Chapter 4

Aria.

The hallway blurred around me as my eyes locked on the name tag in front of me.

Kai Blackthorn.

Rank 1.

Strength: 10/10.

The numbers on the tag felt like a silent warning to anyone who gazed upon it. I had seen other ravens with 6, 7, but no higher. This was the perfect score, this was the highest score. This person was the strongest wolf in all of Ravencrest High.

My pulse quickened as I felt a tingling feeling in my right shoulder where I had been bit. It was sharp and intense, different from the usual pain that dulled it.

Instinctively, I took a step back as I gripped my textbook closer to my chest as if to shield me from the overwhelming presence of the person in front of me.

But he didn’t move. He stood there, watching me.

So I decided to look up, slowly, he was imposingly tall as I took in the sight of his polished shoes, his neatly ironed trousers and his white button up shirt with Ravencrest blazer that fit him perfectly and honed his biceps and stretched over his broad shoulders. His black tie was hung carelessly over his neck and then I came across his face.

The first features I noticed about his face were his strong jawline and cheekbones carved like marble. Then he had a sharp nose and I could already feel how attractive he was.

And then there were his eyes.

Piercing blue like the color of a winter storm, in them there was a sheen of silver that flickered just beneath the surface. He had bright blonde hair that was tousled around his face, it was so annoyingly perfect because he looked like he had run his fingers through them so many times.

This man was handsome. He looked like he had stepped out of the pages of a model magazine.

I met his eyes again and couldn’t help the way my stomach flipped. Those piercing blue eyes pinned me in place, studying, dissecting and watching me.

There was something about him.

He was strong. But he was dangerous.

And he knew it.

He was a predator in human skin. And I was standing right in front of him.

A slow smirk curled his perfect lips as he looked down on me, his eyes filled with amusement that sent a wave of fear through me.

“You’re blocking my locker, stray.” His voice was low and smooth, but there was a sharpness to it, a low commanding tone that almost made me stay back and give him a bow of apology.

But I blinked at the nickname. Stray?

“Excuse me?” I said, feeling a bit of anger as I felt my fear start to dissolve.

His smile widened as he took a step towards me and I swallowed hard, the fear resurfacing as my heart thumped loudly in my chest.

“Isn’t that what you Silverwood wolves are called now? Small, little wolves who we allowed to stay in our pack and be given basic amenities and education that your pack couldn't provide you..” He said so arrogantly, his voice low and taunting as if he was testing my patience.

My stomach twisted. Of course they gave us such names. Stray. As if they weren’t the one who attacked us and took us prisoners!

It was cruel and my skin itched with irritation as I clenched my jaw. “I have a name.” I said angrily as he took a step back and I noticed his eyes find my tag pinned to my chest.

A shudder of embarrassment washed through me as his smirk widened and I felt my fingers tremble slightly around my textbook.

“Hmm.” Kai started, “Brave for an omega.” His blue eyes flickered back to mine as I didn’t miss the dangerously smug expression in those ocean eyes.

Something in my chest tightened as humiliation filled my cheeks, staining it red. The way he said it was like something disgusting.

Like I was disgusting.

“I’m not scared of you, Kai Blackthorn.” I spat, feeling the lie at the back of my tongue as he let out a low chuckle, one that sent cold shivers down my spine.

“No?” He said and immediately took a step forward, closing the gap between us. The scent of pine and earth filled my senses as I realized how much bigger he was so close to me. My head was barely reaching his chest and I hated how I had to strain my neck to look up at him.

I almost flinched as he closed my locker tightly behind me in a loud bang.

“Then why do you look like you’re about to run?” He said as he placed his hand against my locker, pinning me in front of him. I felt my glasses graze his chest just a little.

Hadn’t he heard of personal space?

I felt my grip on my textbook tightened.

I hated him.

I hated this Kai Blackthorn.

I hated the way he made me feel small, the way his presence dominated everything around us without even trying. But most of all, I hated the way my body instinctively reacted to him, almost like it knew something that I didn’t.

I blamed it on the wolf genes. All female wolves were attracted to male wolves who had a show of strength and dominance. It was not me, it was simply nature!

I forced myself to take a deep slow breath as I looked up at him to see him smirking.

“If you’re done trying to intimidate me, which isn’t working by the way, so nice try. I would like to get to class. You know, the whole reason we are here.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

Kai blinked, and for the briefest moment, I saw something unreadable flash in his gaze. But it was gone just as quickly.

“You’re not going to last in Ravencrest, little omega.” He said simply as he smirked and took a step back, his eyes watching me like I was nothing more than an amusement to him.

Before I could open my mouth to give a comeback, another figure approached.

“Hey Kai. Didn’t think you'd come to class early today.”

A tall dark haired guy stood behind Kai. He was almost the same height as him. He had the same lean but muscular build and he wore the same uniform. He was a raven. His tie hung carelessly from his neck just like Kai’s.

In his hand was a football jacket and he slung it over his shoulders as he shook hands with Kai and they exchanged brotherly hugs.

I sneaked a peak at his tag pinned to his chest.

Ryder Hale.

Rank 2.

Strength: 9/10.

I gulped for a second and then his hazel eyes turned sharply to me. My stomach sank at the attention from both boys. My breath almost left me as I noticed how handsome this Ryder person was.

Were they all built like models here?

“Making new friends?” He asked Kai whose lips curled in a lazy smirk.

“Something like that.” He teased and I rolled my eyes at him.

Ryder watched me silently, unlike Kai whose expression was arrogant and cocky, his was cold and stern. His eyes caught my tag and then something flickered in his expression.

“Come on, man. Let’s go.” He said, tapping Kai on the shoulder. Kai didn’t move at first, his eyes lingered on me for a second longer, studying me as if he was trying to figure something out. I saw his lips open as if to say something but then he smirked and closed his locker beside me before turning to leave.

“Why were you talking to the strays?” I heard his friend Ryder ask as Kai shrugged as they walked down the hall and other students stepped away for them to walk through. I raised a brow.

“Nothing, she's feisty.” I heard him say as Ryder turned back at me briefly, his cold gaze studying me for a second as they escaped down the hall leaving the weight of their presence behind.

I finally exhaled before I looked up to see all eyes on me. Everyone in the hallway had been watching my interaction with Kai and Ryder. I noticed the glare they sent my way as a few whispered amongst each other.

Heat burned under my skin. I hated being the center of attraction.

I gripped my textbook closer to my chest as I lowered my gaze and started to walk down the hall, my footsteps echoed in the sudden silence.

This is bad. This is so bad.

It was just my first day at school and I had already drawn the attention of the strongest wolf in Ravencrest High.

And even worse? I had talked back at him.

His friend seems to hate me.

And the whole school was staring at me.

Aria!

I forced the thought away as I struggled to find my first class. The sooner I could blend into the background of the school, the better for me. If I wanted to survive here, I had to be invisible.

But as I moved down the hall, I couldn’t stop the tingling feeling of my right shoulder. Just at the spot of the wolf bite but that wasn’t all. I could feel someone watching me, and not just the glare of the students around me. This was intense and cold.

It was waiting.

I swallowed hard, suddenly wishing Lila was with me.

This was the beginning of my days at Ravencrest High. In enemy territory, a chill ran down the spine of my back.

And I had a terrible feeling that Kai Blackthorn wasn’t done with me yet.