Eden's POV
I sit in class, staring out the window. It's a work period for an assignment, and I've already completed it so technically for me, it's free time.
I let my mind wander, looking at the clear blue sky and white clouds outside.
Shrieking, screaming, fire, chaos.
I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I jump slightly with a sharp intake of breath, whipping my head around to face whoever touched me. I'm met with a girl with a brown wavy hair, rounded face, deep brown eyes with long eyelashes smothered in mascara and eyeliner and a half smile on her clear glossed lips. She stares at me, waiting for me to speak and I blink my eyes multiple times before I can even get any words out.
"I scared you, didn't I? I'm sorry." Her voice is clear, with a relatively higher pitch and tone.
I nod. "A little. It's okay." Her face relaxes and she full out smiles at me now, her bright white smile fully on display.
"Sorry, I just wanted to say hello. I'm Astrid." She holds her hand out. I take it and shake it softly before she sits down beside me. I usually sit by myself in every class. No one's bothered to talk to me, until now.
"Hi. I'm Eden."
"You done you assignment already?" She asks as she leans back in the chair beside me, and I nod. "Me too." She says as she sighs. "I feel like I should be in the higher class, but this is where I was put this year."
"How long have you been here?" I ask, surprised at my own curiosity.
"Almost two years now. My old pack disbanded, and Alpha took in some of us."
"Do you like it here?" She glances my way and nods. "Yeah. Shadow Sun is way better than my old pack. Alpha Dante can be strict and a pain, but there's a reason this pack prospers so much."
"I haven't been here long, and I haven't met Alpha Dante yet, but so far I'm liking it here."
"That's good! It can take some time to get adjusted here, but believe me, everyone in this pack works hard under Alpha to make this the place that it is."
"It definitely seems that way." I glance towards Astrid, feeling happy that I'm finally speaking to someone other than my sister. Maybe it'll all be okay after all. My attention is brought to the front of the class where Professor Cassaday stands at her desk, clearing her throat to get everyone's attention.
"Class is over. Please don't forget that your assignments are due by the end of the week in the drop box outside of the classroom. Dismissed!"
The scraping of chairs, clattering of feet and chattering of voices fills my ears as everyone gets up and makes their way out of class. Astrid gets up beside me and starts to pack up her bag. "What classes you have next?" She asks curiously.
"I've got History/Lore later today and then I'm training with High Priestess Valleth."
She pauses briefly. "You're the wolf with access to magic, aren't you?"
There it is.
My back stiffens and I bite my lip in nervousness. I glance at her making only partial eye contact. "Yes. Is that a problem?" I keep my tone low and even, expecting the worst.
"No. Why would it be?"
I'm surprised by her response, but I still hesitate to respond for a few moments.
"I'm not normal by any means, you sure you're alright with that? With talking to me?" I question as I stand and pack up my own belongings in my bag and sling it over my shoulder.
"I already talked to you, didn't I?" She says as she smirks. "Believe me, if I wasn't okay with it than I would have been long fucking gone by now, not sticking around to talk more."
I chuckle. "I guess."
"You look like you needed a friend, and as life would have it, I'm looking for a friend, so..."
"So, you want to be friends with me?" I reply as we start to walk out of the classroom together. "You seem like a good choice as any." Astrid says and I roll my eyes.
"You might very well regret that, but okay." I shake my head as we continue to walk down the halls together, talking the entire way.
- - -
I think Astrid is really turning out to be a friend. We've hung out everyday for the past two weeks since she said hi to me in class, and we've gotten along so well that it seems as if we've been friends for a lot longer than we have.
She's opened up to me, telling me that she's been getting bullied by some of the others in the higher classes, ones from her old pack that used to torment her back then too. I've always just told her to keep her distance and ignore them, but I know it's been getting to her lately, as they decided to play a stupid prank on her last week and destroyed all her workbooks and notes for her classes.
I helped her rewrite her notes from my own, and got her all caught up, but I can tell she's still pissed that they would go as far as to make it harder for her to participate in class and do her work.
It's Saturday, so thankfully we don't have classes today, and Astrid and I planned to meet up with Adelaide and go into town, so I'm just finishing getting ready. Black jeans with a simple red tank top, my white, blond hair pulled back into a ponytail with some eyeliner, mascara, and blush.
"Where is my..." I trail off, talking to myself as I look for my keys and spot them on my coffee table. Walking over, I grab them and place them into my purse and head out. I make my way down to the main foyer and head out the large front doors into the courtyard.
I spot Adelaide just ahead of me and I yell after her. She turns and smiles, closing the distance between us quickly and engulfs me in a tight hug. "Heya."
"Hey." I smile, giving her another hug. "You seen Astrid? She texted saying she was out here already." Adelaide shakes her head and I look past her and frown as I spot Astrid and some familiar unfriendly faces just a bit ahead of us. Three boys, and three girls. Never bothered to learn their names, but they always hang out together and have been an increasing menace to a lot of the newcomers at the pack the last few weeks, and an even bigger annoyance to Astrid.
Adelaide turns and looks in the direction I am and sighs. "Not again."
"Yes again. Let's go." I pick up my pace and catch up to Astrid and catch the tail end of her sentence.
"Leave me alone, I've had enough of this."
"What the hell is the problem here?" I say loudly and multiple sets of eyes land on me. "Eden..." Astrid says, and I hold up my hand, signalling her to stop.
"This is enough of this. Move on and leave her the hell alone."
One of the girls approaches me. "And if we don't? What do you think you're going to do about it?"
"You don't want to know." I say low and growl slightly.
"Sure. Like the freak would ever be able to anything to stop us." One of the boys say and I scoff. "Are you asking for it? Cause I will gladly deliver." I feel my anger rising, and my body heats up. I feel Adelaide's hand on my shoulder.
"Calm down, Eden."
"No." I state flatly, shrugging her hand off. "Come on, I dare you." I antagonize the boy and he smirks, looking between me and his group of friends who all scoff and roll their eyes. His gaze settles in one me as he speaks. "Fine, don't go crying when you get pummeled." He approaches and I hold my breath in anticipation, waiting for his move. He quickly throws a punch and I stop it, grasping my hand around his closed fist. I feel the heat in my hands, but it doesn't register until the boy is yelping in pain and quickly drops to his knees as I maintain hold on his fist.
I growl in anger, but I'm pulled out of my feelings when I hear someone calling my name. The anger is gone as fast as it came. I release my grip, and he cradles his hand to his chest, panting and sweating. "You fucking burnt me with your stupid magic." He chokes out, clearly in a substantial amount of pain.
I take a few steps back in realization of what I did, and then I feel another hand clap onto my shoulder. I turn and I see Valleth's chilling blue eyes ablaze with anger.
"Okay. That's enough of that." She turns her gaze to the group that have rallied around their now injured friend. "Get him to the infirmary and get that looked at, and do not bother these girls ever again or I'll have you reprimanded. Understood?"
With multiple nods and "yes ma'ams" they all take off.
I turn to face Valleth, shrinking more and more into myself as I know I'm about to be reprimanded myself. "I'm sorry, my anger got the best of me."
"Yes, I know, but this can't go unpunished. You're coming with me now; we're going to go see Alpha Dante. I know he just got back, but I think it's about time that he meets you and knows what you're potentially capable of."
My eyes widen in shock. "He's back?"
She nods. "Yes, late last night. Let's go." I turn my head and meet Adelaide and Astrid's sorrowful gazes. Sighing, I follow Valleth back into the main foyer, feeling like I'm on my way to my own execution.
Fuck.
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- starting to progress a little more!! More and Dante 's POV coming up soon!
- See you in the next one!! - vv