I turned around, and to my surprise, a girl was staring at me strangely, as though I were an intruder or something. Her gaze quickly shifted from my face to my uniform, and her weird stares were immediately replaced with a warm smile.
"You must be the new transfer student. Nice to meet you. I'm Alarina, the head girl of the school," she introduced herself, extending her hand for me to shake.I was about to shake her hand when I noticed her claws had sprung out, sharp and menacing. I instinctively withdrew my hand, causing her to look at her fingers."Oh, I'm sorry. Sometimes these claws have a mind of their own," she chuckled, wiggling her hands. Instantly, the claws retracted, and her fingers returned to normal.I couldn't help but let out a nervous cough; I felt incredibly uncomfortable. I didn't know what to say or do. Alarina noticed my unease and placed her hand on my shoulder, leading me along the hallway."By the way, what rank are you?" Alarina's sudden question made my heart skip a beat.I couldn't possibly reveal that I was part of the low-rank werewolves who were betrothed to the Lycan prince, a fact that had completely altered my life. My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the snap of her fingers.I looked up to see Alarina snapping her fingers, bringing me back to reality. Nervously, I brushed my hair back, pretending not to have heard the question."Anyway, I never got to know your name," Alarina pointed out, her curiosity evident."Oh, I'm Ashley," I replied, purposely leaving out my surname."Ashley what?" Alarina asked with a stern expression.I had hoped to get away with it without her noticing, but she seemed insistent. Why did she even care about my surname in the first place? Was she trying to determine if I was royal or not, so she could adjust how she treated me? This wasn't going as smoothly as I had hoped."Ashley what are you thinking about?" Alarina asked, bringing me out of my thoughts."Huh... I'm not thinking about anything," I lied, maintaining a straight face to avoid suspicion, hoping she would drop the matter."But you keep zoning out," Alarina pointed out, her gaze fixed on me as if she had no intention of looking away. Her colored eyes bore into me, as though she were trying to decipher my very soul."That's strange," Alarina blurted out, causing me to look at her in surprise."What do you mean?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me, wondering if she had detected my lies."I'm unable to read your mind," she admitted, her eyes scanning the surroundings for something only she seemed to be aware of."That's... sad. Wait, what?" I stammered, realizing the implications of what she had just said. What did she mean by being unable to read my mind? I was starting to feel increasingly unnerved by everyone in this school."I'm a mind reader; I can read people's minds just by looking at them," Alarina began, pacing around me as I stood there frozen, afraid to move. "But it's strange. I've been looking at you for hours, and I still can't figure out what's going through your mind," she whispered, sending chills down my spine as her words reached my ears."Well, I don't think I want you to be reading my mind," I finally mustered the courage to say.Alarina and I engaged in a staring contest for what felt like an eternity. It was as though she was trying to process my words, maintaining a stern expression. She seemed less intimidating now, more like someone who was genuinely curious."Okay," I muttered, eager to leave the unsettling atmosphere."Oh, I'm sorry. I've been talking this whole time that I forgot to show you where your locker is and get your schedule," she said, facepalming in frustration.Finally, I thought. I had been prepared to find a way to escape her, as she had already invaded my thoughts for too long."Really, you were?" Alarina asked, making me freeze.I thought she couldn't read my mind. Panic surged within me."I thought you couldn't read my mind?" I gulped, politely inquiring.A grin formed on her face, leaving me puzzled about what she was about to say."I can't, but just by looking at your facial expression, I can tell you want to ditch me," she concluded, which was entirely true."Oh, you're good," I had to admit because that was precisely what I had been thinking."Thank you. By the way, don't mind me. I know I talk too much, but I'm not really much of a talker," Alarina grinned."Oh, I can tell," I joked, making her laugh. I joined in the laughter, feeling a bit more at ease.As Alarina continued to tell me about the school, screams suddenly filled the air. I looked up to see students flying through the air, some jumping on lockers and soaring over others' heads. I turned to Alarina, whose claws were already out."What's going on?" I asked, my fear growing as I watched students rush toward the hallway."They're coming," Alarina said, her eyes changing to yellow, sending a shiver down my spine.I felt frightened, which frustrated me since I had always considered myself a tough girl. But there was something undeniably strange about this school, an eerie vibe that made me wonder who was coming.I desperately wanted to escape the chaotic scene unfolding before me, but a continuous stream of students passed by, some even bumping into me, further exacerbating my frustration.The students in the hallway had gathered into two distinct paths, leaving a narrow aisle in between."Hope you did her assignment," I overheard a girl beside me say, her voice trembling with fear."I didn't, Kira," the girl replied with a tone of distress. Kira, the one who had asked about the assignment, seemed deeply concerned."Oh my goodness, Sable, what were you thinking?" Kira exclaimed, trying to console her trembling friend.I couldn't help but think, "Are these girls even werewolves? They seem so fragile, crying over not completing someone else's assignment." I scoffed inwardly, mentally dismissing their behavior.The room buzzed with murmurs, but suddenly, a boy wearing the school's uniform rushed in from outside, catching everyone's attention."What's going on, Maxk? Are they coming?" a girl from
