CHAPTER 2
1660 Words
By lunch, I had already decided I hated hallways. Not because they were crowded or because people had no sense of personal space. No. I hated them because wolves lurked everywhere trying to sniff me like I was some kind of mystery scented candle.
Which I was not.
I was a normal girl. Except for the wolf inside me. And the scent I erased. And the part where two Alpha heirs stared at me like they wanted to pin me to the sky.
Details.
I shoved my locker open and ignored the wolves still glancing, whispering, and sniffing like I was a science project.
Addison appeared beside me, summoned by friendship and chaos. “You survived your first day.”
“Barely. Why does everyone act like I am a new brand of meat?”
“Because you’re shiny and mysterious,” she said.
“I’m not shiny.”
“you're. Wolves hate not understanding things.”
Exactly what I didn't want to be.
Before I could reply, Tyler and Colton turned the corner. Colton grinned. Tyler didn't. He stared at me like I had antennae.
He walked right up, sniffed once, and recoiled so fast he almost fell.
Addison yelped. “Tyler. Don't sniff people.”
Tyler pointed at me. “She has no scent.”
Colton blinked. “None?”
“None,” Tyler said. “Zero. How is that possible?”
I shrugged. “Good skincare. Hydration. Magic air powers. Take your pick.”
Addison groaned. “Lainey, don’t encourage them.”
Tyler circled me like a confused bloodhound. “Humans smell like something. Wolves smell stronger. Even vampires smell like frost. You smell like air.”
I shut my locker. “So I’m a fresh breeze. Cute.”
“That was not a compliment.” Tyler frowned. “It’s impossible.”
“Well, I’m gifted.”
Addison laughed. Tyler looked ready to call a priest. Colton scratched his head.
“So you're human?” Colton asked.
“Am I?” I asked, causing a strange look from everyone at the table. But I just smirked at them.
Tyler narrowed his eyes. “Say that again.”
“No. I am not doing a performance.”
Addison stepped in front of me. “Back up. You guys are giving her weird vibes.”
Tyler shook his head. “No scent means she is something.”
Colton nudged him. “Drop it. You're scaring her.”
I wasn’t scared. Annoyed, yes. Slightly offended, also yes. But not scared.
Still, I let Addy pull me away before Tyler decided to try sniffing me again. I could feel his confusion prickling across the hallway as we walked. Other wolves were glancing our way too. Watching. Measuring. Mutters drifted behind me, but I refused to listen.
Addy tugged me into the cafeteria. “Sorry about them. They get excited about weird things.”
“Weird things like people who smell like air?”
She tried to hide a smile. “Yes.”
“Great. So my greatest achievement is apparently being invisible to wolf noses.”
Her eyes softened. “It's freaky. I am not going to lie. But I kind of like it. It makes you interesting.”
“Interesting usually means trouble.”
“True,” she admitted, then grinned. “But I love trouble.”
“If you say so.” I said.
“How did you even know about this place? I mean, people try to keep it hidden. And the humans don’t talk about it. So, how did you end up here?” She asked.
“I heard about it from another wolfpack. They saved my life and knew that I couldn’t stay where I was. So they told me to come here.” I said.
“That was pretty cool of them.” She said.
I was starting to love her. She was too loyal too fast, but something in her energy felt safe. Grounded. Like she had already decided she trusted me even if she had no idea why.
We sat at a table near Josie, Axel, Walker, and the others. They gave me cautious glances at first, but Addy introduced me again and they warmed up immediately.
Josie smiled shyly. “I like your hair.”
“Thanks. I woke up and accepted chaos.”
Walker snorted. “Mood.”
Axel leaned forward. “So you really have no scent?”
I groaned. “Please tell me you didn’t come here to sniff me too.”
“I was thinking about it.”
“No.” I deadpanned.
He slumped. “Fine.”
Addy glared at him. “She is not a mystery chew toy. Stop sniffing people.”
Josie nodded frantically. "Don't sniff people. It's weird.”
Axel shrugged. “I sniff everyone.”
“Axel,” Addy said, “stop talking.”
“Okay.”
They bantered easily. It made the cafeteria feel less threatening. Still, even with their laughter around me, I could feel him.
