Heart Bound

Unpleasant Rumors

Kyrie's POV

The tension at lunch was thick enough to cut with a knife. The dining room, as grand as the rest of the packhouse, was filled with an uncomfortable silence, and every clink of silverware against china seemed to echo louder than it should. The table was set with what seemed like an endless spread of dishes: platters of roast meats seasoned to perfection, bright, fresh salads, and thick slices of bread baked to a golden brown. Everything looked as if it had been made for a royal feast, not a simple lunch. The servers, dressed crisply in black and white, moved around us with practiced precision, refilling glasses and clearing plates as if we weren’t sitting in palpable silence.

Across from me, Cal’s mother, Sylvia, watched me closely, her gaze calculating, her expression polite but cool. I focused on my food, taking small bites of the delicious roasted vegetables and soft mashed potatoes, trying to ignore the weight of her stare. Cal’s father, Ethan, ate quietly, but his presence alone seemed to fill the room, a constant reminder of the expectations they held over Cal’s head.

After a few minutes of silence, Sylvia’s gaze shifted to me, and I felt her sharp, assessing eyes lock onto me. She tilted her head slightly, her tone deceptively casual as she spoke. “So, Kyrie,” she began, her voice smooth and controlled, “tell us a bit about your family. Your parents—what do they do?”

My heart skipped a beat. I’d known this would come, but now that it had, I felt trapped. “Well… my father is…” I hesitated, unsure what to say. The truth was impossible to reveal. Max was my uncle, not my father, and any real details about my family would be a dead giveaway. “He, um, manages a business in town.”

“Oh, really?” Sylvia’s tone was curious, but there was a hint of something sharper lurking underneath. “And your mother?”

The fork slipped slightly in my hand. How was I supposed to explain a mother who was actually a Djinn? I forced a polite smile, trying to keep my tone even. “She, uh… she’s been out of the picture for a while.”

Sylvia’s eyebrow arched, her expression unreadable. “I see. And you’re… from Bannington originally, correct?”

“Yes,” I replied, swallowing hard. Each question felt like it was digging deeper, each answer like a small betrayal of everything I was trying to keep hidden.

She continued, unfazed. “And you grew up there? Any special… family history?”

My mind raced, and I shifted uncomfortably, aware that any hesitation might fuel her suspicions. “Um, no, nothing unusual,” I replied as casually as I could manage, feeling the truth weigh heavy in my throat.

Sylvia’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as if she could see right through my guarded answers. She gave a small, knowing smile and turned back to her food, letting the silence fall once again. I could feel Cal’s supportive presence beside me, his hand resting briefly on mine under the table, but even his touch couldn’t quell the nerves twisting in my stomach.

Lunch couldn’t end fast enough. I kept my head down, eating in silence, praying the meal would be over soon. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sylvia and Ethan exchanged glances, signaling that they were done. The servers swept in, clearing plates with that same quiet efficiency, and we rose from the table, an unspoken tension lingering in the air.

Back at school, I thought I could relax, but the minute we stepped into the hallway, the whispers began. Hannah and her clique were clustered near the lockers, and the second they saw us, their eyes fixed on me, smirking as they whispered and exchanged glances. I felt Cal tense beside me, but I managed a brave face, keeping my head high as we passed.

In history class, the stares grew even more obvious, the murmurs louder. I slipped into my seat, Cal beside me, but I could feel the prying eyes of everyone in the room. It didn’t take long before the whispers turned into barely concealed laughs, a few sneers directed my way.

Hannah, sitting a few rows away, shot me a venomous look, her voice pitched just loud enough for everyone around her to hear. “It’s no wonder Cal’s so distracted these days. Looks like someone’s been messing around with witchcraft.”

One of her friends snickered, leaning forward. “Didn’t know Bannington were so desperate for guys that they’d go to those lengths.”

The laughter around us grew louder, and I felt my cheeks burn, a mixture of embarrassment and anger rising in me. Cal’s jaw clenched, his hand curling into a fist on the desk, but he forced himself to stay quiet, giving me a look that seemed to say *ignore them*.

Hannah’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she continued, her voice mocking. “Honestly, I always knew she was odd. But resorting to a hex to get Cal’s attention? Pathetic.”

Cal turned to her, his voice icy. “Enough, Hannah.”

But she didn’t back down, her gaze locked on me with a mixture of disgust and jealousy. “Oh, I think everyone deserves to know the truth, Cal. Kyrie isn’t a real wolf. She’s an outsider, pretending to be one of us. And we all know how Bannington girls operate. They can’t handle rejection, so they find other ways to get what they want.”

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure. The looks from everyone around me, the judgment, the scorn—they cut deeper than I wanted to admit. But I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me break.

“Actually, Hannah,” I said, my voice steady despite the emotions churning inside me, “I don’t need any tricks to be here. I’m Cal’s mate. You can spread as many lies as you want, but that won’t change the truth.”

The room fell silent, every eye on us. Hannah’s face flushed, her smile faltering for just a moment before she regained her composure, her mouth twisting into a sneer.

“Mates?” she scoffed, her tone dripping with disbelief. “Cal, we both know you’re smarter than that. You were promised to me by your parents. A real, powerful match for our family. Not… this.” She looked at me as if I were something unpleasant on the bottom of her shoe.

Cal didn’t flinch, his gaze unwavering as he looked at her. “I choose Kyrie, Hannah. Whatever my parents decided, they don’t control who my wolf chose. Kyrie is my mate, and nothing is going to change that.”

The words hung in the air, and I felt a rush of warmth and gratitude toward him. Cal’s declaration was clear, final, and as I looked around, I saw the confusion and surprise on everyone’s faces. But Hannah’s expression turned stormy, a flash of anger sparking in her eyes as she realized that her plan to humiliate me wasn’t working.

“You’ll regret this, Cal,” she hissed, her voice low but filled with venom. “Turning your back on your family, your future, all for her? It’s a mistake. And when you realize that, don’t expect me to be waiting.”

She gathered her things, her friends scrambling to follow her as she stormed out of the room. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, relief and exhaustion washing over me.

Cal turned to me, his expression softening. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, though the weight of the stares and whispers still lingered. “Yeah… just didn’t expect this much attention on a Monday.”

He gave a faint smile, his hand brushing mine. “They’ll get used to it. And Hannah… she’s just angry because things didn’t go her way. She’ll move on.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. Something in Hannah’s expression told me she wasn’t the type to simply let things go. But for now, at least, Cal was by my side, and together, we could face whatever came next.