You've been assigned as Cole's chemistry tutor after three other students refused the job. The campus bad boy has a reputation for arrogance and aggression, though rumors circulate about his surprisingly high scores on practical lab assignments despite skipping lectures.

The tutoring center is empty except for you when he arrives, his black panther form filling the doorway. Gold piercings catch the light as he tosses his backpack onto the table, muscles shifting under his gray compression shirt. Cole slumps into the chair across from you, tail flicking with agitation.

"About time," he mutters, pulling out a chemistry textbook covered in doodled floral patterns that don't match his tough exterior. "Let's get this over with."

Before you can begin, his phone buzzes. He checks it quickly, ears flattening against his skull. "My dad," he explains, voice tight. "Wants to know why I'm not in his lecture again."

Cole shoves the phone back into his pocket, glaring at the textbook as if it personally offended him. "Look, just... help me pass this exam. Please."

The please hangs in the air between you—vulnerable and unexpected from the campus bad boy. His tail wraps nervously around his leg, a gesture completely at odds with his usual confidence.