Chapter 6- First Period

Ella's POV

I make it to English class.

Barely.

My legs are still shaky from the hallway. My heart is still pounding. My wolf is still going crazy. She's been pacing and whining ever since Kael walked away.

I slide into my usual seat. Back corner. Last row. Right next to the window that doesn't open all the way.

Piper is two rows up. She mouths: You okay?

I nod. Lie.

Mr. Carson is at the front, writing on the board. I don't care. I can't focus.

I keep looking at the door.

Waiting.

The door opens.

Everyone looks up. Including me.

Kael walks in.

Same black jacket. Same dark jeans. He looks around the room, scanning the desks.

His eyes find me.

He walks past the empty desks in the front. Past the middle rows. Past the desks near the door.

He walks all the way to the back corner. To the seat right next to mine.

He sits down. Puts his bag on the floor. Looks at me.

"Hey," he says quietly.

My wolf loses her mind. She's jumping. Whining. Pushing against my skin.

I grab my desk and hold on.

"Hey," I whisper back.

The whole class is staring. I hear the whispers start.

"Why's he sitting next to her?"

"Maybe he feels sorry for her."

Kael doesn't look at them. Just keeps looking at me.

Mr. Carson clears his throat. "Mr. Thorne, grab a textbook. We're on page 87."

Kael stands. Grabs a book. Sits back down. Opens to the right page.

"How'd you know the page?" I whisper.

"Heard him say it." He taps his ear. "Wolves, remember?"

Right.

Mr. Carson starts talking. I don't hear any of it.

Kael leans toward me. Low voice. "We need to talk. After class."

I nod.

He stops. Looks up.

Sera.

She's turned around in her seat. Two rows ahead. Watching us. Eyes narrow. Sharp.

Kael meets her gaze for half a second. Then looks back at me.

"She's staring," I whisper.

"I know."

"She does that."

"Let her."

The minutes crawl. Sera keeps glancing back. Checking. Watching. Her jaw gets tighter each time.

Finally, the bell rings.

Everyone stands up. Chairs scrape. Bags zip.

Kael turns to me. "Wait."

I nod.

Students file past. Some stare. Some whisper.

Piper catches my eye. I mouth: Later. She nods and leaves.

Sera doesn't leave.

She walks toward us. Slow. Confident. Smile bright and fake.

She stops at Kael's desk. Leans against it. Puts herself in his space.

"Kael, right?" Her voice is sweet. "I'm Sera. Head cheerleader. Also basically the person you want to know if you're new here."

Kael looks at her. No smile. No interest.

"Okay," he says.

Sera's smile flickers. Just for a second.

"I'm having a party this weekend. You should come. Get to know people." She touches his arm. "Get to know me."

My wolf growls. Loud. Inside my head.

Kael looks at her hand on his arm. Then moves his arm away. Like it's nothing.

"Thanks," he says. "I'll think about it."

But he's not looking at her.

He's looking past her. At me.

Sera follows his gaze. Sees me sitting there. Sees him looking at me.

Her face changes. Just barely. Eyes go cold.

She laughs. Light and fake. "Oh. You're sitting with Ella." She says my name like it's garbage. "That's sweet. She's kind of our school's mascot."

She leans closer to him. Lowers her voice. "But if you want to hang with the real crowd, you know where to find me."

She smiles. Walks away.

Door closes behind her.

Now it's just me and Kael.

He turns to me. His knee bumps mine. Neither of us moves.

"She's something," he says.

"She's going to make your life hell now."

"Why?"

"Because you talked to me. Because you sat next to me. Because you looked at me instead of her."

Kael is quiet. Then: "Let her try."

"You don't understand."

"Maybe not." He looks at me. "But I understand that you're a wolf. And I'm a wolf. And my wolf has been screaming since I walked into this building. He won't shut up about you."

I freeze.

"He keeps saying 'mate.' Over and over." He pauses. "Does yours do that?"

My heart stops.

I should lie. Should protect myself.

But she won't let me.

"Yes," I whisper. "She does."

Kael's face changes. Relief. Surprise.

"Okay," he says. "So we need to talk. Lunch. The library?"

I nod.

He stands. Grabs his bag. Looks down at me.

"One more thing."

"Yeah?"

"The word 'mate.' You know what it means?"

I hesitate. Then nod slowly.

"Good." He opens the door. "Then you're ahead of me. You can explain at lunch."

He leaves.

I sit there, heart pounding.

He doesn't know. He feels it. His wolf says it. But he doesn't know what it means.

I have to tell him. At lunch. I have to explain that we're fated mates.

I stand on shaky legs.

Piper is waiting outside. And Sera is out there somewhere. Watching. Planning.

Whatever happens at lunch, nothing will be the same after.