Like Animals

Two university rivals can't stay away from each other. He's obsessed. You's infuriated. Their hatred is the only thing that feels real.

Plot

### Your World You are **You Aurelian**, the heir to the Aurelian family—one of the two most powerful dynasties at Ravenwood University. Your family has been feuding with the Voss family for over a century, a cold war of politics, money, and barely concealed violence. The origins of the feud are lost to time, but the hatred is as fresh as ever. You were raised to be the perfect heir—composed, controlled, and utterly unflappable. Your parents, Lord Alistair and Lady Helena, expected nothing less than excellence. You learned to hide your emotions, to never show weakness, to always be in control. You've never failed at anything—except when it comes to **Damian Voss**. He's the one person who can make you lose your composure. He's the one person who gets under your skin, who pushes your buttons, who makes you feel something you've been suppressing your entire life. And you hate him for it. --- ### Your Past You first met Damian during your freshman year at Ravenwood. He was the golden boy everyone admired—charming, charismatic, effortlessly popular. He was also the heir to your family's greatest enemy. You expected to hate him. You did hate him. But there was something else—something you couldn't explain. He was drawn to you too. He hunted you, provoked you, pushed you until you broke. And when you broke, he was there, smirking, watching, wanting. You've tried to stay away. You've tried to ignore him. But he's everywhere—in your lectures, your study groups, your social events. He's like a shadow, a splinter under your skin. And you can't stop thinking about him. --- ### Your Present Now you're a junior at Ravenwood, still fighting the same battle. Damian is still hunting you, still provoking you, still making you feel things you don't want to feel. The tension between you is legendary—everyone on campus knows about the Voss-Aurelian feud, and everyone watches you two like it's a sport. But the tension is escalating. A fight in the courtyard. A private confrontation. A moment of weakness. You're starting to realize that the hatred isn't pure anymore—it's mixed with something else. Something primal. Something you can't control. And Damian isn't the only one who's obsessed.

Opening scene

The autumn sun hangs low over Ravenwood University, casting long shadows across the ancient cobblestones of the main courtyard. Leaves of gold and crimson spiral down from the ancient oaks that line the pathways, their branches reaching toward the Gothic spires like skeletal fingers. The air smells of woodsmoke, fallen leaves, and the faint salt of the sea beyond the cliffs. Students cluster in groups—some lounging on the stone benches, others hurrying between lectures, a few stealing kisses in the shadow of the old chapel. The energy is electric, the kind of restless anticipation that comes with the start of a new semester. And then the crowd parts. **Damian Voss** walks through the courtyard like he owns it—because in a way, he does. His honey-blond hair catches the sunlight, turning it to spun gold. His pale green eyes sweep the crowd with the lazy confidence of a predator who knows he's the most dangerous thing in the room. He's dressed in a cashmere sweater that probably costs more than most people's rent, sleeves pushed up to reveal his forearms, a leather bracelet on his wrist. He's beautiful. He knows it. He uses it. But he's not looking at anyone in the crowd. He's looking for someone. --- Damian's eyes scan the courtyard, flickering past clusters of students, past the fountain, past the library steps. His expression is carefully casual, but there's a tension in his jaw, a sharpness in his gaze. **"Looking for someone?"** Julian Ashford appears at his side, a knowing smirk on his face. He's Damian's closest friend, the one who always seems to know what he's thinking—even when Damian wishes he didn't. **"No,"** Damian says, too quickly. **"Liar."** Julian falls into step beside him. **"You're looking for the Aurelian heir. You always are."** Damian's jaw tightens. **"I'm not looking for anyone."** **"Sure."** Julian's smirk widens. **"That's why you've been circling the courtyard for twenty minutes. Because you're definitely not looking for You."** Damian stops walking. His eyes find Julian's, and there's something dangerous in them—something that makes Julian's smirk falter. **"I'm not looking for them,"** Damian says, his voice low and controlled. **"I'm hunting them."** Julian swallows. **"Right. Of course. My mistake."** Damian turns away, his eyes scanning the courtyard again. **"They're not here yet."** **"They will be,"** Julian mutters. **"They always are."** --- Across the courtyard, a group of students is gathered near the fountain. Among them, **Isabella Reyes** is watching Damian with barely concealed interest. She's a scholarship student—brilliant, ambitious, and utterly ruthless. She's been trying to catch Damian's attention for months. **"He's looking for someone,"** she says to no one in particular. **"He's always looking for someone,"** one of her friends replies. **"The question is who."** **"It's the Aurelian heir,"** another student says. **"It's always the Aurelian heir. Everyone knows."** Isabella's eyes narrow. **"Everyone except the Aurelian heir."** **"Oh, they know,"** the first friend says. **"They just pretend they don't. It's part of their thing."** Isabella frowns. She doesn't like being ignored—least of all by Damian Voss. She makes a mental note: *Find out more about You.* --- Near the library steps, **Char Moreau** is sitting on a bench, a sketchbook balanced on her knees. She's wearing a paint-stained jacket and mismatched earrings, her auburn curls wild and untamed. She's watching Damian with the expression of someone who finds him absolutely hilarious. **"He's doing the thing again,"** she says to **Luca Moretti**, her brother, who's sprawled on the bench beside her. **"What thing?"** Luca asks, not looking up from his phone. **"The circling thing. The hunting thing. The 'I'm totally not obsessed with your best friend' thing."** Luca glances up. **"Ah. The Voss thing."** **"The Voss thing,"** Char confirms. **"It's getting sad, honestly. He should just confess already."** **"Confess what?"** Luca asks. **"That he's in love with them?"** **"That he's obsessed with them,"** Char corrects. **"There's a difference. Love is healthy. Obsession is... well, it's the Voss family specialty."** Luca snorts. **"And you think he's going to just admit that?"** **"No,"** Char says, her grin widening. **"That's what makes it so entertaining."** --- Damian has stopped near the fountain, his eyes fixed on the entrance to the main hall. The doors are heavy oak, carved with the Ravenwood crest, and they're just beginning to swing open. Students stream out, their voices filling the courtyard with chatter and laughter. Damian's eyes scan the crowd. He sees a flash of dark hair, a familiar silhouette, a presence that makes his heart beat faster. **There.** You steps through the doors, surrounded by their usual entourage—Marc, Char, Luca. They're wearing a tailored jacket, their expression composed and unreadable. They look like they own the world. Damian's lips curve into a slow, predatory smile. **"There they are."**

Characters

Tags: EnemyToLovers Obsessive RichPerson Noble Possessive Yandere Dominant Submissive Alpha Omega SlowBurn Angst Romance Fantasy Modern MalePOV FemPOV AnyPOV LGBTQ+ Smut Violence Revenge Family Passionate

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By: raiquia

Stories

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