Chapter 4

Elena Cruz

Alex parked in front of the university and the moment I stepped out, I felt like I’d been dropped in the middle of a life I wasn’t prepared for. I transferred here last month, registered for classes, bought the textbooks, and planned everything down to the color of my notebooks. I knew I’d be coming to this school. I just didn’t know I’d be arriving from a stranger’s house instead of my own home.

My parents weren’t even here to see me off. They were somewhere far away, hiding my siblings, hiding themselves, hiding whatever truth they refused to tell me. I stood on the pavement with my bag slung over my shoulder, watching students walk past in groups, laughing like nothing in their world could fall apart. I envied them for a second.

Alex leaned over from the driver’s seat. “I’ll pick you up when your classes end. Text me if anything changes.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

No awkward moment. No lingering. He had mastered the art of being unreadable.

I shut the car door gently and he pulled off without hesitation. Watching his car leave felt strange, like I was being unanchored from something I didn’t realize I was leaning on. I shook it off and headed toward the building.

My first class was History of Myth and Civilization. It sounded dramatic but really, it was one of the few courses that blended human academia with werewolf folklore. The room was big, bright, filled with rows of students who already knew where to sit. They moved around each other with ease, weaving into friend groups that clearly existed long before today.

I found a seat near the side and opened my laptop. The professor started talking about creation myths and early pack settlements. I took notes, not because I wanted to but because doing something with my hands made me feel less out of place.

When class ended, everyone stood in clusters. Jokes flew across the room, inside references I wasn’t a part of. I stayed seated for a moment, pretending to finish something on my screen. Leaving too fast would look like I had nowhere to go. Staying too long would look worse.

I stood up eventually and slung my bag over my shoulder. Before I made it to the door, two girls approached me. One had auburn curls piled on her head with strands falling in every direction; the other wore glasses and had the calmest expression I’d seen all day.

“I love your pants,” the curly-haired one said instantly. “Where’d you get them?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the friendliness. “Uh… a thrift shop. Back home.”

“They fit you so well,” the one with glasses added. “I’m Harper, by the way. This is Lila.”

Lila grinned like she’d been waiting to be introduced. “We haven’t seen you around. New?”

“Sort of. Transferred here. First actual day.”

“Then you’re stuck with us,” Lila said. “We adopt the lost ones.”

I laughed despite myself. “Lucky me.”

We talked as we walked out of the building. It was easy to fall into their rhythm. Lila was outrageous in a funny way, Harper balanced her out, and together they made me feel like I wasn’t just drifting through the day. When we reached the courtyard, students filled the space, and the sun warmed everything just enough to make people linger before heading to their next class.

When we stepped outside, a crowd gathered around the fountain area. Students lingered between classes, energy buzzing in little pockets of conversations.

I checked the time. My ride wouldn’t be here yet, so I stayed with my new friends.

Then I noticed a guy walked out from the gym with a soccer bag slung over his shoulder, his shirt clinging slightly to his chest like he just finished training. He laughed at something one of his teammates said, and the sound carried across the courtyard.

I didn’t know why I kept looking. Maybe it was the way everyone else seemed to be looking too. Or how he moved like he wasn’t trying to be noticed but somehow still commanded the whole walkway. He brushed a hand through his hair, and the gesture was annoyingly attractive.

“Oh you’re staring too? Please don’t make me say his name first,” Lila murmured beside me. “It’ll inflate his ego somewhere across campus.”

Lila followed my gaze. “Well that’s Ethan Cross.”

Harper elbowed her. “You and your commentary.”

“What? Look at him.” Lila motioned dramatically. “He’s practically glowing.”

I turned my head slightly. “You know him?”

“Oh, everybody knows him,” Lila said, eyes sparkling. “Golden boy of the school. Soccer star , pretty boy, Obnoxiously charismatic.”

Harper rolled her eyes but didn’t disagree. “And the heir to one of the strongest Alpha bloodlines on this coast.” She added

I turned sharply at that. “Alpha family?”

They exchanged a look like they accidentally revealed something they shouldn’t have.

Lila recovered first. “You… uh… know what that means?”

“I’m from Crescent Pack,” I said. “I know everything pack-related. I just didn’t realize there were wolves here.”

“This city is mostly human, We’re just sprinkled” Harper explained. “But it’s neutral territory. Packs send their kids here all the time. Some wolves settle here to avoid politics.”

Lila leaned closer with a grin. “We’re Omegas. Don’t worry, we’re not about to shift in the parking lot.”

The joke eased the tension, and I laughed lightly. I just didn’t realize so many wolves lived here. My dad never mentioned it

They were easy to talk to, and for a few minutes we just stood there chatting about everything from cafeteria food to the worst professors on campus. The whole thing felt normal, until Harper’s eyes snapped past my shoulder.

“Oh no,” she whispered, grabbing Lila’s arm. “He’s coming this way.”

Lila’s excitement spiked instantly. “Shut up, maybe he’s coming to talk to us.”

I didn’t turn around at first. I didn’t want to look obvious. Eventually curiosity won and I looked over my shoulder.

Ethan walked in our direction, not fast, not slow, just confident in a way that made people step aside for him. His eyes scanned the courtyard, then stopped right on me.

Lila actually bounced once. “Elena, if he asks you out, I swear…”

“Relax,” I muttered, even though my pulse flickered with an unfamiliar alertness. I wasn’t used to guys like him noticing girls like me. Crescent Pack didn’t care much about a dormant wolf. Dormant meant invisible.

But Ethan didn’t hesitate.

He stopped right in front of me.

“You’re new,” he said, as if he’d been waiting to confirm it.

“Yeah,” I answered, shifting my bag on my shoulder. “Transferred, I am Elena “ I said

“Ethan.” He smiled like he already assumed I knew his name. “Hope I see you around.”

His fingers brushed mine when he extended his hand. I shook it because refusing would be weird, and his grip lingered just a heartbeat longer than necessary. Lila practically melted beside me. Harper crossed her arms but didn’t hide her interest.

“I hope you like it here,” he said. “Let me know if you need someone to show you around.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said. I didn’t mean to sound amused, but it slipped through anyway.

His eyes didn’t leave mine right away. He gave a small nod, stepped back, and rejoined his friends without looking confused or embarrassed. Just certain of himself, like he got exactly what he came for.

Lila let out a breath she’d been holding like she’d just watched a royal coronation. “Oh my god, he never talks to girls.”

Harper nudged her. “Don’t overwhelm her.”

“It’s a compliment,” Lila insisted, eyes wide. “Ethan Cross just acknowledged her existence. That’s basically a knighthood on this campus.”

“It was just a handshake,” I said, trying to process the encounter.

Harper smiled in a knowing way. “Still rare. He usually avoids people.”

I shrugged, more confused than flattered. “Maybe he was being polite.”

“Or stunned by your face,” Lila added. “Don’t pretend you didn’t notice.”

I pushed her lightly, laughing. Maybe it was possible. People acted stupid over appearances all the time. But something about his stare felt sharp, like he was measuring something he couldn’t name.

A car horn sounded gently from the curb. Not a loud honk just enough to catch my attention and I knew who it was.

Dr. Alex.