The queen and the quite
1063 Words
The week rolled on like a slow storm.
Olivia tried to stay low, invisible, forgettable.
But invisibility was hard when your eyes caught light like frost and your silence drew attention louder than words.
It didn’t help that Raine Thorn now sat next to her in every class they shared.
He didn’t talk.
He didn’t flirt.
But his presence—his energy—was impossible to ignore.
And people noticed.
Especially Blair Carlton.
Platform High School’s queen bee. Elegant, rich, and terrifying in six-inch heels. She had flawless blonde hair that always looked freshly styled, even in gym class, and a sharp tongue that left paper cuts on reputations.
She had claimed Reed Halston—the star athlete and unofficial prince of the school—as hers a long time ago. Even though they weren’t currently dating, Blair treated Reed like exclusive property.
And Olivia?
She was… a problem.
She sat near Reed in English. Raine had started showing up wherever she went. Her quiet confidence was like smoke—hard to touch, but hard to ignore.
And Blair had started watching.
“You’re like a magnet for drama,” Lila said, sliding into her seat at lunch.
Olivia gave her a glance. “Drama finds me. I don’t invite it.”
“Well, it shows up in designer heels and fake smiles. Look.”
Across the cafeteria, Blair stood near the drink counter with her loyal shadows—Jenna and Maddy—at her side. All three were looking directly at Olivia’s table.
Then Blair started walking over.
“She’s coming,” Lila whispered. “Should I run?”
Olivia didn’t answer.
Blair stopped right beside her table, arms crossed over her expensive blazer.
“You’ve got a… unique look,” Blair said, eyeing Olivia’s outfit—combat boots, black miniskirt, and oversized hoodie. “It’s brave, honestly. Street-chic meets night stalker.”
Olivia blinked once. “Thanks. You look like a clearance Barbie.”
Lila choked on her water.
Blair’s smile stiffened.
“Tell me,” Blair said sweetly, “are you always this… bold? Or is it just when Raine’s watching?”
Olivia turned her head slowly. Raine was at the far table. He wasn’t looking.
But she didn’t need to say that.
“You’re not used to someone not being afraid of you, are you?” Olivia asked calmly.
Blair’s smile dropped entirely.
Then she turned, heels clicking sharply against the floor as Jenna and Maddy trailed behind her.
“She’s going to come for you now,” Lila muttered.
“She already did,” Olivia replied, taking a sip of her drink. “She just missed.”
That night, Olivia lay in bed staring at the ceiling. The full moon wasn’t quite here yet, but she could feel it—pulling at her skin like static under the surface.
Her phone buzzed.
It was a text from her mom.
"He’s outside."
She sat up instantly and moved to the window.
Raine.
He was across the street, standing under the lamppost again.
He didn’t move.
Didn’t wave.
Just looked up at her, as if drawn by something he couldn’t explain.
Olivia stared back.
Something inside her shifted. Not fear. Not desire. Recognition.
Her mother’s voice from earlier echoed in her mind.
"Raine Thorn… That name hasn’t been heard in years. But he’s one of us. Be careful. Not every wolf is meant to be trusted—even if they feel familiar."
Still, she didn’t close the curtain.
And Raine didn’t leave for a long time.
***
Thursday morning, the stares at school felt different.
Not curious. Not judgmental.
Hungry.
Olivia walked into homeroom and froze.
Reed was in her seat.
Correction.her usual seat. Everyone knew it was hers, even if it wasn’t labeled.
He looked up and smirked. “Morning.”
She didn’t respond.
Instead, she slid into the seat next to him, feeling Raine’s eyes on them from the back row.
Reed leaned in just slightly. “You always wear black?”
“I don’t always go to school.”
He chuckled. “You’re weird.”
“So are you, talking to me.”
Reed’s grin widened.
Danger.
Not the teeth-baring kind.
The kind that burned quietly, slow and seductive.
Later at lunch, Olivia escaped under the bleachers behind the gym. She popped open the black-lidded container her mom had packed.
Raw venison. Spiced with herbs. Slightly warm.
She dug in with chopsticks, careful to keep it low.
But Lila found her anyway.
“Hey, I—whoa. What are you eating?”
Olivia froze.
Lila bent down and peered into the container. “Is that… raw meat?”
Olivia shut the lid quickly. “It’s a cultural thing.”
“Cultural?”
Olivia hesitated. “Ancestral diet. Family tradition.”
Lila blinked. “You’re not gonna turn into a Viking or something, right?”
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Would that scare you?”
Lila grinned. “Nah. You’re already my favorite weirdo.”
That trust was worse than suspicion.
Because Olivia didn’t want to lie.
But she had to.
No one at Platform High could know the truth.
Not yet.
That night, Olivia was brushing her hair when her mom walked into her room.
“She saw your lunch,” her mom said flatly.
Olivia nodded once.
“Did you lie?”
“I tried.”
Her mom sighed, sitting beside her. “The full moon’s near. It’ll get harder. To hide it.”
“I know.”
“She’s human. You like her?”
“Yeah,” Olivia whispered.
Her mom looked at her reflection in the mirror. “Just be careful. One slip, and everything changes.”
---
Friday.
The school was buzzing again.
Not about exams. Not about sports.
Blair had posted a photo.
A blurry snap of Olivia and Raine walking side-by-side after school, heads tilted slightly toward one another.
No context. No caption except:
“Look forward. You never know who’s walking beside you.”
It was subtle.
No one would suspect another strange human
But they would suspect Olivia.
Lila handed Olivia her phone with a scowl. “She posted this. Everyone’s seen it.”
Olivia studied the image.
Her wolf stirred, restless and alert.
Blair hadn’t outed her.
But she had started a different kind of hunt.
Now?
Now the wolves were circling.
And Olivia?
She wasn’t hiding anymore.
- Writer
