Y/N strolled through the corridors, humming softly to herself. After yesterday's incident with Ivory and Sage, she thought it prudent to spend some time alone. However, she suddenly saw someone emerge from the boys' bathroom and froze. Damn, he's handsome, she thought, immediately lowering her head. The boy then walked past her and nearly bumped into her, but stopped just short.

"Sorry," he said.

Y/N looked up, meeting his gaze, and thought, Damn, those eyes are pretty.

He smiled at her. "I'll see you around, beautiful."

Then he left her standing there, her mouth slightly agape, feeling like a flustered fish out of water. She sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead as if trying to smooth out her jumbled thoughts. Gods, what is wrong with me? she wondered, her mind replaying the encounter. She could still see his striking eyes, their intensity lingering in her memory. With a shake of her head, she tried to clear the fog of embarrassment, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Determined to put the moment behind her, she continued down the hall toward the bar, where her friends were waiting, hoping their familiar presence would help her regain her composure.

Soon, she saw Aurelia, but Sage was noticeably absent. Her frown deepened with concern as she approached her friend.

"Aurelia, where is Sage?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Aurelia looked up, sighing heavily. "He left for home. He got into a fight with one of Ivory's henchmen last night and said he couldn't come to school today," she explained, holding up her phone for Y/N to see.

Y/N took the phone, her heart sinking as she read the messages between Aurelia and Sage. The words blurred slightly as a wave of frustration and concern washed over her. She sighed deeply, rubbing her nose in an attempt to alleviate the tension building within her. "Why in the seven hells would he do that?" she asked, her voice a mix of anger and helplessness.

Aurelia shrugged, her expression sympathetic but resigned. "Don't know, but probably for you, no doubt," she replied softly.

Y/N felt a pang of guilt and sadness. She shook her head, trying to make sense of it all. The weight of Sage's actions pressed heavily on her mind, mingling with the lingering memory of the boy with the mesmerizing eyes. With another sigh, she tried to steady herself, knowing she had to face whatever came next with her friends by her side.

"Well, let's go to class. I'm sure Dr. Yasmin will have our heads if we're not there by 9:11," Y/N said, straightening up. Aurelia hummed in agreement, and together, the two girls walked to class.

As they approached, they saw eight new boys standing outside the classroom. Y/N's heart seized when she recognized one of them—his muscles were clearly strong and defined. She gulped, feeling a wave of nerves.

"They're the new guys, aren't they?" she whispered to Aurelia as they neared.

As if sensing their gaze, all the boys turned in unison. Different pairs of eyes, each with their own unique intensity, locked onto Y/N and Aurelia. Y/N felt her breath catch in her throat, rendered speechless by the powerful presence emanating from each of them. She realized with a jolt that all of them were alphas.

"Oh, they are," Aurelia said, smiling and waving her hand. They stopped a safe distance away from the boys, but one of them, undoubtedly the leader alpha by the scent of it, stepped forward and offered his hand to Aurelia. She took it with a friendly smile.

"Hey there, I'm Bang Chan. These are my brothers," he said, introducing them one by one. "Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Seungmin, Felix, and I.N."

As each name was spoken, Y/N could feel her own beast stirring inside her. The presence of these alphas was awakening something deep within her, a primal response that she couldn't control. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she struggled to maintain her composure as the intensity of their combined auras washed over her.

"Hey, I'm Aurelia and this is my friend, Y/N," Aurelia said, nudging Y/N forward. Y/N stuttered but took Chan's outstretched hand. His smile made her stomach erupt with butterflies.

"Hello, beautiful," he whispered, and Y/N flushed deeply.

"H-hey," she managed to reply. Chan chuckled and gently tucked her into his chest, making Y/N squeal and Aurelia laugh.

"Damn, Y/N, you've already got some alphas doting on you," Aurelia chuckled, shaking her head. Then she straightened up, as did everyone else, when a snow leopard shifter stepped up and smiled at them.

"Good to see you, students. Now, come on in," said Dr. Yasmin. The group stepped away from the door, Chan still holding Y/N securely in his strong arms, ensuring her safety and comfort as they moved inside.

When they stepped inside, Chan finally let Y/N go, but not before nuzzling his nose against her scent gland. "Come with us to lunch after this class, okay?" he murmured softly, his voice sending a shiver down her spine. With that, he joined his brothers on the other side of the classroom.

Y/N shook herself, trying to regain her composure as Aurelia nudged her gently. They made their way to their usual seats in the middle of the classroom. Other students streamed in, filling the room with chatter and movement, but Y/N tuned them all out, her thoughts a jumbled mess. Her mind kept drifting back to Chan and the unexpected intensity of their brief encounter. She could still feel the warmth of his touch and the overwhelming aura of his presence, making it hard to focus on anything else.

The teacher began handing out assignments, and to Y/N's horror—and a small, secret delight from her inner beast—she was paired with one of the alphas, the one called Lee Know. When she glanced over at him, he caught her eye and winked, a playful glint in his gaze.

Her heart skipped a beat, and once again, Y/N found herself lost to the world around her. The room seemed to fade away, leaving only the intensity of Lee Know's presence. She could feel the pull of his alpha aura, stirring something deep within her, making it difficult to concentrate on anything else. As the noise of the classroom buzzed in the background, Y/N's thoughts were consumed by the unexpected connection with yet another alpha.

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"Dan, girl, you've got eight alphas hunting you down—you've won!" chuckled Aurlia as Y/N and she walked out together. Y/N hunkered down in a seat in the bustling cantina, feeling the weight of anticipation. She was supposed to eat with the boys, but her nerves got the best of her.

Just then, the scent of Chan filled the air—strong, hot, and intoxicating. Y/N flushed hard, her cheeks burning with an unexpected intensity as Chan's laughter sent butterflies whirling wildly in her stomach.

"Sorry, Aurlia, but can I borrow Y/N for a bit?" he asked, a warm hand gently settling on her shoulder. Aurlia nodded with a knowing smile, "Sure, go ahead."

Y/N felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as she stood up, the world seeming a little brighter with Chan's touch and the promise of something more hanging tantalizingly in the air.

Chan then helped her up, guiding Y/N towards his table where his brothers sat, deep in conversation. The noise around seemed to blur into a soft silence as Chan moved closer and Y/N settled in beside him, her head bowed and her scent glands betraying her nervous energy.

"Calm down," Lee Know said gently, reaching across the table to cup Y/N's cheek. His touch was tender, and a smile spread across his face as her beautiful (e/C) eyes finally met his. "You've got nothing to worry about, darling. We won't hurt you," he assured her, his voice filled with sincerity.

Why would he ever want to harm such a precious being? She was their mate, after all, someone to cherish and protect. The thought of hurting such a pretty girl was unthinkable to an alpha like him.

"Yeah," burst the one with the giggling muscles, "we'd never hurt a doll like you." The others chimed in their agreement, and Chan smiled, nudging her gently. "You've got nothing to worry about with us. We'll protect you," he reassured her.

Y/N swallowed her nerves. Get yourself together, woman, she thought, they're just trying to be nice. Don't let your heart overtake you again. She nodded and giggled softly, trying to ease the tension. But when she nipped at Lee Know's finger to signal for him to let go, she didn't anticipate the intensity in his gaze or the way his fingers tightened around hers.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that, darling. You don't know what we're capable of," he teased, finally letting her go. She shivered as the butterflies swirled in her stomach, and she tried to focus on eating. Yet, she couldn't shake off the heated glances the others were sending her way, nor the feeling of Chan's warm hand resting possessively on her thigh.

Oh, oh, she was in dangerous waters now.