THREE: WEREWOLVES

The next day, I hid in the science lab, flipping through my math notes, hoping to prepare for the upcoming test before Pink and her crew could find me.

I barely had a moment of peace before two students—one girl, one boy—walked in. Their eyes widened when they saw me, as if I had no business being here.

They approached, and the guy casually waved.

"Hey, Terra."

I frowned. "How do you know my name?"

He chuckled. "You're pretty popular around here. You can't hang out with Pink and expect to stay under the radar."

I sighed. I'd only been in Caveroop for a few days, and I was already 'popular.' That was the last thing I wanted.

"I'm Genora," the girl said with a bright smile. Her dark blue eyes shimmered behind square glasses, her long blonde hair falling over her fair shoulders.

"And I'm Sam," the guy added. He had striking blue eyes, wore glasses too, and his overall nerdy vibe immediately gave me a sense of comfort.

This was the kind of company I wanted; smart, drama-free, and, hopefully, not involved in supernatural insanity.

"Nice to meet you both," I said, smiling.

"What brings you here?" Sam asked, pulling a thick math textbook from his bag.

Perfect timing.

"Studying for the math test."

"Same!" Genora beamed.

"You're in class A4 too?" I asked, and they both nodded.

"You probably haven't noticed us," Sam said with a grin. "Come on, let's help you out."

I shifted my chair, sliding between them as we tackled equations together.

...

The test went surprisingly well, I was certain I had nailed it.

Afterwards, I decided to have lunch at the basketball court. The cafeteria was too crowded, and I wasn't in the mood to sit with Pink and her group. I needed space.

The court was quiet, empty, just what I needed. I settled on the bleachers and called my best friend from back home.

We talked for a while, catching up. She told me how things had changed in Oxville, and I, in turn, told her about my bizarre discoveries in Caveroop. Of course, she didn't believe a word of it.

When the call ended, I stared at my phone, a pang of nostalgia hitting me. I missed her.

I had just unwrapped my lunch when Jesse strolled onto the court.

His presence was impossible to ignore, even when I tried. The way his damp singlet clung to his skin, highlighting his toned abs, it was distracting, annoying even.

"Hey, you!" he called out.

I looked up and met his gaze.

"What are you doing here?"

I scoffed. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

His presence alone soured my appetite.

"Whatever. Suit yourself, bitch."

I froze. "Bitch?"

But he was already heading to the locker room.

Annoyed, I packed up my lunch. My peaceful escape was ruined.

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

Her room was massive, practically a mini apartment. Everything was shades of blue, from the walls to the furniture. While the others set up for the night, I slipped out to explore.

Clary's parents were away on business, leaving her and her sisters to themselves. As I wandered through the house, I ran into Resa and Alexa on the balcony, watching videos on their phones.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hey, Terra," they said in unison.

"Nice house."

"Thanks," Resa replied with a smile.

I was about to leave when Alexa stopped me.

"Hey, Terra, you're from Oxville, right?"

Something in her tone made me cautious. "Yeah… why?"

"I had a friend from there," she said casually.

"Okay… cool."

"What made you leave?" Resa asked.

My body stiffened.

Memories crashed into me like a wave.

"If you don't give me what I want, I'll shove your head down the latrine," my own voice echoed in my mind, sharp and cruel.

"She's useless to us now," another voice sneered. Laughter followed. Hands pushing me aside.

I blinked rapidly, shaking off the past.

"Everything okay?" Resa asked, noticing my silence.

I forced a smile. "Yeah, all good."

I turned and walked away before they could ask anything else.

The night was filled with laughter, games, and too many drinks. I barely remembered most of it.

Around 2 a.m., the sound of distant howls jolted me awake.

I groaned, my head throbbing from all the alcohol. "Wolves?"

I stood up, wondering to myself,

"Are there wolves around here?"

Glancing around, I saw Pink and Clary asleep. But Eska was missing

She might have gone out to hunt or do whatever vampires do at night.

The window was open.

Curiosity got the best of me. I grabbed a small flashlight and climbed out, hoping to stumble upon Eska doing something unbelievable.

The moonlight lit my path as I carefully made my way through the trees, avoiding branches and leaves that could give me away.

Then I saw it.

A large black wolf stood in the clearing, its fur bristling. But something was wrong, it wasn't acting like a normal wolf.

It groaned, its body trembling violently.

I gasped as the transformation began.

Claws shrank. Fangs receded.

The beast howled as its thick fur melted away, revealing smooth, pale skin.

In place of the wolf now stood a stunning young woman.

Short green hair. Dark, piercing eyes. A dangerously alluring beauty.

Completely naked.

I barely breathed. A werewolf.

She turned, sniffing the air. My heart pounded, she could smell me.

I was screwed.

Before she could reach me, a strong hand yanked me back.

...

I landed on Clary's balcony, breathless.

Turning, I saw Eska standing near the door, her crimson eyes fading back to normal.

"What the fuck were you doing there, Terra?" she hissed. "You could have been killed!"

I was still too stunned to speak, the image of the werewolf's transformation burned my mind.

Eska sighed, rubbing her temples. "Let's get inside. And remember, this never happened."

I nodded, but as I stepped forward, she grabbed my wrist.

"One more thing, Pink can never know."

That made me pause. "Why?"

Her expression darkened. "She'll freak out. She doesn't know I'm a vampire. And I don't plan on telling her. Not after what happened last time."

I wanted to ask more, but I knew she wouldn't spill.

"Fine. I'll keep your secret."

We went inside, and I pretended like nothing had happened.

...

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.

"I know, right?" she 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.

No. It couldn't be.

She looked exactly like the figure I had seen in the woods earlier this morning. The same sharp features, the same piercing gaze. But now, standing beside her was a blonde girl, fair-skinned, striking yellow eyes that almost seemed to glow, and a curvy figure that made her presence impossible to ignore.

I blinked, trying to clear my vision, trying to convince myself that this wasn't real. But it was. She stepped forward, extending her hand.

"How nice to finally meet you," she said smoothly. "I've heard a lot about you. I'm Jennifer Brown, but you can call me Jennie. And this—" she gestured to the girl beside her "—is my girlfriend, Sofie Max."

Sofie gave a small wave, her eyes sizing me up with an unreadable expression.

"Jennifer Brown," Pink's voice cut in, sharp as a blade.

She strode forward, her usual playful demeanor wiped clean. Clary and Eska flanked her like a unit.

"You're back," Pink stated, her voice laced with something I couldn't quite place. "I thought we got rid of you."

Jennie smirked, tilting her head with an air of mock innocence. "Well, darling, that's your problem, not mine," she quipped, flipping her hair before she and Sofie strutted off like they owned the place.

I turned to the others, my mind racing. "You guys know each other?"

"Yeah," Eska said with a grim expression. "That's Jennifer Brown. A werewolf."

My breath caught in my throat. It was her.

"And not just any werewolf," Clary added. "She's wild, dangerous and some say she's the alpha."

I felt a chill crawl up my spine. My gaze flickered to Pink, whose expression was unreadable. But something was off. She wasn't just annoyed she was unsettled.

"Pink? You okay?" I asked hesitantly.

She let out a sigh, her eyes dark with something I couldn't name. "Let's just get to class," she muttered before turning on her heel and walking away.

Clary followed without a word.

Eska lingered, stepping closer. She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and whispered, "Jennie's return brings back bad memories for Pink. It's best not to ask."

Then she left, leaving me standing there, the weight of the moment pressing heavy on my chest.

And somehow, I knew this was just the beginning.