A massive wolf stood in the middle of the corridor, close enough that I could see the rise and fall of its chest. Its gray fur was streaked with silver that caught the dim light, shimmering with every subtle movement. My feet refused to move. My knees locked, my hands trembling faintly at my sides. But it was the wolf’s eyes that truly held me. They fixed on me without blinking, cold and deliberate. My pulse spiked, thudding painfully against my ribs, and I could feel it in my throat, loud and frantic.

The wolf's snarl rumbled through the stone corridor, deep and guttural, vibrating through the floor and up into my bones. Sharp white fangs gleamed as its upper lip curled back in a menacing display of aggression, revealing rows of teeth that could tear through flesh like paper.

I had no doubt that it could rip me apart in seconds, that I would be nothing but scattered pieces before I even had time to scream.

Instinct took over, raw and unthinking.

Without a conscious decision, my hands shot out and grabbed Cedric's shoulders, pulling myself behind him with desperate force, pressing close to his back as if I could vanish into his shadow. As if his body could shield me from what was coming. My heart pounded in my throat, each beat painful and wild, my breath coming in shallow, panicked gasps that I couldn't control. But the moment I moved, the moment I used him as a human shield, I knew I had made a mistake.

The wolf's snarl grew more menacing, deeper, and more threatening, its ears pinning flat against its skull in a clear sign of aggression. It stepped closer, deliberate and predatory, each massive paw hitting the stone with a heavy thud that seemed to make the ground tremble beneath us. Muscles rippled beneath its gray fur, every inch of it coiled tight, trembling with barely restrained fury, ready to spring.

It was going to lunge. Any second now. I could see it in the way its body tensed and the way its haunches lowered.

I could feel Cedric go rigid beneath my hands, his shoulders turning to stone, his entire body stiffening. And then, his voice rang out, sharp and commanding, cutting through the tension like a whip crack.

"Cut it out, Aria!"

The beast stilled at once, its snarl dying in its throat. Then, in the blink of an eye, its form blurred, shifting and reshaping, bones cracking and popping in rapid succession with sounds that made my stomach turn. The air shimmered around it, magic pulsing outward in visible waves.

I barely had time to process what I was seeing, my mind struggling to catch up, before the enormous wolf melted away like smoke, revealing a young woman standing in its place.

She stood tall and powerful, her presence crackling with barely contained energy that made the air around her feel charged.

Raven-black hair cascaded in sleek waves down her back, catching the dim glow of the chandeliers overhead and reflecting it like polished obsidian. Her eyes, the same striking gray as before, the same eyes that had stared me down moments ago, remained just as fierce, just as intense, assessing me with a look that was wholly unimpressed.

She had the body of a warrior, all lean muscle and deadly grace, not an ounce of softness anywhere, every line of her form speaking of strength and discipline. But there was a sensuality in the way she moved, in the way she shifted her weight onto one hip, a confidence that came naturally to someone who knew their power and wielded it like a weapon, comfortable in their own skin in a way I had never been.

Dressed in a silver tank top that clung to her toned torso and black tights that hugged every curve and muscle of her legs, she exuded danger and allure in equal measure, like a blade wrapped in silk.

And she was staring at me like I was something foul she had just stepped on, something she desperately wanted to scrape off.

"Who is this girl, Cedric?" Aria asked, her voice laced with suspicion and something else that made my skin prickle. Jealousy? Possessiveness? I stiffened, my fingers releasing Cedric's shoulders as if they'd been burned. Oh, great. Just what I needed.

"A new student," Cedric replied coolly, his tone flat and matter-of-fact. Then, with a distinct bite to his words, he added, "What's with the attitude, Aria?"

She flinched slightly, just a flicker of something vulnerable crossing her face before she masked it, her expression shifting into something more calculated, more controlled.

Stepping closer to him, she tilted her head in a practiced motion, gazing up at Cedric through dark lashes, her entire demeanor transforming. Her voice softened, dripping with practiced sweetness that sounded fake even to my untrained ears.

"Honey, are you angry with me?"

My stomach twisted at the blatant shift in her behavior, at how quickly she'd gone from threatening to simpering.

Cedric stepped back immediately, creating distance between them, his lips pressing into a thin, uncomfortable line. "Aria, cut it out. I'm not your honey."

Aria pouted, her lower lip pushing out in an exaggerated display of hurt, but she followed him, closing the distance just as fast as he had created it, like a predator stalking prey. "My love, don't be like that," she purred, her fingers grazing his arm in a way that seemed both possessive and playful, trailing down his sleeve with deliberate slowness.

I stepped back, pressing myself against the wall, unsure whether I should intervene, flee, or just quietly disappear into the floor and save myself from this awkward disaster.

Her gaze flickered to me then, sharp as a blade, cold and full of unspoken warning that needed no translation.

Stay out of this. He's mine.

I arched my brow, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. Wow. We just met, literally minutes ago, and she already hates me. That has to be some kind of record. Impressive, really.

Cedric exhaled sharply through his nose, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger like he was fighting off a headache. "Can you not?" He side-stepped her, trying to put space between them again, but Aria, relentless and undeterred, kept pace with him, matching his movements like they were dancing.

I watched them bicker, fascinated despite myself, unable to look away from the strange dynamic unfolding before me.

