Chapter 6

KAIA'S POV:

I lie awake in the bed that’s too soft, staring up at the ceiling that’s too high. The room smells faintly of lavender and something sweeter I can’t place, like fresh snow or expensive perfume.

It should feel like a dream... being taken from a life of misery and dropped into luxury. But all it does is make the pit in my stomach twist tighter.

All the what ifs that keep popping up in my mind...

I can’t stop thinking about the way Axel and Kai looked at me today. The exact same moment their eyes glowed. That flash of blue so vibrant, it made me think I imagined it.

And the way they whispered the word "mate" like it meant something, something terrifying and unchangeable.

I turn on my side and squeeze my pillow, trying to smother the memory. It doesn’t work.

A soft knock sounds on the door.

I sit up, brushing my hair out of my face. "Yeah?"

The door creaks open, and Ezra leans in. "Hey, kid. Can’t sleep?"

This is definitely new....

I shake my head.

He steps inside without waiting for permission and flops onto the armchair near the window.

But will I really give him permission for him to enter his own house?

He’s wearing sweatpants and a tank top, and there’s a slight glow coming from his skin, probably just the hallway light, but it makes him look ethereal.

"First day of school nerves?" he teases, but there’s a softness in his voice.

I shrug. "Something like that."

Ezra studies me for a moment, then stretches his long legs out and crosses his ankles. "Rowan told me to give you space. Said you’ve been through a lot. But I’ve never been good at the whole "wait patiently" thing."

That's actually very sweet of him. It does feel nice to have a brother... I think.

"You’re doing okay," I say, my voice small.

He grins. "You know, we’ve waited years to find you. You were just… gone. Like a shadow. We didn’t know if you were even alive."

Huh? What does he mean?

I frown. "You make it sound like I was kidnapped or something."

Ezra’s smile falters. "Yeah. Something like that."

His words send a chill up my spine. "I thought I was given up for adoption."

"You were. But not legally. Not the way it’s supposed to happen."

I swallow. “So what happened?”

He looks at me, gaze unreadable. "That’s a story for Rowan to tell."

Of course it is.

He stands, giving me a gentle smile. "Try to sleep, alright? Big day tomorrow. Rowan wants to start your training."

"Training?"

"Uh-"He scratches the back of his neck. "I meant like… adjustment stuff. Getting you used to life here."

Ummm... But why use the word training though? That's a bit weird.

His lie is weak, but I don’t press.

"Night, Kaia."

"Night."

As soon as he’s gone, I kick the covers off and slide out of bed. Something’s wrong. Something they’re not telling me.

I tiptoe toward the door and crack it open. The hallway is quiet, but there’s a faint humming sound coming from the far end, past the staircase.

Curiosity gets the better of me.

I pad down the hall, barefoot, heart pounding. The mansion is beautiful, sure, but in the silence of the night, it feels like it’s hiding secrets in its walls. I reach a door that’s slightly ajar and peek in.

It’s a study. The room is lined with bookshelves from floor to ceiling, and the faint humming is coming from a glowing blue crystal sitting in a dish on the center table.

What the hell is that?

I take a step inside.

"Kaia?"

I jump. Rowan stands behind me, arms crossed, expression unreadable. Damn, I almost had an heart attack.

"I... I couldn’t sleep," I stammer.

He steps past me and shuts the door to the study. "This part of the house is off-limits."

"I heard something humming."

He nods once. "It’s nothing to worry about."

"But-"

"Not yet," he says firmly. "We’ll explain everything. Just not tonight."

There’s a pause. Then he adds more gently, "You’ve had enough truth for one week, don’t you think?"

I don’t answer. I just want to know... But can I really handle another truth?

"Come on," he says, placing a guiding hand on my shoulder. "Back to bed."

I walk with him in silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging between us.

But as I crawl back under the covers and he closes the door behind me, I know one thing for certain:

This house, this family, isn’t normal.

And neither am I.

