Chapter Two: Evergreen Academy

Noah's POV

The campus gates were taller than what I had expected.

Black iron, a crest carved at the center. Two wolves circling a crescent moon.

Sleek.

My mother squeezed my hand before the car fully stopped.

“Are you sure you don't want me to stay a little longer?" She asked gently, her hands on the wheel with tears already welling up in her eyes.

“I'll be fine," I said curtly.

My mother had always been overly protective and sensitive all at once. It became worse after her husband and Hailey died

She hesitated and then added quietly, “Have you spoken to Jason?”

For all my mum knew, Jason and I had a big fight that I made clear could not be resolved.

Which wasn't entirely a lie. It really could not be resolved.

Jason killed a part of me I didn't know could be killed that day.

After that day, I went ahead to block him from all my socials and went on with the registration without him.

Though he called like the hypocrite I presume he was, I blocked his number and the four other numbers he tried using to reach me.

My throat tightened as I thought of all the happy memories and how fake it all really was but I still forced a shrug. “I don't want to talk about Jason, mum"

My mum searched my face and then sighed in defeat. " Then this is good.” She said instead. " You need the distraction and a place that doesn't remind you of everything.”

Everything?

My sister.

My father.

And of course being a charity case for my boyfriend, five years of being a toy.

I gave her a nod before stepping out of the car with my suitcase and a bag swung over one of my shoulders.

"Call me if you need anything honey” my mum yelled her last words as I walked away.

The moment I crossed the gates, the hair on my neck stood upright as the air switched from casual to something ancient.

I looked around the environment. The big buildings and large pavements.

The grasses beyond where I stood and other buildings beyond the grasses.

Students in elite looking uniforms moved in groups, confidence radiating from them.

" ID 564?”

The low, impatient voice came from behind me.

I turned around and furrowed my brows.

My gaze fell upon a boy with tall, broad shoulders stretching a black Jersey, dark hair that was slightly messy.

His eyes were tired, maybe cold or just bored but they were assessing.

"ID 546,” he repeated, eyes narrowing slightly. "That's you?”

I blinked, flipping the card over to see the numbers "I… yeah.”

His gaze dragged over me again, slower this time before something like irritation flickered across his face.

“You're not Noah."

My brows pulled together. “Excuse me?"

"Name on the list,” he said flatly, holding up a clipboard. "Noah Hale.”

" That's me.”

He looked at me like I'd personally inconvenienced him.

" That's a guy's name.”

Something snapped in my composure.

"And that's a problem?” I shot back " or did you skip basic reading along with your manners?"

A few students nearby slowed down to listen and watch and something told me with the way his jaw tightened just slightly, he didn't want the attention.

“Cute," he muttered. “Didn't realize they were admitting mouthy omegas now."

The word hit hard a bit but I refused to flinch.

" Didn't realize they were letting arrogant jerks represent the school" my eye flickered across the tag on his shirt before I crossed my arms.

His green eyes locked on to mine, lingering before turning away.

He didn't walk beside me, only ahead. Like I was expected to follow and it ached my chest that I did.

Everywhere we went, people stared and I knew it wasn't at me.

At him.

Girls whispered and guys nodded in respect, maybe he was some kind of pretty bad boy you'd find in high school.

" Are you always this annoying or is this your first impression strategy?”

"Maybe if you didn't gender discriminate my name, I would have been more nicer"

"No one in their right mind names their daughter Noah”

“And you know that because you live in the medieval era?” I scoffed.

“You know what? Keep walking and less talking. It's sick enough that I have to tour a girl” he scoffed.

I rolled my eyes

“This place runs on rank," he said again over his shoulder. “Alphas at the top. Everyone else falls in line"

“I figured," I muttered.

" What did you say?” I could tell his brow arched.

“I said so what? I just keep my head down and pretend the alpha people don't exist?”

He turned slightly, just enough to look at me.

"That would be smart.”

"I'm not here to be that kind of smart,” I persisted.

" Then you're here to get eaten alive,” he replied without hesitation.

I rolled my eyes, keeping the pace where he was at least three steps ahead of me.

By the time we reached the dorm, he turned to leave but I scoffed.

"So that's it?” I asked. "That's your tour?”

He ticked his jaw. “You saw what you needed,"

My arms folded across my chest. “I saw an oversized ego and a campus full of people who enabled it”

That did it.

He took a step closer and suddenly the air around me dropped by a few degrees.

“You don't belong here,” he said quietly with a tone of certainty.

My chest tightened but I lifted my chin anyway.

" Then I guess I'll just have to prove you wrong.”

For a moment, neither of us moved and the air made my skin tighter like something unseen had just brushed past us.

I watched his gaze drop slightly to my lips and then snap back to my eyes and that was when I heard giggles from the building.

" Room 214,” he said, stepping back like nothing happened "try not to get lost”

I swallowed hard and tried to scoff at the same time.

I didn't watch him leave, I turned around the second he walked away.

‘dickheads’ it was all the likes of Jason could ever be. Though my heart was beating faster than it should have, I wondered how one could get so arrogant and lack manners at same time.

Room 214 was just four flights of stairs up and down a long hallway, I noticed how girls who walked past me whispered almost so loudly yet inaudibly.

I swiped the keycard when I got to the door to my room and as it popped open, music spilled out, something indie and upbeat.

I barely dropped my bag before.

“Oh my gosh, she's here!”

A girl with dark curls and wide eyes rushed me, nearly tripping over my luggages.

" I'm Claudia, everyone calls me Chloe. Please tell me you don't snore. Actually.. don't. I'll adjust”

I opened my mouth to respond as the music lowered, but..

" Are you Kael's sister?”

The question cut in from behind the bubbly girl.

My brow arched. “What?"

“Raven," Chloe groaned, “give her a second.."

“But answer," she added quickly, turning back to me, eyes bright. “Is Kael Draven your brother?"

I blinked. “Who?"

Then the redhead slid off her bed, staring at me like I'd just said something illegal.

“The tall Greek god," she said. “Hockey captain and youngest Alpha king in this college. He dropped you off”

Oh.

The arrogant jerk.

“I don't know him," I said flatly.

“That doesn't make sense" Chloe frowned slightly. “Kael never walks girls to their dorm room, not even Ivy”

I reached for my bag. " Wrong place. Wrong time”

Their eyes met each other like they didn't buy that.

“There's a party tonight. His team thing."

I didn't look up as I headed towards my bed. “Not interested.”

Chloe almost laughed. "Why? You peharps shy”

" No,” I said almost immediately.

" Good, everyone's already talking about you and hiding won't really work anyway" Raven replied.

“So you coming?"

I wouldn't rather stay back and have my thoughts wander off to Jason and everything.

“yeah" But suddenly I didn't feel so good about this. “Yeah, why not?"