Chapter Three: Elara Vale
818 Words
"You'll do great."
Elara adjusted the strap of her bag and stared at the enormous school building in front of her.
Blackwood Academy.
Her new hunting ground.
"I hope I don't mess things up."
Beside her, Orion Vale laughed.
The sound was warm, confident, and annoyingly reassuring.
"You? Mess things up? Please."
Elara rolled her eyes.
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
Orion draped an arm around her shoulders.
"You've trained your whole life for this."
Elara looked down.
"My dream is to become a wolf hunter."
"A wolf killer," Orion corrected proudly.
She smiled.
"A wolf killer."
"Exactly."
Orion squeezed her shoulder.
"Don't worry. You'll get your first wolf eventually."
His expression darkened slightly.
"I still remember my first one."
Elara immediately looked up.
"You do?"
"Oh, yeah."
A grin spread across his face.
"It was pitiful."
"Orion."
"What?"
"It was still a living creature."
"A wolf," he corrected.
"As I was saying, it was pitiful."
Elara groaned.
Orion ignored her.
"You'll get one eventually. That's the whole reason we moved here."
His gaze shifted toward the school.
"Wolves."
Hidden among ordinary humans.
Walking around like they belong here.
"We find them."
His eyes hardened.
"And we kill them."
Elara nodded.
That was the mission.
That was always the mission.
"Now."
Orion suddenly clapped his hands.
"First day of human school."
"Oh no."
"Oh yes."
"Please don't."
"Act normal."
"I know."
"Act human."
"I know."
"It's not hard."
Elara sighed.
"You've said that twelve times."
"Because you look like you're about to declare war on somebody."
A teacher walked past them.
Orion immediately flashed a charming smile.
The teacher smiled right back.
Then Orion winked.
The teacher laughed and continued walking.
Elara stared at him.
"You are unbelievable."
Orion pointed after the teacher.
"See?"
"See what?"
"I told you."
He grinned.
"Act human."
Elara shook her head.
"You flirt with everybody."
"It's called being friendly."
"It's called being ridiculous."
"Tomato, tomahto."
Before she could argue, Orion leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"Relax."
His voice softened.
"You've got this."
Elara wrapped her arms around him briefly.
He hugged her back.
"Mom and Dad would be proud of you."
The words settled heavily in her chest.
When they pulled apart, Orion smiled.
"They're gone, okay?"
Elara nodded.
"I know."
"But you're not alone."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Orion pointed toward the school.
"Now go before you're late."
Elara laughed.
"Bye."
"Go make some human friends."
"No promises."
"That's my sister."
She waved goodbye and headed inside.
The moment she entered the classroom, every conversation stopped.
Wonderful.
Exactly what she needed.
The teacher smiled.
"Class, we have a new student today."
A few students looked interested.
Most looked bored.
One looked furious.
Elara noticed him immediately.
Dark hair.
Silver eyes.
Expensive clothes.
A face so handsome it was almost unfair.
He sat in the back of the room like he owned the place.
The girls around him couldn't stop staring.
Yet he wasn't smiling.
Wasn't talking.
Wasn't paying attention to anyone.
Except her.
His eyes narrowed.
A look of pure disgust crossed his face.
Elara blinked.
What did I do?
"Go ahead and introduce yourself," the teacher said.
Elara turned toward the class.
"My name is Elara Vale."
Several students smiled.
One guy in the back continued staring.
Like he hated her.
Like her existence offended him.
Weird.
Very weird.
The rest of the day wasn't much better.
Every class.
Every hallway.
Every time she looked up.
He was there.
Watching.
Glowering.
Looking at her as if he wanted her gone.
By the final bell, Elara was thoroughly annoyed.
Who even is this guy?
The crowded hallway swallowed everyone at once.
Students pushed past each other toward the exits.
Elara squeezed through the crowd.
Then someone slammed into her shoulder.
Hard.
The impact knocked her off balance.
She stumbled.
Then hit the floor.
Books scattered everywhere.
The hallway erupted with laughter.
Elara looked up.
The silver-eyed boy stood over her.
For one brief second, he extended a hand.
Her heart skipped.
Maybe he wasn't a jerk after all.
Then he pulled his hand back.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
He brushed invisible dust from his shirt.
His gaze remained cold.
Disgusted.
As if touching her would have been the worst thing imaginable.
Elara's embarrassment immediately became anger.
The boy stared at her for another second.
Then walked away.
Not a single apology.
Nothing.
Just arrogance.
Absolute arrogance.
As soon as he disappeared into the crowd, a blond guy hurried after him.
"Dude."
The silver-eyed boy didn't answer.
"Dude."
Still nothing.
The blond guy sighed.
"I think you found the vampire."
The silver-eyed boy's jaw tightened.
The vampire?
Elara froze.
Before she could hear more, a group of students passed between them.
Their voices faded into the crowd.
Far ahead, the silver-eyed boy finally spoke.
And although she couldn't hear the words...
Something about him suddenly felt dangerous.
Very dangerous.
- Writer