*****

I wake up to the sound of birds chirping just outside my window. For a moment, I forget where I am. The silk sheets, the warm sunlight filtering through the curtains, the quiet none of it fits the life I’ve known.

Then I sit up and remember everything.

The arrest. The flight. The boys who call themselves my brothers. The mansion that feels like a polished maze of secrets and the glowing blue crystal in the study.

I press my palm to my chest, trying to ground myself. My heart’s racing again. It hasn’t really stopped since I got here.

Today, I’m supposed to go to school with people I’ve never met, in a country that feels like another planet, with a name and bloodline that were hidden from me my whole life.

No pressure. I'm still gonna slay!

I pull myself out of bed and drag my suitcase to the closet. Everything’s already unpacked, folded neatly into drawers and hung in color-coded rows like someone’s been living here forever. It's too neat. Too thoughtful. Too foreign.

A knock on the door jolts me from my thoughts.

"Kaia?" Rowan’s voice is soft through the wood. "Breakfast’s ready."

"Coming," I say, grabbing a hoodie and tugging it over my head.

Downstairs, the scent of bacon, maple syrup, and something spicy floats through the air. I follow it into the kitchen, where the boys are gathered around a massive granite island like it’s a normal Sunday morning.

Ezra flips pancakes. Lucien sips coffee with a scowl. Rowan leans against the counter, scrolling on his phone.

Ezra glances up the moment I walk in.

His blue eyes widen. "Morning, princess."

What's with the pet name?

"Don’t call me that," I mumble, sliding into the empty stool beside Lucien.

He smirks. "Why not? You’ve got the hair for it."

I resist the urge to punch him.

Ezra slides a plate toward me. "Hungry?"

"Starving," I admit.

I pile eggs and bacon onto my plate, trying to ignore the way Kai steps into the kitchen shirtless and every muscle seems carved out of marble. He doesn’t speak. Just brushes past me with a cold nod and pours himself coffee.

It’s so awkward I want to dissolve into the floor.

"So…" Ezra breaks the silence. "School. You ready to impress the entire student body?"

"I’d rather crawl into a hole."

He laughs. "At least you’re honest."

Lucien mutters, "She’s gonna need more than honesty to survive Silvermist High."

"Lucien," Rowan warns quietly.

I look up. "Why? What’s wrong with the school?"

Silence stretches for just a second too long.

"Nothing," Kai says finally. "It’s just… intense."

"Intense how?"

"Don’t worry about it," Rowan says quickly, shooting Kai a look. "We’ll be with you the whole time. No one’s going to mess with you."

That’s not suspicious at all.

"But you guys are not even in High school anymore. So how would you be with me the whole time?"

"We will take you to the administrator's office whilst the halls are crowded. That will make all of them know who you are." Ezra says with a malicious smile on his face.

Umm... This is about to bring me unwanted attention.

I finish eating in silence, all too aware of the glances being exchanged when they think I’m not looking. The air feels charged like there’s something they’re not saying. Again.

After breakfast, I head upstairs to brush my teeth and throw on some makeup. I keep it simple: mascara, lip gloss, and a little concealer under my eyes. My nerves won’t let me sit still for long, so I grab my bag and meet them by the front door.

The car ride to school is quiet, the forest blurring past us through the tinted windows. The boys are unusually tense especially Rowan, who sits beside me, staring out the window like he’s preparing for war.

"You guys act like I’m walking into a battlefield," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

Ezra chuckles. "School’s basically the same thing. Not to scare you but we went here and it's kind of a battlefield."

Yes, I'm definitely not scared.

When we pull up to the campus, my breath catches. It’s nothing like my old school. The building looks more like a private academy than a public high school with tall stone walls, glass towers, ivy growing along the sides. There’s even a fountain near the entrance with some kind of wolf statue at the center.

Weird.

Students stream through the gates in perfect little cliques. The guys are all tall, athletic, confident. The girls are stunning looking like I*******m filters brought to life. And me? I feel like a charity case in borrowed clothes.

