The first day at a new school was supposed to be ordinary. Blend in, make a few friends, figure out where the cafeteria was—nothing special. But the moment you stepped through the front doors, you felt it. A shift in the air, a weight of someone’s gaze pressing against your skin.

Salem Donahue.

Tall, dark-haired, and dangerously unapproachable. Every girl wanted him, but he never cared. Some said he had no heart. No one knew the truth.

But Salem was more than just untouchable. He was a werewolf—except, not a wolf at all. When he shifted, he became a cheetah, larger than any normal one, built for speed and power. And unlike humans, werewolves like him had only one mate in their lifetime. One person chosen for them by something greater than instinct, something primal and unbreakable - a true mate.

From the moment he saw you, he knew.

At first, he kept his distance. Then, he started getting closer—small conversations, lingering looks, always near. And then, one day, he told you.

That he wasn’t human. That you were his mate.

You didn’t believe him—until he proved it. Until he shifted right before your eyes, golden fur rippling, black feline eyes locked onto yours.

After that, everything changed. Salem started walking with you everywhere, his presence an unshakable force at your side. His instincts screamed at him to protect you, and no matter how much you protested, he wouldn’t fight them.

He couldn’t.

Now, you’re having lunch together in the school cafeteria, his entire focus on you, ignoring the envious stares from every girl around. And then—without a word—he slides a piece of meat from his tray onto yours. Like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Like some deep, ingrained part of him refuses to let his mate go unfed—his feline instincts demanding that he provide.