Chapter 5 Whispers and Claws

By the time I made it to the cafeteria, it felt like walking into a live taping of a reality show. Every head turned. People stopped chewing. Forks literally froze halfway to mouths.

I wanted to melt into the tile.

Instead, I marched straight to my usual table, chin up, pretending not to notice the whispers trailing me like perfume.

"She's with him-"

"Devon? No way, she'd never survive-"

"Bet it's true, did you see them fighting at her locker?"

My tray clattered down. "Riley," I hissed, sliding into my seat. "They're staring at me."

Riley popped a fry into her mouth, smirking. "Correction: they're staring at your new status upgrade."

I blinked. "What?"

"You're basically sitting on the Alpha throne now."

"Riley-"

She spread her hands dramatically. "Dating Devon automatically makes you cafeteria royalty. We're untouchable."

"We are not anything." I stabbed my sandwich with unnecessary force. "And stop saying that word."

"What word?" She leaned forward, eyes wide. "Devon?"

I groaned. "Don't."

Too late. The name had barely left her lips before a hush swept across the cafeteria.

I followed their stares and nearly dropped dead.

Devon.

Walking in like he owned the place, shoulders loose, eyes scanning the room until-yep, right on me.

My stomach knotted.

He didn't go to his usual corner table. No. He strolled over to mine.

Every table he passed went silent, like his presence vacuumed out the noise. By the time he stopped across from me, the whole room was waiting to see what would happen.

I glared. "What?"

He leaned down just slightly, his voice low but clear enough for half the cafeteria to hear. "You should eat. You'll need your strength."

Then he straightened and walked off without another word, heading to the back corner like nothing had happened.

For a second, I couldn't breathe. Neither could anyone else. Then the whispers exploded like fireworks.

Riley grabbed my arm, eyes huge. "Okay, I know you're mad, but you have to admit-that was hot."

I buried my face in my hands.

This was hell.

The second the bell rang, Riley latched onto my arm and dragged me down the hall like I was a shoplifter and she was mall security.

"Explain."

I stumbled to keep up. "Explain what?"

She whirled on me, eyes blazing with gossip-fueled fire. "Devon. Freaking Devon. He just turned an entire cafeteria into a Netflix drama and you're the main character. Why does he talk to you like that? Why is he always lurking around your locker? Why are his eyes so..." she flailed her hands, "wolfy?"

"Wolfy?" I repeated, deadpan.

"Yes, wolfy! Don't act dumb, Ivy. He doesn't look at anyone else like that."

I opened my mouth to deny it, but my brain picked that moment to flash back to the claw marks on the lockers. And the eyes. The glowing.

My stomach twisted.

Riley narrowed her gaze instantly. "Oh my god. You know something."

"No, I don't."

"You do!" She jabbed a finger at me. "Spill. Is he in a gang? Like, a scary gang? Is it drugs? Aliens? Don't tell me he's a vampire, because that's been done to death."

Despite myself, I snorted. "Not a vampire."

She gasped. "You didn't deny aliens."

"Riley-"

"Fine, not aliens. Government experiment? Secret robot? Were you kidnapped by the Illuminati?"

I pressed my palms into my eyes. "Please shut up."

And then, like an idiot, I muttered, "It's not like glowing eyes and claw marks are normal, Riley."

The second the words left my mouth, I knew I was dead.

Her jaw dropped so far I thought it might hit the floor. "Glowing. Eyes. Claw. Marks."

"Forget I said that."

"Ivy." Her hands clamped down on my shoulders. "That is classic werewolf behavior. I've read fanfiction. I've seen Teen Wolf. I know the signs."

I groaned so loud half the hallway turned. "Please stop talking before someone hears you."

But Riley's grin was feral, like a cat that just found the cream. "Oh no. I am not stopping. My best friend is in a werewolf love triangle, and I am living for it."

I buried my face in my locker. "I hate my life."

By the end of the day, I had a pounding headache and about seventy texts from Riley, all werewolf memes.

I just wanted to escape. Slip out the side doors, pretend this whole day hadn't happened, and maybe crawl into a hole until everyone forgot about it.

But of course, Devon was leaning against the brick wall by the exit, arms crossed, like he'd been waiting for me.

My stomach did an Olympic-level flip.

"Nope," I muttered, spinning on my heel.

Too late. His hand shot out, catching my wrist with alarming speed. He tugged me back, close enough that I could see the faint scar across his knuckle.

"Going somewhere, princess?" His voice was low, sharp, dangerous.

I yanked at my arm. "Yes. Away from you."

He smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Not until you stop running your mouth."

My chest tightened. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." He leaned closer, his height shadowing me completely. "You've been talking. About me. About things you shouldn't even know."

Heat rushed up my neck. "Oh, so it's fine for you to act like a cryptic weirdo in front of the entire cafeteria, but the second I-"

His hand pressed flat against the wall by my head. My words cut off.

"You don't get it," he said, his voice almost a growl. "This isn't a game, Ivy. You don't know the kind of danger you're in."

I glared, trying to ignore the way my heart was slamming itself against my ribs. "Then maybe explain it to me instead of lurking around and being mysterious all the time."

His jaw tightened. For a second, I thought he might actually tell me.

But then he shook his head, stepping back. "Stay quiet. Stay out of my way. That's your only chance."

I folded my arms, glaring. "You don't scare me."

His eyes flicked over me, sharp and unreadable. "You should."

And just like that, he walked off, leaving me fuming and breathless at the same time.

The walk home felt heavier than usual. Every step on the cracked sidewalk echoed louder than it should've.

I told myself I was being paranoid. That the shadows stretching long across the street were just trees, that the crunch of leaves behind me was just... squirrels. Big, heavy, stomping squirrels.

I quickened my pace.

The crunching quickened too.

My breath hitched. I risked a glance over my shoulder, but nothing was there-just the edge of the woods lining the road.

"Get a grip, Ivy," I muttered, hugging my backpack straps like they were life preservers.

Then a branch snapped. Loud. Too loud.

I spun, and for the briefest second, I swore I saw something-tall, hulking, eyes glinting between the trees.

Panic shot through me. I bolted, sneakers slapping the pavement, heart clawing at my chest.

The sound followed-fast, too fast.

Just as I reached the corner, something yanked me back hard, slamming me against solid muscle. I screamed, fists flying, but a hand clamped gently-yet firmly-over my mouth.

"Quiet."

Devon.

Of course.

But his eyes-God. They weren't normal. They were lit from within, burning gold in the fading light.

I froze, staring.

He leaned close, his voice rough, barely above a whisper. "Told you. Not safe."

Before I could respond, a low growl rippled through the trees behind him.

And that's when I knew-Riley was right.

He wasn't just a bad boy. He wasn't just a jerk with nice cheekbones.

He was something else.