NINE: THE WOLVES

I was still disturbed by everything that had happened, Clary and I having the same dream, and discovering that Nemus was trying to get back to the school. But I refused to believe it.

I walked absentmindedly through the hallway, counting every step I took. Then I stopped at my locker to grab my books for the next class.

I opened the metallic door after typing in my passcode, pulled out my math notebook and textbook, tucked the test result into my bag, and shut the locker with a soft clang.

As I turned to leave, my head collided with someone's chest. I stumbled back and hit the floor, my books scattering around me.

I looked up, it was Jesse, he looked spaced out, like he was in a hurry to get to somewhere.

He glanced down at me on the floor; his face wasn't as harsh as it used to be. It had softened a little.

"I'm sorry," he said, helping me up and picking up my books before handing them over.

I was surprised, seriously, did he just apologize? I was expecting him to sigh and walk away, but instead, he did the opposite.

It gave me a warm feeling inside.

As soon as I took the books from his hands, he dashed off without waiting for me to express my gratitude.

What's up with him?

Was all I could think about at that moment. I shook my head, so as not to entertain any thoughts, and I turned to leave.

A few minutes into class, I had an ache in my head, It wasn't sharp, just an uncomfortable pressure that made it hard to concentrate on the equations scrawled across the whiteboard. The teacher's voice faded into background noise, and the fluorescent lights above seemed suddenly too bright.

I raised my hand, trying not to wince.

"May I go to the bathroom?" I asked, my voice quieter than usual.

The teacher nodded without much interest, already moving on to the next example. I gathered my things slowly, cradling my forehead with one hand, and walked out into the hallway.

The moment I stepped out of the classroom, the air felt cooler, quieter. My footsteps echoed faintly against the linoleum floor as I made my way to the nearest restroom, hoping the silence would help settle the pounding in my head.

When I got there, I turned on the tap and let the water flow, cupping my hands together to splash the water on my face to calm down.

I did this several times, then stopped, still panting.

Images flashed before my eyes, I couldn't recognize them. I began hearing whispers and strange laughter. I could feel my eyes starting to close.

What is happening to me?

Suddenly, I stood still, my head tilted up. The black part of my eyes vanished, and I saw myself running through the school hallway, being chased by an animal in human form. Then, all of a sudden, I snapped back to reality.

Panting heavily, I turned the tap on again and splashed more water on my face. I must be going crazy.

Then, out of nowhere, I heard a sweet, angelic voice cut through the chaos in my mind, saying,

"Careful, you might hurt yourself."

I looked up to see who had spoken.

Jennie was tucked into the far corner of the bathroom, half-hidden by the dim, flickering light above. A cigarette dangled loosely from her lips, and she held a lighter in her hand, thumb hovering over the spark wheel. She was sitting sideways on the lid of an open toilet, one leg drawn up, the other dangling lazily.

Her eyes, usually sharp with sarcasm or amusement looked dull and unfocused. There was a tightness in her jaw, a crease between her brows. She looked... frustrated.

The smell of smoke hit me, making me realize just how long she must have been standing there.

She stubbed out the cigarette after finishing it and threw it to the floor, then smiled at me.

"Is something wrong?"

"How long have you been there?" I blurted out.

"Long enough to tell you're going crazy," she said, walking over to turn off the running tap.

I wanted to ask if she knew what was happening to me, but I decided to leave it alone.

She returned to where she'd been staring at the ceiling. I noticed something was bothering her, so I asked,

"What's going on up there?"

She looked at me, somewhat amazed, and let out a smirk.

"So you're suddenly interested in my business?"

I scoffed, folding my arms as the silence between us loosened, just a little.

"I wouldn't say interested," I said, keeping my tone light. "Just... curious about your sudden quietness."

I could have sworn I saw her frown, but she quickly replaced it with a sneer.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she shot back, her voice sharp but tired beneath the bite.

"Well, the Jennie I've known these past few weeks is always out looking for trouble and breaking rules. This version of you is different."

Jennie laughed, loudly enough that it probably echoed into the hallway.

"Looks like you know me better than I know myself," she said, shaking her head as the lighter bobbed slightly between her fingers.

I glanced at the time. I'd already burned through half the class period.

Smiling faintly, I said, "I like the new improvement. Keep it up."

Then I turned and walked out, letting the door swing shut behind me.

...

When the final bell rang, the hallway buzzed with chatter and slamming lockers. Pink and the others stayed behind for practice, their laughter trailing down the corridor as they disappeared into the gym.

But I didn't stick around. I left.

As I stepped out of the school building, I spotted Jesse sitting alone at the school garden. Seeing him gave me a fuzzy feeling inside, and since he'd been nice to me earlier, I decided to try my luck.

I approached him. He was sitting on the edge of the wooden bench, his head low, lost in thought. He didn't notice me until I waved a hand in front of his face.

"Hello."

He looked up at me calmly, unreadable, not the least bit irritated.

"Hey." His voice came in deep.

My heart started pounding. I didn't know what to say. He was looking straight into my eyes.

Oh God. What do I say?

The silence stretched. My brain screamed at me, Say something!

"Erm... thanks for not ignoring me today," I blurted out.

Immediately, I winced inwardly. Seriously? That's what I went with?

He tilted his head slightly. Still no emotion. Just that calm, quiet stare. "And?"

