Riley's mind raced as Zayden led her through the winding paths of Crestwood Elite Academy. The night air felt colder now, or maybe it was just the weight of his words settling over her like a heavy cloak. You're part of this. There's no turning back.
The words echoed relentlessly in her head. What did that even mean? Part of what? What had she gotten herself into?
She glanced at Zayden, his features tight with concern, his jaw clenched as if he were holding back something dangerous. The light from the streetlamps above cast long shadows on his face, giving him a slightly otherworldly appearance. And Riley couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him than just being the arrogant, handsome playboy she had first encountered.
They reached the back of the school, where the light was dimmer and the air felt quieter, almost oppressive. Zayden finally stopped and turned to her, his face unreadable.
"Why?" Riley's voice was a whisper, her throat dry as she tried to process everything. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? What's really going on?"
Zayden's gaze softened, but there was a hardness to it that she couldn't ignore. "I wanted to protect you. I didn't want to pull you into this mess." His voice was low, a quiet confession laced with guilt. "But you're already in deeper than you realize."
Riley shook her head, trying to make sense of it all. She had always known there was something about Zayden that made him stand out—something more than just his good looks or his family's money. But this... this was beyond anything she had imagined.
"You're not telling me everything," she pressed, frustration bubbling up. "What's going on, Zayden? What does Lukas mean when he says I'm part of this? What am I involved in?"
Zayden took a step toward her, closing the gap between them, but he didn't touch her. He stood just inches away, his presence overwhelming. His eyes were dark with conflict as he finally spoke, his words strained. "Riley, you're more than just a scholarship student. You're connected to something far older than you could ever imagine. Something dangerous."
Riley's pulse quickened. She had a million questions, but the ones that mattered the most were the ones she was too afraid to ask. "Connected to what?" she managed to say.
Zayden hesitated, looking down for a moment as if gathering his thoughts. When he looked up again, his gaze was filled with something unreadable—fear, maybe, or regret.
"You're connected to the Pack," he said, his voice quiet but heavy with meaning.
The words hit her like a slap to the face. "The Pack? What the hell does that even mean?"
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. "The Pack, Riley, is what you've been pulled into. The werewolves. It's not just a myth. It's real. And you're part of it. I don't know how or why, but you're in danger because of it."
Riley's mind struggled to wrap around the words. Werewolves? This had to be a joke, some kind of sick prank. "Are you serious right now? Werewolves? You've got to be kidding me."
Zayden's expression hardened, and she saw a flicker of something behind his eyes—something raw and primal. "I'm not kidding. I never joke about this kind of thing, Riley. You've been marked, and now they're coming for you. They'll stop at nothing to claim you."
Riley's legs went weak, and she had to steady herself against the cold brick wall beside her. Her mind was reeling, trying to piece together the impossible words Zayden had just said. Werewolves? This couldn't be real. It just couldn't.
But the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He wasn't joking. And the fear that had been building in her chest—those subtle warnings she'd been ignoring—wasn't in her head. Something terrible was coming for her.
"I don't understand," she whispered, her voice shaking. "What am I supposed to do? How do I fight something like this?"
Zayden took a deep breath, his face hardening with determination. "You don't fight it. Not yet. But you need to come with me. We need to leave this place before they find you."
Riley's heart pounded in her chest as she looked up at him, searching his face for some sign that he wasn't just trying to scare her. But there was no denying it. The fear was real. The danger was real.
"I can't just leave," she protested, trying to back away. "I don't even know where I'm going. What are you talking about? What's going to happen?"
Zayden grabbed her by the wrist before she could pull away, his grip tight but not painful. "Riley, listen to me," he said, his voice low and firm. "You don't have a choice. You've been marked, and you can't outrun this. They'll come for you, and when they do, it'll be too late. We need to get you somewhere safe, somewhere they can't find you."
The weight of his words hit her like a freight train. She had thought she understood what her life was like at Crestwood Elite Academy. She had thought she was just a scholarship student, trying to fit in. But this—this was something far darker, far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined.
And she was right in the middle of it.
Zayden pulled her along with him, not giving her a chance to argue. She could feel his tension, his urgency as they moved through the night, and though a part of her wanted to fight it, to run back to safety, she knew it was pointless.
She had already been pulled into something she couldn't escape.
And now, she would have to trust Zayden with her life.