I was completely surprised when I noticed the guy standing behind Thalia. At that moment, I thought he was a stalker, but then I caught a glimpse of a uniform badge hidden beneath his big black jacket.Thalia, with a hint of anger in her voice, yanked her hand away from him and asked, "What do you think you're doing, Rolf?"Ignoring her question, he started walking towards me, which made me feel a bit nervous, especially since everyone's gaze was fixed on me."Oh my goodness, Rolf is so hot," I heard some girls whispering to each other while giggling. I couldn't help but agree with them because, indeed, he was incredibly attractive.Rolf stopped in front of me, his dark gaze locking onto mine, and I couldn't help but feel weak in the knees."What are you?" He suddenly asked, catching me off guard."Wh...at?" I stuttered, struggling to understand what he meant.Before Rolf could say anything else, the crowd erupted into screams of amazement, with some girls pointing towards the door as
The curious gazes of everyone in the room, including Rolf's, didn't bother me at all. What I had just uncovered left me in such a state of shock that I couldn't be bothered by their attention. The teacher, sensing my distraction, leaned in and asked, "Miss Ashley, is everything alright back there?" My lips were sealed, and I merely nodded in response.Rolf, a classmate who had recently become a friend, shifted his chair closer to mine and whispered with genuine concern, "Are you okay?" I appreciated his kindness, but at that moment, I wasn't ready to divulge my thoughts, so I fibbed, saying, "I'm good." Rolf noticed my unease and nodded understandingly before returning his chair to its original position.The revelation I had just stumbled upon was too incredible to ignore. The Thorian who had everyone in the school captivated by his presence was none other than the future king of our realm, the very person I had been reluctantly betrothed to. A sly smirk curled at the corner of my lip
I found myself at a crossroads in that room. My initial impulse was to leave, but my resolve crumbled as he tightened his grip on my hand, pulling me back towards him just as I was about to collide with his chest. I managed to halt myself, instinctively using my hand as a buffer."Ashley," Thorian's voice softly called out my name. The way he uttered it sent an unexpected shiver down my spine, a sensuous undertone making me weak at the knees. Part of me longed to hear him say it again, though I silently scolded myself for such thoughts."Oh my goodness, what's wrong with me?" I wondered inwardly, shaking my head as if to physically dispel the inappropriate thoughts I was having about Thorian."Do I know you?" I asked, feigning ignorance as I gently pushed him away. Deep down, I had always known he would be at this school, as he had been the underlying reason for my transfer. The excuse of being unable to transform into a wolf was merely a convenient cover.What truly caught me off gua
My heart raced as I caught sight of Thalia and her group of friends outside. Thalia, with her striking presence, was about to turn her gaze in my direction. Panic surged through me, and I instinctively slammed the door shut before hastily retreating to where Thorian was standing.His eyes bore into me, a mix of frustration and anger etched across his features. My main concern, however, was how loudly he had just yelled. I worried that Thalia might have heard our heated exchange."Will you please keep your voice down?" I whispered, attempting to calm him, but he wasn't having any of it."Didn't you hear me? I said get out!"In an attempt to silence him, I swiftly covered his mouth, causing his words to emerge muffled. With bated breath, I carefully peeked through the door's peephole, desperately scanning for any sign of Thalia.A sigh of relief escaped my lips when I couldn't spot her anywhere. I began to lower my guard when an inexplicable urge prompted me to glance to the left. My he
The icy smoothie that now drenched me sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. As I stood there, stunned and dripping, my gaze locked onto Fenrisa, who held the now-empty cup with an air of audacious triumph. Beside her, Thalia and Thalassa wore smug smiles, their mischievous glints echoing the audacity of the act.In that frozen moment, as cold liquid dripped from my hair and clothes, a whirlwind of emotions surged within me. Confusion, shock, and disbelief mingled with the deep chill that had seeped into my bones. Why had they done this? What had I done to deserve such an unwarranted, humiliating assault?The cafeteria had transformed from a haven of culinary delight into a scene of unexpected chaos. Students around us exchanged hushed whispers, their curious eyes darting between me, the culprits, and my now-vacant seat. Alarina, who had been taken aback by the sudden turn of events, finally broke her stunned silence."Ashley, are you okay?" she asked, genuine concern evident in he
The morning sun, a golden sentinel in the sky, filtered through Ashley's curtains, casting a radiant glow on her peaceful slumber. Stirred from her dreams, Ashley wrestled with the warmth of the sunbeam, trying to coax her heavy eyelids open.In a sleepy daze, Ashley blinked twice, her eyes protesting the intrusion of the sun's rays. Slowly, she raised her arms and used her hands to form a makeshift shield against the brightness. With a graceful stretch and a drawn-out yawn, she greeted the new day.With a mischievous glint in her eye and a hint of nostalgia, she muttered to herself, "It's a new day for the old Ashley to arise."With newfound enthusiasm, Ashley propelled herself out of bed, her lithe frame a silhouette against the streaming morning light. She reached for her phone, fingers dancing over the screen as she initiated a video call with Emily, her closest confidante.On the other end of the call, Emily's voice crackled through, a toothbrush clutched between her teeth. "Hey,
Ashley's cheek throbbed with the fiery pain of Thalia's cruel slap, and the room seemed to hold its collective breath, shrouded in an eerie silence. Her wide, bewildered eyes remained locked onto Thalia, whose cold, calculating gaze radiated a malevolent intensity. In this charged moment, the power dynamics at play and the sinister game that ensnared Ashley were starkly laid bare for all to witness.Thalia's voice, icy and tinged with a disturbing satisfaction, broke the silence, each word cutting through the room like a blade. "You're here because you've trespassed into my territory, and you've committed a grave offense."Ashley's thoughts raced, her mind a whirlwind of confusion as she grappled with the accusation that had been hurled at her. She had never intended to provoke these sinister individuals, but it was becoming increasingly evident that their world operated under twisted rules, rules she had unwittingly violated.Thalassa, still wearing a wicked grin, couldn't resist add