The Lupinemere Academy; The She-wolf & Her Alphas

Prologue.

It started with pain.

Not the kind that stings or burns but the kind that rips through your bones and turns your scream into something not human.

I was outside, deep in the woods behind our house. My parents thought I was sleeping. I wasn't. I had snuck out because my chest had been hurting for hours, like something inside me was fighting to get out.

And then it did.

My knees hit the cold earth first. My spine arched. My skin burned like it was on fire. I gasped for air, but it felt like my lungs were collapsing. My nails grew longer and sharper. My jaw cracked. I tried to cry out but only a broken growl came out.

My bones twisted.

My eyes blurred.

And then everything exploded.

When it stopped, I wasn't on two feet anymore.

I was crouched low, breathing hard, heart beating like a drum. I could smell everything, the trees, the wet dirt, the deer far off in the woods. I could hear the heartbeat of a rabbit nearby. My body was covered in fur. My fingers were claws. My reflection in the window showed glowing golden eyes and fangs.

I was different.

I had turned into a monster.

I didn't remember choosing to run, but my body moved like it knew how. Fast. Powerful. Wild.

But then... the atmosphere changed.

Someone was watching me.

I heard footsteps, too quiet to be normal but I wasn't normal anymore. I could hear them as clear as day. I stopped and turned toward the sound, my instincts suddenly screaming.

A man stepped out of the trees.

He wore black clothes and in his hand was a silver blade. There was no fear in his eyes. Only purpose.

He raised the blade.

I growled, a deep, guttural sound and I turned to run.

A shout echoed through the woods. More voices. More footsteps.

They were all chasing me.

I ran through the trees, my paws slamming against the dirt. I could hear them behind me, fast, trained and deadly. My heart thundered in my chest. I didn't know where I was going. I just knew I had to survive.

But one of them was faster.

He leapt out of nowhere and tackled me to the ground. The silver burned as it scraped my skin. I howled in pain and panic. I fought back.

I didn't mean to kill him.

But when my claws slashed across his throat and the blood splashed everywhere, it was too late.

He fell back, eyes wide, choking on his last breath. I backed away, panting, shaking and horrified.

The next time I opened my eyes, I was naked and Freezing. My whole body ached. There was blood on my hands. My arms. My chest. My mouth.

I stumbled through the woods, crying, barely able to walk. My legs wobbled like they didn't belong to me anymore.

I made it to the back porch and pounded on the door with what little strength I had.

It flew open.

"Camryn?" my mom gasped.

I collapsed into her arms. "Mom... Dad..."

They both looked at me. Their daughter covered in blood, shaking and crying.

"I... I killed someone," I sobbed.

And that was the night everything changed.

Chapter 1.

Camryn.

It had been two weeks since the incident.

Since that night.

My parents hadn't looked at me the same since. There was fear in their eyes now, like they didn't recognize me. Like I had become something dangerous.

Maybe I had.

Nothing made sense anymore. One moment I was normal... the next, I was a monster who had killed a man.

And now, they were shipping me off to a school in the middle of nowhere.

The drive was long and quiet. Awkward. Tense.

We passed trees, just trees. Miles and miles of thick woods. I wasn't even sure we were still on a real road.

"Look, honey..." my mom finally said, breaking the silence. "I know you don't want this. But it's for the best. They can help you here."

I didn't respond. I just gave her a weak smile and stared out the window.

We pulled up to a large iron gate. There was no sign, no name. Just the thick wall of trees behind it.

A moment later, the gates creaked open like they had been waiting for me.

The car rolled forward, and suddenly a massive building came into view. The school. It looked old, gothic but still grand.

I stepped out of the car and grabbed the two boxes that held everything I owned now. My parents walked behind me, quiet and unsure, as we entered the building and followed the signs to the principal's office.

Inside, it was warm. Surprisingly modern. A tall woman stood behind a wooden desk.

She had long white hair and skin so fair it almost glowed. She looked young.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Hart," she said with a gentle smile. "I'm Elaine Parker. The principal here at Lupinemere Academy."

She looked at me then, her gaze lingering for a moment longer than it should have. "You must be Camryn."

There was something strange in the way she said my name. Like she already knew me.

"Welcome," she said softly.

My parents sat across from her as she continued. "I know this is hard but I want you to know, Camryn will be safe here. We'll help her learn to control her gift."

Gift. That's what they were calling it now.

My mom wiped her eyes as they stood. My dad hugged me, stiff and awkward. My mom clung to me a little longer.

"I love you, baby," she whispered. "Please... be careful."

Then they left.

I didn't watch them go. I couldn't.

Before I could fall apart, the door opened, and a girl stepped in. She looked about my age, maybe a little older. She had curly black hair pulled into a ponytail and curious green eyes.

