The Bloodline

Rei stared at the list for so long that the words began to blur together. Students moved around her in the corridor, laughing and talking as they hurried toward their morning classes, completely unaware of the storm that had just opened inside her chest. She could hear fragments of conversations around her, the scrape of shoes against polished stone, the ringing of lockers opening and closing, but none of it seemed real anymore. Her attention remained fixed on the sheet of paper mounted beneath the academy seal.

OMEGA BLOODLINE REGISTRY — RESTRICTED

Her name was there.

Rei Anderson.

Beneath it was a single word.

ACTIVE.

She couldn't breathe.

She reached toward the paper, then stopped herself before her fingers touched it. Her mother's voice suddenly echoed through her memory.

Don't touch it.

She had been thirteen when she'd heard those words.

Her mother had been standing in the hallway of their old house, staring at a wooden box Rei had discovered in the back of her closet. It had been the first time Rei had ever seen genuine fear in her mother's eyes.

Not anger.

Not sadness.

Fear.

"What is it?" Rei had asked.

Her mother had taken the box from her so quickly that the wooden lid had nearly fallen open.

"Nothing."

"Then why are you acting like that?"

"Because I told you not to touch it."

"But—"

"No, Rei."

Her mother's voice had cracked.

That had been what frightened Rei most.

Her mother rarely raised her voice.

She had simply hugged the box against her chest and walked away.

At the time, Rei had assumed it had something to do with her mother's family.

Now she wasn't so sure.

Someone had put her name on this list.

Someone knew her bloodline.

Someone knew she was an Omega.

And someone had marked her as active.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You're finally looking at it."

Rei spun around.

Dominic stood several feet behind her.

She hadn't heard him approach.

Her heart immediately began pounding.

He was dressed in his academy uniform, his hockey bag hanging from one shoulder. His dark hair was slightly messy, as though he had run his fingers through it on the way to class. Several students glanced at him as they walked past, but Dominic didn't seem to notice. His attention was entirely on Rei.

She looked back at the list.

"Did you know about this?"

"No."

"You're lying."

His expression hardened.

"I didn't know."

"You're the captain of the hockey team. You know everyone."

"I don't know what that list is."

"Then why are you looking at it like you've seen it before?"

Dominic stepped closer.

"I've seen the symbol."

Rei's stomach dropped.

"What symbol?"

He pointed toward the top of the document.

The academy crest.

"No. Not that one."

He pointed to the small crescent-shaped mark beside Rei's name.

"That."

Rei stared at it.

"Where have you seen it?"

"My father's office."

She looked at him.

Dominic's face had gone strangely pale.

"What does it mean?"

"I don't know."

"Then why are you scared?"

"I'm not scared."

Rei almost laughed.

"That's funny."

His eyes narrowed.

"You think I'm lying?"

"I think you don't like admitting when you don't have an answer."

Dominic studied her for a moment.

Then his expression softened.

"You're right."

That response caught her off guard.

He looked back at the list.

"My father had documents with that symbol. I remember seeing it when I was younger. I asked him about it once."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"He told me never to ask about it again."

Rei's heart sank.

That couldn't be a coincidence.

She looked at the paper again.

"My mother did the same thing."

Dominic's eyes moved to her.

"What?"

"She had a box with the same symbol."

Neither of them spoke.

The noise of the hallway continued around them.

But for Rei, the academy suddenly felt much smaller.

Dominic stepped closer.

"Then we need to find out what it means."

Rei shook her head.

"No."

His brow furrowed.

"No?"

"I don't want to know."

"Rei—"

"I said no."

She folded the photograph from the night before and shoved it into her bag.

Dominic noticed.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"You're carrying something."

"I'm always carrying something."

"That's not what I meant."

Rei's expression hardened.

"Drop it."

Dominic held her gaze.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then he nodded.

"Fine."

She hadn't expected him to give in.

That almost made it worse.

He turned away.

"Class starts in ten minutes."

Rei stared after him.

"Dominic."

He stopped.

"Thank you."

He glanced back.

"For what?"

"For not pushing."

Something unreadable crossed his face.

Then he walked away.

Rei watched him disappear into the crowd.

She didn't understand him.

That was becoming a problem.

