Chapter 1 1

CHAPTER 1: RUMI

The early morning mist still clung around me, making the entire Pack look like something out of a gothic horror movie. Perfect. It perfectly matched my mood.

I was seventeen. I had exactly one year left of high school. One year to survive before I could legally become a rogue, disappear into the human world, and never look at another wolf pack again. Instead, because of the disaster back at Ocean Pack, I was forced to flee my old pack in the middle of the night and transplant my entire life to a completely foreign pack territory.

And today? Today was the ultimate punishment: my first day at a new school.

High school is brutal for normal teenagers, but werewolf high school? It’s a literal breeding ground for dominant posturing, pack hierarchy politics, and teenage Alphas flexing their power trips. Back at Ocean pack, I knew who to avoid, which hallways belonged to which ranked wolves, and where to hide to keep a low profile. Here, I was a blank slate. An omega-level nobody with no pack standing, walking into a shark tank.

"Welcome to Northwood High," the woman behind the desk said. She forced a big smile and handed me a plastic card. "Here is your student ID. Keep it on you at all times. Our Pack guards check them."

I looked down at my photo. It was awful. My dark hair was messy and fell into my eyes. I wasn't smiling, and I looked ready to bite someone’s throat out. The picture was taken a week ago when my mom and I came to the school to sign the paperwork. The guy taking the photo didn't even warn me before he flashed the camera to my face.

But honestly, the angry look on my face was because of my father. He had called me that morning, begging me to forgive him for ruining our lives. I didn't answer. I just deleted the voicemail.

"Uhmm, is there any possibility of having it changed to a new one?" I asked, holding up the ugly card.

"No, we don't do do-overs here," the woman said, turning back to her computer. "Can you find your classroom, or do you need help?"

"I'll figure it out," I said.

I pulled my heavy backpack over my shoulder and shoved the ID into my pocket. Choosing to wear a free gown today was a huge mistake. The weather was a little cold and this school had conditioning fully on. My skin was already freezing, and my gown felt like they were ice onto my legs.

Worse than the cold was the smell. Being around a new Pack meant my nose was overwhelmed. The hallway smelled like strange wolves—sweat, cologne, and aggressive energy.

"Watch it, Omega!" a guy barked, slamming his shoulder hard into mine as I walked out of the office. He was tall, thin, had a buzz cut, and a silver ring through his nose.

I didn't fall. My family used to be high-ranking, and I had trained hard since I was a pup. I stood my ground, planted my feet, and glared right back at him. "Watch it yourself," I snapped.

He looked surprised that a new girl didn't back down, but he kept walking.

I looked down the hall and noticed it was suddenly empty. I checked my phone. Shit. Class is starting right now.

I ran down the hallway and made a sharp right turn. A group of she-wolves saw me running and laughed, whispering to each other. I ignored them. I slowed down to a fast walk and slid into the classroom just as the loud bell rang.

The room was totally full, but there was no teacher yet. Good, I wasn't late. But as I walked down the aisle, every single desk was taken. I could feel all eyes on me.

“Look, another weak stray," a guy muttered as I passed him.

I clenched my fists but kept walking. If only they knew who I actually was. A year ago, my father was the Alpha’s right-hand man in our old Pack. I had the best clothes, the best training, and everyone respected me. But then my father betrayed the Alpha, stole from the pack funds, and ran away like a coward.

Our old Pack stripped us of everything. Now, my mom and I were living in a tiny apartment in a rough, dangerous territory on the edge of the city. I didn't even have a car anymore. 

"Don't even think about it," a deep, rough voice growled.

I stopped. The very last row only had two desks. One was empty, right next to the window. The other was taken by a guy who looked absolutely massive.

He was wearing a black hockey jersey with the school’s wolf logo on it and a hockey cap pulled low over his eyes. He was leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed over a giant chest. He didn't look like a high school student. He looked like a pro athlete, or a lethal Pack warrior. His shoulders were incredibly wide, and his legs blocked the entire aisle.

"I need a seat," I said, keeping my voice steady and strong.

"He sits alone," a girl in the row ahead of me whispered without turning around. "That’s Knox. He’s the captain of the hockey team. Don't mess with him."

The big guy—Knox—lifted his head just enough for me to see his face. My breath caught. His eyes were the brightest, most piercing blue I had ever seen. They looked like ice. But his face was set in a dark, angry scowl.

I didn't run away like most she-wolves probably did. I stood up straight, squared my shoulders, and looked him right in the eye. "Where am I supposed to sit? The room is full."

Knox obviously didn't care. He pointed a thick, scarred finger toward the front of the room. I looked and saw one open desk a few rows up.

I sighed. I didn't want to make a scene on my first day. I walked over to the empty desk, dropped my backpack, and sat down.

The moment my weight hit the chair, the metal leg snapped. The desk collapsed, and I crashed hard onto the floor.

The entire classroom erupted into loud laughter. A few guys started clapping and whistling.

"Nice fall, loser!" someone yelled.

"Oh, yeah, that desk is broken," the girl next to me said, completely unhelpful.

"Thanks, I noticed," I grumbled, pushing myself up.

My face burned with anger, not shame. I wasn't hurt—wolf shifters heal fast and are tough—but I was furious. I looked back at the row. Knox was watching me, a small, arrogant smirk on his face. He knew the desk was broken. He had sent me there on purpose to embarrass me.

I grabbed my backpack. I didn't cry, and I didn't look down. I held my head high and marched straight back to the row, stopping right in front of Knox .

I didn't bother asking him to move this time. I grabbed the edge of his desk and prepared to step right over his giant legs to get to the window seat.

"I said back off," Knox snapped. He raised his heavy leg, slamming his boot against the opposite desk to block me like a wall.

I narrowed my eyes and looked down at him. "And I don't care what you said. Move your leg, hockey boy, or I'm going to move it for you."