CHAPTER 2
1269 Words
Chapter 2:
A Not-So-Brief Explanation
A few weeks after the breakup, life had slowly started to settle again.
At first, I felt completely lost. Betrayed. I spent hours lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything and wondering how the boy I thought was perfect for me turned out to be so wrong. But eventually, clarity came. It wasn’t some great tragedy it was just a typical teenage relationship that had run its course.
The truth was simple. I was a wolf. He was human. And I had never even told him.
Deep down, I always knew it wouldn’t last. Somewhere out there, my real mate existed someone I was destined for. That knowledge had always lingered in the back of my mind, making me feel guilty whenever I looked at Lucas Hayes. If we had stayed together, I would’ve had to leave him eventually without being able to explain why. So honestly, I was relieved things ended the way they did. Him turning into a complete jerk just made it easier.
From now on, no more meaningless relationships. I’d wait for my mate no matter who they were or how long it took.
For now, my focus was school… and trying not to lose my temper with the i***t sitting behind me in American history who kept jabbing my back with a ruler.
“Hey, rogue,” he said.
I didn’t even have to turn around to know it was Noah Sinclair. Sixteen, arrogant, and the future Alpha of the Silverridge pack. And he never let anyone forget it.
Silverridge territory covered all of Brookhaven, and after my family was forced out of our old pack, his father had allowed us to stay there as rogues among the humans.
His father might have shown us kindness but Noah definitely didn’t.
If anything, he seemed to take personal pleasure in making my life miserable.
“What?” I snapped.
“You busy tonight, Miss Feisty?”
“Not interested. Go away,” I muttered, turning my attention back to the lesson on Rosa Parks.
“Come on,” he leaned closer, voice dropping near my ear. “You’re single now. Thought maybe you’d come over. How’s Lucas Hayes doing, by the way?”
I ignored him completely. He wanted a reaction, and I wasn’t about to give him one.
“Don’t ignore me,” he continued. “I’m your future Alpha.”
That was enough to catch our teacher’s attention.
Mr. Thompson turned slowly from the board, fixing us with that classic disappointed teacher stare.
“Mr. Sinclair. Claire Bennett. Am I interrupting something important?”
“Yes, actually,” Noah replied without hesitation.
My jaw dropped. So did Mr. Thompson’s.
“In that case, you can both continue this conversation in detention. After school. Four o’clock sharp.”
“But ”
“No arguments, Claire Bennett.”
“I didn’t even do anything!”
“One week of detention sounds like a good alternative if you’d prefer,” he said calmly.
I slumped in my seat. “Yes, sir.”
Noah just smirked like he’d won something.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Mr. Thompson assigned a full essay due Monday. On a Friday.
I crumpled the paper slightly before shoving it into my bag and heading out once the bell rang.
Except I didn’t get far.
Noah was already waiting by the door.
“I’m sorry, Claire Bennett,” he said mockingly. “Let me make it up to you. I’ll drive you home after detention.”
I glared at him. “Just leave me alone, Noah.”
“You do remember who I am, right?” he said, blocking my path. “Alpha’s son.”
“Not my Alpha,” I shot back.
He shifted, still in my way.
“You’re on our land. That means you follow our rules. Or I make sure you and your brother are gone the second I take over. My seventeenth birthday’s in a few days. So you might want to start showing respect.”
I clenched my jaw. Being kicked out wasn’t something I could risk.
“Fine. Give me a ride.”
He grinned.
“See you later,” he whispered before finally stepping aside.
I made my way to my friends by the lockers.
“What took you so long?” Sophie Carter asked.
“Noah,” I said simply.
She rolled her eyes. “Of course.”
“He got you detention too?” Ava Mitchell added.
“Yep. And now I’ve got an essay to write tonight,” I groaned.
“Because seven hours of school clearly isn’t enough,” Ava muttered.
“Just type it and make the font huge,” Sophie suggested.
Ava laughed. “Mr. Thompson would make you redo it three times.”
“Accurate,” I sighed.
Sophie and Ava had been my only real friends since I moved to Brookhaven at eleven. Back then, I had no idea how to act around humans. I’d never even been to school before. My life had been nothing but moving from pack to pack, surviving in the wild.
But they stuck by me. Even after I told them what I was.
Now, years later, we were inseparable.
“So…” Sophie started, exchanging a look with Ava. “We got invited to Lucas Hayes’s party tonight. You coming?”
I blinked. “Absolutely not.”
“It’s been weeks,” Ava said.
“Two weeks,” I corrected.
Sophie grabbed my hands dramatically. “It’ll be fun. We might not even see him.”
“I’ve got too much to do,” I said. “Since Mom Bennett left, balancing everything hasn’t exactly been easy.”
“Can’t Ryan Bennett help?” Ava asked.
Sophie and I exchanged a look and burst out laughing.
“You clearly haven’t seen him attempt toast,” I said.
Ava crossed her arms. “That’s not an excuse. He should learn.”
Ryan Bennett was my older brother but lately, it felt like I was the one running the house. I gave him chores, but anything involving fire was strictly off-limits.
Still, we were close. We always had been.
Even if he had a habit of staying out all night, drinking too much, and crashing somewhere else.
He wasn’t perfect but none of this was easy.
Nothing about our lives ever had been.
Our father, Daniel Bennett, died four years ago in a car accident. No one really knew what happened. His car flipped, and that was it. Alcohol was involved. Case closed.
He wasn’t the best father but he was still ours.
And we missed him.
We missed Mom Bennett too. After he died, she changed. Losing her mate broke something in her. Eventually, she couldn’t handle living in the same house anymore.
So she left.
She wanted us to go with her but we stayed. Brookhaven was home now.
We worked. Paid bills. Survived.
Like always.
Later, in the cafeteria, I poked at the sad excuse for a sandwich on my tray.
“You know what?” I said suddenly. “I’m going to the party.”
Sophie practically screamed and threw her arms around me.
“Okay breathing optional!” I choked as Ava laughed.
“Let her go before she passes out,” Ava said.
I inhaled deeply once I was free. “Let’s get real food. I’m starving.”
The smell of fries hit me instantly, making my stomach growl.
“You’re always hungry,” Ava teased.
I shrugged. “Not my fault. My metabolism’s not exactly normal.”
- Writer
