Chapter4
1014 Words
Lena's POV
The scent of bacon and fresh toast drifted through the air as Mrs. Fadell called us downstairs for breakfast.
"Girls! Come eat before it gets cold!"
"Coming mom!" Angel yelled back from her room.
Rose and I stayed frozen in front of the mirror in Anna's room.
"Are you sure this is me?" I whispered, still struggling to recognize my own reflection.
The girl staring back wasn’t the Lena I remembered. This girl was breathtaking. Not just pretty—but the kind of stunning that demanded attention. Scratch that, Anna was the one who looked breathtakingly beautiful.
My dull brown hair was now a cascade of soft waves, my eyes accentuated with dark liner that made them smolder. My lips, painted with a deep crimson shade, looked almost… sinful.
Rose smirked behind me. "Told you I was good."
"You’re dangerous," I muttered, touching my cheek in disbelief. I don't remember the last time I wore makeup
She laughed. "Oh, I love hearing that. Now, come on, let’s see if Angel approves."
"She should be downstairs at the moment."
I took a deep breath and followed her out of the room.
When we entered the kitchen, Angel nearly dropped the coffee mug she was holding.
"Holy s**t," she blurted, eyes widening as she looked me over.
Mrs. Fadell turned from the stove. "Angel, language!" But then she saw me.
Her lips parted in shock. "Oh, my…"
Mr. Fadell looked up from his newspaper, did a double take, then blinked. "Anna?"
I hesitated. "Uh… yeah?"
He let out a breathy chuckle. "You look… different."
"The good kind of different," Rose corrected.
Mrs. Fadell was still staring, but then she smiled warmly, wiping off the tears in her eyes. "You look beautiful, sweetheart. It’s good to see you glowing."
I forced a smile, ignoring the tight feeling in my chest. They were seeing Anna, not me. But for now, that was a good thing.
Angel snapped out of her daze and cleared her throat. "Mom, Dad, what’s this?" She gestured to the stack of papers on the dining table.
Mrs. Fadell clapped her hands together. "Oh! I almost forgot. We finished Anna’s enrollment at the Alpha’s college. You’ll be taking these to school today!"
My heart nearly stopped.
The same place where he was. That was essentially the point of this seductress ensemble.
Rose grinned knowingly. "Perfect."
I swallowed hard. This was happening faster than I expected.
Mrs. Fadell turned to me with a gentle smile. "Are you nervous, sweetheart?"
I forced another small smile. "A little."
This wasn’t just about starting fresh.
This was about walking into that school and making sure that when Ryker saw me…
He would never be able to look away.
"Alright! Eat your breakfast girls, I'll drive you to school." Dad offered, finally putting down his newspaper to enjoy his breakfast.
The moment I stepped onto campus, all eyes turned to me.
Whispers followed in my wake, hushed but relentless.
"Who is she?"
"She’s stunning."
"Is she new? How did we not know about her?"
A few cliques were talking by themselves.
I kept my head high, shoulders back, every movement deliberate. Rose had drilled it into me—confidence was power. And today, I owned every step I took. In fact, I owned the school.
My dress, a soft shade of lavender, hugged my body just enough to be flattering without trying too hard. Paired with heels that clicked against the pavement, I moved with a grace I never had before. Not as Lena.
As Anna Fadell.
Angel walked beside me, her presence grounding. Rose, however, had a smug smirk as she scanned the crowd. "Told you they’d stare."
"Let them."
I exhaled, steadying myself.
Angel chuckled. "You’re doing great. Just breathe."
I nodded, but my fingers curled into my palm. Because I wasn’t just here to turn heads. I was here for him.
And I knew sooner or later, I would see him.
"Okay, ladies, I have to go. There's an absolute hottie waiting." Rose suddenly stopped walking, glancing at her phone.
"Beta Jacob," I smirked. Trying to tease her in order to calm my nerves.
Angel rolled her eyes. "Of course, he is."
Rose winked before slipping into the crowd.
Angel sighed. "Let’s get your schedule."
Inside the administration office, the process was quick. I handed over my documents, received my class schedule, and nodded politely at the clerk’s well-meaning words.
But the moment I stepped out of the office, I felt it.
The air shifted.
A presence.
I looked around for Angel but she was not in sight. The familiar scent grew stronger as anger rose to the surface.
A shadow from my past.
I turned and there he was.
Ryker!
But he wasn't alone.
For a moment, time stopped.
His eyes locked onto mine, and I saw it—the flicker of confusion, disbelief, and something else. Something raw.
It was the way his breath hitched. The way his grip on the woman beside him tightened just slightly.
Selene Hols.
His new mate.
His pregnant mate.
She glanced between us, sensing the shift in his demeanor. Her fingers curled around his wrist possessively.
"Son of a b***h!" I murmured, bracing myself to walk past him.
"Ryker?" she murmured, tilting her head. "What’s wrong?"
He didn’t answer. He couldn’t.
Because in that moment, I saw the unthinkable in his eyes.
Fear.
As if he were staring at a ghost.
I smiled holding his gaze, satisfied with the reaction I was getting from him.
He might be looking at Anna but there was no way he could deny his wolf's attraction to me. I was his mate after all.
"Ryker babe!" Selene called him sharply again. I could hear her despite her attempt to keep it hush. "What's wrong with you?"
Selene followed his gaze back to me, frowning. Was she feeling threatened? I ignored her glare.
I walked past him, at the exact moment when he replied her. "Nothing is wrong, Selene."
Then, she whispered urgently, "Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?"
- Writer