Jack.
Somewhere behind me, watching.
And Beau. Quiet. Calculating.
Their attention burned between my shoulder blades. I tried to stay relaxed, but my wolf paced hard inside me. She pressed against my ribs like she wanted out. She wanted someone.
I swallowed, took a long drink.
Addy nudged me. “You alright?”
“Totally fine. Just pretending to be normal.”
“Same.”
I snorted, but my gaze drifted anyway. Wolves stared, pretending not to. Humans chatted. Jack and Beau sat at a round table surrounded by pack members. Melody leaned in, desperate for their attention, but they only looked at me. She didn't like that.
Jack’s eyes hit me like pressure to the chest. Beau studied me like a puzzle he could not solve.
Addy followed my gaze. "Don't encourage them.”
“I am not.”
“you're looking right at them.”
“I was looking at the wall.”
“The wall behind their table, babe.”
“Oh. Right.” Addy laughed.
“They are staring again,” she whispered.
“I know.”
“You should blink.”
“I know.”
“you're not blinking.”
“I am aware, Addy.”
She grinned. “You're such a menace.”
“Thank you.”
“No. Not a compliment.”
“It felt like one.”
She rolled her eyes. “Impossible.”
“that's accurate.”
We made it through lunch without anyone shifting or sniffing me again, which counted as a victory. But when the bell rang, the tension curved back into the air like a warning.
As soon as Addy and I stepped out of the cafeteria, someone clipped my shoulder.
Melody.
Of course it was Melody.
She turned with fake surprise. “Oh. Sorry. Didn’t see you.”
I flashed her a smile sweet enough to rot teeth. “Because your eyes only work when the twins are around?”
Her jaw dropped. Addy gasped like she had just watched a soap opera. Melody’s friends whispered furiously behind her.
Melody took a step closer. “You better stay away from them.”
“I am trying to, actually. They keep showing up like bad weather.”
Her cheeks flushed red. “You don't belong here.”
“Agreed. I belong anywhere else, preferably somewhere with fewer wolves obsessed with sniffing me. But here we are.”
She made a low frustrated noise and stormed off, her friends scrambling after her.
Addy shook my arm. “Lainey. I love you. This is the best day of my life.”
“I am glad my suffering entertains you.”
“It really does.”
We walked toward our lockers. The hallway buzzed with whispers again. My wolf kept pushing, restless and irritated. I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm her.
Addy frowned. “You good?”
“Just heartburn.”
“From what?”
“From this whole school.”
She snorted, but her eyes softened. “If it gets worse, tell me.”
I nodded even though nothing she could do would help. The mask I used to hide my scent was powerful, but it strained my wolf. She hated being muted. She hated being silenced. It made her claw at my insides like she wanted to rip her way out.
I opened my locker slowly. Addy chatted beside me, but her voice felt distant. My focus narrowed. My breathing grew uneven. My wolf pressed harder, agitated.
Someone was watching.
I didn’t look. I didn’t move. I just let my senses stretch behind me.
Heat. Energy. A wolf presence so intense it pressed against my skin.
Jack.
I could tell without turning.
His energy swept through the hallway like a silent storm. Wolves reacted instinctively. Heads tilted. Backs straightened. Some moved aside out of respect. Others out of fear.
My wolf reacted too. She shoved forward with such force that my hand slipped on the locker door.
Addy looked over. “Lainey?”
I swallowed. “Yeah. I’m fine.”
I wasn’t fine.
I shut my locker and turned around.
But Jack was already there. Right there. Standing inches from me. No footsteps. No sound. Just appearing beside me like the air had opened and deposited him directly into my space.
I jumped back. “Okay. Cool trick. Do you teleport or are you just disrespectful of personal space?”
His eyes were darker than earlier. His wolf hovered just behind them, staring at me with hunger and confusion mixed together.
He leaned closer. Not touching me. Just close enough for his presence to swallow all the air.
“What are you?” He asked.
My heart slammed against my ribs. But I instantly steadied it.
I didn’t move. I couldn’t lie. I couldn’t tell the truth either.
I could only stare at him.
Because Jack Hayes, heir to Ridgeview Pack, looked at me like he already knew the answer.
- Writer
