CHAPTER 002: NEW NORMAL

ASHLEY;

The morning after the wedding announcement felt like a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from. I stood in front of the mirror in my small bedroom, brushing my hair with shaky hands.

My simple black sweater and jeans suddenly felt too plain. Everything had changed overnight and Ryder Knight, the man who stirred my wolf and angered my spirit, was my stepfather now. I tried to accept it.

Downstairs, my mother was already buzzing with excitement, packing bags and talking nonstop about the new life waiting for us. Ryder had dropped by to make sure everything was perfect, his scent floating through every part of the house… dark pine that made my stomach tighten every time I breathed it in. School was waiting.

When we pulled up to Stoneridge Academy, heads turned immediately. Ryder’s sleek black car drew attention on its own, but today was different. I stepped out on the passenger side, feeling eyes on me like needles.

Ryder climbed out of the driver’s seat like he owned the parking lot. Of course, his father…. the lycan king… practically owned stoneridge academy.

He stood out tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in his hockey team jacket and dark jeans that hugged his powerful thighs. His dark hair was still slightly messy from the morning, and that same unreadable expression sat on his handsome face.

The news had already spread like wildfire and by the time we reached the main doors, whispers rippled through the crowded hallways.

“Did you hear? Ryder Knight married Ashley Carter’s mom.” “No way. Her? The ghost girl?” “Stepfather? That’s messed up.”

I kept my head down, clutching my books to my chest, allowing Mom’s insatiable desires hunt me. If she must remarry without caring about the whereabouts of Dad anymore, why hadn’t she gone for the Lycan king instead? Or any other older man? Why settle for Ryder? I tried to pull my mind off it, there was little to nothing I could do about it at this point.

Ryder didn’t walk with me exactly, just stayed close enough that his shadow seemed to cover me.

His teammates clapped him on the back as he passed, laughing and joking like nothing was different.

Classes started, the stares burned hotter, glares from even the teachers. I was at my locker when he walked by with two of his teammates. His cold eyes locked on me for a long second. My skin prickled with heat as I slammed my locker shut and hurried away.

Lunch was worse. The cafeteria buzzed with energy. I sat alone at the edge of a table, picking at my food, trying to disappear like I always did. But Ryder commanded the center of the room, his usual spot, surrounded by his hockey crew and a flock of pretty girls hanging on his every word.

Lila, the cheerleader of Ryder’s girls, leaned against his shoulder, laughing too loudly, acting all cute. Not that it mattered to me anyway. He was married to Mom, not me.

I looked away, focusing way too seriously on my food, hoping he’d stop stealing glances at me. Instead he stood up suddenly. The place quieted a little as he moved… walked past my table with that easy, lazy stride. When he was right beside me, he leaned down just enough, his voice low and rough so only I could hear.

“Try not to embarrass me, princess.”

His breath brushed my ear. My hairs stood on end as shivers trickled down my spine. His eyes lingered on me then dropped for half a second to the curve of my neck, then lower, before he straightened and kept walking like nothing happened.

I sat frozen, my food now totally forgotten. I hated him so much, hated how he looked down on me and how my body reacted to the deep timbre of his voice, hated that he was now family.

The rest of the school day dragged in a haze of whispers and stolen glances. By the final bell, I felt exhausted. When mom picked me up, she chatted happily the whole drive to Ryder’s mansion.

“You’re going to love it, honey. Just you wait.”

The mansion rose up at the end of a long private road like something from a movie, tall gates that opened automatically. The house was different from where the Lycan king lived. Modern lines mixed with old money elegance, surrounded by manicured lawns and tall trees.

I walked in, taking one step after the other, everything here screamed wealth. Marble floors, high ceilings, huge windows that let in golden afternoon light, expensive art on the walls and a sweeping staircase that looked like it belonged in a palace. Just the kind of things Mom liked.

I stood in the grand foyer, bags at my feet, feeling completely out of place. This was nothing like our old house, much too grand to even be compared with it.

“Ryder’s out training, but he’ll be back soon,” my mother said, already exploring like she owned the place. “Your room is upstairs, third door on the left. Now go settle in.”

I pushed open the door to my new room and stopped. It was breathtaking… big bed, soft gray linens, a desk by the window overlooking the backyard, a private bathroom attached. But it still felt cold, like it wasn’t really my home.

I unpacked slowly, trying to make the space feel like mine. An hour or so passed, then I heard the front door open downstairs and the familiar lazy confident steps. He was back.