HOWLBOUND

She's a werewolf

They continued unpacking the boxes, but Rowena couldn't get over what Sophia just said. “Can I ask for a change of room?” she said.

“No, you can't, silly.” Sophia gave a light chuckle.

She unpacks the book box “This is the only spare room in the female dorm, and roommates are not allowed until all the dorms are filled. Besides, I have a good feeling about you,” she continued unpacking, grinning hard at Rowena.

Rowena felt uneasy about the whole death stuff; she wasn't ready to die. Yes, she hated her life, but death wasn't an option.

“Quickly take your bath, Rowena; the bathroom is the last door on the left. I'll be back in a bit, and we'll go have our dinner,” Sophia said before sprinting out of the room.

Rowena picked up her file; she flipped through to the page that had the rules. The rules were okay but some of them were really strange.

Don't stay out of the school building after 10pm.

Don't bring food from town into the school building.

Don't make any changes in your room.

Report if you see something suspicious and don't make further investigations.

Females should not be in the male dorm after 10pm, same as Males.

Don't dig into anything in the administration block” she read out loud.

“These rules aren't that bad,” she said to herself before tossing it aside.

She changed into a towel, picked up her bath materials, and headed for the bathroom. She made her way through the hallway, and everyone still stared at her

“Why are they so scared? I'm the one who should be,” she puffed.

On approaching the bathroom door she noticed the same gold sign from the gate on the doorknob

“It's obviously not the school’s logo, maybe it signifies something, “she thought”

She placed her hands on it, but before she could open, someone inside did.

A dark-haired girl with green eyes stood there staring hard at her.

“You're the new girl right,” she asked not expecting an answer,

“Move” she continued.

Rowena, still puzzled, stepped a little to the right, giving her just enough room to walk through. Just as she lives, something draws her attention to where the girl was standing; she squats to see a brown necklace; not sure if she should pick it up, she scans around her, making sure no one saw her she picked it up states at it for a while and shoves it in her bath bag.

Rowena takes her bath and makes her way to her dorm, She brings out the necklace and scans it, It has an old string with colorful beads and a wooden pendant with something that looks like a paw protruding,

“What's this” she stares at it puzzled, then drops it down on her reading table.

Rowena rummaged through her luggage for a good but simple outfit; this would be her first appearance in college, and she didn't want a bad start.

She settles for an oversize loose cream knitted sweater, the sleeves falling past her wrist and a short wine colored skirt.

The knock on her dorm door startles her,

“Come in” she replies to the person on the other side

Sophia peeked into the room

“Are you ready? If we’re late, we will miss all the good stuff,” she said in a frenzy.

“Coming,” Rowena replied, packing up her stuff, she picks up the necklace from her table, stared at it for a while, and puts it in her pocket.

The cafeteria is very close to the female dormitory. Rowena followed Sophia sheepishly; she didn't want to collide with the wrong group of people. She liked Sophia; she gave a nerdy vibe.

As they made their way into the cafeteria, Rowena paused.

The place was rowdy, and no one noticed her which made her very happy. She increased her pace to catch up to Sophia, who picked up a tray, placing the already served meals in her tray. She picked the exact things Sophia picked.

“The food was expensive,” she thought, reaching into her purse for change. She paused, feeling someone's presence behind her. She paid up quickly, turning to leave, and she collided with someone, spilling everything she bought and everything he was about to pay for.

A gasp echoed from everyone, Rowena knew she had messed up, she looked up to see a very tall guy, ebony black hair, staring down at her, her food slugged down his expensive looking overcoat.

“Blind?” he asks. Staring down at her like her presence tainted his.

“Get up, take another serving, I'll pay.” He gets out his card and hands it to the lady behind the counter.

She does as he says and clutches hard at her tray. Not sparing another glance she runs on with Sophia and they sit at a table with two guys on it.

Rowena couldn't help but feel everyone's eyes still on her,

“Guys this is Rowena, Rowena this is Blake”

She gestured to the curly-haired blonde guy in front of Rowena, he tilted his head sparing her a glance proceeded to continue his meal.

And then to the guy next to him “Adrian”

“Nice to meet you Rowena” He reaches out for a handshake, and she shakes his hand

“Ohh you have very soft hands” he said squeezing her palm gently before letting go,

“Oh stop Adrian,” said Sophia laughing. Rowena retrieves her hands sluggishly

she turns to notice the guy she just spilled food on leaving the cafeteria, with two other guys. It was just her first day and everyone already noticed her.

“So why are you resuming now we've been in for over a month now,” asked Adrian

He seemed more of a talker than Blake who hadn't even spared her another glance.

My grandmother didn't have time to bring me, and this is my first time in Slovenia”

“Oh well, if you need notes and help catching up I'm your guy.

“that'll be nice, thanks,” she replies and turns to Blake, their eyes met, he looks away and ate his food in silence.

“Whats you Major” he cuts in

“Business management” she replies.

“Ohhh thats nice”. He continues.

Rowena faced her meal not saying another word, Sophia and Adrian were in their own world as Sophia laughed loudly to his jokes.

Everyone had gone to their dorms, Rowena locks herself in her dorm, she crawls into her bed, and puts the blanket over her head. Just one day and so many encounters. She puts her hand into her pocket,

“The necklace” she scoffed.

It's gone, Maybe it dropped when I bumped into him,” she thought.

She turned her phone on, and there was a message from her grandma

“Hey baby, I hope you've settled in, take good care of yourself, and don't go outside the school premises”

She replies with a yes ma'am.

On the other end of campus, high above the forest floor on a thick moss-slicked branch, Damian crouched, the branch bowed slightly beneath his weight. His gaze fixed on the necklace in his hands, and his fingers trailed the protruding wolf head on the pendant

“She's a werewolf” Talon, Damian's friend said suckling on a bloody bone. Blood trailed down his arm and his tongue was quick to catch it.

“Nope, she doesn't look it,” Damian replied, tossing the necklace to his left hand and closing it up. When she bumped into him, he could hear her heartbeat very fast, and he could feel her fear.

“No, she's not, but the board can't risk enrolling a human and putting her in that room," Damien says, jumping down from the branch.

“Clear up when you’re done” he says to Talon.

He makes his way out of the forest, holding the necklace tight. He gets into his car and leaves Covan.