CHAPTER 1

AVA’S POV.

“Hey, over here,” my best friend yelled while waving her hands excitedly. I smiled and happily made my way to her, giving her a long warm hug.

“I’m so glad we get to spend our senior year together,” she squeaked, hugging me again.

“I can’t believe it,” I said happily, looking around the prestigious Red Crescent Academy.

If I was ever asked to mention a time when I believed dreams do come true, this would be it.

I know most people dread being back in school, especially on the first day. Truth is, I haven’t been in one for ages, and if given the chance, I would rather be wrapped up in my blanket watching my favourite TV show than enduring those long, tedious hours in the classroom. But this time was different. This was Red Crescent Academy, for crying out loud.

Red Crescent Academy was the best school in the whole pack, attracting the elite from affluent backgrounds. And being a human and the child of a poor single mother struggling to pay bills, my dream of attending here was close to nonexistent. Most students here had grown up around pack traditions and rules while I had only heard stories from the outside looking in. But here I was, standing in front of this great institution, all thanks to my sweet mother who saved every penny to grant me this experience. It may not seem like a lot to most people, but it meant the world to me.

“Come, let me take you to your classroom,” Lisa insisted, grasping my hand and pulling me along with her.

As we turned left, a moving brick wall crashed into me, sending me sprawling to the ground. The wall of a person continued walking without an apology.

“What the hell, man?” I asked loudly. The few people in the hallway turned in my direction. “A simple apology could go a long way.”

My last statement caused the brick wall to stop.

I rose from the ground, glaring at the person, refusing to yield as my best friend tried to pull me away. I would not allow this person to treat me like I was nothing.

When he finally turned, his captivating eyes caught me off guard, casting a strange spell over me. Despite his annoyed expression, my confidence began to falter. There was something unnerving about the intensity of his stare, almost too sharp, too aware.

“What did you just say?” His voice was low and husky.

I swallowed hard, attempting to find my words. “I… I would appreciate it if you offered an apology instead of just walking past after knocking me to the ground.”

“Are you implying that it is my fault that you were standing in my way?” he asked challengingly, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s not what she meant. She would not stand in your way again,” Lisa intervened, pinching my arm hard. “We apologize. Ava is new here.”

“I will let it pass this time, but teach your friend some manners. I won’t be so forgiving next time,” he warned before striding away.

Once he was at a safe distance, Lisa forcefully pulled me into an empty classroom.

“What was that all about?” I asked.

“It’s you trying to get us in trouble. Do you even know who he is?” Lisa asked, crossing her arms tightly.

“I don’t. What does that have to do with anything?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes. “Obviously, you don’t. If you did, you would know not to mess with Dante .”

“He was the one who bumped into me. Don’t act like you didn’t see that,” I frowned, defending myself.

“I know. But that guy is part of the Golden Boys, and if you want to have a nice time here, I suggest you avoid them,” Lisa explained.

“Golden Boys? What are you talking about? Is this some sort of cult?”

“Apparently, you, my friend, know nothing about the werewolf world,” Lisa said, pulling out her phone.

The Golden Boys, the Alpha’s triplets, were greatly admired and feared by both the students and teachers of this academy. They effortlessly got whatever they wanted and were constantly surrounded by girls. They were every girl’s dream mate. Not mine, though.

The rest of the day went relatively well, and I was content. During lunch at the cafeteria, as we carried our trays, Lisa accidentally tripped, sending the contents of her meal crashing onto the same guy I had seen earlier, Dante .

The hall, which had formerly been noisy, became so quiet that it was possible to hear the faintest sound of a pin dropping to the ground. Lisa gasped, and I could see the pure panic on her face. The colour drained from her skin, rendering her as pale as a porcelain doll.

“I’m so sorry,” Lisa stammered, avoiding eye contact and attempting to wipe the food stain off his clothes with her handkerchief. Dante swiftly caught her hand.

“What are you trying to do?” he demanded, his teeth clenched.

“I’m so sorry,” Lisa replied softly, still keeping her head lowered.

“Sorry? Is that all you’ve got? Do you have any idea how much these clothes you just ruined cost?” he scoffed.

“It was a mistake. I did not mean for it to happen. Please, forgive me,” Lisa pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Look at me, peasant,” Dante said coldly, raising her chin to force her to meet his gaze. “What makes you think you deserve my forgiveness?”

“I’m so sorry,” Lisa repeated, tears streaming down her face.

He sighed before replying, “I will forgive you on one condition. Get up on one of these tables and put on a show worthy of the nightlife.”

“Pardon?” Lisa looked taken aback.

“I will not repeat myself. I said get on that table and dance for us,” Dante demanded.

“But…” Lisa stuttered, mortified.

“You wanted my forgiveness, didn’t you? So earn it,” he smirked, clearly pleased with himself.

Glancing around, I noticed no one in the room seemed bothered. In fact, they already had their phones out, ready to capture the scene. The casual cruelty in their faces made my stomach twist. Maybe they were used to this kind of thing, but I wasn’t. I could not watch my friend being humiliated and stay silent.

“She will not do that,” I yelled.