01

KAIRA

The notebook flew past my head, missing me by inches.

I ducked behind my desk as laughter erupted around me. My cheeks burned hot, but I kept my eyes down, staring at the worn wooden floor of the classroom. The familiar knot twisted in my stomach, the same one I had carried every day for the past two years at Shadowdale Academy.

“Oops,” Madison's voice dripped with fake sweetness. “Sorry, Kaira. I was just trying to get your attention, but I forgot…” She paused dramatically. “You can't exactly call out 'heads up,' can you?”

More snickers rippled through the room. I bent down to pick up the notebook, my long dark hair falling like a curtain around my face. The pages had scattered everywhere, my careful notes about werewolf history now trampled under expensive boots and designer heels.

This was my life. Kaira Blackwood, the silent freak of Shadowdale Academy, the most prestigious supernatural boarding school on the West Coast. While other students mastered their wolf forms and dominated in their pack hierarchies, I sat in the back row, invisible and voiceless.

Literally voiceless.

I was born without the ability to speak. No medical reason, no tragic accident, just a cruel twist of genetics that left me mute in a world where howling was everything.

At Shadowdale, your voice determines your worth. Alphas commanded with powerful roars. Betas supported with steady barks. Even Omegas had sweet, melodic calls that could soothe the most savage beast.

Me? I had nothing but silence.

“Miss Kaira.” Professor Williams sharp voice cut through the classroom chatter. “Perhaps you'd like to share your thoughts on the importance of vocal communication in pack dynamics?”

My hands clenched into fists. He knew I couldn't answer. They all knew. But humiliating the mute girl never got old, apparently.

I looked up and met his cold gray eyes. Then I did what I always did, I reached for the small whiteboard I carried everywhere and scribbled a response, “I think actions speak louder than words.”

Professor Williams barely glanced at it before turning away. “Well, that's… very expected. Class dismissed.”

Students rushed toward the door, eager to escape another boring lecture. I took my time packing my things, waiting for the crowd to thin. It was easier that way. Less chance of getting shoved or having my stuff “accidentally” knocked over.

“Kaira.”

I looked up, surprised. Jessica Moon stood by my desk, one of the few students who had never bothered to know my name. She was a Beta, pretty and popular, but she'd always been kind to me. Not friendly exactly, but not cruel either.

She glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then leaned closer. “Be careful today,” she whispered. “Madison's been bragging about some prank she's planning for combat training. Something about showing everyone what happens to wolves who can't howl.”

My stomach dropped. Combat training was already my least favorite class, and Madison Wilder was the worst kind of Alpha. She's spoiled, vicious, and utterly convinced that she has the right to do as she likes. Her father was some big-shot politician, which meant she could get away with almost anything.

“I'm serious,” Jessica continued, slinging her designer bag over her shoulder. “Maybe skip class today? Tell them you're sick or something.”

I shook my head and wrote quickly, “Can't. Already missed twice this month.”

Jessica sighed. “Then watch your back. Please.”

She left me alone in the empty classroom. I stared down at my hands, trying to ignore the familiar ache in my chest. Four more months. Just four more months until graduation, and then I could leave this place forever.

But first, I had to survive combat training.

The gymnasium buzzed with nervous energy when I arrived. Students clustered in their usual groups, Alphas near the front, radiating confidence and expensive cologne, Betas scattered throughout the middle and Omegas stayed together near the back, whispering softly among themselves.

I found my spot in the very last row, as far from everyone else as possible.

“Attention, students.”

The voice that filled the gymnasium was unlike anything I had ever heard. Deep and commanding, it seemed to vibrate through my very bones. Every conversation died instantly. Every head turned toward the front of the room.

And there he was.

I'd heard whispers about the new combat instructor, but seeing him in person was something else entirely. Tall and broad-shouldered, he moved with a predator's grace.

His dark hair was just long enough to be slightly rebellious, and his eyes? God, his eyes were the most intense shade of amber I had ever seen. When he looked out over the class, I felt like he could see straight into my soul.

This had to be Professor Zane. The Alpha everyone was talking about in hushed, reverent tones.

“I am Professor Zane,” he continued, his voice carrying easily across the large space. “For those of you who don't know me, I graduated from Shadowdale eleven years ago. I've spent the last decade in military service, specializing in supernatural warfare and combat tactics.”

Madison raised her hand, practically bouncing in her seat. “Professor Zane, is it true you single-handedly took down a rogue pack in Colorado?”

A smile crossed his lips. “What's true, Miss Wilder, is that successful combat requires more than just brute strength. It requires intelligence, strategy, and the ability to read your opponent.” His gaze swept across the room again.

“Today, we'll be testing your current skill levels. I want to see what you can do.”

My palms started sweating. This was exactly what I had been dreading.

“Pair off,” Professor Zane commanded. “Alpha with Alpha, Beta with Beta, Omega with Omega. We'll start with basic sparring matches.”

The gymnasium erupted into motion as students scrambled to find partners. I remained frozen in my seat, watching the organized chaos unfold. This was always the worst part, when everyone paired up and I was left standing alone, the odd one out with no classification to call my own.

Because here's the thing nobody talked about, I wasn't just mute. I was something else entirely. Something that didn't fit into their neat little categories.

I had never shifted into my wolf form. Not once, despite being nineteen years old. The doctors had run every test imaginable, but they couldn't explain it. I had werewolf parents, werewolf genetics, but somehow I was… broken.

“Miss Kaira.”

I nearly jumped out of my skin. Professor Zane stood directly in front of me, those amber eyes studying my face intently. Up close, he was even more intimidating. And something else… something that made my skin tingle and my heart race in a way I didn't control.

“You don't have a partner,” he observed.

I shook my head and reached for my whiteboard, but he held up a hand to stop me.

“I know about your situation,” he said quietly, his voice gentle now. “Jessica Moon filled me in during lunch. You're unclassified, correct?”

Heat flooded my cheeks, but I nodded.

“Then you'll spar with me.”

“What?” The words hit me like a physical blow. Around us, conversations stopped as students turned to stare. Madison's mouth fell open in shock.

“Professor Zane,” she called out, “surely you don't mean to waste your time with her, Kaira can't even shift. She's basically human.”

Professor Zane's expression darkened, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. When he spoke, his voice carried the unmistakable authority of an alpha in command.

“Miss Wilder, you seem to be under the impression that shifting ability determines worth. That's a dangerous misconception that I'll be correcting throughout this semester.”

He turned back to me, his expression softening slightly. “Miss Blackwood, if you're comfortable with it, I would like to see what you can do.”

I wanted to run. Every instinct screamed at me to grab my things and bolt for the door. But something in his eyes stopped me, a challenge, yes, but also something that looked almost like… respect?

I stood up slowly, my legs shaky but determined. If I was going down, I would go down fighting.

Professor Zane smiled, a real smile this time, not the polite mask he had worn for the rest of the class. “Excellent. Let's begin.”

Behind me, I heard Madison’s hissed whisper. "She’s going to regret this."