---

By lunch, the entire academy was talking about the registry.

Rei didn't know who had taken a photograph of the list, but apparently someone had because copies were already circulating.

She walked into the cafeteria and immediately felt hundreds of eyes turn toward her.

The conversations became quieter.

Some students stared openly.

Others whispered behind their hands.

Rei kept walking.

Her instincts told her to leave.

Instead, she went to the table where Mia was sitting.

Mia looked up.

Her expression immediately changed.

"Oh."

Rei put her tray down.

"What?"

"You haven't seen it?"

"Seen what?"

Mia hesitated.

"The list."

Rei sat down.

"Yes."

Mia leaned closer.

"Do you know what it means?"

"No."

"Neither do I."

Rei looked around.

"Then why is everyone acting like I'm dangerous?"

Mia lowered her voice.

"Because the last time an Omega appeared on that registry, she disappeared."

Rei froze.

"What?"

Mia swallowed.

"About fifty years ago."

"Who disappeared?"

"No one knows."

"What happened to her?"

"That's the problem."

Mia looked around before continuing.

"Officially, she transferred to another academy."

"Officially?"

"People don't believe that."

Rei felt cold.

"Why?"

"Because her name was removed from every record."

Rei stared at her.

"Every record?"

"Every one."

A strange feeling crawled up Rei's spine.

She thought about the book in the library.

The last Omega bloodline was never destroyed.

Her fingers tightened around her fork.

"Do you know anything else?"

Mia shook her head.

"Only that some old families still talk about her."

"Why?"

"They say she had a rare bloodline."

Rei looked toward the cafeteria entrance.

Dominic had just walked in.

Their eyes met.

He immediately noticed the expression on her face.

He started toward her.

Rei looked away.

She didn't want him involved.

She didn't want anyone involved.

But Dominic didn't seem to understand that.

He stopped beside her table.

"You're coming with me."

Rei looked up.

"No."

"We need to talk."

"About what?"

"The registry."

Her stomach tightened.

Mia immediately looked between them.

Dominic noticed.

"Privately."

Rei sighed.

"Fine."

She stood.

As she followed him out of the cafeteria, she could feel Selena watching.

The other girl's expression was unreadable.

But her fingers were wrapped tightly around her phone.

---

Dominic led Rei into an empty classroom.

He closed the door behind them.

She immediately moved toward the opposite side of the room.

Dominic noticed.

He didn't comment.

Instead, he pulled a folder from his bag and placed it on the desk.

"My father sent me these documents."

Rei stared at him.

"When?"

"This morning."

"Why?"

"He said he wanted me to understand something before I started asking questions."

Rei walked toward the desk.

Dominic opened the folder.

Inside were photographs.

Old photographs.

Documents.

Bloodline records.

And the same crescent symbol.

Rei's hands went cold.

She picked up one photograph.

A woman stood in front of an enormous stone building.

She was young.

Beautiful.

And unmistakably an Omega.

Rei's breath caught.

"Who is she?"

Dominic shook his head.

"I don't know."

Rei turned the photograph over.

There was writing on the back.

Elara Anderson.

Rei nearly dropped it.

"No."

Dominic stared at her.

"You know her?"

Rei shook her head.

"I don't."

But her voice trembled.

She knew that name.

Her grandmother had mentioned it once.

Years ago.

Only once.

She had called her Elara.

Rei looked at the photograph again.

"That's my family."

Dominic went still.

"What?"

"This is my mother's family."

He stepped closer.

"Are you sure?"

Rei nodded.

"My mother had pictures of her."

"Who was she?"

"I don't know."

Dominic took the photograph.

"According to this, Elara Anderson was admitted to Blackthorn Academy in 1972."

Rei looked at him.

"What happened to her?"

Dominic turned the page.

His expression changed.

"There isn't a record."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

Rei stared at the documents.

Then she saw something.

A handwritten note.

She reached for it.

The ink had faded with age, but the words were still visible.

The bloodline must remain hidden until the heir awakens.

Rei read it twice.

Then a third time.

"What heir?"

Dominic looked at her.

"You."

Her heart stopped.

"No."

"Rei."

"No."

She backed away.

"I don't know anything about this."

Dominic followed.

"Neither do I."

