Chapter 8

Zahra's POV

I head over to the training compound and downstairs for a shower. I have an hour before school starts, but it’s a long walk and I like to get in early to avoid the crush in the halls.  I shower and wash my hair quickly, after towel drying my hair, I plait it into a long braid down my back, and dress.  The changerooms are always quiet in the mornings, almost everyone else heads home to shower and change, but my dad will be around at this time so I prefer to avoid the house.

I throw on my outfit- a faded black t-shirt that used to belong to my brother, it’s still far too big on me, but that oversized look is cool right? And a pair of old blue jeans I have the roll the legs up about 6 times, as they were also Zach’s once but it beats being naked, I guess. I grab my old belt and cinch it in to hold up the jeans. Then I grab my old converse- they are beginning to fall apart; I’ll need to try and find some tape to hold the soles on again soon.

I grab my bag and head off to school, it’s about a 50 minute walk, if I walk quickly, and gives me time to think and eat my granola bar and apple.

School is on the other side of town towards our western boarder with Silver Dawn. Our pack is larger than theirs and we have enough wolves to warrant a Elementary, middle and high schools.

Some of the kids from neighbouring packs- silver dawn and Crescent moon, attend the high school, as they don’t have one.  But they can choose to go to one of the human schools, but for us that’s over an hour’s drive away, so all our kids attend the pack school.

I like this walk, it takes me through the centre of town, past the mall, and up through another residential area, these houses are for the wealthier members of the pack, although many pf them are not as large as the ranked houses close to the pack house, they are all large, and mang have pools.

The street is lined with leafy trees, and the houses are quiet, each with neat, picture-perfect gardens. It’s so idyllic it feels like something out of a movie. Once upon a time, I used to dream about having a mate who loves me, living in a house like one of these, maybe even with a couple of pups.

But life had other plans. I was forced to grow up fast, and those Cinderella dreams? Long gone. My life has taught me one thing: this she-wolf doesn’t need a man for anything. I’m forging my own path, building a life where I’m in control. The mate bond might be sacred to some, but to me, it feels like a leash, and I refuse to let anyone take my autonomy.

That doesn’t mean I am completely closed off to love. I like the idea of choosing who I am with, of finding someone who accepts me for who I am and stands beside me. Not in front, not behind, but as an equal. Maybe one day, after I have reached my goal of becoming an elite royal warrior, when I have retired or stepped into a training role, I can think about the idea of a chosen mate. Love on my terms is something I can work with.

Deep down, I would love to have a boyfriend, someone other than Sienna and Abby to be my friend, to love and comfort me. But I try very hard not to dwell on those thoughts. I don’t have time for a boyfriend. I can’t afford to get attached to anyone, not when my goal is to get out of here as soon as I possibly can.

As I approach the school gates the traffic starts zooming past, I jog through the parking lot, hoping to not be noticed, and head inside towards my locker.

I start emptying out my bag, sorting my books for the morning lessons. The hallway is filling up fast, and I want to get to homeroom as soon as possible. Lingering in the halls isn't exactly my idea of fun. I close my locker and nearly jump out of my skin. My best friend, Sienna, is standing next to me, grinning from ear to ear and holding up a cupcake with a single lit candle.

“What the hell?” I blurt out, taking a step back from her slightly manic expression.

“Happy birthday!” she exclaims, not quite shouting but definitely loud enough for half the hallway to look over.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, genuinely confused.

“Oh my god, Zahra, have you forgotten? How can you forget? Today’s April 16th! It’s your birthday!”

“Oh, right. Thanks…” I manage a smile. I had completely forgotten. Birthdays aren't exactly a big deal at my house. Sienna is the only one who ever acknowledges it.

She starts singing, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you—" and I quickly clamp my hand over her mouth.

“Thank you, but I don’t think that’s necessary,” I say dryly.

She arches one perfectly waxed eyebrow at me and licks my palm. “Eew, bitch, gross!”

Giggling, Sienna hands me my birthday cupcake. I glance around and my stomach drops.

My brother and his friends are walking past. Zach glances at me briefly before looking away, making it painfully clear that he’d rather I had died instead of Mom. Fourteen years and they still can’t bring themselves to celebrate my birthday. Birthdays… What a waste of time. What’s the point of celebrating the day you were born when your brother acts like you shouldn’t exist?

Sienna’s chatter pulls me out of my thoughts as we make our way down the corridor toward our homerooms.  Lost in my head, I don’t notice the disaster brewing until it’s too late. One minute, I’m holding my cupcake and my books, and the next, they’re all on the floor. My so-called birthday treat is now a smeared mess on the hallway tiles, my school books scattered like a bad confetti explosion. I stare at the mess, barely registering the stiletto-clad feet stepping dangerously close to my things. Sabrina, the ringleader of this circus, smirks down at me with all the charm of a rabid crocodile.

"Aw, look at that," Sabrina drawles, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "A pathetic little cake for a pathetic little girl. No party for you, huh? Guess you’re not popular enough."

I glance up at them, my eyes narrowing. "Wow, Sabrina, you figured it out. I'm not popular. What a revelation. Did you need to consult a crystal ball for that, or did the cosmos just send you a memo?"

Kelly, teetering on her stilettos, snickers. "And to think, your family hate you because your mom died giving birth to you. What a tragic little orphan you are."

I feel a familiar burn in my chest but force a grin. "You know, Kelly, I could almost mistake your compassion for real emotion if it weren't for the fact that you're a soulless, plastic doll."

Sabrina's eyes flash with annoyance, and she steps closer, her perfume wafting over me like an olfactory assault. "Watch it, Zahra. Just because you're good at playing tough doesn't mean you are."

I sigh, picking up my frosting-covered math textbook. "And just because you wear ten pounds of makeup doesn't mean you have a personality. Guess we're both struggling with our identities."

Rosa and Kelly gape, momentarily at a loss for words. Sabrina, however, isn't done. "One day, Zahra, you'll realize you're all alone because no one can stand you. Not your peers, and not your family."

"Well," I reply, straighten up and brushing cake crumbs off my shirt. "At least I'm self-aware enough to know it. That's more than I can say for you three. Enjoy your shallow lives, ladies."

I turn and walk away, leaving the mess behind. It's my birthday, after all, and I have better things to do than waste it on people who aren't worth my time.