Chapter 4: The Encounter

I hated every second of this new life.

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

Most of all, I 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 my life no longer mattered. And already I felt exhausted.

I missed Blackthorne Academy more than I expected. I missed sitting with Anna and Maxwell during lunch while they argued over stupid things. I missed Ella stealing fries from everybody's plate. I even missed Alex acting like an old man trapped inside a teenager's body.

That life had been simple. Quiet. Nobody looked at me twice there. Nobody expected me to carry an entire pack on my back.

***

My phone vibrated while I sat alone in Northcrest's empty hallway before practice.

Anna.

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

"Finally," Anna said immediately. "Do you know how worried I have been?"

I leaned my head back against the wall. "I am alive."

"You disappeared for almost a week."

"It has not been that long."

"It has for normal people who answer their phones."

Despite everything, I smiled faintly. That sounded just like her.

Anna's voice softened. "What is going on?"

I looked down at the hockey bag by my feet. How was I supposed to answer that? Oh, nothing serious. I am secretly pretending to be my twin brother while living inside a werewolf nightmare.

"Family problems," I said quietly.

Silence stretched through the phone. Anna knew me too well.

"You sound tired."

"I am tired."

"Is it bad?"

I swallowed slowly. "Kinda."

"Do you want me to come over?"

Part of me nearly said yes. I wanted normal so badly right now. I wanted one honest conversation where I did not have to think before speaking. But that was impossible now.

"No," I said softly. "I just need to deal with some things first."

Anna sighed. "You better come back soon because Maxwell is getting dramatic."

I almost laughed. Almost.

***

I changed quietly while the others joked around me.

Kelvin sat nearby scrolling through his phone. "The internet thinks we are destroying Northfang tonight."

Travis laughed. "Good. Somebody needs to humble Roland Hayes."

That name again. I stayed focused on my skates.

Ever since our first meeting, something about Roland felt wrong in a way I could not explain. Every time we looked at each other, I felt too aware of him. It annoyed me.

Coach clapped his hands loudly. "On the ice. Now."

The team moved immediately. I 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 Northfang stepped onto the ice. I immediately recognized Roland. Tall, calm, with a chilled aura that made everyone else feel louder. He moved across the ice effortlessly, seemingly unimpressed by anything around him.

But the moment his eyes settled on me, they lingered.

I looked away first. Not because Roland seemed angry. Because he was so observant, like he was trying to figure something out.

The whistle blew.

***

I forced myself to focus on skating instead of overthinking.

That was harder than it sounded. Lucien moved naturally, his body flowing without hesitation. I still had to think about every turn, every stop, every pass. A puck slid toward me. I caught it poorly and almost lost my balance.

Someone from Northfang laughed. "Vale looks rusty."

I ignored it and kept pushing forward. The crowd noise grew louder. Players crashed into each other near the walls. The coach yelled constantly from the sidelines. Everything moved too fast.

Then I saw Roland skating straight toward me.

I tightened my grip on the stick automatically. Roland stopped directly in front of me. For a second, neither of us moved.

"You are distracted," he said calmly.

I frowned. "Worried about me?"

His expression barely changed. "You should worry about yourself."

The puck flew between us. Both of us moved at the same time. Our shoulders slammed together hard enough to make me stumble backward.

The reaction hit instantly. Something strange rushed through me so suddenly it almost hurt. Not pain exactly. More like pressure building under my skin. My heartbeat sped up. For half a second, I forgot where I was.

Roland froze too. Just briefly. But I noticed.

Our eyes locked again. The noise around the rink faded strangely. I felt exposed standing there, like Roland could suddenly see too much.

Then another player crashed between us, breaking the moment.

I stepped away immediately. My breathing felt uneven now. What the hell was that?

The rest of the game became harder. Every time Roland got near me, I felt that same strange tension again. Something dangerous.

***

Roland kept watching me too. Not openly enough for others to notice, but enough for me to feel it.

Near the end of the game, I lost control of the puck again. Roland stole it easily.

"You are not playing like yourself today," he said quietly as he skated past.

I forced myself to glare at him. "Mind your business."

Roland looked at me for a long second before skating away. That look stayed in my mind long after. It did not feel random. It felt intentional. Like Roland already knew something nobody else did.

The final whistle blew. I left the ice immediately before anyone could stop me. My heart still felt unsteady.

This whole situation was getting worse. I could handle fake interviews. I could survive Northcrest.

But Roland Hayes was becoming a problem.

***

I hurried down the empty hallway outside the locker rooms, hoping for a second alone.

Then a voice behind me said, "You are a terrible liar."

I stopped instantly. Slowly, I turned around. Roland stood at the end of the hallway staring directly at me.