Chapter 2
1989 Words
Kieran POV
What the hell just happened—and why am I so turned on right now?
She just put you in your place, Atlas says, laughing in my head.
Shut up, I snap back.
I stand there like an i***t, watching the sway of her hips as she walks away. How have I seriously never noticed how attractive she is?
She told you, Atlas says. Your head was up Aliza’s ass.
“Yeah,” I mutter, “but Kaelani looks better than Aliza. She’s… beautiful.”
Elias—my best friend and future Beta—steps up beside me. “You staring at the other Quinn girl now?”
I don’t even look away. “Has she always looked like that?”
He snorts. “Yeah. She’s just wearing more fitted clothes now. But yeah—she’s always looked like that.”
I exhale slowly. “I’ve been pursuing the wrong Quinn this whole time.”
Elias grimaces. “Good luck with that. She doesn’t talk to anyone but Kaia, and she’s big on school. I heard she wants to be a doctor.”
“Interesting,” I say. “I might need to talk to her again—when she’s not mad.”
“What did you do to piss her off already?” he asks, laughing.
Go on, tell him, Atlas says.
“I told her she looked good.”
“That’s it?” Elias asks. “Why’d she get mad?”
“Because I asked if she did something different this year,” I mutter.
“Oh,” he winces. “Yeah, that was not smart. Also—Aliza’s walking this way.”
“s**t,” I whisper.
“Kieran,” Aliza says, sliding right into my space. “Where did you disappear to? Give me your schedule—I want to see if we have classes together.”
She snatches it out of my hand before I can answer.
“Oh! We have Math and English together. And lunch. That’ll be fun.”
“Yeah,” I say flatly. “It will.”
“Look,” I add quickly, taking my schedule back, “I need to get to my first class. I’ll see you in Math.”
“Oh—okay,” she says. Then she tilts her head. “How about a kiss?”
I bend down, press a brief kiss to her lips, and turn away.
“That was brutal to watch,” Elias mutters as we walk off.
My first class is Combat Theory.
The moment I step inside, I spot her—Kaelani—sitting in the back row. The only empty seat in the room is right next to her.
Perfect.
Don’t mess it up this time, Atlas warns.
“Mind if I sit here?” I ask.
“Not like there’s anywhere else for you to sit,” she says without looking at me.
I swallow. “Look—Quinn. I mean, Kaelani. I’m sorry for earlier. I didn’t mean to offend you.”
She finally looks at me. “It’s fine, Kieran. I stayed invisible for a reason. This school will eat you alive if you let it.”
She pauses, then adds calmly, “And besides, I know I look good. And now—you do too.”
That’s it.
No smile. No follow-up.
No matter how many times I try to talk to her after that, she ignores me completely.
The bell rings.
She’s gone before I can say another word.
I don’t know how I missed her all these years.
But now that I’ve noticed her, I can’t stop looking.
The problem is—I don’t want to.
Kaelani POV
The Moon Goddess must hate me, because my first class is with Kieran.
He likes you, Nyra says.
“Yeah,” I mutter. “He probably just has me confused with Aliza.”
I love Aliza, Nyra says, but she’s not prettier than us.
“I know,” I say. “And I know my mate will love me no matter how I look. I just can’t believe it took me showing my body for him to even notice I exist.”
The Crescent Ridge heir likes you too, Nyra adds. And he’s cute.
Kaia finds me at my locker halfway through the day.
“So,” she says, grinning, “how’s your first day been?”
“Well,” I reply, “I’ve already had two classes with Kieran—and the day’s not even over.”
She winces. “Damn. How was that?”
“Annoying,” I say. “He keeps trying to talk to me every time he sees me.”
Kaia laughs. “Yeah… sorry, Aliza, but Kieran’s definitely set his sights on a different Quinn.”
“Please don’t say that,” I groan. “I do not need that kind of drama. This year was supposed to be smooth and easy.”
“And now,” she says brightly, “you have not one, but two sexy Alpha heirs circling you.”
She grins wider. “This year is going to be interesting—and I’ve got front-row seats.”
She nods down the hall.
“And here comes the sexier one now.”
“Kaelani, I was hoping to run into you again today,” he says, smiling.
I can’t help it—I smile back.
“Oh really?” I ask. “And why is that?”
“Well,” Liam says easily, “a little birdie told me you want to be a pack doctor. Our pack’s doctor is retiring soon, and she’ll be looking for a replacement. There’s also a pretty solid medical school in my territory. I thought it might be something you’d want to look into.”
He’s so sweet for that, Nyra says.
I know, I reply.
“That was really nice of you to think of me, Liam,” I say honestly.
