3: "Dude, that's like being noticed by a celebrity."

Freya's pov

My roommate is human, which is a relief, because I can tell the moment I walk into the room, no supernatural scent or sharp awareness, just a regular guy who can’t sense I’m hiding something.

“You must be Freddie,” he says, looking up from a textbook, sprawled across his bed with long arms and legs taking up space, strawberry blond hair falling over his eyes. “I’m Tyler, Tyler Chen.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say, dropping my gear by the empty bed, which must be mine, two beds, two desks, two dressers, and a window overlooking the quad, just a normal dorm room where I have to live as someone else.

“So what brings you to Crescent Moon mid-semester?” Tyler asks, closing his book, a thick biochemistry text, and continues, “Most people start in the fall.”

I’ve practiced this lie a hundred times, so I say, “Family moved for my dad’s job, and I had to finish the semester at my old school first.”

The words come out smooth now, too easy.

“That sucks,” he says, then nods at my gear bag, “What sport?”

“Hockey,” I say, pointing to the bag, “hopefully.”

Tyler grins and says, “Dude, you’re either brave or stupid, because the hockey team here is like royalty, half the school looks up to them, and the other half keeps their distance.”

My stomach twists, and I ask, “Keeps their distance?”

“Not literally, mostly,” he says, laughing at my face, “they’re not bad guys, but they’re all alphas or future alphas from big packs, with their own hierarchy thing us humans don’t really get, and they’re crazy good at hockey, like scary good.”

“You know a lot about the team?” I ask, keeping my voice even as I start unpacking.

“More than I should, probably,” he says, sitting up, more excited now, “my girlfriend Emma loves hockey, drags me to every game, and there are three co-captains: Logan Pierce, who’s already getting scouted by pro teams, Sebastian Knox, the tough guy, and Zane Cross, some kind of hockey prodigy, like the team’s big three.”

Three names, three alphas, and my hands pause on my clothes, because these are the guys I have to convince I belong with, the ones who run this team like they own the campus.

“They all get along?” I ask, trying not to sound too interested.

Tyler snorts and says, “That’s the weird part, Logan and Sebastian don’t like each other, barely talk outside of games, but they’re both co-captains, so they have to deal, and Emma says it makes the games tense as hell.”

They don’t get along, which could be useful if I can figure out why, so I ask, “What about the third one, Zane?”

“He’s newer to the team, but people say he’s amazing, kind of keeps the peace between the other two, I think,” Tyler says, flopping back on his bed, “honestly, they’re your biggest competition for making the team, so impress them, and you’re in, but if you don’t…”

He trails off, and he doesn’t need to finish, because I get it, so I keep unpacking, my mind spinning with three co-captains who don’t all get along, a team of alphas from powerful families, and David out there pretending we’re strangers.

What have I gotten myself into?

“Hey,” Tyler says suddenly, “want to grab dinner, so I can show you the dining hall and introduce you to some people?”

The idea of sitting in a crowded room, keeping up my act while talking to strangers, makes my stomach tight, but I need to start being Freddie Sterling, so I say, “Sure, sounds good.”

The dining hall is huge and loud, packed with students talking over each other, and Tyler leads me through rows of tables, pointing out groups as we go, saying, “Athletes sit over there,” nodding toward a corner where tables are pushed together, “but the hockey players have their own spot, see them?”

I look where he’s pointing, and my breath catches, because there’s Sebastian at the head of a long table, gesturing as he tells a story that makes everyone laugh, commanding the room even from this far away. Next to him is a guy with dark hair who must be Logan, not laughing, just watching the room like he’s tracking everyone. When his eyes pass our direction, I look down fast. At the other end of the table is a guy with lighter brown hair and an easy smile, probably Zane, listening to Sebastian but glancing at Logan like he’s ready to step in if things get heated.

“They’re tight,” Tyler says, “but you can see how it works if you pay attention, Logan’s the leader, Sebastian’s the muscle, Zane’s the one keeping things calm.”

Sebastian’s head turns, and our eyes meet across the room, sending a jolt through me like before, and he raises his eyebrows slightly before looking back at his teammates.

“Did he just look at you?” Tyler asks, sounding impressed, “That’s like getting noticed by a rock star.”

“We met earlier,” I mutter, staring at my food, “he seems okay.”

“Okay,” Tyler laughs, “that’s one way to put it, Emma says half the school’s got a thing for him, but he doesn’t date much, too focused on hockey and pack stuff.”

Pack stuff, right, because he’s not just a hockey player, he’s a werewolf from a big family, and I’m here pretending to be a boy to play on his team, which feels so ridiculous I almost laugh.

“You good?” Tyler asks, “You look like you’re gonna puke.”

“Just tired,” I lie, “long day.”

“Fair,” he says, “want to head back?”

I nod, relieved, but as we stand, I spot David at a small table in the corner, a textbook next to his plate, not looking my way, but his shoulders are tense, and I want to go to him, to talk to someone who knows me, but I follow Tyler out, leaving my brother behind like he’s just another face.

Back in the dorm, Tyler dives back into his book, and I text Mum and Lily something short and upbeat—everything’s fine, school’s nice, made a friend already—lies to keep them from worrying more than they do. I’m about to get ready for bed when my phone buzzes with a text from an unknown number.

“Hey Freddie, Sebastian here, got your number from the student directory, want to skate tomorrow before classes, just a few of us, 6 AM at the rink,” it reads.

My hands shake as I stare at the message, 6 AM, tomorrow, with Sebastian and probably his co-captains, not an invite but a test, and I know it.

I text back, “Sounds good, thanks for the invite,” keeping it short.

His reply comes fast, “Bring your best, the ice shows everything.”

I put the phone down and stare at the ceiling, because in less than twelve hours, I’ll be skating with some of the best young players in the country, and they’ll be watching every move, every shot, looking for any mistake. I’ll be doing it all while hiding who I am.

Tyler’s breathing slows as he falls asleep over his book, but I’m awake for hours, my mind running through everything that could go wrong—what if I’m not good enough, what if they see through me, what if Sebastian asks about David again, what if this whole plan collapses before it starts?

But there’s something else under the nerves, a spark of excitement, the thought of being on the ice again, playing the game I love at a level I’ve never tried before.

Tomorrow, I find out if Freddie Sterling can skate with the best, if Freya can pull this off.