"Don’t worry," Ezra says, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You’ve got this."

Rowan steps in front of me, eyes locked onto mine. "If anyone gives you a hard time, you come straight to me. Understand?"

I nod, a little breathless, feeling overwhelmed.

"Alright," Rowan says. "Let’s get you registered."

****

The front office is sleek and modern. A silver nameplate reads Ms. Hargrove and the receptionist who looks like she could work at a modeling agency instead of a school. She eyes me for a second too long before handing over my schedule.

"You’re in the advanced lit track," she says with a tight smile. "Top floor, room 4A."

"Thanks," I mutter, gripping the paper like a shield.

Rowan takes it from me. "We’ll walk you."

The boys trail beside me like a personal security team as we head to my first class. Whispers follow us down the hallway; girls giggling behind their hands, guys throwing me side-eyes. I can’t tell if it’s curiosity or judgment. Maybe both.

By the time we reach Room 4A, I’m sweating.

"I can go in alone," I tell Rowan, even though my hands are trembling.

"You sure?"

No. But I nod anyway.

He gives my shoulder a squeeze. "You’ll be fine."

I step inside, and every head turns.

Of course.

The teacher, a petite woman with silver-rimmed glasses, pauses mid-sentence. "You must be Kaia Guen. Welcome."

I visibly flinch at the sudden change of surname. I force a smile and nod.

"Everyone, this is Kaia Guen. She’ll be joining our class for the semester."

That name. My name. I’ve never heard it out loud like that. Not Guen. It doesn’t even feel like mine yet.

"You can introduce yourself quickly, then take the open seat by the window."

I step forward, feeling like I’m about to pass out. "Um… I’m Kaia. I just moved here. I don’t know anyone, so… yeah."

Awkward silence.

Then someone whispers, "She’s with the Guen boys."

The whole room shifts. Just like that. The murmurs start subtly but it's there.

I pretend I don’t hear it and slip into the empty seat, but I can feel their eyes on me. Studying, judging, dissecting.

What the hell is going on in this school?

****

By the time lunch rolls around, I’ve survived four classes, two pop quizzes, and about a hundred stares.

Yes, diabolical right? How on earth did I end up with two pop quizzes on my first da

I carry my tray through the cafeteria, scanning for a familiar face. Axel spots me and waves me over.

I don't have any friends for now so I guess I can stick around them for a while.

I make a beeline for their table and slide in next to Axel, who throws his arm around my chair like we’re best friends now.

"Rough morning?" he asks.

I nod. "Why does everyone act like I’m radioactive?"

Kai doesn’t answer.

Axel leans forward. "Because you’re with us."

"Meaning?"

"This school has… history," Axel says carefully. “Our pack doesn’t exactly get along with the others. Most of them go here too."

"Packs?"

He stiffens. Kai kicks him under the table. Axel coughs loudly.

"What’s a pack?" I press.

"You’ll find out," Kai mutters.

Frustration bubbles in my chest. "Why do you all keep saying that? What is this? Some kind of cult?"

"No," Axel says quickly. "Just… give it time."

The vagueness in his words start to get to me.

I shake my head and push my tray away. "This is insane."

And yet, part of me already knows. The way they move. The way their eyes glow. The way people react to them. Something about them is not human.

Neither, maybe, am I.

***

That night, after dinner and an awkward movie attempt, I head upstairs early. The house is too quiet. Like it’s holding its breath.

I pass Rowan’s office on the way to my room.The door is cracked open.

Inside, I see him standing over a desk covered in maps, books, and-

My blood runs cold. There’s a photograph. Of me. As a baby.

Rowan’s finger is pressed against the corner of the picture, like he’s memorizing it.

I blink.

And for just a second, I swear the map on the wall behind him shimmers... like something on it moves.

Like it’s alive.

I step back, heart pounding. Something is happening here. Something they haven’t told me and I’m going to find out what it is.