Hailee's POV
With a racing heart, I followed the principal into his office. My palms were clammy, and my breath was uneven. I hadn't done anything wrong—at least, nothing anyone should know about. I'd been careful, cautious. So why was I here?
The door creaked open, and I stepped inside… only to freeze mid-step.
There, seated across from the principal's desk, was a boy I had never seen before.
He looked about eighteen—tall, broad-shouldered, and definitely not from around here. His brown hair was tousled in that effortless, wind-swept kind of way that made it look like he belonged on the cover of some werewolf magazine. His striking brown eyes matched his tousled hair, and they flicked to me with quiet curiosity. His jawline was sharp, his nose straight, and his skin sun-kissed in a way that made me painfully aware of my pale complexion. He wore the Moonridge Academy uniform like it had been tailored to him.
He looked like someone important—and dangerous.
The principal gestured for me to come closer, his stern eyes scanning me like always.
"Hailee," he began, his voice firm but not unkind, "this is Callum—son of Alpha Linton from the Forest Pack. He transferred this morning."
I blinked. Callum. So Lila was right. This was the powerful Alpha heir?
I gave him a polite nod, trying to keep my expression neutral. Callum didn't smile, but he didn't sneer either. He just watched me, his gaze unreadable.
"Callum, this is Omega Hailee," the principal introduced, and I frowned. Why can't he just introduce me as Hailee… why Omega Hailee?
Callum glanced at me from head to toe before simply nodding.
The principal continued, folding his hands over a stack of papers. "Callum is new to our school, but I expect him to be treated with the same respect we give to all elites. And considering your… exceptional academic performance, I'm assigning you as his guide for a month."
My eyes widened, and my throat went dry.
Me? Guide him?
The principal didn't wait for a reply. "You and Nathan are still tied for top of the class, so I expect you to help Callum adjust quickly. Make sure he knows the school layout, the routines, the rules."
Great, I thought bitterly. Another Alpha son to deal with.
But I didn't let the worry show on my face. Instead, I forced a polite smile, just like I always did when I wanted to hide behind the omega mask.
"Yes, sir," I said quietly.
The principal gave a curt nod, satisfied. "Good. Now, I suggest you two get acquainted. You're dismissed."
Callum stood first, offering a single glance my way before heading for the door. I followed him silently, the distance between us heavy with awkwardness. As soon as we stepped into the hall, he spoke.
"An omega topping the class? What the hell are the elites doing?" he sneered.
I smiled tightly. "Busy partying."
He raised a brow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Touché."
We walked in silence for a moment, our footsteps echoing down the corridor. I could feel his eyes on me—analyzing, measuring, like he was trying to figure out what didn't add up.
Ignoring his piercing gaze behind me, I led him to our classroom. Without saying a word, I pushed the door open and stepped in before he did. The moment he did, I noticed all eyes fell on us… no… all eyes were on him.
The girls, especially, seemed completely spellbound. I saw more than one adjusts their hair, fix their blouses, and flutter their lashes shamelessly. Some even leaned in closer to each other, giggling while eyeing him like he was a walking dream.
Callum didn't seem fazed. In fact, he looked used to the attention—his posture confident, his gaze sweeping over the class with the bored disinterest of someone who knew he owned the room without trying.
I rolled my eyes internally and turned to head for my seat, but before I could take a step, I noticed Nathan.
He was sitting at his usual spot in the back, slouched in his chair like a king on a crooked throne, arms crossed over his chest and jaw tight. His eyes weren't on Callum—no, they were on me. Cold, narrowed, and glaring.
Wonderful. As if he needed a new reason to be irritated with me.
And then suddenly Callum leaned in close.
Too close.
His breath brushed against my ear as he whispered, his voice low and smug, "Where's my seat, guide?"
I flinched slightly, caught off guard. His proximity, the amused edge in his tone, the way his words felt far too intimate—it all made my stomach flip in the worst way.
I turned to face him, frowning. "Can't you just say it out loud like a normal person?"
He smirked, unbothered. "Where's the fun in that?"
Ugh.
Without responding, I gestured stiffly toward the empty seat beside mine—Nathan's old seat, the one he only used when he wasn't feeling lazy enough to skip.
Callum's smirk widened, and as he slid into the chair beside me, I felt the tension in the room double. Girls stared daggers. Nathan looked like he was ready to kill someone.
And I?
I didn't care.
The rest of the morning blurred into a series of introductions, curious stares, and forced small talk. Callum was formally introduced at the start of each class, and every time, the reaction was the same. Impressed whispers, gushing stares, and even a few girls "accidentally" dropping pens near his desk.
Callum, of course, took it all in stride, like he'd done this a thousand times. His smirk never faded. His eyes still wandered toward me between lectures—curious, unreadable, and, frankly annoying.
By the time the bell rang for our first break, I was already exhausted from the attention swirling around him—and by default, around me.
We stepped out into the courtyard, where students clustered in their usual groups. I kept my distance from everyone as always, heading for the quieter side near the back wall, while Callum followed without asking.
He pulled something from his pocket and glanced at me sideways. "Where can I smoke?"
I raised a brow. "You can't."
"Rules?" he asked, clearly not caring either way.
"Yeah. Big, bold ones. No smoking on school grounds."
He gave a low hum of disapproval, tucking the cigarette away. "You're a rule-follower."
I shrugged. "Some of us don't get the luxury of breaking them."
Before he could respond, heavy footsteps approached us from behind, and I didn't need to turn back to know who it belonged to.
"Hailee." His voice was sharp, like a command. "Go get me a snack from the vending machines."
I frowned, biting the inside of my cheek. He wasn't asking. He never asked.
I opened my mouth to respond, but Callum beat me to it.
"She can't," he said casually, not even looking at Nathan. "She's busy. She's my guide for a month."
Nathan's eyes darkened. "What?"
Callum finally turned, meeting Nathan's glare with one of his own. "You heard me. She's not getting your snack. She's with me."
I took a slow breath, glancing between the two of them. This wasn't going to end well.
"She's my personal errand girl," Nathan sneered, stepping forward. "So why don't you back off, new kid?"
Callum didn't flinch. In fact, he leaned slightly closer, as if inviting the challenge. "You're mistaken. She's not your anything. And she won't be doing any favors for you until she's done with me, so fuck off!"
One second Callum was standing there, and the next, Nathan's fist connected hard with his jaw, snapping his head to the side.
"Nathan!" I gasped, grabbing his arm, trying to pull him back before things got worse.
Callum staggered slightly, but to my surprise, he didn't fall. He turned back with a slow, deadly grin, blood blooming at the corner of his lip.
"How do you want your death, Nathan?" he asked, already beginning to shift into his wolf. I could feel Nathan ready to shift too.
Oh no!