Chapter Eleven: Ambush
1117 Words
Ethan Pov
The walk to the principal's office felt longer than it should have. Sophia remained beside me, unusually quiet after what had happened in class. I didn't blame her.
Damien had a way of turning every situation into a spectacle. And unfortunately, this time he had an audience.
The principal sat behind his desk while the teacher who had reported the incident stood nearby with her arms folded. Damien occupied one of the chairs, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
His smug expression immediately irritated me.
I took the seat beside Sophia. The principal cleared his throat.
"Let's settle this like adults."
I almost laughed. There was only one adult in this room trying to start fights, and it wasn't me.
The teacher began explaining what happened. Or rather, her version of what happened. As she spoke, my irritation slowly grew.
She conveniently left out Damien's comments. She ignored the intimidation.
She skipped over the threats. Instead, she painted him as an innocent victim. A victim.
The idea was almost insulting. I glanced toward Sophia. She looked uncomfortable. Not surprised. Just uncomfortable. Which told me this wasn't the first time people had taken Damien's side.
The realization bothered me. A lot. The principal eventually turned toward Damien.
"Is there anything you'd like to add?"
Damien sighed dramatically. "I was simply trying to speak with Sophia."
My jaw tightened. Liar.
The teacher immediately nodded. "That's what I witnessed as well."
Of course she did. The principal looked at me.
"Ethan?"
Every eye in the room shifted toward me. I knew exactly what they wanted. An argument. A reaction. A reason to blame me. I wasn't giving them one. I took a slow breath. Then another. Control.
That was what my father had taught me.
The moment emotions controlled you, you lost. And I had no intention of losing.
"Damien approached Sophia after she made it clear she didn't want to speak to him." My voice remained calm. Controlled. "He ignored her wishes."
The teacher frowned. "But he never physically threatened her."
Sophia stiffened beside me. I noticed. So did Damien. His smile widened slightly.
That smile made me want to punch him.
Instead, I folded my hands together. "Threats aren't always physical."
The room fell silent. The principal rubbed his temples. Clearly exhausted.
"I don't want problems between students."
Students.
If only he knew. This situation had stopped being about school a long time ago. After another ten minutes of pointless discussion, the principal finally dismissed us. No punishment. No resolution. No justice. Just another person pretending not to see the truth. As we stepped into the hallway, I released a slow breath.
Sophia looked up at me. "Are you okay?"
The question surprised me. I should have been asking her that. I managed a small smile.
"I could ask you the same thing."
Her lips twitched slightly. Not quite a smile.
But close. "I've had worse days."
The fact that she could honestly say that hurt more than it should have. A teacher suddenly called my name.
"Mr. Blackwood."
I turned. The history teacher approached us. Mr. Larry. A middle-aged man with graying hair and a calm demeanor. I had taken two of his classes. He was respected by students and staff alike.
"May I speak with you for a moment?"
His tone carried a subtle weight.
Something important. I looked toward Sophia.
"I'll be right back."
She nodded.
Mr. Larry led me farther down the hallway until we were alone. Then he glanced around to make sure nobody was listening.
That immediately caught my attention.
His expression grew serious.
"Your father sends his regards."
I froze. My wolf instantly became alert. There was only one reason a stranger would mention my father like that. Recognition dawned.
"You're one of us."
Mr. Larry smiled slightly. "Finally figured it out."
I stared at him. The scent clicked into place. Wolf. How had I missed it before?
Probably because he kept it hidden so well.
"I work for your father from time to time," he explained quietly. "Information gathering. Monitoring. Reporting." Interesting. Very interesting.
"Did he send you?"
"No."
Mr. Larry folded his arms. "But if I know Alpha Liam, he'll hear about today's events soon enough."
I sighed. That sounded accurate. My father somehow learned everything. It was almost frightening. The older wolf's expression hardened.
"Listen carefully." I straightened. "Damien wants a reaction." I already knew that. "He wants you angry." I knew that too. "He wants you reckless." That one hit harder. Mr. Larry lowered his voice. "Don't give him what he wants."
I remained silent. Because he was right.
Every confrontation so far had followed the same pattern. Damien provoked. Damien pushed. Damien tested boundaries. He wanted me to lose control. The question was why.
Mr. Larry seemed to read my thoughts. "He's setting a trap."
My eyes narrowed. "What kind?"
"I don't know yet."
The honesty made me trust him more. At least he wasn't pretending. He placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Be smart."
I nodded. "I will."
"Good."
After that, the conversation ended. I returned to the main building with far more questions than answers. Sophia wasn't where I left her. I frowned. She wasn't in the hallway. Or near the cafeteria. Or outside. My wolf immediately became restless. Mate. Relax. She was at school.
Not lost. Not kidnapped. Not in danger. Probably. I checked my phone. No messages. No missed calls.
Eventually, I headed upstairs. There was a quiet area on the second floor where I occasionally went when I needed space.
If Sophia wanted to avoid attention, she might have gone there. The upper hallway was deserted. Silent. Too silent.
My instincts immediately sharpened. Something felt wrong. I continued forward.
Then three figures stepped into view.
Blocking the corridor. I recognized them instantly. Wolves. Not students. Not ordinary wolves either. Members of Damien's pack.
My expression darkened. "What do you want?"
The tallest one smiled. A cruel smile. "The Alpha sends his regards."
Great. Exactly what I needed. I glanced behind them. No sign of Sophia. Just an empty hallway. The three wolves slowly spread out. Creating a barrier. Cutting off easy exits. A challenge. A deliberate one.
My wolf growled. The tallest male cracked his neck.
"We've been waiting for you."
I wasn't interested in games.
"Move."
None of them moved. Instead, they exchanged glances. Then everything happened at once. Bones cracked. Muscles expanded. Clothes tore. The hallway filled with snarls. Three massive wolves appeared before me. Their eyes glowed with aggression. Their
teeth gleamed beneath the overhead lights.
And judging by the hunger in their expressions, they hadn't come here to talk.
They had come for a fight.
- Writer
