The heavy car door slammed shut, trapping me inside.
"From now on, you two commute together," Grace announced, buckling her seatbelt in the passenger seat.
"Let me out," Valen demanded, grabbing the interior door handle. He yanked it. Locked.
"Sit back down," Richard ordered from behind the steering wheel. He shifted the SUV into drive.
"I am not riding with her." Valen shoved his shoulder against the tinted glass, putting as much distance between us as the leather bench allowed. "Unlock the door, Dad."
"You will escort Mave every single morning," Richard stated, his eyes meeting his son's in the rearview mirror. "End of discussion."
I shrank against the opposite door panel. My ribs throbbed from the sudden movement, but I clamped my teeth together to stay quiet.
This was the closest I had ever been to him. His broad shoulders took up half the seat. The sheer heat radiating off his skin made the small space feel like an oven. A strange, nervous energy coiled in my stomach. My pulse pounded in my ears, and a sudden flush crept up my neck. I pressed my hands flat over my thighs, trying to steady the tremor in my fingers.
Valen twisted his head, catching my movement. His upper lip curled.
"Move away from me," he snapped.
"I'm against the door," I whispered, my voice barely working.
"Then press harder." He glared at my knees. "If you touch me, I'll throw you out the window."
"Valen," Richard growled, the steering wheel creaking under his grip. "Show some respect. Be polite to your guest."
Valen crossed his arms, staring straight ahead. He didn't say another word. His jaw locked so tight a muscle jumped in his cheek. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, all the way to the campus gates.
The SUV pulled up to the main drop-off zone. Before the tires even stopped rolling, Valen kicked his door open. He vaulted out onto the pavement.
I scrambled out my side, clutching my backpack to my chest.
Richard lowered the passenger window. "Have a good day, Mave. Valen will meet you here at three."
"Thank you, Alpha Richard," I said, ducking my head.
The SUV pulled away, blending into the stream of morning traffic.
I turned toward the main entrance. A hand shot out, grabbing the strap of my backpack.
Valen yanked me backward. I stumbled, barely catching my balance before I hit his chest.
"Listen to me very carefully," he hissed, backing me into the brick pillar of the front gate. His eyes darted around the courtyard, making sure no one was close enough to hear.
I flattened my spine against the rough stone.
"You do not tell a single soul where you slept last night," he ordered, leaning down until his face was inches from mine. "You do not mention my parents. You do not mention my house."
"I wasn't going to," I replied quickly, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"If anyone asks, you don't know me." He pointed a rigid finger at my collarbone. "You don't look at me in the halls. You don't speak to me. You stay exactly where you belong—in the shadows."
"Understood." I nodded instantly.
"Good." He took a massive step back, wiping his hand on his jeans again. "Now get out of my sight."
I didn't wait for a second command. I spun around and hurried up the concrete steps, keeping my head down.
I could never understand why Valen should be so utterly at odds with that of his kind-hearted parents.
I ducked behind the thick trunk of an oak tree near the entrance doors, pausing to catch my breath. My side burned.
Down in the courtyard, Valen was already turning to head toward the Alpha training wing.
"Valen!" a high, melodic voice called out.
A girl with perfectly styled blonde hair and a pleated skirt trotted across the pavement. Chloe Thorne. The reigning school beauty and the only female wolf who strutted around campus like she already wore a Luna crown.
She stopped right in front of him, planting a hand on her hip. "Why were you talking to that Omega?"
I froze, pressing my back against the tree bark.
Valen stopped. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "What are you talking about?"
"I just saw you," Chloe said, pointing a manicured finger toward the stairs I had just climbed. "You were standing with Mave. You never talk to that annoying stray."
"You saw wrong," Valen lied smoothly, his tone flat and bored. "I wasn't talking to her. She got in my way, and I told her to move."
Chloe tilted her head, studying his face. "Really? Because it looked like you two rode in together."
"My dad dropped me off," Valen countered. "She was just loitering by the gate."
Chloe's suspicious frown melted into a bright, glossy smile. "Well, good. She ruins the aesthetic of the courtyard anyway."
Valen didn't laugh. He just stared at her. "Did you need something, Chloe?"
"Actually, yes." She unzipped her designer tote bag and pulled out a thick, cream-colored envelope. She held it out to him, her voice dropping to a softer, more intimate register. "My eighteenth birthday party is next month. My presentation ceremony."
Valen glanced at the envelope but didn't take it.
"I'm inviting the whole elite tier, obviously," Chloe continued, stepping closer to him. "But I wanted to give you yours in person. You mean a lot to me, Valen. I really hope you'll be there."
He finally pulled his hand from his pocket and took the invitation. "I'll check my schedule."
"Make sure you do," she purred, brushing her fingers against his forearm. "It won't be a real party without the future Alpha."
She spun on her heel and walked toward the main building, making sure her hips swayed with every step.
I peeked around the bark. Valen stood alone in the courtyard, staring down at the cream envelope in his hand. He flipped it over, his expression unreadable, before shoving it roughly into his jacket.
He lifted his head.
His gaze snapped perfectly onto the oak tree.
He knew I was still there.
He didn't yell. He didn't march over. He just stared right at my hiding spot, his blue eyes flashing with a sudden, sharp intensity that made my stomach drop.
Then, he reached into his jacket, pulled his phone out, and typed a quick message.
A second later, my own phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out, staring at the cracked screen. An unknown number had sent a single text.
*Meet me behind the gym at lunch. Alone. Or I tell the entire pack where you really sleep.*
