THREE: WEREWOLVES

The next day, I slipped into the science lab, hunched over a battered spiral notebook as I flipped through my math notes. The sterile scent of disinfectant lingered in the air, mixing with the faint aroma of chalk dust and old textbooks. Fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead, casting a sterile glow across the countertops cluttered with beakers and microscopes. I wasn’t hiding, exactly, just trying to breathe. With the math test looming this was the only place I felt safe and hidden from Pink and friends.

The silence didn’t last.

The door creaked open, two students stepped in, a boy and a girl laughing quietly between themselves until their eyes landed on me. Their chatter stopped. For a second, they just stared, as if they’d stumbled upon something or someone that didn’t belong.

The boy recovered first. He wore pale blue jeans and a brown leather jacket that somehow screamed "nerd." His large blue eyes were hidden behind square glasses, which he kept adjusting as if trying to get a clearer look at me.

Then he smiled and gave a casual wave.

“Hey, Terra.”

I blinked. “How do you know my name?”

He chuckled, his voice low and friendly. “You’re kinda famous around here. You don’t sit with Pink at lunch and go unnoticed.”

Famous? That word felt too heavy, too fast. I hadn’t even been in Caveroop a full week, and already I had a reputation?

I sighed, resting my chin in my palm. “Great. Just what I wanted.”

“I’m Genora,” the girl said, stepping closer with a bright, open smile. Her square glasses framed a pair of dark blue eyes that shimmered with curiosity. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders like something out of a shampoo commercial, but there was nothing arrogant in her posture just warmth.

“And I’m Sam,” the boy added, pushing up his own glasses.

His blue eyes were sharp but kind, He carried himself with a quiet confidence, the kind that said he probably got straight A’s and never bragged about it.

Something in me eased. This was the kind of crowd I could handle. Smart. Calm. Hopefully unconnected to the supernatural circus I’d somehow stumbled into.

“Nice to meet you both,” I said, offering a genuine smile for what felt like the first time in days.

Sam slung his backpack onto the table beside me and pulled out a thick math textbook that looked like it had survived a war. “So, what brings you to the lab?”

“Studying for a math test,” I said, lifting my notebook.

Genora’s eyes lit up. “Same! Mr. Henzel isn’t messing around this time.”

“You’re both in class A4 too?” I asked, eyebrows lifting.

They nodded in unison.

“You probably haven’t noticed us,” Sam said with a teasing grin. “We tend to blend into the background. But now that you’re here, we figured we’d say hi.”

I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “Well, thanks. I could definitely use the help.”

I scooted my chair to make room, sliding in between them. The three of us leaned over the table, textbooks open, pens clicking, our heads bowed over equations and formulas. For the first time since arriving at Caveroop High, I felt something close to peace like maybe, just maybe, I’d found my people.

And for now, that was enough.

...

The test went surprisingly well. I walked out of the classroom with a rare sense of certainty humming in my chest, I was sure I’d nailed it. For once, my answers hadn't felt like shots in the dark. Every question had fallen into place like pieces of a puzzle I didn’t even realize I’d been solving. It was… nice. Unexpected, but nice.

Still riding that little wave of confidence, I ducked out of the crowded hallway and made my way to the basketball court for lunch. The cafeteria was packed, buzzing with noise, drama, and the ever-looming presence of Pink and her orbit of perfectly polished girls. I wasn’t in the mood for forced smiles or half-hearted small talk. I needed air, space, silence.

The court was perfect.

Tucked inside the gym wing, it was dim and cool, lit by the long rectangular lights that buzzed faintly overhead. The polished floor gleamed beneath my sneakers as I stepped in, the sound of my footsteps echoing faintly through the massive space. The bleachers were pulled out halfway, a few bags forgotten in the corners from earlier practice, but otherwise, it was empty.

I climbed halfway up the stands, found a spot and settled down with my lunch bag. Then I pulled out my phone and dialed the only person who still felt like home.

"Hey, stranger," my best friend’s voice chirped through the speaker, instantly lifting my mood.

We talked for a while, the way we always did, slipping into a rhythm like we hadn’t spent months apart. She told me how Oxville had changed, The latest happenings, how our favourite coffee shop got turned into a vape lounge.

I laughed, genuinely. Then I told her about Caveroop, the strange people and the darker undercurrents that pulsed just beneath the school’s shiny exterior. I kept my tone light, half-joking. But she didn’t buy any of it. Of course she didn’t.

“Girl, you’ve been watching too many horror shows,” she said with a snort. “Are you sure this school isn’t just full of weird theater kids?”

I smiled. It was easier to let her believe that.

When the call ended, I stayed still for a moment, staring down at the screen as the lock screen blinked back at me. A soft ache curled in my chest. I missed her, her sarcasm, her warmth, the ease of our old life. Everything felt so far away now, like it belonged to someone else.