The way Cedric's body remained stiff and uncomfortable, his shoulders hunched slightly as if trying to make himself smaller. The way Aria leaned in, always just a little too close, invading his personal space with practiced ease. The way his patience visibly thinned with every saccharine word she spoke, his jaw clenching tighter and tighter.

Oh my gods. He's trying so hard to escape her. This is painful to watch.

I bit my lip hard to keep from laughing, pressing my hand over my mouth to muffle any sound that might escape.

Cedric shot me a glare over Aria's head, his eyes narrowing as if sensing my amusement, catching the way my shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. I raised my hands in mock innocence, trying to look serious and failing miserably.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of watching this uncomfortable dance, we reached a long hallway lined with ornate wooden doors, each one carved with intricate designs that seemed to shift in the flickering light. Cedric came to a halt in front of one, stopping so abruptly that Aria nearly bumped into him, and turned to face me with obvious relief at having an excuse to end the conversation.

"This is your room," he said, his voice businesslike and clipped, all traces of emotion carefully smoothed away. "Your key is your plaque, so don't lose it. Tie it to your belt or something. String it around your neck. I don't care, just don't lose it."

I nodded, and he held out his hand expectantly, palm up. Hesitantly, I passed him the bronze plaque, my fingers brushing his for just a second, watching as he pressed it into a small indentation near the doorknob. The lock clicked open with a soft sound, the door swinging inward slightly.

He handed the plaque back to me, placing it carefully in my palm.

"Read this," he continued, pulling a thin handbook from inside his coat and placing it in my other hand. The leather was worn and soft, clearly used many times before. "It has everything you need to know: the Academy's rules and important protocols. And please don't forget your assessment tomorrow morning. It's mandatory." His gaze became serious, unwavering, boring into mine with sudden intensity. "Remember, you represent our clan now, whether you like it or not. So don't do anything that might shame us. Don't embarrass me."

I blinked, taken aback by the weight of his words, by the sudden responsibility being placed on my shoulders. "That's a lot of pressure for someone who just got here five minutes ago."

His lips quirked in the faintest smirk, barely visible but there. "Welcome to Umbrithane Academy."

Before I could respond, before I could ask what the assessment even involved, a sharp hiss came from my left, cutting through the moment like a knife.

"Why is her room right next to mine?"

Aria stood a few feet away, having apparently investigated the neighboring door, looking between Cedric and me with eyes narrowed into slits, as if the universe had personally conspired against her, as if this placement was a deliberate insult designed specifically to ruin her life.

"I don't know," Cedric said dryly, his tone flat and utterly unbothered. "If you have a problem with it, take it up with Miss Elana. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to hear your complaints."

Aria's expression soured, her lips twisting into something ugly. "What's with the tone, my love?" She tilted her head, her voice taking on that sad, almost pleading quality again, like a child who'd been scolded. "Why are you being so mean to me?"

Cedric groaned, a sound of pure suffering. "I'm not your love. How many times do I have to say it?"

A soft blush crept up his neck, barely noticeable in the dim light, but I saw it, a faint pink staining his pale skin. His discomfort was so obvious, so palpable, it was almost painful to witness. He looked like he wanted to melt into the floor.

I smirked, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud as he suddenly turned away from both of us, retreating down the hall with long, hurried strides, practically fleeing.

Aria, relentless as ever, followed him without hesitation, her footsteps quick and determined.

I shook my head slowly, exhaling a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, my shoulders finally relaxing.

Well. That was... eventful. And extremely awkward.

Stepping inside my room, I closed the door behind me with a quiet click that echoed in the sudden silence.

I pressed my back against the door, letting my head fall back against the wood, releasing a slow, shaky breath that seemed to empty my lungs completely.

Everything was happening too fast. Too much, too soon, like being thrown into the ocean without knowing how to swim.

A shape-shifting girl who already hated me for reasons I didn't understand. A brooding boy who barely tolerated my existence and seemed allergic to kindness. A castle full of magic and moving staircases and watching portraits. An assessment tomorrow that I knew nothing about.

I glanced down at the handbook Cedric had given me, its leather cover cool and smooth against my fingertips, worn soft by countless hands before mine.

I had barely opened it, barely read the first page with its elaborate script, when I heard a soft knock from the door behind me, gentle but deliberate.

I tensed, my entire body going rigid. What now? Can I not have five minutes of peace?

Cautiously, my heart already picking up speed again, I reached for the handle and cracked the door open just enough to peek outside into the dimly lit hallway.

No one. The hallway was completely empty, silent as a tomb. But the moment I looked down, I saw it.

A slip of parchment, folded neatly into a small square, resting at my doorstep like an unwelcome gift.

I bent down and picked it up, my fingers trembling slightly as I unfolded it with careful, deliberate movements. Scrawled across the paper in elegant, looping handwriting that was almost beautiful were four words:

"You don't belong here."

A cold shiver ran through me, starting at the base of my skull and spreading down my spine like ice water in my veins. I glanced down the hall again, my skin prickling with the sensation of being watched, my eyes searching the shadows for any sign of movement.

Nothing. No one. The corridor remained empty, but somehow I could feel the weight of unseen eyes on me.

But somehow, deep in my gut, I knew exactly who had left this. I knew that this was from Aria, that this was her way of marking her territory, of warning me away from whatever she thought I wanted.

I crumpled the note in my fist, my jaw clenching tight, and stepped back inside, closing the door with more force than necessary.

Welcome to Umbrithane Academy, indeed.