Fractured (by N.O Darling)

Harper is mine.

My bond.

My girl.

My heart.

My future.

Her beauty entranced me from the first moment I saw her. I almost got my ass bitten by Chase just because I couldn't resist the urge fo stop and admire her for a moment, I should have known then that she was mine. No other female or male has got my attention the way she did. She is so small and dainty, but I can see a fire behind her eyes. She is a fierce warrior hiding in the most beautiful little body. A true wolf in sheep's clothing. She hides her strength so well that even she doesn't see it, and I'm here to help her discover herself. I'll draw her out of the shadows she tries to hide herself in..

"Are we going to eat breakfast or just sit here while the two of you stare at each other?” Dillon says, snapping me out of the hypnotic trance I'd fallen into as I stare into the eyes of my bond.

I think I love her already.

"I wanted to wait for Chase," she says, her voice soft and sweet like smooth caramel.

"I don't think Chase is coming," I say, hating to see her face shift from hopeful to concerned.

• ame.

"Why not?" The other guy asks. He is new and I can't remember his Alfie maybe? I'm positive it starts with

an A.

"He left early this morning. Most likely with his mentor, who is trying to help him maintain control," I shrug.

I don't know how to feel about being in a bonded group with Chase. He and I have a love/hate relationship. I love to taunt him into losing control, and he hates me for it. If I had known we would be bond brothers, I wouldn't have tormented him. Now I've set myself up for a lifetime of revenge. If I'm going to survive this, I'll need to up my game.

I'm also worried about Harper. I'm not sure if she is ready to tackle Chase and his issues. She is a delicate little flower right now that needs care and attention to bloom. Chase has the potential to break her before she has a chance to grow to her full potential.

I barely eat any breakfast. I'm too enraptured by my bond's beauty to focus on anything but her. I think she just became my next unhealthy obsession. Or maybe she is the first healthy one I've found.

Whoever said running was healthy doesn't have my obsessive issues. I ran and ran. Three times a day if I cou' skipping meals and sleep to run. I ran myself right into the infirmary for a week. Apparently, I was suffering...n malnutrition and exhaustion. So yeah, no more running for me. It's a dangerous activity.

Whilst I was in the infirmary recovering, I had been so bored I was annoying all the staff. A nurse had introduced me to true crime podcasts from the human realm to keep me entertained, and so my next hyper fixation had been born.

The lengths those violent criminals go to in order to evade capture are shocking, and their behaviour is wild. That obsession had spiralled into unhealthiness for me, too. I devoured podcasts and intensely researched each case,

neglecting sleep and other basic needs.

Harper will be my last obsession. This one will be lifelong. I can't wait to learn every single thing about her. I'll need to get some notebooks to track her eating habits, sleep schedule, heat cycle and all that stuff. Then I'll need journals to document all her likes and dislikes. Her needs and wants. She is going to be my best project yet. By the time I'm done, I'll know more about her than she will.

"Finn!” Dillon says, his voice raised.

"Huh," I blink at him.

"I said, what class do you have first?"

"Oh, I can't remember. I'm going to skip it, anyway. I need to go shopping for stationery," I shrug.

"I love stationery. There's something so satisfying about a crisp, new notebook and pens and pencils that write so smoothly you want to work just to use them,” Harper says with a glint in her eyes.

Interesting.

"Would you like to come with me?" I ask.

"I wish I could, but I can't skip my class. You shouldn't either," she says, giving me

a disapproving look that reminds me far too much of my mother when she would chastise me.

"Fine, I'll go after classes," I say, unable to do anything that might disappoint her.

"You can't go then either. You need to pack your stuff and move into our apartment," she says with a shy smile.

"You're ready for me to move in already?"

"Of course, isn't that how things works? I've identified you as my bond, and now

we move in together," she shrugs, like it's no big deal.

I look at Dillon and... Arnold?... and they both nod their approval.

This is huge for me. Whenever I've been assigned a dorm room, all my dorm buddies have groaned and requested a move. Now, here is my bond and her sidekicks, and they want me to live with them.

"I guess the stationary can wait until tomorrow then," I grin, trying not to get up and start jumping up and down. I know that would embarrass Harper.

"You will need to let Sage know about Finley and Chase. I'm sure she will want to

meet them and have the guardian talk with them too," A says.

"I will," Harper nods and pulls out her phone from her bag

"Sage the seer?" I ask and Dillon nods.

I want to ask more, especially about the guardian stuff, but wait for Harper to finish on her phone.

"Good morning, sir," I hear a student say across the hall, and I look up to see two

of my nemesis. Mr Collins, the headteacher, and his sidekick and number one asshole tutor, Mr Marshall.

"Crap," I curse and lower my head, hoping they don't notice me.

"What's up?" Harper asks.

<{Ou

see those two staff members that just walked in? They're complete dick heads and they hate me. I managed give them the slip

yesterday, and I suspect the et

here

looking for me," I explain, trying to make myself seem as small as possible.

They won't spot me here, they'll be focused on the unbonded table, expecting me to be there. They have no reason to look this way if I keep quiet. Dillon snorts a laugh and I lift my head a little to scowl at him. noveldrama

"What's funny?"

"You've got zero chance of avoiding them," he says with a laugh, and Harper lets

out a disgruntled groan.

"Mr York," a voice says behind me before I get the chance to ask my bond what's

wrong.

I straighten in my seat and plaster on the most innocent smile I can muster before turning in my seat to face the biggest pains in my ass.

"Good morning, Sirs."

Mr Marshal Means in close, trying to intimidate me as he gets to my eye level. "Care to explain to me why you are eating breakfast with my. daughter?" He whispers low and my heart nearly stops in my chest.

Oh, fuck no.