"Camryn, this is Heather," Principal Parker said. "She'll take you to your room and help you get settled."

Heather smiled and waved. "Hey, come on. I'll show you around."

I nodded, picked up my box, and followed her out the door.

As soon as we stepped out of the principal's office, I could feel the shift in Heather's attitude.

She didn't smile. She didn't try to make conversation. She just walked ahead like I was some burden she was forced to deal with.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, she finally spoke.

"Look, I'm kind of the queen around here," she said flatly, her tone cold. "I'm only doing this because the principal asked me to. So, here's my advice, stay in your lane, and we won't have a problem."

I blinked, stunned by her sudden hostility. "Was that a threat?"

Heather turned to me with a sweet, fake smile. "No, sweetie. Just a helpful warning."

Before I could respond, footsteps echoed through the hallway.

I turned and I saw them.

Four tall, striking guys walking toward us. Each of them moved with confidence, like they owned the place. There was something different about them... something powerful.

The guy leading the group stopped in front of Heather and leaned in, kissing her on the cheek.

"Jax," Heather said as she hugged him.

He had sharp cheekbones, a strong jawline, and piercing blue eyes. His dark brown hair was neatly styled and there was something in the way he stood, calm and in control. Like he was used to being followed.

Then, one of the others stepped forward and looked me up and down with a smirk.

He had messy dark hair, tan skin and sharp playful green eyes. He wore his uniform slightly undone, the tie loose, sleeves rolled up and the jacket tossed over his shoulder. There was a scar across his knuckle and his grin was both cocky and charming.

"H, you liar," he said to Heather, still looking at me. "You said she wasn't pretty."

He winked. "I'm Aiden."

"Ew, Aiden," Heather snapped, rolling her eyes. "You'd flirt with anything in a skirt."

"You're wearing a skirt, but you don't see me following you," Aiden shot back.

Heather glared at me like it was my fault and Jax stepped in.

"Don't talk to her like that," he said to Aiden.

Before it could turn into something bigger, another guy stepped forward.

He was smiling and the tension immediately lightened.

He had soft brown curls, warm brown eyes and the kind of face that made you instantly feel safe. He looked like someone who always knew the right thing to say. His uniform was perfectly in place. He gave off warmth and kindness.

"Ignore them," he said cheerfully. "They're always like this."

He extended a hand toward me. "I'm Isaac."

His voice was smooth and his smile so genuine I found myself relaxing for the first time all day.

"I'm Camryn," I replied, shaking his hand.

And then... I saw him.

The last one.

He hadn't said a word. He stood slightly behind the others, tall and still. His black hair fell into his grey eyes and his arms were crossed. There was something dark in his gaze, quiet and watchful. Like he was always calculating, always thinking. His eyes locked on mine for a moment and I couldn't look away.

There was something about him that made my pulse quicken.

He didn't speak.

He didn't have to.

"Okay, that's enough," Heather suddenly snapped. "Can you guys stop crowding her? She just got here."

The boys exchanged glances but didn't argue.

One by one, they walked off, though Aiden gave me one last smirk before disappearing around the corner.

I stood there for a second, still trying to process what just happened.

Heather turned to me with a tight smile. "That was Jax, Aiden, Isaac and Kian, the four alphas. In case you haven't figured it out yet, they run this school."

"I kinda got that," I muttered.

"I'd advise you to stay away from them," she added, her tone a little too sharp to be casual. "They don't do well with... distractions."

It sounded more like a warning than advice.

I nodded, even though I wasn't sure I believed her.

"And we're here," she said, stopping in front of a tall wooden door. "This is your room. And unfortunately for both of us, we're roommates."

Of course we were.

I stepped inside, dropping my boxes by the bed.

I'd only been here ten minutes, and I already hated it.

But then there were the four alphas.

There was something about them, something I couldn't explain. A strange pull, deep in my chest, like they were calling to a part of me I didn't know existed.

And I couldn't just ignore it.

Chapter 2.

Camryn.

I woke up to the loud sound of Heather's blow dryer.

I groaned as, I pulled a pillow over my head. "Can you turn that down?"

Heather didn't even look at me. "We have class in thirty minutes," she said, casually styling her already perfect hair in front of the mirror. She was fully dressed in the academy uniform flawlessly, of course. A red pleated skirt, a crisp white shirt and a red-and-grey striped vest that somehow looked like it was made just for her.

I sat up, still half-asleep

"Uniform's in the closet" Heather said, applying a thick layer of lip gloss. "Try not to embarrass yourself."

And with that, she grabbed her bag, tossed her sleek ponytail over her shoulder and walked out.

I sighed.

