Rory's POV The classroom was buzzing, a restless swing of voices that refused to settle even as he walked in.The new professor. Dante.His presence drew every eye, dragged every whisper into heat. His build was commanding, broad shoulders beneath a fitted dark shirt that made half the girls in the room lean forward on their desks. His voice, when it came, was low but clear, the kind of voice that didn’t ask for attention but it simply took it.“Aurora Vale, isn’t it?”The sound of my name jolted through me. His eyes that is gray, steady, unblinking were fixed on me.I straightened in myself. “Aurora Blackfang,” I corrected, the words spilling out before I even thought about them. My voice didn’t waver, though my heart did.Something strange slipped down my spine, easing muscles I hadn’t realized were clenched. For the first time in days, I didn’t feel like someone being cornered. I felt… seen.Dante’s mouth curved faintly, almost a smile. “Alright then.”The way he said it was casua
Rory's POV The morning was calm as I dressed for school, pulling my polo over my head, fixing the collar twice just to delay the inevitable moment I would have to leave my room. My nerves buzzed in my chest, each beat a reminder of everything that had unraveled in the last few days. Since arriving here, it felt like time had no mercy, it twisted everything I thought I knew about myself into a tight knot. When I finally stepped out of my room, I half-hoped I would find someone anyone downstairs but the mansion felt deserted. No Jaxon, no Damien. Only my mother. Celeste was sitting at the end of the dining table, her spine perfectly straight, a delicate cup of tea balanced in her fingers. Her eyes, however, were far from delicate. They cut into me the moment I entered the room, cold as though I was an intruder trespassing in her home. I paused at the bottom of the stairs, my throat tightening. For two days she had not spoken a single word to me. Not after the pack hall. Not after
Rory's POV “You need to know something about her,” Briar said suddenly. The words landed like sharply. I felt them vibrate through the air, cold, meant for Damien but crafted to slice through me. My throat tightened. What does she mean? Her eyes glittered as she clung even tighter to Damien’s arm, like she was branding herself there, claiming him with every fingernail pressed into his sleeve. She wasn’t looking at him, though. She was looking at me. Her gaze darted mischievously, like a child about to break her rival’s favorite toy. I swallowed hard, every nerve in my body bracing for the blow. “During the time she attacked me at school that day,” Briar began, her voice sweet but laced with venom, “I happened to pick a few strands of her hair. I gave it to my Dad to look at.” My stomach dropped. She what? Her smile stretched wider, triumphant. “My Dad took it to examine at the pack hospital.” Then she leaned closer to Damien, lowering her voice just enough to feel like a dag
Rory's POV The words rang in my skull, I could not ignore.Let her shift.It wasn’t Blackfang’s decree that gripped me, nor the hostile eyes of these wolves packed into that hall, but the voice, that voice, the one I had fought against since arriving here. It rose again now, sweet and venomous, screaming inside my head again and again.[Do it. Show them. Tear them apart. Let them know who is in charge.]Heat exploded beneath my skin. My veins burned. My chest heaved like something inside was clawing its way out, breaking through the fragile shell of who I thought I was. I stumbled, my palms trembling at my sides, and then...God, I felt my fingers splitting at once, my nails curving into claws. They gleamed sharper than blades, long and feral, catching the light of the hall.My vision warped as the air shimmered red, every shape and body bleeding into something grotesque in my vision. Faces became meals in my eyes. Veins pulsed like ribbons begging to be torn open. The crowd wasn’t ma
Rory’s POVThere's silence, hundreds of eyes pinned me where I stood.I froze, my breath caught halfway in my throat. It was as though I had stumbled onto a performance stage.And in truth, wasn’t that exactly what this was?Blackfang had walked ahead, his every step carrying the steady aura of command. He didn’t look back at me, not once, didn’t offer me even a sliver of reassurance. He knew what he was doing , he's testing me.I was left in the middle of the hall. Their eyes, however, were on me.Curiosity. Hostility. Skepticism. Some pairs of eyes passed over me once, dismissive, like I was already deemed unworthy. Others lingered, sharp and invasive, peeling back layers of me I hadn’t given permission to share. And some… some glowed faintly, faint reminders of dangerous wolves, watching me with a feral hunger that made my stomach tighten.I swallowed hard, remembering his words. Keep your chin up. Don’t feel intimidated. Be their intimidation.It sounded simple when he said it, a
Rory's POV The roar of Damien’s bike was loud enough to drown out even my own thoughts. It wasn’t long before the speed slowed and the massive outline of a building began to come into into full view. My chest tightened, was this the pack house? It stood tall, dark, and intimidating against the horizon, a structure that looked more like a fortress than a home. Iron gates spread wide to let us in, guards posted on either side. My pulse quickened with every turn of the tires until, finally, Damien pulled into the courtyard. Before the bike had even fully stilled, he climbed down and walked off without a word or glance at me. He just swung a leg over, landed on the ground, and walked off without looking back. I sat frozen on the bike, staring after him, the feeling of abandonment sitting heavy in my chest. He knew I didn’t know this place. He knew I was a stranger here and still, he left me like I was nothing. What kind of arrogant bastard was this? I bit my lip, forcing down the