“You’re welcome,” he replies. “Where are you headed?”
Girl, Kaia links immediately, this man is fine and he’s interested. Flirt.
“I have Healer Sciences next,” I say, checking my schedule.
“Oh,” he says, brightening. “Me too. Can I walk with you?”
Say yes, Kaia practically screams through the link.
“Yeah,” I say, closing my locker. I flip Kaia off as we walk away, earning her laughter behind us.
“So,” Liam says as we head down the hall, “tell me something interesting about you that nobody knows.”
Tell him, Nyra says softly. We can trust him.
“I’m a blessed wolf,” I say, keeping my voice low. “I’m meant to stop something.”
He stops walking.
Completely.
Then he looks straight at me. “You’re serious.”
“Deadly,” I say.
He starts walking again, slower now. “That’s… a lot. How do you feel about it? Knowing your future is already kind of written?”
I exhale. “Honestly? I’m terrified. What am I stopping? How dangerous is it? Am I enough? What if I die?” I shake my head. “There are so many questions and no answers.”
He listens. Really listens.
“My wolf says I’ll know more after my first shift,” I continue. “But that doesn’t stop the anxiety.”
“I get that,” he says quietly. “So how do you deal with it?”
“I train a lot—with my dad and on my own. And I meditate.”
He nods. “Those sound like solid ways to cope.”
Then he smiles again. “So… I asked around about you.”
I raise a brow. “And what did the gossip train reveal?”
“Everyone said the same thing,” he says. “You don’t talk to anyone but Kaia—and your sister sometimes. You sit in the back of every class. And you’re probably the smartest wolf in the room.”
“Well,” I say, “they aren’t wrong.”
“And,” he adds, “they said you were a tomboy most of high school.”
That makes me laugh. “Also not wrong.”
“What changed?” he asks as we reach the classroom. He opens the door for me.
I step inside, noticing two empty seats in the back by the window. We take them.
“I wanted to dress how I feel,” I say. “I love my body. I’m not ashamed of it. No reason to hide under layers anymore.”
“I like that,” he says. “So what made you talk to me?”
I glance at him. “I can feel that you’re a good person. My wolf senses it too. Something about your aura feels safe. I felt it the moment I actually looked into your eyes.”
He smiles, softer now. “I try to be. I hope to be half the Alpha my dad is someday.”
“I’m sure you will.”
He hesitates. “Can I ask a guy question?”
“Oh God,” I say, rolling my eyes.
He laughs. “I’m a good guy—still a guy though. I heard a certain Alpha heir has been paying you some attention, and I just want to know if I have a chance.”
I pause.
Kieran doesn’t even cross my mind romantically. Especially not knowing he’s been with Aliza. That alone is a hard no.
Liam is different. Safe. Calm. Drama-free.
“Yes,” I say, smiling. “You have a chance.”
“Good,” he says, grinning.
The bell rings.
“What’s your next class?” he asks.
“Lunch.”
He laughs. “Same.”
I shake my head as we walk out together.
The cafeteria is loud, crowded—and the moment I step inside, I regret it.
Kieran sits at the center table with his friends. Aliza and hers, of course, nearby.
When he sees Liam beside me, his eyes darken immediately.
And then he stands.
Of course he does.
“Oh, this is going to be good,” Kaia mutters.
I shoot her a warning look.
“Hey, Kaelani,” Kieran says, stopping in front of us. “I was hoping to see you again today.”
“Why, Kieran?” I ask, walking past him toward the food line.
“I feel like we started off badly this morning.”
“You already apologized,” I say. “What else do you want?”
“I was hoping you’d sit with us,” he says, gesturing behind him.
“Actually,” I reply, “Kaia, Liam, and I were planning to eat outside. But thanks.”
“Well then,” he presses, “can I join you?”
I spin around. “No, Kieran. You can’t. I want you to stop talking to me today.”
I walk away.
Outside, Kaia doesn’t hold back. “He’s embarrassing himself.”
“He’s doing too much,” I say. “It’s annoying.”
“And bold,” she adds. “Doing all that in front of Aliza like he hasn’t been with her all year.”
Liam looks between us. “Wait. He’s been with your sister?”
“Yes,” I say flatly. “And now he’s suddenly realized he wasted his time.”
Kaia snorts. “Only physically, though.”
I shake my head. “He doesn’t even know I’m smarter than her. Stronger than her. More interesting. Aliza’s biggest dream is being someone’s Luna—specifically his.”
“Oh,” Kaia says with a grin, “he knows now.”
“And you being feisty,” she adds, “is only going to make him try harder.”
I lean back in my seat, exhaling slowly.
Great.
Exactly what I didn’t want.
- Writer