"This isn't happening."

She shook her head.

"I came here for school."

"I know."

"I came here because I needed a scholarship."

"I know."

"I didn't come here to be some—"

She couldn't finish.

Some rare Omega.

Some heir.

Some weapon.

Some prize.

She had spent her entire life trying to escape being defined by other people's expectations.

Now she had arrived at an academy where people had apparently been waiting for her.

Dominic took another step.

Rei immediately backed away.

He stopped.

"I'm not going to touch you."

Her eyes burned.

"I know."

"Then breathe."

She tried.

It didn't work.

Dominic lowered his voice.

"Look at me."

She didn't.

"Rei."

Slowly, she did.

His eyes held hers.

"You're here," he said quietly. "You're safe."

She almost laughed.

Safe.

That word had become meaningless.

She had thought Blackthorn was safe.

She had thought the scholarship was an opportunity.

She had thought she could start over.

But perhaps she'd never actually escaped.

Perhaps she'd only walked into a different version of the same nightmare.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

She wiped it away.

Dominic noticed.

He didn't say anything.

He simply stood there.

And for some reason, that was enough to keep her from falling apart.

---

That evening, Rei called her mother.

It took four attempts before she answered.

"Hello?"

Her voice sounded tired.

"Mom?"

"Rei?"

"Can I ask you something?"

A pause.

"Of course."

"Do you know who Elara Anderson was?"

Silence.

Not ordinary silence.

The kind that screamed.

Rei closed her eyes.

"Mom?"

"Where did you hear that name?"

"I found something."

"Rei, listen to me."

Her mother's voice suddenly became urgent.

"You need to leave Blackthorn."

Rei sat upright.

"What?"

"Leave."

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions."

"You always say that!"

"I mean it this time."

"Mom, what is happening?"

Her mother began crying.

Rei's heart broke.

She hated hearing her mother cry.

But she needed answers.

"Mom, please."

"Your grandmother wasn't who you thought she was."

Rei stopped breathing.

"What does that mean?"

"She was an Omega."

"I know."

"No."

Her mother's voice broke.

"She was the last known member of a bloodline that should have ended decades ago."

Rei stared into the darkness.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wanted you to have a normal life."

"I've never had a normal life."

Her mother sobbed.

"I'm sorry."

Rei swallowed hard.

"What happened to Elara?"

Her mother was silent.

Then she whispered:

"They came for her."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

"Mom."

"I don't know."

"Who came for her?"

Her mother began crying harder.

"Rei, you have to listen to me. Do not trust anyone at that school."

Rei's heart pounded.

"Anyone?"

"Anyone."

"What about Dominic?"

The moment his name left her mouth, her mother went completely silent.

"Mom?"

"Who is Dominic?"

"He's the hockey captain."

Her mother inhaled sharply.

"Rei."

"What?"

"Stay away from him."

Rei froze.

"Why?"

"I don't have time to explain."

"Mom—"

The call ended.

Rei stared at the screen.

Her mother had never hung up on her before.

Not like that.

She immediately called back.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

Rei slowly lowered the phone.

She felt sick.

Her mother knew something about Dominic.

Or his family.

Maybe both.

And suddenly the attraction between them didn't feel like an accident anymore.

---

Across campus, Dominic stood in the locker room staring at a message from his father.

Do not allow the Omega to leave campus.

Dominic read it again.

Then again.

His jaw tightened.

His father had never cared about an Omega before.

Why now?

Another message appeared.

You don't understand what she is.

Dominic's fingers tightened around the phone.

Then came the final message.

And you don't understand what your wolf has already chosen.

Dominic slowly looked up.

His reflection stared back from the locker-room mirror.

His eyes had changed.

A faint silver glow surrounded his irises.

His wolf was awake.

Restless.

Demanding.

And repeating the same word it had been whispering since the moment Rei walked through Blackthorn's gates.

Mate.

Dominic closed his eyes.

For the first time, he wasn't afraid of losing control.

He was afraid that his father already knew exactly what Rei was.

And that meant Dominic wasn't the only person who had noticed her.

Someone had been waiting for Rei to arrive.

Someone had been waiting for her bloodline to awaken.

And now that she was finally at Blackthorn Academy, the countdown had begun.