Lured by the Alpha

Chapter 5

I didn’t really sleep.

I drifted in and out of something close to it, my body heavy, my mind restless. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it again….the flash of red stone, wet and glistening, as though soaked in something darker than paint. And shadows watching me.

When morning light finally crept through the window, I felt like I had been awake for days.

My whole body ached, as if i had been running for miles. My limbs felt sore, my head thick and slow. I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, listening to the quiet hum of students waking up around me. Distant footsteps, murmured voices, doors opening and closing.

Get up, I told myself. You survived the first day. You’ll survive this too.

I forced myself out of bed.

I washed up and got dressed, forcing myself to stay positive. “Today would be normal. I am not a clueless freshman, I’m a third-year transfer student . New places shouldn’t scare me. I will adapt.” I said to myself.

Before leaving, I reached for my phone. I needed to call mom.

The urge hit me out of nowhere. I needed to hear her voice, to tell her i had arrived and unpacked, that I was okay… even if I didn’t mean it.

I tapped the screen but there was no service.

I frowned, moving toward the window, then closer to the door. Still nothing. Not even a bar.

“That’s odd,” I muttered.

Assuming it was my phone, I stepped into the hallway and knocked on Nora’s door.

She answered almost immediately, hair damp, wearing an oversized sweater. “Morning.”

“Hey,” I said, holding up my phone. “Do you have network? Mine isn’t connecting at all. Can I borrow yours to make a quick call?”

Nora blinked. Then she smiled, an amused, almost sympathetic smile.

“Oh,” she said gently. “You didn’t know?”

“Know what?”

She leaned against the doorframe. “Phones work for alarms, notes, music. But calling and texting? Prohibited.”

I stared at her. “What?”

“The university blocks all networks,” she continued casually. “Signal bars surround the entire campus. You can’t make calls or send messages from inside Arcanum.”

My stomach dropped.

“That’s… not normal,” I said.

Nora shrugged. “Arcanum isn’t normal.”

I thanked her and walked back to my room shocked, my phone suddenly feeling useless and heavy in my hand. No way to reach out to mom. The realization settled uncomfortably in my chest.

“You’re cut off from the world”, a small voice whispered.

I shook it off and slipped my phone into my bag. I wasn’t going to let my mood dampen over this. Not today.

I straightened my shoulders, took one last look in the mirror, and headed for my first class.

⸻

The lecture hall was already filling up when I arrived.

Students arrived in groups, laughter echoing softly, chairs scraping against the floor. I chose a seat near the middle, not too noticeable, not too hidden and brought out my notebook.

The class began normally enough. The professor talked about curriculum expectations, research projects, and assessments. I focused, writing notes, trying not to miss anything he said.

Then the door opened.

The atmosphere shifted.

A group of girls walked in together. Five of them. They looked really beautiful and polished. Dressed like they were attending a fashion event rather than a lecture. Their presence was loud without them saying a word, confidence radiating off them like perfume. They probably came from high-status families.

I felt it before I saw it, the way other students stiffened, the way whispers began.

One of the girls glanced at me.

Her eyes were sharp, scanning me.

She leaned toward the girl beside her and whispered something.

They laughed.

Heat crept up my neck, but I kept my eyes on my notes, pretending not to notice.

“Late again,” the professor snapped. “Detention after class.”

The leader rolled her eyes, probably unbothered.

She scanned the room, gaze landing on the back row.

On Rowan Arcanum ,The dark haired boy who almost got me in detention. Seems the guy was popular as my friend Nora couldn’t stop talking about him.

A student sat beside him looking nervous, stiff, and clearly aware of his intimidating presence.

The girl’s lips curved into a cruel smile.

She approached, leaning in just enough to cast a shadow over the seated student. Whatever she said was quiet but effective. The student paled, got up, and left in a hurry.

The girl sat down beside Rowan like she belonged there. But Rowan didn’t even look at her.

He stared ahead, chin resting on his hand, expression bored, and detached as if the world around him existed purely to entertain him.

I looked away feeling embarrassed for thinking about him instead of focusing on my lecture.

The rest of the lecture passed in silence.

When it ended, I gathered my things quickly and left.

⸻

Feeling the urge to pee, I went to the washroom and found it empty.

After I was done, I splashed cool water on my face, gripping the sink as I breathed slowly. “You’re fine. You’re invisible. Just get through the day. Three more classes and you can rest” . I thought to myself.

I turned to leave.

And walked straight into the group of girls laughing at me earlier .

The leader stood there, arms crossed, blocking the doorway. Her friends flanked her, expressions smug and expectant.

Up close, she was really pretty . Sharp cheekbones, glossy dark hair, eyes lined perfectly.

“Raina Slater,” she said, tilting her head. “And you are?”

“I need to get to class,” I replied quietly, stepping to the side.

She moved with me, blocking my path again.

Her friends snickered.

“You’ve got nerve,” one of them said. “Acting brave in front of Asher Vale.”

My stomach clenched.

“I didn’t do anything to him.”

“You humiliated him,” another chimed in. “Do you know who he is?”

“I didn’t mean to,” I said.

Raina gaze swept over me slowly, critically. “Plain,” she said at last. “Very… Mary Jane.”

Laughter erupted.

She leaned closer. “Girls like you always want the same thing. Attention. Especially from someone like Rowan.”

“That’s not true,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt.

“Oh, it is,” she replied coolly. “So here’s a warning. Stay away from Rowan Arcanum. Or I’ll make your life here hell until you beg to leave.”

I tried to step past her.

She didn’t move.

Her eyes dropped to the phone I had brought out of my bag earlier.

Raina laughed.

Before I could react, she snatched it from my grip and tossed it across the tiled floor.

It smashed.

Something snapped inside me.

And for the first time since arriving at Arcanum University, I felt a wave of anger rushing through me.