Chapter 3 – The Academy Awakens

Audrey’s POV

The F1 academy was home to wolves and humans alike, and other supernatural creatures, until my father was killed and it was taken over by werewolves.

The werewolves had driven the other supernatural creatures away, leaving the humans because they paid well.

The academy didn’t look like a school.

It looked like a stadium with massive glass towers and banners with wolf crests, and there was also a garage with rows of cars, Ferrari Aperta, Camaro, Dodge Challenger SRT8, and to name a few.

From the track behind the main building, I could hear the roars of cars racing, and the smell of fuel and smoke made my chest tighten.

My dad used to bring me here, to watch the students race each other, and he'd taught me how to drive. This had been his academy once, until he was murdered. This is why I'm here, to avenge him.

I tightened the strap on my pink helmet, slid on my rhinestone gloves and pushed open the door of my car. My hellcat purred like a spoiled cat.

“Who brings glitter to a race track?” A guy muttered and heads turned to me instantly. Some boys whistled as I patted down my mini skirt and adjusted my tank top.

“Barbie’s here,” someone else snickered.

I rolled my eyes at them. If the thought I would be showing up in grease stained overalls they were wrong. I lived for the track and driving, but I also lived being a girl who's favourite color was pink.

I tossed my hair over my shoulder and walked toward the line of the students gathering at the track. And that was when I spotted him.

Adrian Vale. He was standing with his arm around a tall brunette with shoulder length hair and legs that went on forever. She leaned into him and licked his ear. Lyra. I’d heard about her on the flight back. Luna-in-training, and star racer. 

I tried not to look at them, but Adrian’s eyes cut to me anyway with a glare like I was the last person he wanted to see.

My neighbor. My ex–best friend. My first crush. Until he'd betrayed me. I forced my chin up. If he wants to act like he didnt know me, then i could do the same. 

Coach’s voice boomed from across the track. “Practice today is going to be done in pairs.” He gave me a once over. “You’re late. Classes are already in session.” 

“It’s my first day, I’m sorry.” I said quickly as the other students gave me dirty looks. 

Coach continued. “Adrian Vale, you’re with the new girl. She has a lot to learn.”

The words hit like a bucket of ice water. My head snapped up. “Wait, what?”

Adrian had the exact same recation. He looked at the coach, then at me, then back at Lyra, who stiffened at his side. “Are you serious?” Adrian asked. “She probaly doesnt even know the basocs of racing.”

I bristled at his words. None of the students at the school knew that I had once won a street race in tokyo. I knew how to handle myself in a car, thajnks to my father. Coach shrugged. “That’s why I’m pairing you with her, Vale.”

Lyra slid her nails down Adrian’s arms, but she was talking to Coach. “Coach, you’re asking him to babysit her. Why can’t I teach her instead? I’m a girl driver too, and us girls have to stick together."

“Rules are rules,”The coach said. “Now move.”

Adrian said something under his breath and staked toward his car. I jogged after him, while Lyra shot me death stares.

when I caught up with Adrian, I snapped. “You could try not to look like you'd rather drive into a wall, than take this class with me.”

He didn't look at me. “Don't tempt me.”

I stopped short. “What is your problem with me?”

He pulled his helmet, “im sure you know what it is.” he slid into the driver's seat of his car. “Just try to keep up.”

I climbed into my hellcat, slamming the door as hard as I could. How dare he ignore me, after everything he did?

I started my car and held the steering wheel like my life depended on it. I could feel all eyes on me, especially Lyra's.

Coach Decker waved the flag. “Go!”

Adrian shot forward like lightning, his car hugging the curve with perfect control. I slammed on the gas and my hellcat flew down the straightaway.

The laughter from earlier disappeared, because I wasn’t just keeping up. I was matching him. I revved my engline pushing the acceleration to 65kmph. His sleek black car was trying to keep up with my sparkling red one.

Sweat trickled down my back as I tried to keep ahead of him. My braid whipped against my shoulder and my fingers drummed the steering as I swerved sharply, overtaking him.

I felt like I was flying.

Adrian's car pulled alongside mine at the finish line. Of course, I was first. His head snapped to me through the window, but he didn't look pissed. He looked….impressed?

I lifted two fingers off the wheel in mock salute, as I cornered the car for parking. That's when everything went sideways.

The air around my car appeared to have bent, kinda like heat waves but only stronger. The wheel jerked in my hands. “What the—”

The Hellcat veered too hard into the curve, and trees screamed..I tried to keep the car straight but it was too late. Metal slammed against the barrier. My head snapped forward, and my helmet hit the padding. Pain shot up my shoulder.

Adrian's car screeched to a halt and I heard screams but it was hard to see with all that smoke from my car. I coughed and fanned the air with my hands.

“Sutton!”

I blinked and saw Adrian standing over me with sweat dripping down his face. He looked concerned and annoyed all at once. He held the door of my car and leaned in.

“Are you okay, Audrey?”

I swallowed hard dragging my eyes away from his perfect blue eyes. “I'm fine. Please my name's Sutton, not Audrey.”

He ignored me, reached in and unbuckled my seatbelt. His shoulder brushed against me, giving me a good view of his muscles. My heart beat faster, stupidly aware of how close we were.

“Adrian, people are staring. I said I'm fine.” I didn't like the way his girlfriend was shooting me death glares from behind him.

“I don't care.” His hands hovered on my cheek like he wanted to touch me, but then he dropped it fast like he'd thought better of it. “Can you move?”

I nodded and pushed the door open. This made no sense, I knew my car was in very good condition. My legs wobbled as I stepped out and Adrian rushed forward wrapping a hand on my waist.

That was the limit for Lyra. “She's fine!” She snapped dragging Adrian's hand away from my waist. “There's no need to act like she's dying.”

But Adrian didn't even look at her. I had to admit, it made a wicked thrill run down my spine. 

“She's right Adrian. I'm fine. It's just a small malfunction.” I let out a chuckle and decided to change the topic. “Besides I beat you.”

Adrian didn't take my bait. “You could have been killed.”

I forced a smile, even though my stomach was still in knots. “Relax, it'll take more than that to kill me.”

He stared at me a while longer, still not smiling. I was beginning to wonder if he ever did. I remembered his smile from childhood. It was always toothy and infectious.

Lyra looped his arm through his. “Come on, Adrian. She doesn't need you babysitting her.”

Adrian's mouth twitched like he wanted to say something or even argue, but he let Lyra pull him away instead.

I stood there watching them go, and I realized that all I could think about was the way his hand had felt on my waist.

Why?