Chapter 14
1325 Words
THIRD PERSON POV
Ignoring the subtle chill that seemed to emanate from the first two students she encountered, their gazes sharp and unwelcoming, Anya maintained a bright smile, offering a slight bow of her head to the next cluster of teenagers lining the corridor, a gesture of goodwill in this unfamiliar territory.
" Luna, you shouldn't bow to them," one of the guards flanking her, his voice a low murmur of instruction, broke the fragile peace of her attempt at politeness.
She stopped on her track, turning her head in the direction of the two guards. She gave them an innocent smile as she closed the little distance between, making the two guards step a foot backwards
"Don't follow me so closely," she requested, her tone gentle but firm, causing a flicker of unease in their eyes.
Anya has been so bright and happy after her bath that she skipped her meal in opposition to her mate decision, just to get to school in time - not that she was not late already. She tried to persuade her mate to allow her to go to school with no guards,but it all fell into the deaf eye of the Alpha.
Your Highness, the Al—" the first guard began, Ethan, his words cut short as Anya closed the small distance between them. His attempt to maintain a respectful distance faltered as she moved closer.
"Don't call me that. My name is Anya," she corrected gently.
"But the Alpha—" Owen, the second guard, started to protest.
"No 'buts'," Anya interjected softly. "Ethan, Owen. We all know the Alpha’s temper. I won’t suggest you disobey him entirely. But please, keep your distance. Your imposing presence will hardly encourage new friendships," she said,knowing their names from the little introduction they did before they left the pack house.
Without waiting for their reluctant agreement, she turned and continued down the hallway.
The lingering eyes, the whispers and murmurs echoed through her ears as she walked. Trying as much as possible to walk straight and act as if she was not affected what they were saying, she lifted those heavy legs of hers as she walked through the hallway
Her sharp vampire ears caught every word of the students as she passed by them.
" Is she new?"
" She looks old to be in middle school,"
" I'm sure she is a stranger in our pack,"
" I heard my father talk about a lady who was rescued at the borderline. Can she be the one?"
" Is she from a high calibre? Who are those two guys walking an inch away from her?
More and more questions pass through her ears as she tries to ignore all. She forced herself to walk with a semblance of confidence, pretending the subtle scrutiny didn't prickle her skin.
Each step felt heavy, the long corridor stretching before her like an endless judgment. She kept her head bowed, a shield against the unwelcome attention.
"Are you lost?" A sudden voice, close and direct, startled her. A girl had stepped directly into her path, her hand lightly gripping Anya’s arm, her eyes intent on a clear view of Anya’s face.
The guards trying to keep their distance, move closer at the moment, being on alert than ever before. Their standing posture shows that they are ready for any threat that may want to start.
Anya regained her consciousness, as all those words stop at once. The silence that follows makes her think if she has been imagining all those words earlier. But the few groups of students standing at each entrance of the classroom door says otherwise.
" Hmmm,I'm going to class 4A. I don't know if I'm still on track,giving the fact that I'm new here," Anya said to the girl who seems to be around the age of sixteen.
" You are just in front of class 4A," the girl said,giving Anya a smile as she pulled her inside the class
Anya tried to release herself from the girl grip,but it was to no avail. Wanting to refrain herself from using her new, uncontrolled power, she followed the girl in.
As she stepped into the noisy classroom - something that always happened when the teacher was not in class. The students in the class gave her a scrutinizing look, making the class go silent at once, and just at the same time, they returned to whatever they were doing as if she was no there any longer.
" Sit over there," the girl said, pointing to an empty seat beside a sleeping guy
" Okay," Anya said, venturing towards the empty seat. As she had her seat, she looked around the class, finding Ethan and Owen - two bodies that couldn't stop hovering over her. She released a heavy sigh as she found neither of them.
At least they're keeping their distance, she thought, a small sliver of relief. That illusion shattered as two more figures entered the classroom, flanking a woman who must be the teacher. Ethan and Owen each carried a desk and chair.
' No,no,no. They can't be here. This is my space. "Anya panicked, standing up almost at the same time the class settled down.
Her standing makes everyone look at her. Shyness tool over her as she sits down quietly, bowing her head as a mean of apology as she sits. Turning her head to her left, she saw the guy that was still sleeping the moment the teacher entered.
" Okay then," the teacher said after the class became as silent as the graveyard.
" We have new intake amidst us today. Can you please stand up?" The teacher said, looking at Anya and her guards simultaneously as they stood up - the second time for Anya.
" Introduce yourself, please," the teacher said,looking at Anya desperately this time around
"I'm Anya," she said softly.
"Ethan," the first guard stated.
"Owen," the second echoed.
The three of them introduced themselves to the class, but the teacher was still looking at Anya,making the latter uncomfortable.
" The class president," the teacher said, without breaking her gaze from Anya
" Yes, Miss Delilah," the girl who showed Anya the classroom said
"Show them around during the break. If they had come a little bit earlier than the 4th period, they would have familiarised themselves with the school surroundings," Miss Delilah said, a clear note of disdain in her voice.
If everyone was trying so hard to hide their hatred at first sight from Anya, Miss Delilah was nowhere close to hiding her feelings towards her, and Anya knew that.
" Wake the sleeping dog beside you," Miss Delilah said to Anya, and she obliged immediately without a second. She planned to do everything to win the teacher to her side - even when she did nothing wrong.
While she was trying to wake the guy up, murmurs and jest erupt from the classroom. All of the students were anticipating what would become Anya fate if she actually carried out the teacher instruction - as if they knew what would actually befall her if she wake the sleeping guy. Even the teacher did not quell the rising noise. She knew what exactly she was doing.
The boy’s head snapped up, his brow furrowed in immediate anger. His hand clenched into a fist, rising menacingly towards Anya. Ethan reacted instantly, moving with surprising speed towards the boy, ready to intervene. But he froze midway.
The boy’s fisted hand hovered in the air, his gaze locking onto Anya’s. The anger in his eyes seemed to dissipate, replaced by a flicker of something unreadable. Confusion? Recognition?
Anya, who had instinctively flinched, bracing for impact, slowly opened her eyes. The boy was still staring at her, his expression shifting.
"Why are you standing up, Ethan?" One of the students in the classroom said, and everybody shifted their attention to him.
- Writer
