Chosen By Ruin

A Meat In The Den Of Wolves

I can’t think . I can’t move. I am a wolf? How? Since when?

The woman’s voice cut me out of my frozen state. “Daughter of Nolon and Katherine Wales, right? I suggest you don’t cross my path. Your mother and I are enemies.”

The registrar says bluntly then waves me off with her hand like my presence is suffocating her. But I can barely care about her hatred for Hannah’s parents.

I am a wolf?

By the time I turn and look back to where Xaden was, he’s no longer there. When did he leave?

I drag my feet out of the registrar office, lost in thought, my lips parting in wonder as I start walking towards the main hall. I am to find Luna Gwen. The luna of MoonBound pack. Xaden’s mother.

That was my instruction from Alpha Soren.

The Species Discovery must have malfunctioned. And I can’t be grateful enough that it malfunctioned to my greatest advantage.

I am human. And I have always been human.

My steps suddenly falter when I look up to see numbers of students gathered in the next hallway I walk into, all eyes settling on me like they’ve been waiting for me.

Some have their fangs elongated. Some eyes glow eerily. I blink and take a step back, unease crawling down my spine.

“It’s her. She’s the daughter of the retired Professor Katherine.”

“What a good time to get our revenge.”

“Let’s take her out and kill her already.”

They don’t bother to lower their voices from my hearing. Judging from the female registrar’s warning and what these students are saying- I come to only one conclusion.

Hannah’s mother has a lot of enemies in this school for reasons I don’t know about. Why didn’t Alpha Soren tell me any of these?

He knew Hannah Wales was hated here. He had to know. And yet he sent me in blind, like throwing meat into a den of wolves just to see what would happen.

My back nearly hits the wall.

My chest heaves.

I should run- but before I can, heavy footsteps sound behind me.

“There she is.” The voice cuts through the hallway.

My body reacts before my mind does. A force slams into me. Hard.

I’m thrown off my feet all of a sudden, the air ripping from my lungs as I crash into the floor. I finally look up to see a tall white-haired boy with menacing onyx-colored eyes storming towards me.

“Katherine killed my sister! I’ve been waiting for this day.”

What?

Pain explodes through my ribs as another invisible strike hits me.

My body jerks violently—dragged, thrown, spun. “Argh!” I cry out, unable to stomach the pain.

I don’t understand what’s happening.

He must be a wizard- using magic on me.

It has to be. Laughter and murmurs surround me. The students are enjoying my misery.

I try to steady myself, but another hit sends me rolling again, my skin scraping harshly against the floor. “Die, motherfucker.” The white-haired growls, voice thick with strong hatred.

Even in a place far away from Scarlet Pack, I’m still being hunted.

This doesn’t have to be my life.

I won’t give them the satisfaction of thinking I can be broken.

My body slams to an abrupt halt against something solid.

Black leather boots.

That strange current passes through me again.

I groan, trying to push myself up, but my strength falters- until I see who I’ve crashed into.

Cold blue eyes stare down at me. Xaden.

My pulse skitters.

Beside him, a red-haired girl tightens her grip on his arm, her fingers curling possessively as her gaze slides over me with open disdain.

“And who exactly is she?” she asks, her tone dripping with irritation, as if my existence alone offends her.

I straighten instinctively, ignoring the ache in my ribs.

Alpha Soren didn’t tell me Xaden was mute. Or is it just me who hasn’t heard him speak?

Can I just kill him now and get this over with? No. Not possible.

Anger and fear coil inside me, burning into solid frustration.

Students part instinctively to make way for him, their attention following his retreating figure like he’s sacred and untouchable. I can hear the low hum of whispers, soft gasps, and quiet admiration.

They swoon over him.

Of course they do.

My chest rises and falls unevenly as I try to steady myself, but that strange current still lingers beneath my skin, refusing to settle.

I glance at the rest of them. “I am not my mother. I…”

“Yes. She’s not her mother so y’all will leave her and return to your dormitories before you are cast out of this Academy.” An older woman’s voice suddenly cuts in.

The entire hallway stills.

Every single student freezes like they’ve lost all power.

A woman steps forward, and the air itself seems to shift around her.

She’s beautiful in a way that doesn’t need effort. Calm, composed, and powerful without raising her voice. Her presence alone demands obedience.

“Back away,” she orders.

No one argues. Not even the white-haired wizard who just almost killed me.

“Welcome back, Luna.” One of the students says with reverence as they begin to disperse.

Luna.

My stomach tightens. This is Luna Gwen.

The white-haired boy exhales sharply, his chest rising and falling with restrained anger, glaring daggers at me. “You too, Liam.” She says, facing him.

So his name is Liam. Just then, a brown-haired boy joins him from nowhere, eyeing me with contempt.

“Zarek,” Luna Gwen cautions the other guy too. Zarek slowly drags his gaze away from me.

As both of them pass beside me, Liam leans in just enough for his voice to brush against my ear. “Watch your back.”

Zarek’s lips curve into a tight smirk. And then- they’re both gone. I have a strange feeling that I might have just gotten into a bigger trouble.

Luna Gwen turns to me once we are alone. I don’t know what to say. I feel…tense.

Her gaze softens as she looks at me.

“Hannah,” she acknowledges with a smooth velvety voice. “I’ve been expecting your arrival.”

It’s really her. Alpha Soren told me none of them here had met Hannah before. They were only acquainted with the parents.

Only if she knew why I’m really here.

“I—thank you,” I manage.

She studies me for a moment, then gestures toward the staircase.

“Go to the second floor. The office labeled ‘General Gwen.’ Wait for me there.”

I nod quickly and turn away before I can say something wrong.

The murmurs start again the moment I find the corridor that leads to the staircase. I ignore them.

Each step up the stairs sends a dull ache through my body. They don’t have an elevator here? Of course they don’t. The whole building is built like a medieval castle, with modern touches.

I am just worried that if I ever have to go up to the other floors, I will have to climb.

Maybe I will never need to.

I push forward, past the suffocating awareness that I do not belong here.

By the time I reach the office, my chest is tight. Upon everything that had happened today, seeing Xaden was the highlight of it all. I just need to find a way to get close to him.

I push the door open- and stop.

There’s someone inside.

A male figure leans over the desk, his back turned to me. Blonde hair catches the light, tousled above his hair as he pens down on a note.

I hesitate near the door, unsure whether to announce myself.

Before I can decide, the pen slips from his fingers and he straightens. He already looks familiar before he turns.

I ignore the striking sight of tattoos slinging up his neck area and focus on his face.

My entire body locks.

For one disorienting second, my mind refuses to comprehend it. This is Xaden.

But no. The Xaden downstairs had black longer hair, no visible tattoos around his neck, and no gray eyes.

But what in the name of striking resemblance is this?

Is Xaden a twin?

For a moment, he looks taken aback as he stares at me and I don’t understand it.

“Nana?” he finally says, familiarity flickering across his face.

My brows pull together.

Nana?

Then it clicks immediately. He probably knew Hannah. I’m not ready to go through this.