Chapter 5

They laughed harder.

A couple of them whispered my name with fake concern, others mimicked the way I stood, like I was some circus act. Ava’s snort cut through the chaos like a blade, and of course—of course—she stood up, all smooth grace and smug confidence.

“The Alpha bond is the final element of legitimacy,” she said, like she was reciting from the godsdamned textbook. “A wolf without a mate cannot ascend the Alpha throne. Without that sacred bond, the leadership is considered unstable, unfulfilled, and vulnerable to challenge. That’s why tradition insists the Alpha be mated before coronation.”

A beat of silence.

Then applause.

Actual applause.

I wanted to sink into the floor.

“Very good, Ava,” the teacher said, smiling like she’d just solved world hunger. “Thank you.”

She gave a slight bow before sitting back down, shooting me a quick smirk over her shoulder. Victory, sealed.

I sat back down slowly, resisting the urge to facepalm so hard I knocked myself out. Stupid. I hadn’t heard the question. I hadn’t even realized he was talking to me. I’d been too deep inside my own mess of thoughts, spiraling about my birthday, my non-existent wolf, Leon, Ava, fate—everything I couldn’t fix.

Stop thinking, I told myself. Just focus. Just get through the day.

The rest of the class passed in a blur. I kept my head down, pretended to take notes, tried not to look up when Leon spoke once—his voice low, steady, confident—or when Ava giggled at something he said. Tried not to notice how even the teacher seemed more engaged when the high ranks spoke.

Eventually the bell rang, and just like that, it was lunch.

I didn’t move right away. I waited until the room emptied out a little, then grabbed my things and slipped out like smoke, hugging the wall. No one noticed. Or if they did, they didn’t care.

The cafeteria was already buzzing by the time I got there. Shifters packed into tables, laughter echoing off the high walls, scent trails lingering in the air—cheap perfume, fur, hot food, and something underneath it all that always smelled like pride. Silver Claw pride. I never really understood it.

There were three sections in the cafeteria, unofficial but real.

The ranked wolves sat closest to the center—the Betas, Gammas, Deltas, future Alphas, all surrounded by their cliques, their followers. That was where Ava sat, of course. Where Leon sat. Where I didn’t belong.

Then there were the mid-rankers, the enforcers and trackers, the ones who had wolves but not power. They acted like they didn’t care about status, but their eyes always flicked upward to were the high ranked ones sat

And finally, at the far edge of the room, like some kind of afterthought, was the omega section.

It wasn’t labeled. There wasn’t a sign. But we all knew. Everyone knew. That side of the cafeteria near the east wall was where the ones like me sat. The invisible ones. The silent ones. The ones who didn’t get choices.

I made my way there, keeping my head low.

The good thing about this school—maybe the only good thing—was that the cafeteria was free. Always had been. Every Alpha who’d ruled Silver Claw had contributed to its upkeep, passed down through generations. A legacy of feeding the pack’s future, they said.

Though, of course, not all meals were equal.

We omegas didn’t get the same portions. The meat was always dry, the fruit slightly bruised, and if there was dessert, we weren’t touching it. Still, it was food. And I wasn’t in a position to complain. Not when some of us didn’t even get three meals a day outside this place.

I grabbed my tray—some kind of grayish meat, mashed potatoes that tasted like chalk, and overcooked vegetables—and made my way to my usual spot in the corner. Same table every day. Same seat. Tucked against the wall, facing the door, where I could keep an eye on everyone and no one had to see me unless they tried.

I sat down quietly, focused on eating fast and invisible.

But today, something changed.

A girl slid into the seat across from me.

She looked about my age—maybe younger. Light brown skin, tight curls tied up in a messy bun, big nervous eyes, and a hopeful smile that made my stomach twist.

“Hey,” she said, awkward but genuine. “Mind if I sit here?”

Too late now.

I shrugged, eyes flicking back to my tray. “You already are.”

She let out a soft laugh and settled in. I could feel her watching me.

“I’m Lissa,” she said after a few seconds. “It’s my first week here. Just transferred in from Red Hollow.”

Red Hollow. A smaller pack down south. Not as strict as Silver Claw. I’d heard they didn’t treat omegas like garbage over there.

I nodded. “Selene.”