The Wolf Who Found Me

Chapter 1

"Jane, eat faster! We need to get to school on time. I am not being late on the first day back!" my so‑called brother, Harry, shouted. He practically vibrated with excitement, pacing the kitchen like a kid who'd just been promised unlimited candy.

I took another slow bite of toast just to annoy him. "Why are we rushing? We're late every year. Last year I had to drag you out of bed half the time." I smirked, remembering the mornings I dumped cold water on him. His outraged yelling had been the best part of my day.

He groaned dramatically. "If you must know, it's a new year, and me and the guys want to get there early to check out the new girls. Plus, we want the good spot before Jake and his crew take it. So please, do your loving brother a favor and hurry up."

He attempted puppy eyes. They didn't work.

"Fine," I sighed. "Let me finish this last bite."

I grabbed my bag, and we headed out. Mom waved from the doorway; Dad had already left for work. The morning felt normal enough—sunlight, warm air, the usual chatter between us—but something in my chest felt... off. Like a quiet hum beneath my ribs.

I ignored it.

Thirty Minutes later...

We pulled into the school parking lot, and to my surprise, it was nearly empty. Finding a spot was easy. Too easy.

First day of the year and we're early. That alone felt unnatural. Harry must really be desperate to see those girls.

I locked the car and started toward the building. The moment my foot touched the walkway, a strange sensation rippled through me—like a sudden shift in gravity. I froze, glancing down at myself as if I'd find the cause written on my skin.

Nothing.

But the feeling lingered, curling low in my stomach. It wasn't nerves. High school never made me nervous. People didn't mess with me—not after I'd shut down a few bullies who tried to start something. By the end of year eleven, most people only approached me if they had to.

So why did it feel like something inside me had just... moved?

I shook it off and kept walking.

But I wasn't paying attention, and I collided with someone. Hard.

My reflexes kicked in, and I steadied myself—and him. The moment my hand brushed his arm, that strange sensation surged again, sharper this time, like a spark leaping beneath my skin.

I forced myself to speak. "Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. Are you okay?"

He looked up, and everything in me went still.

His eyes—hazel with a crystalline brightness—held mine with an intensity that made the world around us fade. There was something familiar about them, something that tugged at the edge of my memory even though I'd never seen him before.

"I'm fine," he said, his voice smooth and calm. "I wasn't watching where I was going either."

For a moment, we just stood there, caught in each other's gaze. Something about him felt... significant. Like meeting him was the beginning of something I wasn't ready for.

Harry's voice shattered the moment.

"Jane! You okay? Did he hurt you?" he called, his friends crowding behind him.

I tore my eyes away. "I'm fine. I bumped into him."

I turned back to the stranger. "You're new here, right? I haven't seen you before."

"Yeah. My family just moved here. I was actually looking for the front office... or someone who could show me where it is." His eyes never left mine, as if he were studying me—searching for something.

"I can show you," I offered. "Unless one of them wants to?" I glanced at Harry and his friends, who all gave me identical looks of horror.

I laughed softly and turned back to the guy.

"You're fine," he said with a small smile. "Looks like they'd rather be anywhere else than guiding the new kid."

"Alright then. Follow me."

We walked toward the school doors, and I felt strangely aware of him beside me—his quiet presence, the way he moved, the way that odd energy inside me seemed to react to him.

"So... what's your name?" I asked.

"Ash. Ash Lewis. And I'm guessing you're Jane?" he said, amusement flickering in his voice.

"Yeah, that's me." I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. Something about him felt natural, like we'd known each other longer than a few minutes.

"You know what, Ash?" I said, looping my arm through his without thinking. "New school year, new friendship."

He didn't pull away. His smile brightened, warm and unexpectedly soft. My cheeks heated—something that almost never happened.

"I guess it is," he said.

I looked forward quickly, trying to hide the flush. The front office doors came into view.

"Here we are," I said, turning us toward the entrance.

"Well... ladies first," he said, then paused when I gave him a look. "I mean—you first, since you're my guide."

He flashed a mischievous smirk.

I rolled my eyes and pushed the door open.

But as I stepped inside, that strange feeling pulsed again—stronger this time, like a warning... or a beginning.

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