I unwrapped my sandwich and took a deep breath, letting the silence settle again.

Then footsteps echoed across the court.

I didn’t have to look to know who it was. There was something unmistakable about Jesse’s presence, like static in the air before a storm. He strolled across the court like he owned it, sweat still glistening on his skin from whatever drills he’d just finished. His singlet clung to his torso, revealing just enough to be distracting in the worst way.

He spotted me immediately.

"Hey, you!" His voice rang out, casual but pointed.

I didn’t answer right away. My fingers tightened around the sandwich as I looked up. “What?”

“What are you doing here?” he asked, brows raised like I was the intruder.

I raised an eyebrow. “What does it look like I’m doing? Knitting?”

He scoffed and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. The tension between us thickened like smoke. His eyes flicked to my barely-touched sandwich and then back to me.

“Whatever. Suit yourself, bitch.”

The word hit like a slap.

I blinked. “Bitch?”

But he was already walking away, his back turned, strides sharp and careless as he headed toward the locker room.

I sat there, stunned. My appetite shriveled, the sandwich forgotten in my hand. I should’ve shouted something back. I should’ve cursed him out. But instead, I just stared at the spot where he’d vanished, a mixture of anger and confusion twisting in my stomach.

So much for peace and quiet.

With a sigh, I packed up my lunch and slung my bag over my shoulder. The court didn’t feel safe anymore. It felt invaded. Contaminated by Jesse's bitterness or maybe mine?

Either way, I left.

After school, I went with Pink to Clary’s house for a sleepover.

Her place wasn’t just a house, it was a palace. A tall, pale-blue mansion tucked behind iron gates, with ivy creeping up its stone walls like green veins. Inside, it was even more impressive. Clary’s room was enormous, practically a self-contained apartment, complete with its own lounge area and a private bathroom. Everything was drenched in shades of blue, cerulean walls, navy drapes, a sapphire velvet couch, and a bed big enough for four people. It smelled faintly of lavender and something expensive I couldn’t name.

While the others unpacked snacks and unfolded sleeping bags, I slipped out. The air inside had felt a little too warm, too close.

Clary’s parents were away on business, leaving her and her sisters to their own devices. The halls echoed slightly as I wandered. I passed framed photographs of family vacations, ski trips, beach resorts, Clary in matching outfits with her sisters.

I paused, staring at one photo a little longer than I meant to. Clary was younger, maybe ten, arms wrapped around both sisters, their mom and dad behind them, smiling like nothing bad had ever touched them.

For a moment, I wondered what that kind of life felt like, one with holiday cards and family trips and parents who made it home for dinner. One where you didn’t have to tiptoe around broken glass just to make it through the day.

I never got to do all this.

Never went on vacations.

Never even had a dad.

Just me and Mom and a house that always felt half-empty, like something was missing and nobody wanted to say what.

I tore my eyes away and kept walking. The further I got from that photo wall, the tighter my chest felt.

I found myself on the balcony at the back of the house, drawn by the hum of voices and the scent of citrus-scented candles. Resa and Alexa were leaning against the railing, faces lit by the glow of their phone screens, laughter trickling between them like wind chimes.

“Hey,” I said, stepping out.

“Hey, Terra,” they said in perfect unison, barely glancing up.

“Nice house,” I offered.

“Thanks,” Resa replied with a soft smile, tucking a strand of honey-blonde hair behind her ear. Her golden eyes sparkled in the fading light, catching the last rays of the sunset like drops of molten amber. There was something warm about her presence, easy, effortless, like she belonged in a place like this. Surrounded by wealth, by beauty, by people who never had to wonder where they stood in the world.

I was about to leave when Alexa’s voice stopped me. “Hey, Terra, you’re from Oxville, right?”

Something in her tone made my shoulders stiffen. Light, casual but probing.

“Yeah… why?” I asked, trying not to sound defensive.

“I had a friend from there once,” she said, still scrolling on her phone like it didn’t matter. Her short brown hair bounced softly around her shoulders with each subtle movement, catching the warm glow of the balcony lights.

“Okay… cool,” I said, though my voice was already tightening.

“What made you leave?” Resa asked, her tone more curious than suspicious. But it didn’t matter.

My stomach flipped. My breath caught.

The past surged forward like a flood I couldn’t control.

“If you don’t give me what I want, I’ll shove your head down the latrine.”

My voice, snarling. My face twisted with anger.

“She’s useless to us now.”

Another voice, someone else’s but one I’d once followed.

Cruel laughter. A shove. Someone crying behind closed doors.

My heart pounding like a drum.

I blinked hard, grounding myself. The balcony lights blurred before snapping back into focus.

