Gilded Cages and Flashing Blue Eyes

My jaw dropped as I pushed open the door to my new room.

"This can't be right," I muttered, stepping inside cautiously.

The space before me wasn't a dorm room—it was a luxury apartment. Sunlight streamed through floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked manicured gardens. A plush queen-sized bed with a crimson duvet dominated one wall. There was a sitting area with a velvet couch, a sleek desk, and—was that a mini kitchen?

I wandered further in, running my fingers over the polished wooden surfaces. My old dorm at the university had barely fit a twin bed and dresser. This place was bigger than the apartment I'd grown up in with Mom.

A knot formed in my stomach. Mom. Would they really keep me updated about her condition? Or was that just something they'd said to make me cooperate?

I walked to the window, pressing my palm against the cool glass. Students moved across the grounds below, some laughing, others walking purposefully between buildings. They all looked so... normal. If it weren't for the occasional flash of blue eyes, I might have convinced myself this was just some elite private college.

But it wasn't. I was trapped here, in this beautiful gilded cage.

I noticed a door in the corner and discovered an en-suite bathroom with a rainfall shower, marble countertops, and fluffy white towels. On the counter sat an array of toiletries—all expensive brands I'd never have dreamed of buying.

After the day I'd had, a hot shower seemed like the only reasonable course of action. I peeled off my sweaty, tear-stained clothes and stepped under the steaming spray, letting the water wash away the grime and fear that clung to my skin.

As I scrubbed, reality crashed back like a wave. Less than twenty-four hours ago, I'd been a normal college student. Now I was... what? A Grey? A prisoner? Both?

I stayed under the water until my skin pruned and my mind stopped racing in circles. When I finally stepped out, I wrapped myself in a bathrobe that hung on the back of the door—soft, thick, and embroidered with the Ruby house crest.

Back in the main room, I noticed something I'd overlooked before: a bookshelf with several volumes. Most appeared to be textbooks, but one stood out—a leather-bound book titled "Grey Society: An Introduction."

I grabbed it and curled up on the couch, flipping through the pages.

"Greys are a separate branch of humanity that evolved with enhanced abilities," I read aloud. "Gifts typically manifest during puberty but can emerge during times of extreme stress or emotion in those with dormant genes..."

I skimmed further, learning about common abilities like enhanced strength, telepathy, and telekinesis. There were rarer gifts too—healing, dream walking, and compulsion. Each description made my head spin more.

"Wolf shifting occurs in approximately 30% of male Greys and only 5% of females..." I read, blinking in disbelief. "Bonding typically occurs between the ages of 18 and 25..."

I slammed the book shut, overwhelmed. This was too much, too fast. I needed air.

Standing, I walked to the window and pushed it open, letting the cool breeze hit my face. Below, a group of disheveled men had gathered under a tree. Something about them seemed off—their clothes weren't the neat uniforms I'd seen other students wearing, and they kept glancing around nervously.

A tall blonde man among them suddenly looked up, as if sensing my gaze. Our eyes met across the distance, and I could have sworn his eyes flashed blue.

I jerked back from the window, heart hammering. Was I imagining things? The distance was too great to see eye color clearly, yet I felt certain of what I'd seen.

Forcing myself to breathe normally, I moved away from the window and tried to focus on practical matters. I found a wardrobe filled with Ruby house uniforms—crisp white shirts, red blazers, and black skirts—along with casual clothes in my size.

How did they know my measurements? The thought sent another chill through me.

I had just pulled on a pair of leggings and a t-shirt when a knock sounded at my door. Hesitantly, I approached it.

"Who is it?" I called.

"Your neighbor!" a cheerful male voice replied. "Just wanted to introduce myself."

I cracked the door open cautiously—and froze. Standing in the hallway was the blonde man I'd seen outside, now close enough that I could clearly see his kind blue eyes and perfect white teeth as he smiled at me.

"Hi there," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Rhys Warner. I live across the hall."

Before I could respond, footsteps echoed down the corridor. Rhys's friendly expression faltered for a split second before he pushed past me into my room, shutting the door behind him.

"What the hell?" I backed away, anger flaring. "You can't just—"

"Sorry, sorry!" He held up his hands in surrender, still smiling. "I know this seems weird, but I just needed to talk to you privately. I saw you watching us earlier."

"That doesn't give you the right to barge in here," I snapped, my fight-or-flight response kicking into high gear. If he tried anything, I'd scream. Or maybe try to throw him like I had Bianca? The thought made me sick.

"You're right, totally right." He looked genuinely apologetic. "I'm handling this all wrong. Let me start over." He extended his hand again. "I'm Rhys. I promise I'm not a creep. I just wanted to meet the new girl everyone's talking about."

Something about his earnest expression made me hesitantly reach out and take his hand. "I'm Hazel."

The moment our hands touched, his eyes definitely flashed blue—not a trick of the light or my imagination. A jolt of energy passed between us, hot and electric. His pupils dilated, and a look of shock crossed his face.

"You—" he began.

But I never heard what he was going to say. A wave of dizziness swept over me, darkness crowding the edges of my vision. I felt my knees buckle as every muscle in my body went slack.

The last thing I saw before I blacked out was Rhys's startled face and those flashing blue eyes.