Chapter 4: The Encounter

Jeffery hated every second of this new life.

He hated waking up early for interviews he did not care about. He hated people staring at him everywhere he went like he belonged to them now. He hated the cameras outside Northcrest Academy and the way students suddenly moved aside whenever he walked past.

Most of all, he hated pretending to be someone else every minute of the day.

It had only been six days.

Six days since Lucien’s accident.

Six days since Dominic decided Jeffery’s life no longer mattered.

And already Jeffery felt exhausted.

He missed Blackthorne Academy more than he expected.

He missed sitting with Anna and Maxwell during lunch while they argued over stupid things. He missed Ella stealing fries from everybody’s plate. He even missed Alex acting like an old man trapped inside a teenager’s body.

That life had been simple.

Quiet.

Nobody looked at him twice there.

Nobody expected him to carry an entire pack on his back.

His phone vibrated while he sat alone in Northcrest’s empty hallway before practice.

Anna.

Jeffery stared at the screen for a few seconds before answering.

“Finally,” Anna said immediately. “Do you know how worried I’ve been?”

Jeffery leaned his head back against the wall. “I’m alive.”

“You disappeared for almost a week.”

“It hasn’t been that long.”

“It has for normal people who answer their phones.”

Despite everything, Jeffery smiled faintly. That sounded just like her. Anna’s voice softened after a moment. “What’s going on?” Jeffery looked down at the hockey bag by his feet. How was he supposed to answer that? Oh, nothing serious. I’m secretly pretending to be my twin brother while living inside a werewolf nightmare. “Family problems,” he said quietly. Silence stretched through the phone. Anna knew him too well. “You sound tired.” “I am tired.” “Is it bad?” Jeffery swallowed slowly. “Kinda.” “Do you want me to come over?” Part of him nearly said yes. He wanted normal so badly right now. He wanted one honest conversation where he didn’t have to think before speaking. But that was impossible now. “No,” he said softly. “I just need to deal with some things first.” Anna sighed. “You better come back soon because Maxwell is getting dramatic.

***********

Jeffery changed quietly while the others joked around him.

Kelvin sat nearby scrolling through his phone. “The internet thinks we’re destroying Northfang tonight.”

Travis laughed. “Good. Somebody needs to humble Roland Hayes.”

That name again.

Jeffery stayed focused on his skates.

************

Ever since their first meeting, something about Roland felt wrong in a way Jeffery could not explain.

Every time they looked at each other, Jeffery felt too aware of him.

It annoyed him.

Coach clapped his hands loudly. “On the ice. Now.”

The team moved immediately.

Jeffery followed them out.

The rink lights were brighter tonight. Students filled the stands already even though this was only a practice match.

Hockey here was treated like a battle. Then North fang stepped onto the ice, and Jeffery immediately recognized Roland. Tall, calm, and with a chilled aura that made everyone else feel louder. Roland moved across the ice effortlessly, seemingly unimpressed by anything around him. But the moment his eyes settled on Jeffery, they lingered. Jeffery looked away first, feeling uneasy—not because Roland seemed angry, but because he was so observant, as if trying to figure something out. The whistle blew, and the game quickly got underway.

*********

Jeffery forced himself to focus on skating instead of overthinking. That was harder than it sounded. Lucien moved naturally, his body flowing without hesitation. Jeffery still had to think about every turn, every stop, and every pass. Suddenly, a puck slid toward him. Jeffery caught it poorly and almost lost his balance. Someone from Northfang laughed. “Vale looks rusty.” Jeffery ignored it and kept pushing forward. The crowd noise grew louder around him. Players crashed into each other aggressively near the walls. The coach yelled constantly from the sidelines. Everything moved too fast. Then Jeffery saw Roland skating straight toward him.

Jeffery tightened his grip on the stick automatically. Roland stopped directly in front of him. For a second, neither of them moved. “You’re distracted,” Roland said calmly. Jeffery frowned. “Worried about me?” Roland’s expression barely changed. “You should worry about yourself.” Then the puck flew between them. Both moved at the same time. Their shoulders slammed together hard enough to make Jeffery stumble backwards. The reaction hit instantly. Jeffery sucked in a sharp breath. Something strange rushed through him so suddenly it almost hurt. Not pain exactly. More like pressure building under his skin. His heartbeat sped up. For half a second, he forgot where he was. Roland froze too, just briefly. But Jeffery noticed. Their eyes locked again. The noise around the rink faded strangely. Jeffery felt exposed standing there, like Roland could suddenly see too much. Then another player crashed between them, breaking the moment. Jeffery stepped away immediately. His breathing felt uneven now. What the hell was that? The rest of the game became harder after that. Every time Roland got near him, Jeffery felt that same strange tension again. Something dangerous.

*************

Roland kept watching him too. Not openly enough for others to notice, but enough for Jeffery to feel it. Near the end of the game, Jeffery lost control of the puck again. Roland stole it easily. “You’re not playing like yourself today,” he said quietly as he skated past. Jeffery forced himself to glare at him. “Mind your business.” Roland looked at him for a long second before skating away again. That look stayed in Jeffery’s mind long after because it did not feel random. It felt intentional, like Roland already knew something nobody else did. The final whistle eventually blew. Jeffery left the ice immediately before anyone could stop him. His heart still felt unsteady. This whole situation was getting worse. He could handle fake interviews. He could survive Northcrest.

***********

But Roland Hayes was becoming a problem. Jeffery hurried down the empty hallway outside the locker rooms, hoping for a second alone. Then a voice behind him said— “You’re a terrible liar.” Jeffery stopped instantly. Slowly, he turned around. Roland stood at the end of the hallway staring directly at him.