“Everything okay?” Resa asked, finally looking up. Her eyes were gentle. Concerned.

“Yeah,” I lied with a smile I hoped looked real. “All good.”

I turned quickly, muttering something about helping Pink, and slipped back inside before they could ask more. The air felt colder now, my skin prickling with old shame.

The rest of the night blurred into a whirlwind of laughter, spilled soda, dares whispered in the dark, and drinks passed around until the world tipped sideways. I laughed with them, danced, posed for selfies but beneath it all, that question kept echoing.

What made you leave?

And I still didn’t have an answer I could say out loud.

Around 2 a.m., a distant howl sliced through the silence, waking me up.

I groaned, my head pounding from the drinks earlier. My mouth was dry, and the air in the room felt heavy. I sat up slowly, clutching my forehead.

“Wolves?” I muttered under my breath, the sound barely more than a rasp.

Then, a second howl, closer this time. Low, guttural, and too real to be a dream.

I rubbed my eyes and looked around. Pink was passed out on a pile of blankets, snoring lightly, one arm flopped over a stuffed rabbit she probably didn’t realize she’d grabbed. Clary was curled up beside her, one arm tucked under her head, her soft blonde hair fanned out across the pillow like a halo of sunlight. Her breathing was steady, peaceful, untouched by the unease that clung to the night

And Eska, she was gone.

Her sleeping bag was empty, smooth as if she’d never been there at all. The window beside her was wide open, the curtains drifting like ghostly fingers in the night breeze.

I sat there for a moment, pulse quickening.

Maybe she went out to hunt. Or do whatever vampires do at 2 a.m.

Curiosity stirred in my gut, dangerous and undeniable. I slipped on my hoodie, grabbed the small flashlight from my backpack, and swung one leg over the windowsill. The cold air bit at my skin as I lowered myself down into the yard.

The world outside was quiet, but not peacefully so. The kind of quiet that hums with something waiting just beyond hearing.

Moonlight washed the landscape, casting long shadows that moved as I walked. I crept across the backyard and toward the woods, the flashlight off, I didn’t want to draw attention unless I had to. My feet crunched on loose leaves and twigs, so I took careful steps, weaving between trees and ducking under low-hanging branches. The deeper I went, the more the howls echoed in my bones.

Then I froze.

Just ahead, in a moonlit clearing, stood a massive black wolf.

Its fur bristled, thick and matted, its breath coming in ragged bursts that steamed in the cold air. But something was off, its movements were jerky, unnatural, like it was fighting itself. It let out a low groan, and its entire body convulsed.

My breath caught.

Before my very eyes, the transformation began.

The creature dropped to its knees, if you could call them knees, claws scraping into the dirt as they slowly retracted. Its snout shortened, fangs sliding back into its gums. Bones popped and twisted beneath the skin, the fur receding like smoke blown in reverse.

The wolf gave one last tortured cry, then collapsed, panting.

And when it lifted its head…

Something changed.

There was a girl now. Stunning in a sharp, almost dangerous way. Short green hair clung to her damp skin, dark eyes glinting under the moonlight like pools of ink. Her shoulders rose and fell with each breath. She was completely naked, her body lean and powerful, still trembling from the change.

I stood frozen behind a tree, barely daring to breathe.

A werewolf. A real one.

She sniffed the air.

Her head turned, slowly, sharply.

She smelled me.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I backed up one step.

Then another.

A twig snapped beneath my foot. The sound cracked through the silence like a gunshot.

She turned immediately, head whipping toward the noise. Her nostrils flared as she sniffed the air, slow and deliberate. Then her eyes, dark, sharp, unblinking, locked onto the trees I was hiding behind.

My breath hitched.

I stood there, frozen, heart racing so loud it drowned out everything else.

This can’t be how it ends.

She moved toward me, slow, purposeful, like a lion stalking prey. I could hear her feet crunching over the forest floor, every step drawing closer. My body refused to move. I shut my eyes, not wanting to see how it'll turn out.

Then, a hand shot out from the darkness and yanked me back into the shadows.

...

I landed hard on Clary’s balcony, breathless, knees scraping against the cold tiles. My chest heaved as I tried to steady myself, my limbs shaking from adrenaline and fear.

Behind me, the night closed in, heavy and quiet again, too quiet. I turned, and there she was.

Eska stood near the balcony door, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her bloodshot eyes shimmered in the moonlight, slowly draining back to their usual cold steel gray. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, fangs just barely visible as she glared at me.

"What the fuck were you doing there, Terra?" she hissed, her voice low and sharp as a blade. "Do you have a death wish?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My brain was still stuck on the image, the impossible image of the wolf’s bones shifting, fur melting, a girl’s body rising from the ruins of a beast. It was burned into me.

"I... I didn’t know," I finally whispered.

