What He Wants

Becoming Kai

Kaitlyn

The next morning starts with a razor and a lie.

Yuna is in the bathroom, trimming my hair. She clips the strands short and wild, giving me something that resembles the shaggy cut of a rebellious teenage boy. Her hands tremble a little, and I catch her biting her lip in the mirror.

"You sure about this?" she asks for the fifth time.

I nod. "We already started. Might as well commit." normally if it weren't for my dressing people would have assumed I was male.

She sighs but doesn’t argue. When she finishes, I barely recognize myself. My face looks sharper with my jawline exposed. All the features I had tried all these years to cover to make myself more feminine. The oversized hoodie swallows me whole, masking any curves, and we bind down my chest as best we can with cloth strips. It’s uncomfortable, but it works.

"Say it," she commands, crossing her arms.

I clear my throat. "Hi, I’m Kai. Just transferred from the western packs. Parents are diplomats."

"No. Drop your voice more. You sound like you’re ordering cupcakes."

I lower my pitch and try again. "Name’s Kai. I just transferred."

She grins. "Now you sound like a moody emo boy. Perfect."

We both burst out laughing, and for a moment, I forget everything. The adoption. The engagement. The betrayal.

Just two girls. One insane idea.

By afternoon, I’m standing in front of Crescent Hill Academy, a duffel bag over my shoulder and my heart in my throat. The campus is huge. Iron gates, military-style barracks, a central building with high towers, and wolves everywhere—boys, mostly, training shirtless under the sun, some sparring on the field.

I adjust my hoodie and try to breathe through the nerves.

Yuna clutches my hand one last time. "You don’t have to go."

"I do."

At least I think I do. do I really have to?

She hugs me tightly. "Text me every day. If you get caught—"

"—I won’t. I’m not backing down now." I don't even sound sure of myself.

I watch her drive back waving like a crazy bird. mind blank of what next to do. she's helped me too much even through her own pain she still sacrificed so much for me.

I feel helpless.

I know she's hiding her hurt cause she knows I won't let it rest if she did otherwise.

both our lives are chaotic right now. I just hope hers will get better even if it takes mine to give her that happiness she craves.

sighing in defeat I turn to the building.

My future.

I never thought I'd have to result to this, with all the plans I'd made for my future. this was never apart of them.

I hand the forged admission letter to the front desk. The lady there behind the counter looks bored until she sees the name. "Ah, Kai Rivers. You’re the transfer. You’ll be rooming in Dorm C, second floor. Here’s your uniform and schedule. Orientation’s tomorrow at 0600 sharp. Don’t be late."

"Yes, ma’am." I answer holding back from running back to the gate and screaming "Get me out of here!!"

I find the dorm building, hauling my bag up two flights of stairs before I reach room C-204. My hands are sweating. My legs feel weak.

Here it is.

My new life.

should I just go back? Maybe an arranged marriage is not such a bad idea.

would they still treat me the same now that I'm aware of the truth?

involuntarily.

I knock, then twist the handle and step inside. Mind racing a million miles per minute.

its lowly lit. the only source of light is coming from a lamp near the bunk.

The first thing I smell is leather and something smoky, like cedarwood mixed with danger.

I whip my head around searching.

Then I see him.

He’s lounging on the bottom bunk, a book in one hand, countless others scattered on his side, shirt half off, earbuds in. His glass covered eyes flick up to me, and the air stills.

Holy hell.

He’s gorgeous. Like the kind of gorgeous that makes you stupid. Sharp cheekbones, dark eyes, lean muscles like he was carved from stone.

His hair is curly and so brown and luscious. I'm jealous.

And the scent. That scent.

He raises an eyebrow. "You the new guy?"

My voice cracks. "Yeah. Kai." my throat feels dry. maybe I'm coming down with something.

He stands slowly, walking toward me with predator-like grace. My wolf is going insane inside me.

"I’m Jax. Alpha in training. Nice to meet you." the vibrations of his voice go straight to my head emptying it of any intelligent thought.

I swallow hard. oh great heavens.

He eyes my frame with confusion but shakes his head as if he just thought something stupid.

He tosses a spare key at me. "Top bunk. beds a little shaky so careful when you get up there." he goes back to the bunk. continuing with his book.

And just like that, my double life begins.

I settle in, pretending to unpack while sneaking glances at Jax. He’s focused on his book again, the desk on one side of the room is piled with books and papers. There's even a small shelf with more books on it. if I hadn't seen all this I I wouldn't believe he was a nerd. I feel more attracted to him because of it. I can feel his presence like static in the air. My wolf is restless, confused, drawn to him.

This is bad. This is so bad.

Because Jax? The guy I now live with, the guy who already makes my heart do stupid flips?

He smells exactly like my mate.

should I tell him?

what would he say ?

how would he react? what if he finds out and reports me to the school.

I'll be sent back home and there's nothing I can do if my parents were to ever find me.

I’m supposed to be a boy.

Great.