Chapter 3: Stepping In

I lingered in front of the mirror longer than I should have.

The reflection staring back at me felt wrong. My black hair replaced the usual silver. Lucien's face looked back instead of my own. It was like a life not meant for me was staring through the glass. I adjusted the collar of my Northcrest Academy uniform again, even though it sat perfectly. Tiny control. That was all I had left.

From the hallway, Dominic's voice cut through. "Time."

One word. Always so final.

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Dominic's gaze was steady, emotionless. "You understand what is at stake."

I nodded. "The pack."

"And the championship."

"Same to you."

That earned me a brief, unreadable look. I turned away before the silence could stretch. Waiting for Dominic's approval only made things worse.

***

The drive to Northcrest Academy was peaceful. Quiet.

I watched the world outside the window move past too quickly, like it did not care who I was trying to be today. Lucien's life was so neat. Every detail in its perfect place. Every expectation already set.

The car stopped. I adjusted my bag and stepped out.

The school gates were large, polished, and loud with movement. Students filled the entrance, laughing and talking like nothing in their lives had ever been taken from them.

Whispers started almost immediately.

"That is Lucien Vale."

"He looks different today."

I kept walking. I did not slow down.

***

I found Lucien's locker without asking. Dominic made sure I memorized everything the night before.

Three boys were already waiting there. Kelvin, Lucas, and Travis. Lucien's friends. I did not like that word. They looked more like people who enjoyed standing close to power.

Kelvin leaned on the locker. "You were gone."

"Family issue," I said.

Lucas smiled slightly. "You always have those."

I did not answer. I opened the locker and started arranging books I did not care about.

Travis looked at me kindly. "Coach mentioned you missed practice."

I paused. "I will take care of it."

Kelvin shared a glance with Lucas. Both sensed that something about me was not quite right. I sensed it too. Lucien was supposed to be more outspoken. Relaxed. Carefree. I did not feel that way today.

I kept a calm expression and closed the locker door gently.

The bell rang. A break from more questions.

***

History class was quiet. I sat near the back, keeping my head slightly down.

I did not need much effort to follow the lesson. I was naturally better at this kind of thinking than Lucien. That thought lingered longer than it should have.

The teacher wrote on the board. "Who can explain why the Moonfang treaty fell apart?"

Silence.

Lucien would not have answered this question. He did not care about history. He cared about movement, speed, and competition.

I raised my hand.

Heads turned curiously. Kelvin looked surprised.

I hesitated, then spoke. "The treaty fell apart because both packs ignored their boundaries and relied on dominance rather than negotiation."

The teacher nodded. "Exactly."

When I sat down, the silence felt heavier. I could feel eyes on me. Not with admiration. With confusion. Like something was out of place.

Kelvin leaned toward Lucas. "Since when does Lucien know that?"

Lucas shook his head slightly.

I stared at the board and kept quiet. I could not afford more mistakes like that.

***

Lunch was even tougher.

Lucien's table was too familiar. Too noisy. Packed with people who spoke without thinking.

A plate of fries with melted cheese sat in front of me. A cup of cola beside it. Lucien's favorite. I felt indifferent.

Kelvin noticed. "You want your drink?"

I picked up the cup. "I changed it."

Travis chuckled. "Since when does Lucien Vale change anything?"

I managed a small smile. "People change."

Silence followed. Heavier than questions.

***

The ice rink was colder than I remembered.

Sharp sounds of skates on ice echoed around me. I took a careful step forward. The moment my blade made contact, my balance wobbled. Wrong. My body did not respond how it should.

I almost slipped.

Nearby players chuckled quietly. "Lucien is off today," someone said.

I straightened and steadied myself.

The coach blew the whistle. "Vale. Move."

I pushed myself forward. Each movement felt strange, like wearing someone else's body. Almost right, but not quite.

A puck was passed to me. I reached to stop it. It bounced off my stick instead. More quiet laughs.

I gripped my stick tighter and tried again. Better. But only just.

The coach watched me longer than usual. I could feel it. Like I was being studied. Not as Lucien. As someone who did not quite belong.

***

Then the doors at the far end of the rink swung open.

Everything changed. I sensed it before I saw it. The air shifted. Different.

Roland Hayes walked inside.

Northcrest seemed to freeze. Not because Roland demanded attention. Because he did not need to.

He stepped onto the ice without rushing. His gaze swept across the rink once before settling on me.

Something stirred inside me. Not fear. Not curiosity. Something deeper. More instinctive. Recognition without knowing why.

Roland skated closer. Stopped a short distance away. The rink's noise faded into the background.

He studied me silently. Then spoke softly. "You feel different today."

I swallowed hard. I fought to keep my voice steady. "I am the same."

A pause. Roland's expression sharpened. Like he was trying to understand something that did not quite make sense.

Something inside me shifted. I felt his presence like a pull I could not explain.

Roland finally looked away. It seemed to take real effort. "We will meet again."

He skated past me.

I stayed still on the ice. My heart did not race like it should when meeting an enemy. It felt like something inside me had already accepted him. Even though I did not fully understand why.

I turned my head slightly. I watched Roland disappear across the rink.

And for the first time since I entered Lucien's life, one thought became crystal clear.

This was no longer just pretending.

Roland Hayes might already know exactly who I really was.