All Chapters of THE LOST WEREWOLF PRINCESS: MATED TO THE RIVALS: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

KAIA'S POV: The walls of the principal’s office feel like they’re closing in on me. My palms are sweaty, heart thundering as I step inside. Principal Davis sits stiffly behind her desk, her lips pressed into a thin line. But it’s the two unfamiliar people seated across from her that make my stomach sink. Social workers. I’ve seen enough movies to recognize that kind of calm, the kind they put on when they’re about to drop a bombshell. Tight-lipped kindness. Gentle voices. Soft destruction. "Kaia," Principal Davis says, her voice unnervingly gentle. "Please, have a seat." I hope I'm not in any trouble but I can't even think of anything that can cause social services to show up here except... I hover for a second, already on edge, then drop into the chair like I’m about to be sentenced. The woman to her right leans forward, her blazer too neat, her clipboard too full. "My name is Mrs. Jennings, and this is Mr. Cole. We’re from Child Protective Services." Panic skit

KAIA'S POV: The knock at my bedroom door is soft, almost uncertain. I sit up on the edge of the bed, where I’ve been pretending to unpack the same sweater for the last twenty minutes. My palms are still clammy from the car ride over. I haven’t seen the brothers since last night in the living room. I haven’t been ready to face them again. "Yes?" My voice comes out small. I hate it.The door creaks open, and Rowan steps in. He looks taller in the daylight, even though his posture is stiff. Like he’s nervous. He’s dressed in a black Henley and jeans, simple but tidy, like someone who wants to make a good impression without trying too hard. He clears his throat. "Dinner’s ready. If… you’re up for it. It's chicken and chips." I nod, brushing imaginary lint off my leggings. “Okay.” He waits a beat, maybe expecting me to say more. I don’t. I follow him out. The hallway is warm and inviting, lined with soft lighting and thick carpet that muffles our steps. Framed pho

KAIA'S POV: I stand frozen by the door of the classroom, stunned by what I’ve just seen, two boys staring at me like I’ve risen from the dead, then sharing a look that screams something I don’t understand. Then one word. One strange, spine-tingling word. “Mate.” I blink rapidly. Did they just say… mate? Maybe I misheard them. Maybe this jet lag is finally messing with my ears. I force my legs to move, slipping into an empty desk as the teacher starts roll call. I keep my head down, pretending to scribble something in my notebook, but my skin is buzzing like I brushed against an electric fence. They’re still staring at me. The taller one, Kai, I think, is tense, jaw locked. The other one, Axel, looks more confused than angry now, his eyes flicking to me and then back to Kai like he’s trying to make sense of something. “Kaia?” the teacher calls out. I raise my hand halfway. “Here.” A few more names are called. Then, the class moves on to some kind of ice-breaker activity where

KAIA'S POV: Another day, another silent battle not to scream. The school feels off today. It’s not something I can explain. Just a low hum under my skin, like I walked through a static field and it hasn’t stopped buzzing. I tug my hoodie tighter around me even though the halls are warm. It’s not cold. I just feel exposed. Axel’s leaning against my locker when I get there, grinning like the hallway is his runway. This guy is such an attention seeker. There are some students looking at the scene he is low-key creating. Oh Lord."Good morning, sunshine," he drawls. He says it every day now, like he’s trying to brand the phrase into my brain. I roll my eyes and give him a stiff smile."I don’t shine." "You glow, then," he corrects, and those dimples flash as he winks. If that's his idea of flirting then he is failing woefully."Annoying," I mutter."Charming," he counters. From behind me, I feel it before I see him. That shift in the air. Like the hallway just tensed.