CHAPTER ONE

It’s my first day at Ponderosa High. I head toward my locker, trying to keep my head down and just make it through the day. I tug my green knit beanie down farther over my head, hoping to hide my short cropped hairstyle.

Around here, all the girls have long, beautiful hair. Golden blonde, shimmering honey-brown, jet black, all in bouncing ponytails or gorgeous waves.

Except for me. At my last school, some kids threw gum in my hair, and I had to chop it all off. The hairstylist tried to tell me that it was a cool new style, but I hate it. Every time I look in the mirror, I see a lonely, bullied girl who doesn’t fit in anywhere.

No wonder our old pack sent us away. Our Alpha decided we needed to come out to Flagstaff and join the pack here, as some kind of trade deal with their Alpha.

I haven’t met any of the shifters here, but all I can hope is that they accept me more than my last pack.

In the hallway, everyone is shouting and jostling. It’s the middle of the school year, so everyone has already made friends. I see my locker, the number stenciled on in chipped paint, and try to squeeze through the crowd without being noticed.

No such luck. Someone grabs my beanie, laughing. “Hey new girl, no hats in the hallway!”

“Hey,” I protest, “that’s mine!”

“Hey, Malcolm!” The boy who took my hat shouts to another kid, taller, with sandy blonde hair and broad shoulders. I watch in horror as he throws my beanie to Malcolm, who catches it easily. I see him lift it to his face and sniff it, then a knowing look comes over his face.

He knows I’m a shifter - he must be one too.

And judging by the way the crowded hallways part as he walks toward me, he’s a high ranking one.

Could he be the Alpha of this pack? I swallow, wishing I could hide my stupid haircut, as he approaches me. He towers over me, nostrils flaring.

“So you’re the new girl they sent?”

I swallow and nod. “I’m Sarah.”

“Huh.” He looks me up and down, as if he’s evaluating me. I just stand still, my backpack heavy on my shoulders. “So you’re the one our pack Alpha seems to think we need.”

I just shrug. So he’s not the Alpha, I guess. But he might be the Beta. Either way, I know I need to show him plenty of respect.

“Not sure why,” he mutters, still standing over me.

I shrug again.

“Can’t even defend yourself,” Malcolm says, holding my beanie up. “I heard you were getting pushed around, but this is just pathetic. If you’re going to be in our pack now, you have to act like a real shifter. No embarrassing us.”

“Okay,” I mumble. “Sorry.”

He shoves the beanie into my chest, rolling his eyes. I hold onto it, my fists sweaty against the knit fabric, not sure whether I should tug it back on.

As I’m trying to make sense of my swirling thoughts, a girl with a long black braid and golden yellow eyes bounds over and drapes her arms around Malcolm’s neck, then gives him a peck on the cheek.

He smiles. “Hey, Miranda.”

She finally looks over at me. “Who’s this?”

“The new kid they sent,” Malcolm says.

“Ah, right.” Miranda grins sharply. “The Omega.”

Malcolm looks me up and down, his nose wrinkling with disgust. “Really? Are you actually an Omega?”

I nod.

He sneers. “No wonder you’re so useless. I don’t even know why Caleb agreed to take you in.”

So Caleb must be their Alpha.

Miranda’s expression matches Malcolm’s, a grossed-out sneer. “Guess her pack didn’t want an Omega hanging around.”

“I don’t blame them.” Malcolm crosses his arms. “I don’t even know why they sent you. It’s not like we need a bunch of Omegas out here.”

“Don’t worry about her, babe.” Miranda clings even more tightly to Malcolm’s muscled arms.

“Someone’s got to,” Malcolm says, glaring at me. “And Caleb isn’t here, so I guess you’re my problem now.”

I just fidget with the hat in my hand. So far, it seems more like Malcolm’s been my problem, rather than the other way around - but there’s no way I’d have the courage to say that.

“Anyway, I have to go find my friends.” Miranda kisses Malcolm again and flounces off, leaving me alone with Malcolm, who’s still staring me down. It’s tough to maintain eye contact, and I find myself staring at his chest. He’s big, wide chested, his muscles well defined under an athletic t-shirt with the school’s logo on it.

“Yeah, I’m the Beta,” Malcolm explains. “But our Alpha already graduated from Ponderosa High. So it’s just me running the show around here, and I’m not about to let an Omega embarrass us.”

“I won’t,” I promise. “I’ll just stay out of your way.”

“Not good enough. I don’t want to see any more shows of weakness. You’re one of us, so keep your damn hat on your own head.”

“Okay.”

I turn to focus on my locker, but Malcolm grabs me by the shoulder and pulls me back to face him.

“Let me tell you a few things,” Malcolm says. “I don’t care if you’re an Omega - if you’re part of our pack, you’ll be pulling your weight. Got it?”

“Got it,” I say.

“Second, I don’t know what your deal is, but around here, the girls look like girls and the boys look like boys. So grow your hair out, okay?”

As much as I want to look prettier and fit in, I hate the idea of giving the bullies here another target. I can’t go through that again.

But there’s no arguing with Malcolm. “Okay,” I squeak out, unable to say anything else.

“Good.”

With that, Malcolm gives my shoulder one final shove and wanders off, leaving me alone to catch my breath.

It’s not even first period, and I’ve already caught the attention of the pack’s Beta. And not in a good way.

Today is going to be a long day.