Feral Bonds: Claimed By Rogue Alpha Brothers
Chapter 52: He’s a Good Roommate

Chapter 52: He’s a Good Roommate

Evaline:

I slammed the dorm door shut behind me, causing the frame to rattle.

The echo rang out through the empty common area, but I didn’t care. My blood was boiling, my thoughts were in chaos, and my heart - damn it - was aching.

I stormed into my room and kicked the edge of my bed. Hard.

"Stupid... arrogant... delusional brothers!" I seethed while pacing like a madwoman. "I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t want this!"

Every step was making the rage bubble higher in my chest. The audacity of Oscar to pull me close, to stare at me like I was something precious... and then act like I was a mistake seconds later? I wasn’t some doll he could play with and then discard like trash.

"I’m not some helpless girl just begging for his attention!" I yelled into the empty room. "And I sure as hell don’t need him or any of his brothers thinking I’m desperate for their time!"

I dragged both hands down my face and groaned in frustration.

Why was it always like this?

First Ethan. Now Oscar.

One moment, they looked at me like I mattered, like the Moon Goddess had placed me in their path on purpose, and the next, they shoved me away, like I was cursed.

Or I might really be cursed. Because what’s with these bonds that I kept feeling with these men? How could I feel more than one bond?

And I felt it. Oh, I felt it.

The moment Oscar’s hand wrapped around me in the library, everything else disappeared. The aching weight of the world lifted, and something deep inside me whispered - Mine.

I knew what it was this time, there was no confusion or misunderstanding. The pull was soft and warm. Comforting.

But only until he looked down at me with wide, horrified eyes and said, "This can’t happen."

That sharp memory burned like salt in a wound. My heart twisted violently, and the tears I had been holding back finally pushed through. I let out a broken sob, curling my knees into my chest as I sat on the cold floor.

"I didn’t ask for this," I whispered. "I didn’t want this. Why does it always have to hurt?"

I didn’t even realize I was crying so loudly until I heard a faint thump.

My head snapped up as the curtain over the balcony shifted, and then the glass door opened.

"Woah - what the hell?" Rowan’s voice cut through the silence. "Eva?"

I sniffled and quickly wiped at my eyes, scrambling to my feet, but not before he saw.

I was too late.

He stepped inside only to freeze as he took in the sight of me - tears streaming down my face, face blotchy, and an emotional wreck on the floor.

"What happened?" he asked as his eyes widened. "Did someone die?"

"No," I croaked in a hoarse voice. "It’s... I don’t know. Hormones, maybe."

His brows lifted slightly. "Right. That time of the month?"

I gave him a dry, humorless laugh. "Sort of."

He tilted his head but didn’t push further. "Well... whatever it is, I have never seen you like this."

"Yeah, well, I don’t normally break down like this either," I mumbled while stepping back and trying to pull myself together.

He walked over and leaned against the wall beside my bed, crossing his arms. "You wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Great," he said with a casual shrug. "Then I’ll just sit here and judge you silently for crying over... whatever the hell made you cry."

I turned sharply to glare at him, but the mock frown on his face, so painfully exaggerated, made me snort.

"That’s better," he said while pointing at me. "I think I saw the tiniest crack of a smile."

I shook my head. "You are an idiot."

"Yeah. But I’m an idiot who knows how to cheer you up."

There was something oddly comforting about Rowan’s presence. He wasn’t trying to dig into my feelings or offer some overly-sentimental speech. He was just... here.

Uncomplicated. Normal.

"I hate them," I said finally as I sank onto my bed.

"Hate who?" Rowan asked, genuinely confused now. "Wait, are we talking about the professors? Did someone flunk you or something?"

I stared at the ceiling as I replied, "No. Not professors. Just... people."

He blinked, still looking lost. "Well, damn. Okay. Want me to break their legs?"

I laughed, a real laugh this time. "You don’t even know who they are."

"Doesn’t matter. Anyone who makes you cry like that probably deserves a swift kick in the groin."

"That’s disturbingly sweet."

"I’m a disturbingly sweet guy."

We sat in silence for a while. The storm inside me wasn’t gone, but it had dulled now, like the worst of it had passed. Rowan didn’t press me further. He just stayed nearby, flicking a small blade in his hand in and out of its casing with soft clicks.

"Do you... ever feel like the universe is just messing with you?" I asked after a while.

He glanced up before answering, "Every damn day."

"I keep getting pushed into situations I never asked for. People I never wanted in my life keep showing up and... making it harder."

His brows pulled together slightly, but he just nodded. "You are not the only one."

There was something in his voice, quiet and tired, that made me pause.

"You okay?" I asked as I turned my head to look at him.

"Me?" He gave a crooked smile. "I’m always okay."

Liar.

But I didn’t push him. Just like he didn’t push me. Maybe that’s why I felt a little calmer with him here.

"Thanks for coming in," I said. "Even if you were sneaking in through the balcony like some kind of rooftop bandit."

He grinned in response. "I prefer the term ’professional entry expert.’"

I rolled my eyes, but there was a smile playing on my lips. All it took was an unexpected incident on Saturday midnight to break the wall between us.

"You going to be okay?" he asked in a serious voice.

I hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. Just... needed to let it out."

"Well... good. The last thing I wanted was to hear you sobbing while trying to get some sleep." He said while standing up. "Let me grab some water for us."

"Hey," I called before he could step out of the room, making him turn back.

"I’m glad you are my roommate."

His expression shifted just a little... softened. "Me too."