beating like drums.

I knew this feeling.

I’d felt it before. In the forest. In the hallway. In those quiet moments where the world seemed to hold its breath.

A presence.

The phone stopped ringing just then.

Then—

A knock sounded on the door. Almost hesitant.

My breath caught in my throat.

I didn’t ask who it was. I didn’t need to—deep down, I already knew.

My feet carried me across the room before my brain could catch up. Each step felt like walking toward something inevitable. I stopped in front of the door, pressing my palm flat against the wood.

The bond hummed.

Warm. Urgent. Familiar.

I inhaled slowly, steadying myself, then opened the door. And there he was...

Azrael.

Black coat. Long dark hair. Sunglasses still in place despite the hour. His posture was rigid, like he’d braced himself for rejection. Or for losing control. Or both.

For a second, neither of us spoke.

Then his jaw flexed.

"I wasn’t supposed to come here," he said quietly.

His voice was rougher than usual. Less controlled.

"I told myself I wouldn’t," he continued, gaze fixed on my face like looking away might cost him something. "That it would be safer to keep my distance. Smarter."

He exhaled.

"But I couldn’t leave you alone."

Something in my chest cracked.

The night air slipped between us, heavy with everything we hadn’t said yet.