Chapter 61: Echoes Of The Past [I]

They were standing in the hallway outside Otto’s apartment, having just returned from his send-off party. He had said that he needed to grab something from his room before dropping Starlight off, but when she insisted on waiting outside until he came back out, Otto eventually revealed why he had brought her there in the first place, insisting that she follow him inside.

"If you love me as much as you claim you do, you’ll do this for me," Otto said, reaching for her hand. "You know I’ll be leaving for the academy tomorrow, and I won’t see you again until only the goddess knows when. That’s too long to stay away from you without being together."

"But you promised to wait for me," Starlight pleaded. "Can’t you just be a little more patient? In just three more years, I’ll be eighteen, and then you can have whatever you want from me."

A flicker of annoyance flashed through his eyes when she refused again. "Haven’t I waited long enough?" Otto snapped. "I’ve already waited three months, and now you want me to wait for three whole years?" He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "It wouldn’t be such a problem if I were staying here to keep an eye on you, but I’ll be leaving for the academy. Who knows what you’ll get up to behind my back?"

"I will never cheat on you," Starlight said, rushing to reassure him as she grabbed his hand. "I love you too much to even think of such a thing, Otto. My whole being only belong to you, I swear it."

"Prove it," Otto insisted. "Show me you really love me and that your truly belongs to me."

"But—"

"No buts," Otto cut her off. "If you want me to believe you are truly mine and that you’ll wait for me, let me have you. Let me claim you tonight. That’s the only way I’ll trust what you’re saying, unless you are lying and waiting for me to go away so you can give it to whoever you want."

The accusation in his tone stung, but Starlight understood why he was acting like this — his fear of losing her was driving his anger. "I will never think of turning my back on you and betraying you like that," she promised. Starlight loved Otto too much to even consider it. Just the thought that him, the most popular werewolf in school, was her boyfriend felt unreal, like something you would read about in a story. One of the prestigious noble bloodline falling in love with a commoner like her felt like a total privilege: to have a werewolf see her as a true equal, let alone someone like Otto who could choose anyone.

How could she ever think of letting him down?

"You really can’t do this little thing for the one you claim to love?" Otto asked in pain, stepping away from Starlight as if her rejection physically wounded him.

"Otto, that’s not it," Starlight begged, moving toward him only for him to step back again, looking truly heartbroken. That sight broke her heart, making her feel like the cruel one.

She really was not ready to lose her virginity, but why did his parents have to send him off to that academy so far away from the district when there are schools closer? If he were staying, he wouldn’t be this desperate to claim a part of her before leaving.

"I wonder who you’re keeping that virginity for," Otto mumbled, turning his face away in bitter disappointment.

​"You, of course!" Starlight cried out, reaching for him again. "I’m keeping it only for you, Otto!"

"If you are keeping it for me, does it matter when I take it? It is mine to begin with, right? I should be able to have it anytime I want, unless you do not trust me," Otto said, his voice dropping into a sad, defeated tone. "I will wait, as you wish, my darling Star. If it takes a few extra years to earn your trust and finally have what is mine, despite how painful it will be to wait, worrying about who might steal you from me, so be it."

​He turned and made to walk away, but Starlight couldn’t bear hurting him anymore. She rushed forward and hugged him tightly from behind.

"Fine, I’ll do it! I will let you claim me tonight."

Otto whirled around immediately, gripping her shoulders to search her face. "Really?" he asked, his expression lighting up with excited disbelief.

Starlight nodded in resignation, giving in simply because she was tired of the emotional tug-of-war between them. Since she had already made up her mind to love only him, there was no need to hold out, even though she didn’t feel fully ready to go through with it tonight.

Otto pulled her into a tight embrace, raining kisses all over her face until a soft giggle escaped her lips. "You’ll never regret this, I promise," he whispered, holding her close against his chest.

Once inside the apartment, he led her straight to his bedroom. Starlight had expected an intimate and romantic moment between them, but the moment the door swung open, her stomach dropped. Sitting casually on the edge of the bed were Preston and Ambrose, the two ruthless bullies who had made her school life a living nightmare. They smiled at the sight of her like she was their most prized prey.

Preston and Ambrose had stopped bullying her when she started dating Otto and he publicly declared his love for her to the entire school, scaring all her tormentors away.

But what were they doing here?

She turned to Otto, wondering if he was seeing the same thing she was, only to freeze as he locked the door and turned toward her with the deadliest smirk she had ever seen on his face. She hadn’t even known he was capable of making such an expression. Her heart sank.

She didn’t understand why, but a cold dread suddenly washed over her, settling deep in her bones and making every instinct scream that something was terribly wrong.

Otto would never do anything to hurt her... right?

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