A New Era
1081 Words
As soon as I stepped through the front doors of Blackwood High, the most popular school in the Black jaw pack territory, the world seemed to pause.
The low buzz of morning chatter fell to a hush, and all eyes turned to me.
My heels clicked against the polished tile floor, and with every step, I felt the weight of the stares, the whispers.
"Is that Kristen Jones?"
"No way! She looks so different."
"She’s hot now?"
It was intoxicating, exhilarating. I kept my chin high, pretending I didn’t notice. Inside, my heart was doing somersaults. Elvis walked beside me, his stride confident, his grin wide.
"Kristen," he whispered, leaning close, "they’re eating you up. You’re a star."
I smiled, trying to look nonchalant, but I was buzzing. My new dress was a hit.
The way it hugged my body, the way the dark green made my hazel eyes pop—it was everything I’d hoped for and more.
We passed a group of sophomore girls clustered by the lockers.
They stopped talking, their jaws practically on the floor as they stared. One of them nudged the other, whispering something that made the rest giggle nervously.
"Keep walking, queen," Elvis said, throwing them a wink.
My confidence soared. This was it—the moment I had dreamed of. I wasn’t invisible anymore.
"Kristen, is that you?" someone called out.
I turned to see Cara, one of my old lab partners from chemistry, gawking at me.
"Hey, Cara," I said, waving casually.
"Wow," she said, her eyes scanning me from head to toe. "You look… amazing!"
"Thanks," I said, biting back a grin.
But my moment of triumph was short-lived. A sharp laugh cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard, sending a shiver down my spine.
I glanced up, and there they were: Jenny, Jamie, and Jesse, the self-proclaimed "Hot Lunas" and the undisputed queens of Blackwood High.
I didn't understand why they called themselves Luna when none of them had Alpha mates.
They walked towards me like a pack of predators, their heels clicking in perfect unison. Their glossy hair, flawless makeup, and designer outfits screamed money and privilege.
Jenny, the leader of their trio, stopped a few feet in front of me, her arms crossed over her chest.
Her lips curved into a smirk as her icy blue eyes flicked over me, analyzing every inch of my appearance.
"Well, well," she said, her voice dripping with condescension. "If it isn’t Kristen Jones. Looks like someone raided a clearance rack over the summer."
Jamie and Jesse burst into laughter, their perfectly manicured hands covering their mouths.
I froze for a moment, the warmth of confidence evaporating under Jenny’s cold gaze.
Elvis, however, wasn’t having it. He stepped forward and tilted his head.
"Oh, please, Jenny. Don’t act like you didn’t spend all summer getting Botox to hide that stress wrinkle forming between your eyebrows."
Jamie and Jesse’s laughter stopped abruptly, and their faces twisted in shock.
"Excuse me?" Jesse hissed.
"Oh, I’m sorry," Elvis said sweetly, feigning innocence. "Did I interrupt your cackling session? My bad."
I bit back a laugh, grateful for Elvis’s quick wit.
Jenny recovered quickly, narrowing her eyes at me.
"Cute sidekick," she said dismissively before turning her attention back to me. "But let’s be real, Kristen. No matter how hard you try, you’ll never be one of us. All this effort for attention? It’s pathetic."
I felt my blood boil. I straightened my shoulders, refusing to let her intimidate me.
"At least I don’t need a pack of followers to make myself feel important, Jenny. And FYI, I’m not trying to be you. I’d rather be me, thanks."
The hallway went silent, everyone holding their breath. Jenny’s mouth fell open, clearly not expecting me to fight back.
"How dare you—" she began, but she was cut off by a collective gasp from the crowd.
I turned, following everyone’s gaze.
My heart skipped a beat as Ryan Ashford walked down the hallway, his best friend and Beta, Luke, trailing behind him.
Ryan was every bit as breathtaking as I remembered.
His dark, wavy hair fell perfectly into place, and his piercing green eyes scanned the hallway with effortless confidence.
He was tall, muscular, and moved with the kind of grace that only an Alpha could.
As he approached, the crowd seemed to part for him, like he was royalty. And in a way, he was.
My heart raced as he drew closer. This was my chance—my moment.
Ryan’s gaze landed on me, and for a split second, time stood still.
"Kristen," he said, his deep voice smooth and warm. His lips curved into a small, approving smile. "You look… beautiful."
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, he was already walking past me, heading towards his next class.
I stood there, stunned, my heart pounding in my chest.
He noticed me.
"Kristen, breathe," Elvis whispered, nudging me.
Meanwhile, Elvis’s eyes darted to Luke, who was walking just behind Ryan.
"Hey, Luke," he said, flashing a hopeful smile.
Luke didn’t even glance his way. He walked past us as if we didn’t exist.
"Rude," Elvis muttered, his cheeks tinged pink.
I barely registered his disappointment because my mind was still replaying Ryan’s words.
Jenny’s sharp voice snapped me back to reality.
"Don’t get any ideas, Kristen," she sneered, her face red with anger. "Ryan doesn’t date girls like you."
I turned to her, my confidence surging once more.
"Watch me," I said, meeting her glare head-on. "You might want to start preparing yourself, Jenny, because Ryan’s going to choose me to be his girlfriend. And he’s going to take me to prom."
Jamie and Jesse laughed, but it sounded forced, their perfect facades cracking. Jenny’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Dream on, Kristen," she hissed before spinning on her heel and walking away, her minions following close behind.
I watched them go, unbothered by their fake laughter. Let them think what they wanted.
This wasn’t their story—it was mine.
"You’re a legend," Elvis said, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "But let’s get real: did you see Luke ignoring me? Tragic."
"You’ll get him," I said, smiling at him. "Just wait. This year’s going to be different for both of us."
Elvis nodded, his eyes sparkling with determination.
"Damn right it is."
As the bell rang, signaling the start of the day, I took a deep breath.
- Writer
