The Golden Boy's Game

RAVEN

I made it through the first period before my hands started shaking.

Chemistry felt surreal, Mr. Peterson droning about molecular bonds while I knew werewolves existed, while my own DNA was rewriting itself, while everything I thought I knew had shattered. I stared at my lab partner mixing solutions and wondered if she'd scream if she knew what sat next to her.

"Miss Carter?" Mr. Peterson's voice cut through my spiral. "The answer?"

I had no idea what the question was. "Um…."

"Covalent bonds." The answer came from behind me. I turned to see a girl I'd never noticed before, her eyes flashing gold for just a second before returning to normal brown.

Another wolf. In my chemistry class. How many were there?

Lunch came too slowly and too fast. I grabbed a tray of food I wouldn't eat and headed for my usual corner table, but movement outside the cafeteria windows caught my eye.

The hockey team was on the ice for afternoon practice.

I should have kept walking. Should have minded my own business. Instead, I stopped and watched.

Theo Blackwood commanded the rink like he was born on skates. He moved with a grace that was definitely not human, too fast, too fluid, making plays that should have been impossible. His teammates followed his lead with military precision, and I realized this wasn't practice.

This was training.

"Beautiful, isn't he?" A voice beside me made me jump. A tall blonde in a Blackridge Hockey jacket smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Theo's been captain since sophomore year. Youngest captain in school history."

"I didn't know practice was during lunch," I said carefully.

"It's not. This is extra training." She leaned closer, and I caught a whiff of something wild beneath her perfume. "For special players. The kind with unique talents."

My heart hammered. "I don't know what you—"

"Yes, you do." Her smile sharpened. "We all know what you are, Raven. The whole supernatural community is talking about it. The Alpha Supreme's daughter, about to have her first shift under the blood moon." She gestured toward the ice. "Theo wanted me to tell you—you have options. The Iron Howlers aren't your only choice."

"I didn't choose them at all."

"Exactly." She pressed a business card into my hand. "Think about it. Not all packs are run by manipulative Alphas who marry your mother to trap you."

She walked away before I could respond, leaving me holding a card that read: “Silverfang Pack - Where strength meets freedom.”

The hockey practice ended, and players skated off the ice. Through the windows, I saw Theo look directly at me, his blue eyes holding mine for a long moment before he disappeared into the locker rooms.

I threw my untouched lunch in the trash and headed for my locker.

The afternoon dragged on. AP Government, where I learned about systems of power while living under an Alpha's rule. English Lit, where we discussed tragedy while I lived one. Calculus, where nothing added up anymore.

When the final bell rang, I practically ran for the parking lot.

And found Theo Blackwood leaning against my car.

"Hi, Raven." He'd changed from his hockey gear into jeans and a leather jacket that matched his teammates', all wearing the same silver wolf patch. "We need to talk."

"I don't think…."

"My father is Marcus Chen, Beta of the Silverfang Pack." He said it calmly, like announcing his dad was an accountant. "He's known about you since you were fourteen. Been watching, waiting for your first shift."

Ice flooded my veins. "Watching me?"

"Protecting you." He pushed off my car. "The Iron Howlers aren't the good guys, Raven. Dominic Steele is old school, possessive, controlling, treats females like property. My pack is different. Progressive. We believe in choice."

"Is that why your friend ambushed me at lunch?"

"Sarah can be overeager." His smile was apologetic and charming. "But she's not wrong. You have options here. Better options than being trapped as Dominic's stepdaughter while he fights the mate bond."

"How do you know about…."

"Everyone knows. The supernatural grapevine moves fast." He took a step closer. "Look, I'm not here to pressure you. I just wanted you to know, if you need help, if things get bad at the compound, you call me. Okay?"

He was so sincere, so genuine. Everything about him screamed safe, trustworthy, good.

Which is probably why I didn't trust him at all.

"Thanks," I said neutrally. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Raven!" Jax's voice cut across the parking lot like a whip. He stood by his bike fifty feet away, and even from here I could see the violence in his stance. "We're leaving. Now."

Theo didn't move. "You know you don't have to go with him. You're eighteen. You have rights."

"She's pack." Jax stalked closer, and students scrambled out of his way. "Which means she goes where her Alpha says. Back off, Silverfang."

"Or what?" Theo's easy charm vanished, replaced by something cold and dangerous. "You'll start a war in a high school parking lot? Get yourself arrested? That'll help your Alpha's reputation."

They stared at each other, predators sizing up, and I realized this could go very bad very fast.

"Stop." I stepped between them. "Both of you, just stop. Theo, thanks for the offer. Jax, I'm coming." I looked at Theo one more time. "I can make my own choices."

"I hope so," he said quietly. "Because from where I'm standing, everyone's making them for you."

I left him there and climbed on Jax's bike, wrapping my arms around his waist as the engine roared to life.

"You can't trust him," Jax said as we tore out of the parking lot. "The Silverfangs…."

"I don't trust anyone right now." I tightened my grip. "Just take me to the compound. Dominic wanted to see me."

The ride took fifteen minutes. When we pulled through the gates, chaos greeted us.

Pack members ran in organized patterns, weapons being checked, vehicles staged. This wasn't normal operations.

This was war preparation.

Jax cut the engine by the main building. "Something happened. Stay close."

We pushed through the organized chaos into the medical room, and the smell hit me first—blood and antiseptic and something burned.

A young man lay on the table, his chest wrapped in bloody bandages.

"Raven." Dominic's voice was controlled, but his eyes blazed gold. "You need to see this."

He gestured to Jax, who carefully peeled back the bandages.

Words carved into flesh: “Give us the girl or we take her over your corpses.”

My stomach turned. "Who—"

"Silverfangs." Dominic's jaw clenched. "They attacked Blake three hours ago. Left him alive to deliver the message. This is a formal challenge under old pack law."

"Challenge to what?"

"War." A new voice made me turn. Diana stood in the doorway, her face pale. "Unless Dominic agrees to their terms."

"Mom? What are you…."

My phone buzzed. Unknown number.

I pulled it out, and my blood turned to ice.

A photo. Mom tied to a chair, a silver knife at her throat, terror in her eyes.

Below it: “Ice Arena. One hour. Come alone or she dies.”

"No." Dominic grabbed the phone. "No, this is—Diana's right here. This is fake, a trick"

"That's not me." Mom's voice shook. "That's my twin sister. Sarah."

"You have a twin?" I stared at her.

"Had. She died fifteen years ago. Or—" Mom grabbed the phone, zoomed in on the photo. "Oh god. Oh god, that's her. She's alive. They've had her this whole time."

Dominic's phone lit up with notifications. Then Jax's. Then every phone in the room.

A live stream. The Silverfang Pack's official channel.

And there was the woman from the photo, center screen, with Marcus Chen himself holding the knife.

"Raven Carter." His voice echoed from a dozen phones. "You have one hour. Come alone to the Blackridge Ice Arena, or your aunt dies on camera. The whole supernatural world is watching. Choose wisely."

The stream counter showed viewers: 10,473 and climbing.

"You're not going." Dominic's command was absolute. "It's a trap."

"That's my family…."

"It's bait." He gripped my shoulders. "They don't want to trade. They want both of you."

My phone buzzed again. Another photo, the knife positioned above Sarah's hand.

“Fifty-nine minutes. Starting with fingers.”

I looked at Dominic, at Mom's tears, at the live stream showing my aunt's terror broadcast to thousands.

"Then we'd better move fast," I said.