The bell rang, and the crowded hallway slowly emptied, students scattering to their next classes. On the basketball court, the team sat quietly on the bleachers, their faces a mix of nerves and determination. The coach stepped forward, clearing his throat before beginning.
"Alright, team, listen up," he said, his voice steady but charged with intensity. "We've long waited for this moment. Tomorrow's game isn't just another win or loss, it's the gatekeeper. The winner moves on, the loser goes home. I want every single one of you to step onto that court with your head held high and your hearts full of fire. Talent can get you far, but heart, teamwork, and discipline will take you all the way. No distractions, no drama leave all that behind. Focus on the game, on each other. Let's show them what Caveroop High is really made of."
He scanned the team, eyes lingering on their tense jaws and clenched fists. "Remember, this is more than a game. It's a test of character. So get out there and make every second count. No regrets."
The players exchanged quiet nods, the weight of the moment settling over them like a silent promise.
After the speech, they stood and moved as one toward the bus waiting by the curb. The trip would take them out of town, away from the usual distractions and gossip. The game would be held in a neighboring town, a neutral ground where only the game mattered.
At the bus pack, we stood alongside the other students, bidding our players goodbye. Pink and her cheer squad shouted encouragements, their voices sharp and relentless, as each player stepped aboard the bus.
I stood near the back with Genora, watching as the team settled in.
"Finally, something to celebrate," I whispered. "I hope they make us proud."
"Yeah," Genora replied with a small smile, "they look ready."
I caught Jesse's gaze across the lot, he was surrounded by his usual circle of admirers, their cheers filling the air. Genora nudged me, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "He's looking at you. He really likes you, doesn't he?"
I just smiled and looked away, nerves fluttering in my stomach.
The bus doors closed with a final thud, and as the vehicle pulled away, the cheers gradually died down. The crowd dispersed, the school returning to its usual quiet hum of routine.
As I turned to leave, I noticed Rivon standing near the school entrance, a worried look etched across her face. I wanted to go over and ask what was wrong, but Genora grabbed my hand firmly.
"Alright, they're gone. Let's head to class."
I didn't argue. I just followed.
...
A few minutes before the break ended, Jennie Brown stomped into the cafeteria with a wide, unsettling grin. Sofie trailed behind her, silent but watchful. The noise died down almost immediately everyone could feel the disturbance she brought.
Jennie walked right into the center of the cafeteria and let out a laugh. Not a giggle, not a chuckle, a full, throaty laugh that bounced off the walls. Confused murmurs rippled through the tables. Nobody knew what was funny.
She sauntered over to Sam's table and plopped down across from him, still laughing.
"Wow," she said, wiping a fake tear from her eye. "You're good. Like, Oscar-worthy."
Sam blinked. His blue eyes sparkled beneath his glasses as he looked at Jennie with a confused expression.
"Wh-what are you talking about?"
"It's wild, really. Kinda funny how you managed to hide under our noses all this time."
She leaned in, her voice dropping to a near whisper.
"Tell me… how did you do it?"
Sam shifted uncomfortably. His eyes flickered with surprise Jennie had never spoken to him, let alone sat beside him. His very presence seemed to irritate her. And now, here she was.
He looked up at her, still confused.
"I'm sorry… I don't know where this is heading."
Jennie smirked. "Oh, don't worry. I'll show you."
She stood abruptly and slammed her fist onto the table. Claws shot from her knuckles as the wood splintered beneath her hand. A second later, she swiped Sam off his seat, sending him crashing to the floor.
Gasps erupted.
"Hey! Young woman!" the cafeteria chef shouted as he rushed out from the kitchen. "This is a school cafeteria, not a fight club. Take it outside!"
Jennie gave him a calm smile one that didn't reach her eyes.
"You should leave while you still can," she said. "Because from here on out… it's going to get bloody."
That was enough. Students scrambled out, some grabbing their food, others leaving it behind. The chef turned on his heel, muttering something about calling the principal.
Sam struggled to get up, but Jennie grabbed his shirt and yanked him back toward her.
