CHAPTER 2: DEVIL WITH BLUE EYES

SERAPHINA’S POV

“Raven Wood Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the entire Wolfdom. Wolves from countless packs all hope for their children to attend a place like that.” Miss Lucy explains, fussing over my hair while she tries to put it in some elaborate bun.

It doesn’t work on my short, neck-length wavy brown hair and she gives up almost instantly

Alpha Silvan just visited yesterday and since then, everything is moving so fast with packing up some luggage and being given a run down on what to do and not to do around wolves.

I wasn’t even able to sleep a wink all night.

“Therefore, you must be on your best behavior. None of that stubbornness when you get there.” She says, coming to a halt and taking a step back to look at her work in the mirror while meeting my eyes.

“Yes, Miss Lucy.” I say, agreeing with her.

A small smile plays on her lips briefly and for the first time since this whole incident, I see the look of pride in her eyes.

“Not many humans get the opportunity to be chosen in the Alpha’s program of including humans into the wolf society.” She adds, rubbing my hair softly.

Along with that pride, worry is clearly mixed in and I can understand why.

Werewolves aren’t receptive to other kinds besides theirs and haven’t been for years. Something like this was a first of its kind and for that sole reason, there will be push backs.

But I’m not the kind of girl that gets cracked easily.

Minutes later, a car comes to pick me up, although it’s like a car I’ve never seen in all my life. I don’t know much about cars but I know for a fact, simply from looking at it. that it’s anything but remotely affordable.

Miss Lucy wastes no time in stuffing both me and my luggage in the back seat before standing aside and waiting for my departure.

A last look at this place, my home, fills me with dread from leaving. My memories of this place aren’t all entirely good, still it’s all I’ve known and I’ll miss almost everyone.

As the car ignition starts on and begins to zoom off into the other direction, I stick my hands through the window, waving at her and the children as well, even those naughty bullies that I won’t get to see for the longest time.

***

The drive is anything but short.

I fall asleep until I’m awoken by the gentle tapping on the window that pulls me out of my dreams before I step out of the car with my small luggage.

I rub my groggy eyes slowly right before I open them and I’m greeted by the magnificent sight in front of me.

The tall towers like a castle rather than an actual school stare back at me in gleaming excellence. Structures that I never thought I would be privileged enough to see in all my existence.

“Holy fuck.” I say under my breath while my jaw drops way too low.

What was it that Miss Lucy had said… prestigious? This looked like something more than prestige.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” I turn to the man standing by my side and taking my bag from me, just to be sure we weren't at some royal palace by mistake.

He says nothing, instead giving me a dull and uninterested look.

“I will lead you to the Administrator’s office.” He responds, ignoring my actual question.

If it had been a whole other scenario, I might be offended but right now, the awe of this dream-like experience has me in a chokehold to be bothered by his tone or attitude.

I nod, tagging along right beside him as we draw closer to the actual school building.

I manage to catch up with his pace.

His large wolf frame and longer legs makes it almost impossible to catch up without needing to jog a bit and even while I do that, I take it all in with my eyes.

 Gasping at every elaborately decorated structure that comes into my field of vision before we stop right in front of tall doors and he sets my bags down.

“Wait here.” He commands only a few words before he turns to leave me there.

Of course, where else would I go when I don’t know the layouts of my new surroundings?

I sit on waiting chairs just outside the office, waiting to be called in eventually but minutes pass until it feels like I’ve been waiting for an hour.

I start dozing off before a bell rings, echoing in the halls and I’m startled awake once more.

I immediately decide not to remain out here longer without doing anything, whoever is inside clearly must be busy.

With this new plan in mind, I finally stand up from the bench and walk in a direction I know nothing about.

The bell must have meant something because suddenly, there’s an outflow of the students from each class, filling up the once quiet hallway with chattering laughter.

All of them have a different air about them, along with their larger build that makes me look like a short runt in their presence.

It’s the first time I’ve ever been around so many wolves at a time and I stare almost too blatantly at the ones that pass by, wondering what it would be like to fully integrate into their system.

The stares I receive back, on the other hand, are… different.

Side glances that don’t look pleasant, with a few closing their nostrils and scoffing at me.

Do I smell?

I sniff at my arms, remembering the long soak I had taken as early as 5 in the morning at Miss Lucy’s request. I heard werewolves’ sense of smell is far superior.

Maybe it wasn’t enough.

The sound of group laughter catches my attention now while I pass by large double doors and I turn to my left, stumbling across the school cafeteria.

More like a ballroom with the size of it and the classic decorations.

They have two bloody chandeliers in here!

“Let me go!”

The scream draws my eyes away from the lavishness, all towards a group of students laughing about something - the very group that had drawn my attention to this place.

