(Isabella)

Sensing danger, my survival instincts kicked in. With a swift motion, I turned, fists clenched, ready to defend myself against the assailant.

My punch halted as a warm, masculine hand enveloped mine completely. "Whoa! Feisty," he chuckled lightly.

I looked up, entranced by his appearance. Was he a werewolf or an angel?

His grey, neck-length hair fell over his face, revealing just enough of his striking grey eyes. His soft jawline added a tender touch to his features, while his high nose and thin lips made my heart flutter. Coupled with his angelic allure was his attire—an all-white ensemble that sparkled yet felt effortlessly cool.

As he released my hand, reality returned with a jolt. "You shouldn’t sneak up on someone like that," I managed, my tone firmer than I felt.

"Sneak up on someone? Why would I do that?" he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice.

"Why else does a bully do what he does?" I rolled my eyes defiantly.

He leaned against the nearby wall, tilting his head slightly as if to take in every detail of me. "You’re talking about Jacklyn and his crew, not me," he replied.

"Plus, I don’t think anyone can bully you. I saw how you shut down Miss Emily," he added with a smirk.

"Miss Emily?" I raised an eyebrow.

"The history teacher," he responded casually.

"Oh, so that’s Kitty's name," I rolled my eyes again. But then something struck me. I studied him closely, furrowing my brows. "Are you a final-year student?" I ventured.

"You didn’t see me in class?" He asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"You were there?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

He laughed softly. "I’m rarely seen by everyone. I’m known as the ghost of Golden Haven School."

"So that clears up the allegation of me sneaking up on you," he smiled.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes, turning to leave. But his next words made me stop in my tracks.

"You’re beautiful," he muttered, and my eyes widened in shock. To be truthful, he's the first person that has ever told me that in my nineteen years of life. Although I'm often admired by people, but no one ever dared to complement my looks.

"Why do you look so shocked? No one has ever told you that?" His voice cut through the silence of the hallway, but I ignored his question and kept walking.

My heart raced slightly, a flutter of excitement mixed with anxiety. I resisted the urge to glance back at his handsome figure; he was much too captivating to linger on. Forget Calvin and Jacklyn—this guy was an entire package. The saddest part? I didn’t even catch his name.

I took a few steps further, my curiosity piqued, and glanced over my shoulder to see if he would follow like so many other guys would. But oddly, he wasn’t there. It was as if he had melted away into thin air. He's really a ghost.

Entering the restroom, it was echoing sounds that got me pissed. I inhaled deeply and made my way to a cubicle, opening the door only to find a couple deeply engrossed in their own world, oblivious to the door being ajar. Maybe they had grown shameless in their audacity, accustomed to being caught.

Scoffing, I shut the door and stepped into the next cubicle. "Can you keep it down a little?" I kicked the wall angrily, fed up with the unwanted moans.

Once I finished, I strode out and headed back to the classroom. As I turned a corner, I nearly collided with Calvin, who seemed to materialize out of nowhere. I cast him a quick glance, trying to evade the pull of his gaze, and brushed pass him.

"You're yet to meet me in my office," he said, halting me. "Why haven't you come yet?" He asked.

“If I remember correctly, you asked me to meet you in your office before the end of today. The day isn’t over yet, is it, sir?” I shot back, a hint of sass in my tone.

He chuckled, repeating my last word, “Sir.”

“That’s quite strange coming from someone who's called me 'sugar plump' and 'cupcake'," he added, amusement dancing in his eyes.

I ignored him and tried to step away, but he halted my movement with an authoritative tone that compelled me to pause, "I'm not done talking to you yet."

"I'm your Alpha, you don’t walk out on me," he said, his voice low and commanding as he stepped closer. I felt his presence envelop me, his intoxicating scent igniting a familiar spark that raced through my veins, sending my pulse racing. "Don’t do that again," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

With every ounce of defiance I could muster, I finally broke free from his spell, fixing him with a steely gaze that brimming with challenge. "Watch me do it again," I dared, a smirk playing at my lips.

So what if he was Alpha? It meant nothing to me. After all, he'll soon kick me out of his pack when he finds out who I am.

I turned away, flinging my hair over my shoulder, and strode confidently down the hallway, my footsteps echoing against the walls, a rebellious anthem in a sea of uncertainty.

Returning to the classroom, it was just as I met it before lessons began, illicit and dangerous happenings were going on again. I had to question myself, is this a highschool or a college?

I slid into my seat and, with a deft motion, popped in my headphones, allowing the music to wash over me—a soothing armor against the world of chaos outside. I lost myself in melodies that spoke of magic and tranquility, a stark contrast to the turmoil I found myself in here.

As the lessons droned on, punctuated by the occasional laughter or hushed conversation around me, time seemed to blur. Eventually, the lunch bell rang, signaling a brief escape before the onslaught of more lessons. Each class passed like a haze until the final bell rang, a welcomed sound that released us into the freedom of the evening.

After tossing some essentials into my locker, I joined Maya in the hallway for the trek back to the hostel. "So, how was your first day?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

“Sucks, like every other day,” I replied, maintaining my trademark nonchalance.

Maya came to a sudden halt, her wide eyes fixated on me as if I had spoken something inappropriate.

"That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard from a student about her first day at a school," she said, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"You are weird, Isa," she added with a teasing chuckle.

I smiled at her words, feeling a strange sense of pride in my eccentricity. After all, that's the kind of compliment I often receive, not the other unusual remark that angel had directed at me earlier.

His face flashed in my mind, and my lips curled up into a soft smile, warmth spreading through me.

As we arrived at the hostel, the sense of anticipation to sink in bed hung in the air. Just as Maya swung the door open, we both froze in the doorway, taken aback by the sight that greeted us.

A massive cardboard sign was taped to the wall, emblazoned with bold, playful letters: "OUR EYES ARE ON YOU!"