In His Turf

ARI

The limo rolls through the massive gates and a long driveway comes into view, giving into tall stone buildings that look like castles. The school is so massive, and beautiful that it puts to shame all the private top schools I went in the human world.

“Do you like it?” Mr. Parker asks me and I nod, while turning to look at them.

 “I wanted us to stay and meet your new friends and mates but Jacob has a meeting in New York so we are leaving tonight; you don’t mind do you?” my mom asks and I shake my head.

“Mom, I will be okay. I will let you know everything tonight,” I wave the gadget I am holding, “I have this thing called a phone, it allows people to communicate when they are long distance.”

My parents laugh, my mom rolling her eyes at me. “Look at you, treating me like an old lady,” she cajoles, and I laugh as I look outside the window again just as the limo stops.

Some students are mingling at the front and I wonder how I will be received since I am the only one who is attending the school as a newbie. Everyone here has grown up together and formed bonds and friends. Werewolves are so big on communities and letting others in that I know breaking and being part of them is going to take me a minute.

Taking the small black backpack, I step out and go behind to check if everything I need is not forgotten. The driver starts to unload my suitcases.

“the air is so fresh, you will be okay here. I was worried a little but Jacobs says it's okay. He talked to Zade, and told him to look out for you.”

The mention of the prince makes my heart jump but I maintain the cool façade and nod. So he already knows I am coming here.

great.

The prince wrote me a two words note, on the night we officially moved into his home.

‘watch out.’

It was enough to know where I stood with him, and he even sent a louder message when he moved out the very same night, not even crossing paths with us.

I never thought much about it, but Mr.Parker was enraged the following morning when he found out his son had moved out and was never coming back. It hurt my mother, and that made me mad because his leaving made my mom know he was never going to accept her.

I couldn’t give a fuck if he didn’t accept me, because honestly, I was here for a limited time anyway. The last thing I wanted was to be caught up in his drama and get a misunderstanding that I was to take his place in his father’s heart.

So I know that the prince is not going to look out for me, he is going to assume I don’t exist and that’s fine with me. It's perfect for me as I intend to remain low-key and finish my schooling here as a wallflower before I go on with my plans.

Mother links her arm with mine, pulling me out of my thoughts and I smile, as she sighs, looking around. “You are always leaving me, always going somewhere, living in other places but home.”

My home was taken away.

“I know it's hard for you to accept our life as it is now, and you miss our family, I know it all, Ari,” she lightly squeezes my arm and I look down, swallowing hard.

“I miss them too, so much every day. But he makes me so happy and I am slowly healing,” she goes on, as she looks at Mr. Parker who is talking the headmaster while my luggage is taken to my dorm.

“That’s all I want; for you to be happy. I am going to be fine here. I am strong enough to go through tonight,” I hold her hand which is still clutched around my arm.

“I am sorry, I don’t know if you will ever forgive me because of lin, but I will never stop apologizing and finding a way to get her back to you.”

Lin, my wolf awakening when I was only nine in the very early stages of the tragedy that hit my family made her being with me so dangerous that my mom had to do something about it. Being a white wolf, living in the city and at my age posed a threat to us at risk of our nature being known to the humans and also those who were after us.

“She will come. She came then, she will come now.”

The lie tastes bitter in my mouth but I say it anyway for her sake.

I get a tingling sensation that I am being watched at the back of my neck. Despite my heightened hearing, I don’t hear or see anyone who is watching me so I just shrug it off. Mom and Mr.Parker finally leave and I watch the limo pull away from the gate.

I wave at them goodbye and at the corner of my eye, I see a shadow move, but it disappears before I see who it is.

“Okay, Ari. Time to face your new life. We have done this before, they are no different than humans, you just have to be perfect as usual and the years will fly by so quickly,” I whisper to myself as I finally take the leading steps to take me in my dormitory building.

***

I couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Nothing about this school is remotely close to the human boarding school I attended.

I get to have a private dorm to begin with, which looks like a full apartment. Secondly, there isn't a single person who has come to welcome me and try to be my friend as the new girl. Every hall and room I go to as I tour alone, they all assume me as if I am invincible.

I might have assumed that they were indifferent and busy with their own lives if I didn’t get the cold shoulder from the administrator in charge of my timetable and schedule for my classes and activities.

I stood there, confused as to why the woman was only typing assuming my presence as I asked her for the third time if I could get my timetable.

“Everyone has been told to not talk to you and assume you are invincible,” a voice speaks behind me.

Whirling around, I come face to face with a tall lanky boy, with curls that make his whole appearance look boyish and cute, in a nerd way.

“Excuse me?” I ask, wondering if I heard that right.

“It’s a rule now. You are to be treated like you don’t exist, because you have broken a rule as well.”

“Why are you talking to me?”

“Because it was a little sad to see you talk to her and not get answers,” he shrugs like what he has told me isn't a big deal.

“Whatever rule did I break? I just got here and who is making these rules anyway?” I can't help but ask sarcastically as I roll my eyes. This is ridiculous and so juvenile.

“I did.”

I turn around and come face to face with the infamous Zade Parkers, the future king alpha … and sort of my stepbrother.