They seem to be crowded and hunched over something, or someone, and whoever it is seems to be in danger.

My curiosity takes over, and I move closer until the entire scene comes into view.

Three guys tower over a girl on the floor, all messed up and covered in some sort of stew, with bloodshot red eyes stained with tears.

“Stop it!” She exclaims, trying to reach for something in front of her until another guy kicks it again and they continue to laugh.

She’s clearly being bullied and it definitely isn’t any of my business, but I can’t look away from the scene, especially as the taunting never stops and no one in the crowd seems to care that she’s covered in her own food.

“You seem thirsty as well.” The ring leader speaks, holding a jug of fruit juice over her head.

She breaks into a sob, too frustrated to keep telling them off and I see red.

The high pitched ringing in my ears peaks and like I'm stuck in a trance, I don’t know when my left leg moves in front of the other.

I walk briskly towards the crowd without even thinking and stand right in front of them, between the boys and the girl sobbing on her knees at their mercy.

“Stop it.” I say firmly and hold out both my hands as I act like a shield.

The three main perpetrators look at me now, their full attention falls onto me with predatory eyes that send shivers down my spine and silence immediately ensues within the crowd.

It's only now seeing them, being in their presence, that I’m caught in some sort of daze.

I heard that the appearance of wolves stands out amongst humans, but clearly it had been an understatement.

Each of them are gorgeous in their own ways, but the one in front of me…

Bright blue eyes with a striking light that holds me in an instant trance, with thick midnight black hair. A broad firm nose and pale pink lips that look soft from the first glance.

His entire face, on its own, almost has a subtle glow to it just from his looks, although it’s marred by the dark twisted scowl that slowly takes form. He stands out even among his own peers and for some reason I find it too hard to pry my eyes away from him.

Mischief and danger dominate his aura, and for a moment, I tremble.

The sound of his scoff pulls me out of my trance immediately and I shake my head, realizing I’ve been staring at him like a foolish simple-minded girl, embarrassing myself in front of them.

His wicked eyes rake over me with a hint of disgust as though looking over a dirty church rat before he chuckles darkly. The insult in his eyes hurts before he can even speak.

“Ace, what is this… thing?” He gestures to me while speaking to his friends, as though I’m not right in front of him. “Since when do we let beggars walk right into the school building?”

His comment draws laughter from the rest of his friends that find it hilarious at my own expense. My once blazing anger returns almost immediately and once again, I move without thinking.

I grab the jug from his hands and toss the liquid right over him, staining that gorgeous face and build with dark purple juice.

The guys in front of me pause, the asshole looking over his once white shirt covered in dark purple liquid before his face slowly looks up and his eyes meet mine.

They are sharp enough to cut through my heart.

“What the fuck?” He growls menacingly, already seething in anger, glaring down at me and quite literally, I’m the shortest in a crowd of taller wolves. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

And just like that, the trance breaks. I realize I’m talking to an asshole that was just bullying someone.

The thundering voice causes everyone else around to cower in fear and although I’m  startled and my heart is racing, I force my head up high without shame.

“Your daily dose of manners, that’s who. Although from the looks of it, you deserve more than just juice all over you.” I snap back, resting my hands on both hips.

Veins visibly pop on the side of his forehead while he seethes even more, grinding his teeth together in a poor attempt at self-control and just briefly, I see a faint flash of gold in his eyes.

“You fucking bitch… I could snap that twig-like neck of yours in a flash. Or maybe ripping out your tongue would remind you of your pointless existence.” He warns, taking a step closer to me, tilting just a little to enunciate the difference in our heights.

Again, he’s trying to intimidate me with his gaze. Faintly, underneath the stains that hide a good deal of his face, I can see the contours of his muscles.

“I’d like to see you try, pretty boy.” I take a step even closer, challenging the fucking prick as well. What the hell was I getting myself into?

He doesn’t back down though, not that I expected him to. He could easily flip me over with his build but I wouldn’t be going down without a fight either.

We’re stuck in a death glare for a few seconds before another guy behind him pulls him back.

“Dude, you can’t fight in school, your father gave you a probationary period, remember?” He whispers loud enough for me to pick the words though.

Asshole snarls again but backs down almost immediately just as soon as the school bell rings again.

Just like that, the crowd disperses quickly, almost as if running away to take cover. But even he doesn’t make a move on me, only eyes that glare at me viciously.

That is before a sinister smirk claims his lips.

An ominous feeling runs up my spine at this moment just before he looks away from me and leaves with the rest of his friends to make it back to class.

My heart races for some reason. That smile spelt trouble - no, it spelt hell.

I did good alright, standing up to a bully on my first day and defending someone.

But why does it feel like I’m going to regret this somehow?

Why does it feel like I’ve tempted the devil’s fire?