Chapter 11: The Boy Who Never Forgot Me

I ignored Rowan's messages for the rest of the day.

He only sent three.

[I'm sorry.]

[I won't follow you.]

[But when you're ready, I'll tell you everything.]

That was it.

No pressure.

No dramatic speeches.

No demands.

Somehow, that made it harder to stay angry.

I sat cross-legged on Tessa's dorm bed, staring at my phone.

Tessa handed me a cup of instant cocoa.

"So let me summarize."

"Please don't."

"Your ex-boyfriend discovered you were fat, secretly gave your account to another guy, and then that other guy turned out to be the future Supreme Alpha, your fated mate, and apparently someone who has been searching for you since childhood."

I covered my face.

"When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous."

"Because it is ridiculous."

She sat beside me.

"But I don't think Rowan is Knox."

I lowered my hands.

"I know."

"Knox lied because he wanted to get rid of you."

"And Rowan lied because?"

"That's what you need to find out."

I sighed.

"I hate being lied to."

"Then make him explain everything."

My phone vibrated again.

This time it was Mom.

[Your father and I are coming to Hollowcrest tomorrow. Don't leave campus alone.]

I frowned.

"That's not ominous at all."

Tessa leaned over my shoulder.

"Your mom sounds terrified."

"She knew about the markings."

"Which means she's hiding something too."

Wonderful.

Apparently everyone in my life had joined a secret club dedicated to keeping information from me.

That evening, I finally messaged Rowan.

[Tomorrow morning. Old library courtyard. 8.]

His reply came instantly.

[I'll be there.]

At exactly eight the next morning, Rowan was already waiting.

He stood beneath an old stone archway, hands in his coat pockets.

No guards.

No expensive car.

No Supreme Alpha heir performance.

Just Rowan.

His eyes searched my face carefully.

"Can I talk?"

"That's why I'm here."

He nodded.

"When I was eight, Nightvale hosted a gathering between several Packs."

"The one where we supposedly met."

"Yes."

He looked toward the fountain.

"I hated those gatherings. Adults treated me like a title instead of a kid."

"Sounds lonely."

"It was."

His expression softened.

"Then I met you."

I said nothing.

"You found me behind the training pavilion after those older boys cornered me."

"And apparently I bit someone."

Rowan almost smiled.

"Hard."

"Good."

"You said the same thing afterward."

Something flickered inside my memory.

A boy sitting in wet grass.

A torn sleeve.

My own small hands covered in mud.

Then a child's voice.

Don't cry. I'll protect you.

My breath caught.

Rowan immediately noticed.

"You remember something?"

"Maybe."

"Don't force it."

I studied him.

"What happened afterward?"

"We spent almost the entire gathering together."

His voice became quieter.

"You kept bringing me food because you thought I looked too skinny."

"That sounds like me before I developed calorie trauma."

His mouth tightened slightly at the phrase, but he continued.

"On the final night, you gave me something."

He reached beneath his shirt.

A thin silver chain appeared.

Hanging from it was half of a small moon-shaped pendant.

I froze.

An image struck me suddenly.

Two children sitting under a giant cedar tree.

A necklace breaking between their hands.

One half for you.

One half for me.

So we don't forget.

My hand flew to my chest.

"I know that."

Rowan's eyes sharpened.

"You remember?"

"Not everything."

I stared at the pendant.

"But I remember breaking it."

He stepped closer, then stopped himself.

"You told me that if we kept half each, we'd always find each other again."

My throat tightened.

"And then?"

"The next morning, you were gone."

"Gone where?"

"Nobody would tell me."

His expression darkened.

"Your family records disappeared too."

"What family records?"

"The guest list had your first name, but the Pack affiliation had been removed."

I frowned.

"So you spent years looking for a random Nessa?"

"Not random."

His gaze held mine.

"You were the first person who treated me like Rowan instead of the Supreme Alpha's son."

The sincerity in his voice made my anger falter.

"How did you find me?"

"I didn't. Not exactly."

"Knox did."

"Yes."

He looked ashamed.

"Three months ago, Knox mentioned an online girlfriend named Nessa during a private gaming call. He complained that she'd gone to Willowmere schools and planned to attend Hollowcrest."

"And that was enough?"

"No. But then he showed your old school record."

My stomach dropped.

"The one with my photo?"

"Yes."

"You recognized me?"

"Not your face."

He shook his head.

"The school record listed your mother's maiden name."

"What was it?"

Rowan looked directly at me.

"Lunaire."

A chill ran through me.

"That sounds like Lunaris."

"Exactly."

The courtyard suddenly felt colder.

"So when Knox posted that transfer thread..."

"I already suspected you might be the girl I'd been searching for."

"And instead of telling me, you took the account."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I panicked."

I blinked.

"You?"

"I'm capable of it."

"Debatable."

"I didn't know how to contact you without revealing everything. Knox refused to give me your private account unless I took over his new login."

"So you agreed."

"I told myself I'd verify your identity and then tell you."

"But you didn't."

"Because the first night we talked, I stopped caring whether you were the girl from my childhood."

I stared at him.

"What?"

"You were hurting."

His voice softened.

"And you were still kind. Still funny. Still worried that you had done something wrong."

He swallowed.

"I started falling for the person you were then, not the child I remembered."

My anger weakened further.

"That still doesn't excuse lying."

"No."

"You should've told me before the airport."

"Yes."

"You should've told me yesterday."

"Yes."

I crossed my arms.

"You're annoyingly easy to argue with."

"I'm not going to defend what I did."

Silence settled between us.

Finally, I asked the question that had been bothering me most.

"If we weren't mates, would you still have wanted me?"

Rowan answered without hesitation.

"I already did."

My heart betrayed me with a hard thump.

"Before the airport?"

"Before I knew what you looked like now."

"Before knowing for sure I was the girl from your childhood?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He smiled faintly.

"Because you rage-quit a ranked match and then apologized to every teammate individually."

I stared.

"That's your romantic explanation?"

"One of many."

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

Rowan's shoulders visibly relaxed.

Then my phone rang.

Mom.

I answered.

"Where are you?"

"Library courtyard."

"Stay there."

"Why?"

"Your father and I are five minutes away."

Her voice dropped.

"And Nessa?"

"Yeah?"

"If Rowan Vale is with you... don't let him leave."

I looked up at him.

His expression changed immediately.

"Your mother knows me?"

I lowered the phone.

"Apparently we're about to find out."