Rejected By The Pack, Claimed By The Kings

The Arrival

CHAPTER 2: THE ARRIVAL

As they pulled up to the ivy-covered dorms, Gaia’s oldest brother Dante was waiting. He had secured a private house for them, built on a foundation that felt... alive. As Gaia stepped out, the ground beneath her boots trembled. She wasn't just a student; she was a Taurus born on Earth Day, and the land was recognizing its owner.

The SUV lurched to a stop in front of the brick dormitories. In the back, Mateo and Luna-Sol stopped their mid-seat wrestling match immediately.

"Dante better have the keys ready," Luna-Sol grumbled, adjusted her curls in the mirror. "If I have to spend one more second smelling Mateo’s gym bag, I’m going to shift right here on the sidewalk."

"It’s not my bag, it’s my herbs," Mateo countered, clutching a satchel of dried Puerto Rican sage. "Some of us are trying to keep the bad energy off this car, Luna."

Gaia tuned them out, her eyes fixed on the tall figure standing under the oak tree near the entrance. It was Dante. He looked broader than he had three months ago, his Black and Puerto Rican features set in a serious mask until he spotted their car. A slow, relieved grin spread across his face.

"He's here," Gaia whispered.

Amari let out a low whistle. "Good. Because your brothers are one minute away from a magical meltdown, and your mom looks like she’s about to cry. Let’s get this show on the road."

As Gaia stepped out of the car, her boots hitting the pavement of her new life, she felt the Taurus energy of her birthday grounding her. The Alpha Pack was hundreds of miles away. Here, with her mother, her ride-or-die best friend, and her siblings, she wasn't a "rejected claim."

She was the youngest of the Solano line, and she was home.Dante walked over and pulled Gaia into a massive bear hug, lifting her off her feet. "Look at the baby sister," he chuckled, his voice deep and grounding.

"Ready to show this school what a Solano hybrid looks like?"

Gaia adjusted her shirt as he set her down, feeling the eyes of other students on them. "I just want to get through orientation without my wolf howling or my spells sparking, Dante."

Amari leaned against the car, smirking. "Too late for that. People are already staring. Probably because you look like a goddess and your brothers look like they’re ready for a federal raid."As Gaia stepped toward the iron gates of the University, she froze.

"Gaia? You okay?" Amari asked, her hand moving to her hip where she kept her daggers hidden.

"The air..." Gaia whispered. The "Witch" in her felt a surge of ancient power, while the "Wolf" in her dropped into a submissive but curious crouch.

Talia noticed it too. She looked up at the main gate, her eyes narrowing at the carved symbols in the stone. "Gaia, those aren't college crests. Those are Protection Runes for Royalty."

Suddenly, a sleek, black Bugatti roared up the driveway, splashing a puddle near them. It screeched to a stop. Out stepped Kenjiro Thorne, looking every bit the billionaire playboy in a designer suit.

"Dante! My man!" Kenjiro shouted, tossing a key fob to a valet. But as he turned to grin at his best friend, his eyes locked onto Gaia. The "Playboy" smirk vanished. His amber eyes flared like a dying sun. "Mate," he breathed, the word vibrating in the air.

At the exact same moment, a cold, elegant shadow fell over them from the balcony above. Alaric Von Stein stood there, his white hair catching the sun. His whirlpool eyes began to spin with violet light as he stared down at the light-skinned girl with the honey-gold glow.

"Impossible," Alaric whispered, his Lycan aura heavy enough to make the other students' knees buckle.

"The hybrid."

Gaia was caught in the middle. Her heart hammered against her ribs—one side of her soul reaching for the fire in Kenji’s eyes, the other side pulled toward the icy depth of Alaric’s whirlpool gaze.