Lured by the Alpha

Chapter 2

The car slowed down before I even saw the gates

Arcanum University didn't have a welcome sign or a big banner. It just appeared, huge stone pillars covered in strange symbols I had never seen before. Iron gates stretched between them, so tall they blocked out the sun.

The air felt different here…thicker, my fingers tightened around the strap of my bag.

A man stood at the gate. A watchman. Or a gateman, whatever title fit . He was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a dark uniform that blended too easily with the shadows behind him.

As the car rolled closer, he smiled.

I froze.

For just a second, I swear I saw fangs.

Not long, not exaggerated. Just… wrong.

I blinked hard and looked again.

Normal teeth.

Get it together, Ivy, I scolded myself. Another illusion. Another trick of my mind.

The watchman stepped closer to the car window. His gaze slid over me before landing on my mother.

“What is your business here?” he asked, his voice was rough.

My mother straightened in her seat. “I’m dropping my daughter. She’s a student.”

His eyes flicked back to me. They lingered too long.

“Student ID.”

I swallowed and handed it over through the open window. His cold fingers brushed mine and a shiver ran up my arm. He studied the card carefully, eyes narrowing, then glanced at me again. It felt like he was looking through me, not at me.

Finally, he nodded.

The gates moved without a sound. Massive iron sliding apart smoothly, revealing what lay beyond.

I didn’t breathe until we passed through.

Even then, I felt his stare burning into my back.

Arcanum University unfolded before me like something out of a forgotten era.

Stone buildings rose up everywhere, mixing old castle towers with modern glass windows. Everything looked expensive. Perfect. Like a place built for people who mattered.

This wasn’t a school. It was a fortress.

I couldn’t help but wonder how I had been accepted. Arcanum only took the best, the brilliant, the elite, the exceptional. People who belonged in places like this.

I was none of those things.

The university sat in complete isolation, surrounded by acres of land that was mostly forest. Tall trees pressed close to the perimeter, their branches twisting like claws. It felt like another world entirely, cut off and hidden.

My mother parked near a wide courtyard bustling with students.

“They have already sorted out your things,” she said with a smile. “You just need to go to the registry. They’ll tell you your dormitory.”

I nodded, though my throat felt tight.

She hugged me tightly before I stepped out of the car. “Be good, Ivy. Focus on your studies. Don’t let anyone intimidate you. And call me. Always.”

“I will,” I promised.

I watched her drive away, the familiar shape of the car disappearing far too quickly.

I was alone.

The registry office was tucked inside one of the main buildings. Inside, the air smelled of parchment and polish. Behind the counter sat a middle-aged woman with silver hair pulled into a severe bun. She didn’t smile.

“Name?” she asked without looking up.

“Ivy Curtis.”

Her fingers paused. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet mine. Something unreadable passed through her eyes before she resumed typing.

“Dormitory: North Wing. Room 317.” She slid a key across the counter along with a thick booklet. “Your university guide and rules. Curfew is enforced. Restricted areas are marked. Follow the rules, and you’ll do just fine.”

I hesitated. “Excuse me… is there anything else I should know?”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Avoid trouble.”

That was all.

I left the office clutching my key and papers, trying to look like I belonged. Students moved around me in clusters, laughing, arguing, strutting with confidence I didn’t possess. Some wore expensive clothes. Others carried themselves like they owned the place.

I kept my head down.

Don’t attract attention, I told myself.

But my body betrayed me.

I sneezed loudly

Every head turned.

Heat flooded my face. I muttered a curse under my breath and hurried forward, pretending I hadn’t just announced my existence to half the hallway.

That was when I heard the shouting

Two boys burst into the corridor ahead of me, already mid-fight. One slammed the other against the wall hard enough to crack stone. The sound echoed, violent and raw. Students scattered but didn’t leave, forming a loose circle, watching with fascination.

The boy with slightly blond hair snarled, blood already trickling from his lip. “You f*****g cunt, you think you’re untouchable?”

The other boy barely reacted. Dark-haired. Calm. Dangerous. His expression was bored, almost annoyed, as if this was an inconvenience rather than a fight.

He snorted.Then he punched.

The crack of bone echoed as the blond boy’s nose shattered. Blood sprayed across the floor.

My stomach twisted then I turned to leave. But it was too late.

They crashed into me.

Papers flew everywhere. Maps, rules, schedules scattering across the hall. I stumbled, barely keeping my balance. Panic surged. I couldn’t afford this. Not today. Not in front of everyone.

Acting on instinct, I grabbed the blond boy’s arm.

He spun around, startled.

And slipped.

He hit the floor hard.

The hallway went silent.

Every eye turned to me.

The blond boy pushed himself up slowly, blood still dripping from his nose. When he looked at me, his eyes were pure rage.

And I knew I'd just made a huge mistake.