"And..." I tried to think of something quickly, but before I could, he stood up, glanced at me briefly, and walked away without saying another word.

Fuck!

I felt so stupid. It would have been better if I hadn't approached him at all. I glanced around to see if anyone had noticed our awkward exchange, but everyone was too focused on what they were doing.

Sighing in embarrassment, I walked away.

That night, we headed to a neon-lit bowling alley tucked behind a gas station. The air smelled faintly of popcorn and shoe polish, and the sound of pins crashing against wood echoed like distant thunder. It was crowded, college kids, families, couples but we managed to find a small round table near lane seven.

I welcomed the distraction. After everything that had been happening, I needed this just something normal.

"Three bottles of beer and a soft drink, please," Pink told the server, flipping her pink hair over her shoulder with practiced flair.

"My parents are coming back this weekend," Clary sighed, picking at her chipped black nail polish. "They don't want to miss the game."

"Who are we playing against?" I asked, only half-listening.

"Alvin High School," Eska chimed in, her voice calm and smooth, like always. "If we win, we move to the semi-finals. That one's against a college team. And if we win that we're going to the nationals."

My eyebrows lifted slightly. "That sounds... intriguing," I said under my breath, almost too softly to be heard.

After a few minutes, a young waitress appeared, her smile tight and polite. She placed our drinks on the table with a gentle clink of glass.

"Enjoy," she said, then disappeared into the crowd.

Pink stood up, grabbing her beer dramatically like it was a trophy. "Let's spice this up. Shots-style game. Every time someone fails to knock down all the pins, bam! Take a shot. Let's see who gets drunk first."

We all laughed, agreeing without hesitation. The game began.

Clary was hopeless. Her aim was tragic, and by her third turn, she was already blushing from the alcohol. Eska, on the other hand, was a silent storm, precise, consistent. But I surprised myself. I was better. Every strike made me feel more alive, like I had control over something, finally.

We bowled for over an hour, cheering, teasing, shouting each other's names. My stomach ached from laughing. At one point, Pink tried to do a spin before her throw and fell right on her backside. We ordered fries, wings, and milkshakes to help soak up the alcohol and took turns taking ridiculous selfies with hot sauce on our noses and curly fries sticking out of our mouths.

It was a perfect night.

Until we heard the howls.

They started faint, like distant wind, but grew louder and closer, piercing through the music blaring from the speakers.

"The wolves!" the shop owner shouted, his voice cracking with panic. His face had gone pale as chalk. "They're here!"

Before we could react, he ran to the entrance, bolting the doors and shouting at the staff.

"Get everyone inside! Now!" He and two employees pulled the heavy curtains across the windows and turned off the music and lights, one by one.

Darkness flooded the alley. The pin lights glowed dimly at the end of the lanes like small fires in a cave.

People whispered and shifted nervously, some huddling near their tables, others crawling under them. The air felt thick, like the pressure before a storm. Every sound seemed amplified, the clink of a spoon, the creak of a bench.

"What's going on?" I whispered to a man at the next table, who was clutching his phone with white knuckles.

"It's the full moon," he muttered without looking at me. "The wolves hunt tonight. If they catch your scent and you're outside, you're done for."

A waitress stood near the window, peeking through a crack in the curtains. Her voice trembled.

"The alpha."

That single word sent a shockwave through the room. Gasps. Whimpers. Someone dropped a glass. Instantly, everyone ducked beneath their tables.

Even us.

Pink was visibly shaking, her lips pressed into Clary's shoulder as Clary wrapped her arms around her tightly. Eska sat beside them, unbothered, her vampire nature probably making her immune to the panic pulsing through the rest of us.

I couldn't sit still. Something pulled at me, a need to see.

I crawled across the floor to the window where the waitress had been. Slowly, I moved the curtain aside just a fraction.

Outside, under the blood-orange glow of the full moon, I saw it.

A towering creature stood on the rooftop across the street, silhouetted by the night sky. Its head was thrown back, howling, its voice filled with hunger and command. Below it, shadows moved, its pack, tearing through trash bins, crashing into cars, ripping apart whatever lay in their path.

My breath caught. There were so many of them.

Then, suddenly, the alpha stopped howling.

Suddenly, it stopped howling and looked directly in my direction, sending shivers down my spine. Before I knew what was happening, it was staring right into my eyes through the closed window. Its eyes glowed red. It was covered in fur like a wolf but stood like a man. I couldn't make out its face; it seemed to vibrate with its entire body.

"Terra, get out of there," I heard Eska whisper sharply behind me. Her voice was steady but low, careful not to draw attention. But I couldn't move. I was anchored by the creature's gaze.

Then, in an instant, it vanished. One blink and it was gone, like it was never there.

I gasped and stumbled backward, my heart pounding in my ears. I dropped to my knees, my palms flat against the cold floor. I couldn't speak. Couldn't even think.

"Are you okay?" a waiter asked, shaking me. His voice was muffled, distant. "Hey! She's not responding!"

I heard someone, maybe Pink gasp. The fear in her eyes mirrored the panic I felt rising in my chest like fire.

"Terra!" She cried.

The waiter shook me harder, but I couldn't feel it. My limbs were numb. My skin cold. Tears slid down my cheeks, and my vision blurred.

Then the world tilted and soon, everything went black.

What's happening to me?