Chapter 9

Ashley's POV

In the whirlwind of the moment, it had completely slipped my mind that I wasn't among those privileged girls who had chauffeurs waiting to whisk them away from school. How could I have been so naive as to hop into a stranger's car without a second thought?

"I'm so sorry," I stammered, directing my apology toward the stern-looking young man before me, whose age seemed to fall somewhere between 18 and 20, though I couldn't quite pinpoint it.

"Would you mind getting out of my car?" he demanded in a commanding tone that sent a shiver down my spine. His face remained stoic.

"I'm so sorry," I repeated, facing the car door. I turned the handle, ready to make a hasty exit when I noticed the curious gazes of many of my former classmates fixed on me. Instinctively, I closed the car door, reevaluating my decision.

"I thought I told you to…"

I acted swiftly, placing my hand over his mouth to cut him off. His eyes widened in surprise, a look of shock crossing his face as he stared at me.

"I know you want to report me right now and probably kick me out of your car, but please, hear me out first," I implored, hoping to appeal to his reason.

He removed my hand from his mouth, wiping his lips repeatedly. I couldn't help but notice how his lips, full and pink, looked incredibly soft. My thoughts momentarily wandered, and I found myself unconsciously gulping.

"Hey," he snapped his fingers, snapping me out of my daze. "What...?"

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, struggling to process the unfolding situation.

"Get out of my car, now!" he shouted, his voice growing increasingly gruff, and his fangs becoming ominously visible.

"Dude, you don't need to show me your fangs; I know you're a werewolf," I scoffed, rolling my eyes at his display.

"So, little missy has an attitude," he sneered, his amusement evident as he regarded me.

"I don't like people with attitude," he added, grabbing my chin and catching me off guard.

"Hey, let go of my face," I pleaded, attempting to free my cheeks from his firm grip.

"Princess, beg for your life, because I'm this close to slitting your throat," he threatened, his claws ominously extending from his hands.

"Wait, you can't kill me," I pleaded, causing him to retract his claws.

"Why can't I?" he whined, sporting a sly smirk.

I couldn't help but be intrigued by how cute his whining sounded, but I quickly shook off the thought. It was absurd to be admiring someone who had just threatened my life. I chastised myself for finding him attractive, despite his dangerous nature.

"I know I'm hot, but trust me, don't fall in love with me," he blurted out, earning an irritated response from me.

Sure, he might be attractive, but that didn't mean I was smitten. What did he take me for, some kind of pushover?

"Princess, what are you thinking?" he asked, his gaze penetrating deep into my soul.

"Nothing," I replied quickly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"So, where are you off to, princess?" he suddenly inquired, shifting gears as he started the car.

"Uh, I was about to go home," I answered, relieved at the prospect of him dropping me off.

"Oh, that's nice. Now, can you get out of my car?" he said, flashing me an evil smile that left me incredulous.

"Really? You won't drop me off?" I scoffed, unable to believe he wouldn't.

"Why should I, huh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and scrutinizing my uniform.

His intense scrutiny of my attire made me uncomfortable. I was wearing my worn-out uniform, and his gaze felt like it was stripping away my confidence.

"Nice uniform," he commented, though it sounded insincere.

"Thanks, but I'm not attending that school anymore. I just got transferred," I said excitedly, hoping to leave his car soon.

"Didn't ask you," his reply was curt, and it became clear that this guy was frigid in every aspect.

"Are you going to drop me off or not?" I inquired, my disbelief mounting.

"Fine, let's go meet your parents," he chuckled, licking his lips slowly, as if he were contemplating something sinister.

"You know, I'm also a werewolf," I blurted out, trying to disrupt any potentially nefarious thoughts in his mind.

"Well, you look like a mere human," he admitted, his focus returning to the road.

"Well, I'm not," I stated firmly.

"What are you then, an omega or a beta?" he quizzed, his eyes still trained on the road.

"I'm an alpha," I playfully declared, making him slam on the brakes suddenly. He turned to look at me, his eyes wide with surprise.

"What did you just say?" he asked, clearly taken aback.

"I said I'm an alpha," I repeated, causing his eyes to widen further.

"You must be joking, right? No way a girl can be an alpha," he scoffed before resuming driving.

"Why do you say that?" I inquired, genuinely curious.

"Because they aren't strong enough to be one," he remarked, causing me to scoff in response.

"That's not true. I'm sure I'm even stronger than you," I boasted.

"Tell me your house address so I can drop you off. I don't like having people around for long," he confessed.

"My house is just down the block," I replied, prompting him to accelerate.

"By the way, do you..."

"Quiet!" he interrupted me sharply.

I remained silent for the rest of the car ride, not wanting to further irritate him. A few minutes later, we arrived at my house, and I quickly exited the car.

"Thanks for the..." I began, but before I could finish expressing my gratitude, he sped off.

"What a strange and rude guy. I can't believe I ever found him cute," I muttered to myself before entering my house, where I found a few guards in the company of my father.

"There she is, Ashley, come here," my father called out.

"What's going on, Dad?" I inquired, walking over to him.

"Nothing much, just that they brought your uniform since you'll be attending Elite tomorrow," my father announced.

"Oh, so that's why everyone seems so serious," I remarked, stifling a yawn. I turned to leave the room when the sight of the uniform caught my eye.

"Wow, why is this uniform so beautiful?" I wondered aloud, picking it up and admiring its exquisite material.

"It's because Elite is a school meant for royals and high-ranking individuals, so their uniforms are of top quality," one of the guards explained.

I gave him a skeptical glance before placing the uniform back on the table. I couldn't understand why people held this school in such high regard, but I was simply elated to have the opportunity to attend. Perhaps, just maybe, my status could change for the better.

Elite High, here I come!