Eska ran a hand through her tousled hair, sighing in frustration. “Jesus. You can’t just go running into the woods at night. You don’t know what’s out there."

I lowered my head, ashamed but still too shaken to reply.

She stepped past me, pulling the balcony door open quietly. “Come on. Let’s go inside. And remember, this never happened.”

I nodded, moving to follow her. But as I stepped forward, her hand shot out and wrapped tightly around my wrist.

“Wait.”

I looked up at her, startled. Her grip was firm, almost desperate.

“One more thing,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Pink can never know.”

That stopped me cold. “Why?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could think better of it.

Eska’s eyes clouded. Her jaw clenched, and something flickered behind her calm exterior.

“She’ll freak out,” she said finally. “She doesn’t know I’m a vampire. And I don’t plan on telling her. Not after what happened last time.”

Her voice trembled slightly at the end, and for a second, she didn’t look like the icy, unreadable girl I’d come to know.

I wanted to ask what happened. I wanted to push. But the look in her eyes made it clear she wouldn’t tell me. Not tonight.

“Fine,” I said quietly. “I’ll keep your secret.”

Eska let go of my wrist and slipped inside without another word.

I followed, stepping back into the warmth of the house, I crawled into my sleeping bag and lay still, eyes wide open.

...

At school, I was still shaken from last night. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't erase that scene from my mind. It replayed over and over, like a horror film I wished I could unwatch.

In the locker room, Pink approached me with Clary and Eska trailing behind.

"Hey, roomie! How was last night?" she asked between giggles, her voice dripping with amusement.

"Weird," I blurted out without thinking glancing at Eska who looked right back at me.

"I know, right?" Pink smirked, exchanging glances with Clary.

Clary nudged Pink. "Show her the video," she urged.

Pink grinned and pulled out her phone. The second I saw the screen, my stomach dropped. It was a video of me, drunk, completely out of it. And, God, it was awful.

"Gosh!" I gasped, snatching the phone away for a closer look. "Please don't post this!"

Pink chuckled, taking her phone back and slipping it into her bag. "Relax, I wouldn’t do that. I promise."

"Cross our bras," Clary added with a laugh, making Pink giggle along.

Despite their teasing, I felt slightly reassured when Eska met my gaze and gave me a small, knowing nod. She didn’t say anything, but it was enough to tell me they wouldn’t betray me like that. I let out a breath of relief.

Just as we were about to head to class, a voice called out from behind me.

“Hey, Terra!”

I turned slowly, my stomach tightening as my eyes landed on the woman standing before me.

She looked exactly like the woman I’d seen in the woods. The same sharp cheekbones, the same hair colour. Her presence was even more striking, deadly, beautiful, and undeniably real.

Beside her stood another girl, fair-skinned, her thick blonde hair cascading past her shoulders. Her eyes were an unnatural yellow, bright and impossible to look away from, glowing like sunlight through amber. She had a curvy figure and the kind of confidence that drew every gaze in the corridor.

I blinked, hoping I was imagining things.

But no. The green haired girl stepped forward with the smooth, calculated grace of someone used to being feared.

“How nice to finally meet you,” she said, voice like silk over steel. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Jennifer Brown, but you can call me Jennie.” She smiled as though we were old friends. “And this—” she gestured lazily to the girl beside her “is my girlfriend, Sofie Max.”

Sofie gave a small wave. Her yellow eyes skimmed over me like she was memorizing my weaknesses.

Before I could respond, another voice sliced through the tension.

“Jennifer Brown,” Pink said, her tone colder than I’d ever heard it.

She stormed forward, her usual sarcastic edge stripped away, replaced by something raw. Clary and Eska flanked her silently, like shields locking into place.

“You’re back,” Pink said flatly. No warmth. No welcome. Just a quiet fury simmering beneath the surface. “I thought we got rid of you.”

Jennie smirked, tilting her head as if amused. “Well, darling,” she purred, “that sounds like a you problem.”

She turned on her heel, and strutted off down the hall, Sofie gliding at her side like a storm cloud dressed in sunlight.

I stood frozen, trying to piece together what I’d just witnessed. “You guys know her?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Eska’s expression was hard, unreadable. “Yeah. That’s Jennifer Brown. A werewolf.”

The words sank like stones in my chest. It was her. The wolf in the woods.

“And not just any werewolf,” Clary added quietly. “She’s reckless, violent. Some say she’s the alpha.”

My eyes darted to Pink.

She was still staring after Jennie, but her expression had gone blank. Not just annoyed. She looked… haunted.

“Pink?” I asked, stepping closer. “Are you okay?”

She didn’t look at me. Her jaw clenched as she let out a shaky sigh. “Let’s just get to class,” she muttered and turned sharply, walking away.

Clary followed without a word, her face pale.