Chapter 5

Jerry’s POV

__________________________________

‎

“Morning, baby,” Mom said, her voice soft as she stepped into my room, a tray of steaming broth in her hands. The smell hit me, warm and savory, making my stomach growl.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. “Good morning, Mom,” I said, trying to sound normal, but my voice was shaky. The room was dim, curtains drawn, and my skin prickled like it could feel every sound—the clock ticking, a maid’s broom scraping outside, a dog barking far away. It was too much, like my head was gonna explode.

“You okay, handsome?” she asked, setting the tray down, her smile gentle but her eyes puffy, like she hadn’t slept.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a grin. My heart was still racing from what I saw in the bathroom mirror—a wolf with my face, red eyes burning. I didn’t want to scare her more.

She brushed my hair with her fingers, warm but trembling. “How was your night, my prince?”

Her heartbeat was too fast, like she was hiding something. “Mom, you sure you’re okay?” I asked, watching her closely.

“I’m fine,” she said, waving it off with that tired smile. “Just eat.”

I hesitated, my chest tight. “Mom… why’s Dad always mad at me?”

Her hand froze, then tucked my hair behind my ear. “He’s not mad, Jerry. He just… doesn’t get you yet.”

I looked down, my voice low. “I don’t get me either. I hear stuff… see stuff. Scary stuff.”

Her face went pale, but she kept smiling. “It’s just dreams, sweetheart.”

“No,” I whispered. “It’s real.” But I stopped there, scared to stress her out more. Her kiss on my forehead was warm, but her lips shook. She was afraid of me—I could feel it, and it hurt worse than anything.

Dad’s shadow filled the doorway. “Good morning,” he said, his voice deep, like a storm rolling in. His presence pressed on me, my wolf stirring, wanting to challenge him. I hated that feeling.

“Levin,” Mom said softly. “How’d you sleep?”

“Great,” he said, his eyes locked on me. “Jerry.”

I couldn’t meet his gaze, fire burning in my chest. He was my dad, but also a stranger, like someone I’d waited for but wasn’t ready to face. “Good morning, Dad,” I mumbled.

I leaned close to Mom. “Why’s he staring like that?”

She laughed, soft and warm. “Maybe he wants to clone you, have two of you.”

I cracked a smile, the tension easing. Even Dad’s lips twitched.

“Debby, Jerry—get dressed. We’re going out,” Dad said, serious but with a hint of playfulness.

“Where?” Mom asked.

“You’ll see,” he said, walking out. “Be ready by 7:30.”

Later, Mom came out in a stunning dress, one I’d never seen. “Baby, how do I look?” she asked, smiling.

My jaw dropped. “Wow, Mom, you look amazing. New dress?”

“A maid brought it,” she said. “Most of my clothes are gone, but this works.”

“My clothes are missing too,” I muttered, pulling on a random shirt.

We piled into the car, Dad slamming the door before taking the wheel. “Where are we going?” Mom pressed.

“To check out Jerry’s new school,” he said.

My head snapped up. “New school?”

“You didn’t tell me,” Mom said, frowning.

“That’s why we’re going now,” Dad replied, calm as ever.

We visited three schools, but none felt right. Then we hit Crescent High. It wasn’t fancy, and the principal seemed… off, his smile too tight. While Mom and Dad talked to him, I slipped away, saying I needed the bathroom.

Instead, I wandered into a classroom. A girl sat alone, focused on her work, not noticing me. I stepped closer, putting my hand on her desk.

She jumped, almost falling. “Jeez! You scared me! You should’ve knocked!”

“Sorry,” I said, holding back a laugh. “Didn’t mean to.”

“You did,” she said, face straight but eyes bright.

“I’m really sorry.” I grinned, couldn’t help it. “I’m Jerry.”

She blinked, then smiled faintly. “Sasha. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m lost,” I admitted. “Bathroom?”

My ears were still too sharp, picking up every sound—her heartbeat, the scratch of her pencil, the hum of the school. It was better with my earpods in earlier, but I’d left them behind. My skin prickled, like it did in the bathroom when my wolf woke up. That mirror moment still shook me. I’d washed my face, brushing my teeth, when my tail tingled—danger. The air got cold, heavy, like something was grabbing me. In the mirror, my face turned into a wolf’s, older, fiercer, with red eyes that weren’t mine. I’d collapsed, heart pounding, whispering, “What’s happening to me?” I didn’t scream—Mom had enough to deal with.

Then that name hit me: Vasilias Lykaon. My vision blurred, and I saw a man on a throne, carved from a tree stump, wearing a wolf mask with golden horns. It wasn’t my memory, but it felt real. A maid’s knock snapped me out of it, and the cold water I splashed on myself helped, but I couldn’t shake it.

Sitting on my bed after, I kept thinking about it. What was that? Why me? Mom’s broth helped, her warmth grounding me, but her fear hurt. She was trying so hard to be strong, but I could feel her worry, like I was becoming something she couldn’t handle.

Dad’s stare in the doorway didn’t help. It was like he saw something in me I didn’t—something dangerous. My wolf wanted to push back, and I hated it. I didn’t want to fight him, but my body didn’t care. When Mom joked about cloning, it broke the tension, but not enough. I could still feel Dad’s eyes, like he was sizing me up.

Crescent High was different. The other schools were too shiny, too fake. This one felt real, but the principal’s vibe was wrong, like he was hiding something. Wandering off was dumb, but I needed space. Meeting Sasha was a surprise—she was sharp, not scared of me, even after I startled her. Her smile was small, but it felt honest, like she didn’t care about my weirdness.

“Bathroom’s down the hall, left turn,” Sasha said, pointing.

“Thanks,” I said, lingering. “You like this place?”

She shrugged. “It’s okay. Better than the last one.”

I nodded, my wolf quiet for once. Maybe this school wasn’t so bad. But deep down, that name—Vasilias Lykaon—kept echoing, like a warning I couldn’t ignore.