Weeks had passed since Xander’s surprise visit and their emotional reconciliation. Life had settled into a new kind of normal — or as normal as it could be for a human mate of a future Alpha. Claire threw herself into senior year with renewed focus. College applications were submitted, prom planning was in full swing, and the rumors at school had finally started to die down after Alissa’s very public warning and Xander’s occasional video calls from Harvard that reminded everyone he was still very much taken.
The stalker notes had slowed, though the uneasy feeling of being watched never fully left her. Xander flew back every other weekend when he could, and their video calls had become a nightly ritual. The distance was hard, but they were making it work. The mate bond helped — a constant
