The Alpha's Blind Little Prey

Lucien's POV They all adored me. Professors, students, and even the janitor who bowed like I was his saviour every time I passed him in the halls. I didn't have to try too hard to impress anyone. All I would do is smile once. Hold the door open for someone. Speak gently. Pretend to care. That's all it took to make them believe I was the Alpha every wolf dreamed of following. But the truth? I hated every single one of them. Every giggle Cassie threw at me, every cheer from students who thought they mattered, every shallow compliment from professors desperate for my approval... it was noise. Sickening noise. The only sound I enjoyed was silence. The silence after someone stopped breathing. Just like yesterday before something cracked the routine. I'd gotten rid of that disgusting professor. His begging still echoed in my ears, pathetic and wet, like a pig squealing in its pen. And that's what he was... fat, greasy, and reeking of sweat. A pig. So I butchered him like one. It should've been clean, quick. But then... The door opened. And she walked in. A girl, stumbling slightly, head tilted like she wasn't even looking at me. Just a strand of her hair spilling over her uniform collar from her cap. Her dark eyes didn't quite meet mine. Blind. Of all the rotten luck, the one who walked in on me wasn't just a dumb little student... she was blind. I didn't panic. I don't panic. If she saw too much, I'd kill her too. Simple. That's what I do best. But she didn't scream, didn't notice the blood, didn't flinch at the sight of me standing over the professor's twitching corpse. She only muttered something useless, turned, and left. ...Interesting. After she was gone, I stuffed the pig into a bag, but he didn't fit. Too fat. Useless until the end. So I did what I had to do. Cut him into pieces, strung his body between trees like holiday decorations, and cleaned myself up. Let them think it was a sacrifice, a ritual, whatever their small minds conjured. It didn't matter. The truth was simpler: he'd crossed me, and now he was gone. By morning, no one would know but me. Except they did. I was drinking tea with Cassie this morning when a student stormed in, pale as snow, shaking. "Th-they found a body in the woods...!" Cassie gasped, hand flying to her mouth like some delicate flower. She looked at me for comfort and strength. I sipped my tea, set my teacup down before letting my face shift into the perfect mask of concern. "Calm down," I told the kid, my voice steady, soothing. "Show us where." Cassie grabbed her blazer, her movements sharp as always, as we followed the student out. The forest was buzzing with whispers when we arrived, students clustering like vultures around the professor's mangled remains. I stepped in front of Cassie, covering her eyes with a gentle hand. "Don't look," I said softly, my tone dripping with care I didn't feel. "It's too much." She thanked me, her voice trembling, but then pushed my hand away. "I'm the president," she said, straightening. "I have to get used to this." Brave little Cassie, always trying to prove she was worthy of the Luna title. But I'm hurt my Luna-to-be didn't see the artistry. She only saw horror. I smiled. Maybe it was the wrong kind of smile, but she didn't notice. She was too busy asking questions, barking orders, and comforting the crying student like she wasn't trembling herself. I played my part beside her. Calm, gentle Alpha. The perfect mask. When the professors arrived, morning classes were cancelled. The pig's remains were lowered for burial. Cassie sighed, her shoulders slumping as we walked back to her office. She sat at her desk, scribbling the date in her notebook before slamming it shut. "This is the nineteenth murder in three years," she said, her voice tight. I shook my head with my best sad expression. "I'll find the murderer. I swear it. Whoever is killing my people won't get away." She smiled at me, her eyes soft with admiration. "You're too good, Lucian," she said. "Too kind." I didn't laugh. I wanted to, but I didn't. Instead, I leaned back in my chair, letting her words roll off me like water. Kind. If only she knew. Then she mentioned something that made me pause. A new student. "I need to meet her," Cassie said, checking her watch. "And find her a guide. She's... different and special. Blind, apparently. No one's stepping up to help her." Curiosity flickered in me, sharp and sudden. I remembered that girl from yesterday, the one who'd walked in on me and didn't flinch. "Let me see her file," I said, keeping my tone casual. Cassie handed me the file without hesitation. And there it was. Her name. Seraphina Hedwig. The blind girl from yesterday. I smirked before I could stop myself. Hedwig. Like that owl from those wizard books I'd skimmed years ago. Fitting. I skimmed through her details, my eyes catching on the passport photo. My lips curled before I realised it. Her pale hair, her fragile face... it was really her. "Little Owl," I mumbled, the name slipping out before I realised it. The name slipped out without thought, and I liked it. It fitted her. Small, fragile, wide-eyed even in her blindness. Cassie noticed my grin immediately. She snatched the paper back, frowning. "What are you smiling at?" My hand touched my mouth, surprised to find them curved. I hadn't meant to smile. Not at all. "Was I?" I said, forcing my face back to neutral. "Well, I didn't notice." She glared at me, her eyes narrowing. "Don't get any ideas about her, Lucian. Her file is incomplete. She could be dangerous. Maybe an enemy." I tilted my head, letting my smile turn soft, placating. "As Alpha, I have to look out for everyone. Even the new ones." Cassie sighed, her expression softening. "You're too kind. People will take advantage of that. I didn't answer. Let her think what she wanted. Then she surprised me. "You want to be her temporary guide? Just until I find someone permanent." I almost grinned again. Almost. Instead, I nodded, keeping my face calm. "Sure, I'll do it." She stood, closing the distance between us, and pulled me into a hard kiss. Her eyes fluttered shut, but mine stayed open, cold, unmoved. Her lips were warm, insistent, but they did nothing for me. Never had. When she pulled back, she smiled, oblivious. "Be careful," she said. "You too," I replied, my smile as fake as her trust in me then, and I left her office. And then I went to find my new responsibility. Class C-3. When I entered the room, it was buzzing. Laughter, jeers, mocking voices. All pointed in the same direction. Her. My Little Owl. She bent down on the floor, fumbling for something... her pen. Students laughed at her like she was a circus act. Pathetic little wolves. The moment I stepped in, silence crashed over the classroom. My presence did that. Of course, it did! Their laughter died, replaced with awe, fear, and respect. I walked straight to her. Picked up the pen she was crawling for. Let my fingers brush against hers longer than necessary as I placed it in her palm. "Here you go," I murmured, my voice a soft blade. "Don't lose it again." She flinched when she heard my voice. I liked that. I liked it more than I should have. The classroom held its breath as I leaned closer, close enough to smell the faint sweetness of her hair. And then, with a smile only she could hear, I whispered against her ear: "We meet again, Little Owl." She lifted her head, and for the first time, I saw her eyes up close. Stormy grey, sharp and alive, nothing like the vacant stare of a blind girl. They cut through me, and for a moment, I forgot the role I was playing. My grip on my pants tightened. A growl hummed low in my throat. 'f**k! This was going to be hard.' I wasn't sure what I meant by hard. Keeping my hands off her? Playing her guide while resisting the urge to tear her apart? Or worse. Wanting her.