"Jennie!" Eska shouted standing to her feet. "What the hell?"
"You've bullied everyone enough!" I snapped. "Why are you going after Sam now?"
Jennie smiled. Her eyes stayed locked on Sam.
"He's my prize," she said, voice like ice.
Sam stammered, panicked, afraid of what will become of him. "If... if this is about homework or something, I... I can help."
Jennie tilted her head, amused.
"Seriously, you really don't know, do you?"
Sam shook his head, confused and frightened.
She grabbed him again, lifted him effortlessly, and threw him into a table. He hit hard, skidding across the floor. Before he could recover, Jennie pounced, claws at his throat.
"Stop! You'll kill him!" I screamed.
Jennie only smiled wider. "That's the plan."
"Please!" Genora yelled, stepping forward with trembling hands. "Just tell us what you want! Let him go!"
Jennie didn't even look at her. "I'm afraid I can't do that, hon."
"Why?" Eska and I shouted together.
Jennie bared her teeth. "Because he's the freaking Alpha, and I'm going to be the new one."
There was a pause a beat of pure silence.
"WHAT?!"
I barked out a stunned laugh. "Sam? SAM? The Alpha?! Are you joking, Jennie? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say."
"That's why I laughed when I walked in," Jennie said. "It's hilarious, right?"
I turned to Eska and Genora for backup, but they were frozen Eska staring, Genora nervously peeling the skin around her thumbnail.
"Guys… you don't actually believe this, do you?"
They didn't answer.
Sam's face had gone pale. His breathing turned shallow, and his body hung limp in Jennie's grip.
"Jennie! Stop!" I shouted again. "You're killing him!"
She didn't let up, just smirked as her grip tightened around his neck.
Desperate for air, Sam kicked and slammed his fists against her, but she didn't budge. Her smile only widened.
Then with one final effort, he smacked her hand hard enough to break free. Jennie staggered back, hissing in pain.
Sam collapsed to the floor, coughing violently, one hand clutching his throat.
I started forward, but Genora grabbed my arm.
"We have to help him!" I cried.
She only shook her head slowly, fear frozen on her face.
Seeing she wouldn't move, I broke free from her grasp and was about going toward Sam
But then… he laughed.
At first, it was hoarse. Ragged.
But then it grew, low, deep… dangerous.
"Oh, Jennifer Brown," Sam rasped, slowly rising to his feet. His voice had a rough edge now, something guttural lurking beneath the words. "I can't even remember the last time we spoke."
He grinned, his lips twitching unnaturally as he removed his cracked glasses, the lens split clean down the middle. Without hesitation, he tossed them to the floor with a small clink.
"You should've stayed in your lane."
Then something inside him shifted.
It began with a violent crack. His spine arched, contorting unnaturally as his shoulders hunched. Bones snapped and popped, pushing his joints out of place and then back into a new, twisted shape. He staggered forward, hands trembling.
His fingers stretched, joints swelling, nails lengthening into curved black claws. His skin rippled, twitching as coarse dark fur erupted across his arms, spreading like wildfire down his neck, his back, his face.
His jaw unhinged, widening beyond human limits, and then suddenly snapped forward, reshaping into a muzzle. Fangs burst from his gums, long and gleaming with saliva, while his pupils shrank into narrow slits, glowing faintly in the dim cafeteria light.
I stumbled back, heart hammering.
His breaths grew loud and animalistic snarls between them. What stood before us now wasn't Sam anymore. Not the quiet nerd who wore crooked glasses and avoided eye contact.
This was something else.
Gasps erupted as his form grew taller, broader a monstrous silhouette of strength and menace.
Jennie stepped back.
Sam or whatever he was now laughed again. Deep and guttural, it echoed through the cafeteria like thunder.
My mouth fell open.
Eska grabbed my arm and yanked me and Genora toward the door. Sofie slammed it shut behind us.
Outside, a crowd had already formed, pressing against the windows.
Some students sprinted to find Principal Adams. Others held up their phones to record the scene, their hands trembling.
And inside behind the glass two wolves stood facing each other