"Remember, Mia," Laura's voice trembled as she fixed the collar of her daughter's borrowed uniform that morning, "stay invisible. Do not do something that will make anyone notice you."
Mia forced a small smile, though her heart pounded. "I know, Mom. I'll be careful."
It had been only a week since they moved into the werewolf city, and already, she felt like a speck of dust in a storm. The Eclipse Prowess Institute was not a school for humans like her—it was built for the sons and daughters of wolves, ranked families, and Lycans who carried more power in their blood than Mia could ever dream of. She only had her scholarship, her mother's hope, and her stubborn will to survive.
Still, she nodded at Laura's words and did as she was told to. Stay invisible. Don't draw attention. Keep her head down and finish school. That was the plan.
But plans were fragile things.
By lunchtime, the cafeteria was buzzing, alive with the chatter of students whose laughter sounded sharper when aimed at her. Mia carried her tray, the food heavy and strange smelling. Meat seasoned with spices she didn't recognize, bread that was thicker than anything she had at home, and a drink that tasted faintly metallic. She sat at the farthest corner, her shoulders hunched, trying to chew without drawing stares.
But she could feel them anyway, the whispers and the snickers. Even those ranked at the bottom, omegas, treated her like dirt. A human girl didn't belong here, and everyone made sure she remembered.
She lowered her eyes, pushing the food around her plate. If she swallowed quickly enough, maybe it would all pass. Maybe today she would make it without—
"Look who's sulking all alone."
Mia's heart sank. She didn't need to look up to know the voice. Rachel.
When she finally did raise her head, Rachel stood before her, beauty shining like polished glass. Blonde curls perfectly styled, lips painted with confidence, and eyes that carried cruelty like a weapon. Beside her was Eliose, her shadow, grinning like she'd already scented blood.
Rachel's voice carried through the cafeteria. "Poor little scholarship girl. Still not used to our food? Or maybe humans only eat scraps?"
A few students snickered, the sound cutting sharper than knives. Mia clenched her fork tighter. Invisible, she told herself. Stay invisible. Don't answer.
But Rachel wasn't done. She leaned closer, her perfume too sweet, too sharp. "Do you know why you disgust me? Because you sit here pretending you belong. This is a school for wolves, for Lycans. For people with power. And you—" Rachel's eyes traveled down Mia's plain clothes, the faded sweater, the scuffed shoes. "—you are nothing."
Eliose giggled. "Nothing but dirt."
Mia kept her eyes down, her cheeks burning. The food on her tray blurred. If she just waited it out, maybe—
Rachel's hand moved faster than thought. She grabbed the ketchup bottle from the table, her smirk cruel. "Let's give her a little color, shall we?"
Gasps rose from the tables nearby, but Mia's body reacted before her mind did. She shoved her chair back and ducked, the bottle slipping in Rachel's hand.
A splatter. A sharp cry.
When Mia looked up, her heart lurched. Rachel's pristine white blouse was streaked with red, ketchup dripping down like blood.
The cafeteria went silent for a heartbeat. Then whispers erupted.
Rachel froze, disbelief flashing in her eyes before fury replaced it. "You—" Her voice cracked like a whip. "You dare?"
Her hand curled into a fist, but Mia didn't wait. Her body moved before fear caught up. She ran.
The laughter and gasps chased her down the hall as she darted past tables and chairs, past staring faces. She didn't stop to think, didn't stop to breathe. All she knew was escape.
Her sneakers pounded against polished floors as she tore through corridors. Turn after turn until the familiar walls of the lower-rank wing gave way to an unfamiliar hall. The air here was sharper, colder, scented with something she couldn't name.
Too late, she realized her mistake. She had crossed into the part of the school forbidden to lower ranks.
Her lungs burned, her chest heaved, but she didn't dare stop. Only when she spotted a bathroom door did she push herself inside, slamming the stall shut, her heart hammering against her ribs.
She pressed her back against the door, breath ragged. Just wait, she told herself. Just wait until they pass. Then she'd sneak back.
Minutes ticked by in silence. Slowly, she let herself breathe.
But then she heard it.
The faint hiss of running water.
Her eyes widened. She wasn't alone.
The realization hit like ice. She was in the wrong bathroom. The boy's.
Her stomach dropped. She pressed a hand over her mouth, praying she hadn't been noticed.
But the door latch rattled faintly. Not locked well. And then—a voice. Deep, smooth, but edged with something dangerous.
"There's someone here."
Mia froze, every muscle taut.
Silence stretched, broken only by her racing heart.
The voice came again, louder this time. "Come out."
Her throat tightened. She couldn't. If she showed herself, she'd be dragged back to Rachel or worse—punished for breaking rules she didn't even fully understand.
"No?" The voice was patient, amused even. "I'll give you one more chance."
Her knees shook. Still, she stayed silent.
A pause. Then footsteps. Slow. Deliberate. Walking away.
Relief flooded her chest. She slumped against the stall door, whispering a shaky breath. Safe. She was safe—
The door crashed open.
A hand like steel wrapped around her neck, slamming her back against the cold wall. The air rushed from her lungs as she gasped, her feet barely finding ground.
He was tall, his shadow swallowing hers. His body caged hers in, one arm pinning her, his frame looming, radiating power that made her bones tremble.
This was no ordinary boy.
This was Leon.
Her first look at him stole her breath in a way different from fear. His dark hair fell carelessly into stormy eyes, his sharp jaw clenched tight, his lips parted in a snarl. But underneath the anger was something else—something primal.
He leaned closer, inhaling, his nose brushing against her skin.
Mia shivered. Heat surged where his breath touched her. Confusion knotted inside her chest. What was happening?
His lips hovered at her neck, his voice low, guttural. "What are you?"
Her body betrayed her. A soft sound escaped her throat—half moan, half gasp.
Leon groaned, his grip tightening as if the sound ignited something in him. He pressed closer, his chest hard against hers, his frame a furnace of heat.
For one terrifying, dizzying moment, she thought he would claim her right there. His lips brushed her skin, his breath ragged.
Then, as suddenly as it began, he tore himself away.
Mia collapsed to the floor, her knees buckling, confusion and fear tangling inside her.
Leon stood over her, chest heaving, his eyes burning with something wild. Then he spat a curse under his breath and stormed out, leaving her trembling, breathless, and utterly lost.
The silence that followed was louder than any scream.