Dragging myself out of bed, I went to the closet and pulled out my own uniform. It looked exactly the same but on me... it didn't feel right. The skirt was too short, the vest clung too tightly and the shirt itched in all the wrong places. I ran a hand through my brown hair and decided to leave it down, messy waves were kind of my thing.

No makeup. No gloss. No effort. Just enough to not look like a walking zombie.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the room and into the unfamiliar halls of Lupinemere Academy, trying to shake the nerves off.

It was my first day. A fresh start.

-----

I sat quietly in class, trying to blend in but it didn't take long to realize this wasn't your average school.

"I am Mr. Halden," Mr Halden said. "I've taught at this academy for nearly three decades, which means I've seen it all, the runners, biters, screamers, and those who think they're smarter than the moon. Let me assure you... you're not."

Someone in the front snickered. Mr. Halden didn't even blink.

"Lycanthropy is not a curse," he said, pacing. "It's a biological shift. A genetic evolution. But it is dangerous. Not to you but to everyone around you, if you lose control."

That part hit a little too hard. I swallowed and looked away.

He went on about pack structure, scent recognition and the mental toll of first transformations. Most of it I already knew from my parents, but hearing it in a classroom filled with other people like me? It hit differently. It felt real now.

I scribbled notes without looking at the paper.

"Control," Mr. Halden said, stopping in front of the chalkboard. "That's what we train here. Control is the difference between surviving your shift... and regretting it for the rest of your life."

My chest tightened.

The memory of that night flashed in my head. The forest. The blood. The scream. I bit the inside of my cheek.

I glanced around.

Everyone here looked just as lost as I felt, shifting in their seats, scribbling half-hearted notes or pretending to pay attention.

The lesson went on for hours and my guilt kept on eating me up, this class was making me relive that night and I so desperately wanted it to end .

When the bell finally rang, I nearly jumped from my seat.

"Alright, that's it for today," the teacher called out. "Next time, we'll start the practical aspect of control. You'll want to take that seriously, especially if you like having friends who are still alive."

Not creepy at all.

I grabbed my bag and immediately left the class.

As I walked through the hallways, suddenly someone approached me.

"Camryn."

I looked up and blinked.

Isaac.

I wasn't expecting to see him. He wore that warm, friendly smile like it was part of him and something about it made my heart relax a little.

"Hey," I said, smiling back.

"How was your first class?" he asked.

"Torture," I groaned. "The guy wouldn't stop yapping about things that felt obvious. Like, yes, we're werewolves. We get it."

Isaac laughed. It was soft and genuine. "Yeah, it's kind of a rite of passage. Everyone new goes through it. Once you pass the basics, it gets better."

"I'm counting the minutes," I said, making him laugh again.

"You're pretty funny," he said.

"And you smile too much," I teased.

He raised an eyebrow, still grinning. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not at all," I said. "It's...nice."

We started walking together, not really going anywhere, just talking. And for the first time since I arrived, it didn't feel like I was completely alone.

Eventually, we ended up near the garden, sitting on a stone bench tucked beneath an old tree.

"So, Camryn," Isaac said, turning slightly to face me, "what's your story?"

I froze.

"My what?"

"Everyone here's got a reason they're at Lupinemere," he said. "No one shows up by accident."

I looked away. "What's your story?" I asked, trying to dodge.

He smiled. "I asked first."

I felt that tight pull in my chest, the kind I got when memories of that night tried to resurface. I hadn't spoken about it. Not to anyone. I didn't want to.

"I... have a class now," I lied, quickly standing up.

Isaac blinked. "Wait, but..."

"It was nice talking to you," I cut in before he could finish, forcing a smile and turning away.

I didn't look back.

-----

Today didn't go exactly as I'd planned.

First, there was Mr. Halden's torture session of a class, "Lycanthropy for Beginners," which felt more like "Here's Everything That Can Go Wrong with You." Then came Isaac asking about my story. I didn't even know how to begin with that.

The more I tried to forget what happened, the more the past seemed to crawl its way back.

By the time I got back to my dorm. I shut the door behind me, kicked off my shoes and pulled off the stiff school vest. The red pleated skirt soon followed. I stood in front of the mirror, ready to change into something more comfortable.

But something caught my eye.

I frowned and leaned closer to the mirror. At first, I thought it was a shadow, maybe just bad lighting. But no, it was there.

Right below my ribs, on the left side of my stomach, was a scar.

Small but sharp.

Faint red. Shaped like an X.

I lifted my shirt slightly and stared at it. My fingers reached for it on instinct, brushing lightly over the skin. It wasn't sore but the skin felt strange almost like it didn't belong to me.

"What...?"

I would've noticed something like this.

It was new. And I didn't remember getting it.