Rising: The Priestess of Infinata and The Alphine

Iris's POV After a three-hour drive, we drove into the city of Buena Vista, Colorado. All through the journey, I chatted and giggled with my best friend, Lina in the backseat. Eventually, our driver, William, interrupted our chatter, pointing out the high building of my new school along the road. As we wound through the streets, my senses were on high alert, despite my conversation with Lina. This was my first time outside the Moondawn territories, and the stench of exhaust fumes and squalor assaulted my sense of smell, making my lip curl in revulsion. I couldn't fathom how humans could exist surrounded by such repulsive odors. My wolf, Eva, complained, "I can't believe we'll be staying in this realm that reeks of insignificance for the next few months." Eva growled, her voice resonating through my consciousness. "I knew coming here was a bad idea." I tried to calmly shut her down within my consciousness. "Shh! You know this was the very reason Dad had me sent here – to learn self-constraint amidst humans. You don't want to mess things up on our first day." Eva yielded, but only momentarily. Just as I thought I had things under control, the loud screeching of tires and boisterous blowing of horns made me feel terrified. Lina and I couldn't stop ourselves from screaming; she was as terrified as I was. Our hands were tightly gripping our seats. At the same time, I saw William trying to control the steering wheel to stop the car since we turned around on the highway. Luckily, there were no cars behind us. However, Eva, who I had earlier managed to soothe, was already infuriated. I was frightened when I saw the young man who paid no attention to us. He was looking at the younger boy beside him, observing him with keen attention. They had crossed the pedestrian lane with the go signal, and that was why our car almost skidded. We could have died. They walked across the road like they didn't care about what was going on around them. After the incident, William asked, his voice laced with concern, "Are you girls okay?" "Yes, William. We're fine," Lina and I chimed in unison. William released a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders relaxing. We requested that William slow down a bit, because I couldn't deny the terror still gripping me. My throat felt dry from our screaming session, and I could tell William, our driver, needed to go to the ENT for an ear check-up since I could tell we damaged his eardrum because of our loud shrieks. He couldn't blame us for being terrified, though – those guys had been insane! Who walks across the road in the middle of a green light?. As the adrenaline of the near-miss dissipated, Eva's agitation slowly subsided, and she eventually calmed down. Before long, we arrived at our new home. William helped us unpack our belongings. Once he was certain we had settled in, he bid us farewell and headed back to the Moondawn pack. As William drove away, a poignant realization hit me: I had spent my entire life within the pack's comforting boundaries. The familiarity of our communal lifestyle was now a distant memory, replaced by the unfamiliar surroundings of this new town. Lina, my best friend and now roommate, was the only tangible connection I had to our home and the life we left behind. Our friendship had evolved; we were no longer just BFF, but also roommates navigating this new chapter together. "Are you nervous?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. It was nearly midnight, and we spent the evening together, alone in our new home. I shook my head, trying to appear more confident than I felt. "Nothing to be nervous about. I have the best friend ever, and an amazing wolf." Lina smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "And the best of dads," she added, finishing my sentence. We both laughed, but she wasn't wrong. My dad was the best. My name is Iris Moondawn, but outside our pack's territory I go by Iris Dawn: My dad had drilled this into me: using a partial name was a precaution to conceal my true identity from enemy packs. I'm the only child and daughter of the Moondawn pack's Alpha. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to have a "normal" dad, but mine is...different. His affable nature makes him a beloved leader, but it also means he's always busy. The high seer wolf had suggested that my dad send me to continue my education in the nearest city to our pack, largely inhabited by humans. We had regular schools in our territory, but the old seer insisted that this was necessary for me to learn social relations with humans. As the heir to my family's real estate company, Dawn Realty, I needed to be prepared. Who was my father to decline such a suggestion from the old man? I still believe the rumors that the seer was alive and active during the reign of the first Alpha King, my ancestors. But his agility and sharp mind