Rein POV

Kael didn’t say anything. He just looked at me and jerked his head toward the hallway. Charming.

As we walked out of the office and into the corridor, I broke the silence. “So… I’m Rein. You must be Mr. Sunshine.”

He snorted, clearly not expecting that. “Kael.”

I grinned. “Well, Kael, I have decided that you’re going to be my school buddy now.”

He gave me a sideways glance. “Why?”

“Because I’m the boss and you’re my backup.”

He stopped walking. “You’re the boss?”

“Obviously,” I said, flicking imaginary hair off my shoulder. “All this charm and cuteness can’t go to waste.”

He smirked. “That’s cute. I’m the king.”

I paused. “Wait, what?”

“The king,” he repeated, strolling casually down the hall.

My jaw dropped. “Okay, okay, ego much? Just because you’re tall and mysterious doesn’t make you king of anything.”

Kael didn’t respond. He just kept walking, looking smug.

We walked through several hallways, and I noticed people staring again. Like, full-on turning their heads to get a second look. Some whispered, others nudged their friends. I tried to smile at a few of them, but it was awkward.

Kael suddenly turned and glared at a guy who was blatantly staring. The dude immediately looked away and started fake-tying his shoe.

“Um,” I said, blinking. “Did you just scare that guy into submission?”

Kael shrugged. “He was being weird.”

I raised an eyebrow. “So your solution was ‘death glare’?”

“It works.”

Okay… fair.

We finally reached a row of lockers. Mine was the one at the end, freshly assigned with a shiny new lock. I threw my bag in with a dramatic sigh. “So far, ten out of ten school tour. Points deducted for death glares, though.”

Kael leaned against the locker beside mine. “You talk a lot.”

“Thanks,” I said brightly. “It’s part of my charm.”

He actually chuckled. “You’re… different.”

I put my hands on my hips. “Is that code for annoying?”

“No,” he said. “It’s… good different.”

I smiled at that.

We continued walking through the halls as he showed me the library, the cafeteria (“Avoid the mystery meat,” he warned), the gym (“Don’t challenge the coach unless you want your soul crushed”), and the back courtyard.

The weird thing? Even though Kael was quiet and had this intimidating energy, it didn’t scare me. Not one bit. If anything, it made me want to poke him until he cracked a smile.

As we circled back toward the main hallway, I turned to him. “So… thank you.”

“For what?”

“For not making this tour super boring. I’ve been to schools before where the tour guide was literally a poster.”

He smirked. “I’m better than a poster?”

“Way better. Posters don’t glare at people.”

“Glad I could be helpful.”

We stopped outside a classroom where a few students were filtering in.

“This is your class,” Kael said. “Welcome to hell.”

I laughed. “Wow, what a warm welcome.”

He shrugged. “Just being honest.”

“Well, King Kael,” I said, bowing dramatically, “I appreciate your royal efforts today.”

He rolled his eyes but smiled. “See you around, boss.”

I waved and slipped into the class, already feeling like this place might not be so bad after all.

After class ended, I said goodbye to Kael and the rest of the wild but loveable crew that had slowly accepted me as one of their own. My cheeks still hurt from all the laughter and chaos. I slid into my car with a huge smile on my face.

“Okay, home sweet home,” I said with a yawn, turning the key in the ignition and feeling the hum of the engine like music. “And maybe—just maybe—I’ll survive this school year without getting arrested or expelled.”

I rolled the windows down, letting the late afternoon breeze blow in as I drove through the forest route leading home. Trees lined both sides like nature’s personal audience. Everything felt oddly peaceful.

Too peaceful.

Suddenly, my car jerked.

“Wait, what?” I blinked, hands tightening on the wheel.

Then—thump. Flat tire.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I parked on the side and jumped out, inspecting the damage. One tire completely flat, rubber shredded like it had gotten into a fight with a bear and lost.

“Traitor,” I muttered, kicking the tire.

I pulled out my phone, held it high, even climbed onto the hood of my car in search of a signal. No bars. No “SOS.” Not even a whisper from the universe.

I was officially in the middle of nowhere.

As I hopped off the hood, rustling from the trees made me freeze. My head snapped up. Voices. Heavy boots on leaves. And then they appeared—three burly men stepping out from the woods like something out of a thriller movie.

I stiffened. “Uh…hi?”

“You’re on pack territory,” one of them said, his voice gravelly.

“I’m sorry—what pack? Like… are you guys campers?”

“Why are you here?” another demanded.

I swallowed hard. “Flat tire. Totally innocent. Just trying to get home to eat cereal and cry about homework.”

They didn’t look amused.

“You have to come with us.”

“What? Why? I’m not a threat! I’m literally five-foot-nothing and my strongest weapon is sarcasm!”

One of them grabbed my arm. “Our Alpha will decide what to do with you.”

“No, no, no—please—let me go!”

But they didn’t listen.

They dragged me deep into the woods. My heart pounded like crazy as I twisted and fought to break free, but it was useless. They were too strong, and I was just a girl with no backup.

Eventually, they shoved me into a stone structure. There was a heavy wooden door. A narrow hall. And then—darkness.

They tossed me into a room. No windows. No furniture. Just cold stone and damp air.

The door slammed shut.

And then… nothing.

⸻

It had been three days.

Or at least, I thought it had.

Time was no longer real. It blurred, twisted, and looped in my head.

I lay curled on the hard ground, barely conscious. My body ached all over—my lips dry, my throat scratchy, my stomach hollow and screaming for food it wouldn’t get. I had stopped calling for help after the first few hours. My voice had faded. Now, even breathing felt like work.

Everything was a haze.

No food. No water. No sunlight. Just the growing cold and the dark pressing in on all sides.

I wasn’t even sure if I was awake or dreaming anymore.

I thought about my mom’s cereal. The way she used to prepare it just right with warm milk and honey on the side. How she’d hum to herself while stirring. I missed that. I missed her. I missed safety.

What did I do wrong?

I wasn’t a threat. I was just a girl who happened to take the wrong road on the wrong day. How was this fair?

Tears slipped silently down my cheeks. I had no energy to sob. No strength left to even scream. I was just there—curled up in a ball, trembling, heart slowing with every second.

Was anyone looking for me?

Did my friends know?

Did Kael notice I hadn’t come to school?

Was my family worried?

I let my thoughts drift as the world blurred and faded.

Please, I thought weakly, to no one in particular. Let someone find me. Let me live.

And then darkness swallowed me whole.