Seraphina pov
The morning sun slanted across my apartment, painting the walls gold. I tugged my hoodie tighter around me, fingers brushing the faint, golden mark at my neck. It pulsed gently, a quiet rhythm that seemed alive, insistent, tethered to me in ways I didn't understand. I tried to focus on school, on anything normal, but the mark throbbed faintly as if warning me to stay alert.
The walk to Westvale High felt unusually long. Shadows stretched along the pavement, twisting as if alive. Every rustle of leaves, every echo of footsteps behind me made my pulse leap. I forced myself to breathe normally, pretending nothing was wrong, but I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling crawling up my spine.
Lockers slammed, sneakers squeaked, and laughter ricocheted off the walls. Mia waved from across the hall, her face bright with morning energy.
"Morning! You okay? You look… distracted," she asked.
"Long night. Didn't sleep much," I replied, forcing a smile.
She frowned, lingering just a moment before letting it go. I moved along the hall, but subtle oddities caught my attention: a locker door rattled, a stray paper hovered briefly, then fell. My mark throbbed faintly at the back of my neck, tightening as if it were alive.
By second period, history class had settled into quiet murmurs and shuffling papers. A boy leaned too close, smirking as he nudged my books onto the floor.
"Watch it!" I snapped, scrambling to gather them.
"Careful, freak," he sneered, eyes glinting.
Before I could react further, a heavy textbook toppled toward my fingers. My mark flared with warmth, and instinctively, my hands jerked back. The book clattered harmlessly onto the floor. The boy blinked, clearly confused. I felt my heart hammering, and a tremor ran through my arms. Why did I even move in time?
From the darkened rooftop across the street, golden eyes followed me. Kael's presence was there, invisible yet undeniable. My mark pulsed faintly, tethering us in ways humans could never understand. He had left the pack behind that morning, ignoring the growls and warnings of his beta, driven by an alpha's instinct to protect what he had marked. My vulnerability was raw, unshielded by human strength, and he would not allow harm to reach me.
By late afternoon, the halls quieted. I noticed it then: a shadow detached itself from the wall, moving against the light's direction. Its edges flickered unnaturally, fluid and wrong, unlike any human form. A chill ran down my spine as the mark throbbed sharply. Goosebumps prickled my arms. Something was here, something unseen, watching—or hunting. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. Kael's presence lingered close in the back of my mind, steady and protective, grounding me. I didn't know if it was instinct or real, but danger was near.
The shadow vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving only an empty hallway and the lingering dread in its wake. I shook my head, trying to force the tension from my shoulders, but the pull at my neck refused to quiet. Warm, alive, insistent — the mark reminded me I was no longer just human.
The bell rang, signaling the end of classes. I gathered my books, fingers brushing the mark again, feeling its faint pulse against my skin. Two unseen presences lingered now: one protective, alert, watching from the shadows, and another silent, threatening, a whisper of danger that promised my life would never be simple again.
I shivered, a mixture of fear and fascination crawling through me. This is only the beginning.