speak otherwise. However, my dad was considerate when sending me away, requesting that his Beta's daughter, Lina – my best friend – accompany me to Colorado. You'd think being the only child of the Alpha would make life easy. But that wasn't entirely true for me. My mom died giving birth to me, and since then, my dad has been responsible for my upbringing. Despite his demanding role in the pack, he always made quality time for me, ensuring my needs were met. However, he believed the best way to protect me was to make me strong enough to protect myself. So, he had me trained by the best in the pack. To me, I had the best dad ever, and I'd do anything to make him happy – including attending school among humans. The sun was shining brightly when we woke up the next morning. "Time to get ready for school! We don't want to be late on our first day," Lina exclaimed, jumping out of bed. "Alright, girlfriend!" I replied, tossing off the covers. After dressing, we set off on foot for school, enjoying the short walk. The school's high building came into view. It was impossible to miss, with its sleek glass façade and modern design. We made our way to our classroom, where the teacher was already engaged in a discussion with the students. As we entered, the room fell silent, and all eyes turned to us. "Good morning, ma'am," Lina and I greeted the teacher in unison, trying to sound confident. "So, you're the transferees?" she asked, smiling. "Yes, ma'am." She nodded. "Please introduce yourselves to your classmates." Lina introduced herself, and then it was my turn. "Good morning, everyone. My name is Iris..." My words trailed off as my gaze met his. I couldn't believe it – I was staring at the most handsome guy I'd ever laid eyes on. "...Dawn," I finished, trying to compose myself. But before I could even process what was happening, he burst into laughter. "What's the matter, Adrian?" the teacher asked, raising an eyebrow. He struggled to control his laughter. "Nothing, Miss January." I felt a surge of indignation. Could he be laughing at me? Me, the princess of the Moondawn pack, the only daughter of the Alpha? I wouldn't tolerate such insolence. But before I could confront him, the teacher beckoned us to take our seats. I guess my confrontation with him would have to wait. The moment our teacher dismissed our class and got out of the classroom. I stood and I realize almost everyone was still inside the classroom. I walked to his desk to confront him. "So you're Adrian?" I asked, and I could hear Lina's gasps as she stood beside me, she had probably realized this was the first time I showed interest in a guy because I never get close with any guy. "Yes, sweetheart, I am. How may I help you?" He replied, and his voice alone gave me tingles I couldn't explain. However, his cocky attitude made me want to slap him right away, but I controlled my poise since that would give a bad first impression about me. I will not tarnish my reputation because of this one hot boy. "Don't, sweetheart me, because you have no right to call me such," I replied, and he chuckled. "So, what was so funny earlier? You burst into laughter while I was introducing myself to the class." I demanded an explanation. He scoffed "You see, that's the problem with pretty girls, you always think everything in the world revolves around you, and last I checked whatever I do is none of your business." "Huh!" He may have admitted I was pretty, but that didn't give him the right to speak to me rudely. He cleared the books on his table into his backpack. Then it hit me - he was the same guy who had crossed the pedestrian lane with the younger boy the previous day. My entire body began to shake as the memory of what he had done to us came flooding back. Just as he slung his backpack over his shoulder, his physique, etched in my memory, came into stark focus. He is so tall, I could tell maybe he stands six feets and one inch. "Wait!" I tried to stop him as he was about to leave. Weren't you and the other younger boy the ones who crossed the pedestrian with a go signal yesterday? Do you have any idea that I almost died yesterday because of your recklessness and stupidity?" I said as I could no longer control my voice, and I could feel my entire body trembling with anger when he only smiled at me. "Are you sure about that?" he asked calmly. "Isn't your driver the reckless one? He nearly hit my brother and me in the pedestrian lane. We could have died right there." He calmly said, and I couldn't believe his guts. "Now, if you'll excuse me I've got better things to attend to." His calm demeanor pissed me off entirely. As he passed by me, he abruptly brushed against my shoulder. I was about to turn when a sudden jolt of shock ran through me. Eva was agitated, "Mate!" Eva yelled in my mind. "Mate!" She yelled again. My mate? Here? Amidst humans? Could he be a werewolf living in secret, or was he actually human?