Alpha Hole

Ch. 32

Author's note: This was a fun chapter to write.  Let me know what you think.  Also, the image above is Bianca in all her glory. 

Bianca leaned against her sleek black Jeep, her friends giggling in the backseat. She shot me a challenging look, her perfectly styled hair catching the morning sunlight in a way that seemed almost too perfect.

"I swear, I must've really screwed up in a past life. Get in," she said with an exaggerated eye roll, her tone a mix of sarcasm and irritation.

I hesitated for a moment, feeling a surge of frustration at the whole situation. Taking a deep breath, I walked around to the passenger side and climbed in, trying to ignore Bianca's condescending smirk.

As I buckled my seatbelt, the leather interior of the Jeep smelled faintly of coffee and expensive perfume. Bianca slid into the driver's seat smoothly, her movements confident and effortless.

The engine purred to life, and we pulled away from the curb, the morning sun casting long shadows across the road. I stared out the window, trying to gather my thoughts amid the awkward silence.

"Just so we're clear," Bianca spoke up suddenly, her voice cutting through the quiet, "I'm not your babysitter. I have better things to do than watch your every move."

I glanced over at her, meeting her gaze briefly before looking away.

"Don't worry," I replied evenly, my tone tinged with frustration. "You'll never know I'm there."

Bianca smirked, a flicker of amusement crossing her features. The rest of the ride passed in tense silence, the distance between us palpable.

As we approached the school, my nerves ramped up. I had missed the last week of school, and when I'd come before Aiden had been with me.  It wasn't like I had made any friends. 

The Jeep rolled to a stop in front of the school gates. Bianca turned off the engine and glanced at me one last time, her expression unreadable.

"Welcome to the lion's den," she said cryptically,"Things will be different now that you don't have your bodyguard with you."

With that, she opened her door and stepped out onto the pavement, her friends following suit. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead as I climbed out of the Jeep and faced the daunting school grounds.

The crisp morning air greeted me as I walked toward the entrance, the scent of freshly cut grass mingling with the faint hint of autumn. Determined to make the best of this new chapter, I squared my shoulders and headed inside.

When I reached the reception desk, the receptionist greeted me with a warm smile, her demeanor professional yet welcoming.

"Good morning, Layla," she said, glancing down at her screen. "Alpha Delphi has made a few adjustments to your schedule. You still have pack dynamics and the Luna's lecture, but there are a couple of new additions."

She gestured toward the screen, showing me my updated schedule. Alongside my usual classes, there was now a history class and one labeled "Girls' Sparring," a term that i was unfamiliar with.

"Girls' sparring?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow.

The receptionist nodded. "It's a class where you'll learn self-defense and combat techniques tailored for pack females."

I nodded slowly, processing the information. It made sense, given the situation I now found myself in.

The morning passed by quickly until lunch. I got a few nasty looks from Dominic's pack members as well as a few of the females in Jaxson's pack, but I'd managed to eat and then left as quickly as possible.

But the shit really hit the fan when I made it to "sparring class".

It was like an attack of the Lululemon brigade. The atmosphere crackled with tension, and the looks I received could have frozen hell over twice. I stood there awkwardly in a random pair of shorts the gym teacher had scrounged up and a school t-shirt that hung off me like a tent.

I could have died. Right there. And-

"Layla," the gym teacher's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "You're up."

Up? As in, I was going first? Panic gripped me as I realized I had no idea what to expect.

"Cami, you're with Layla," the teacher directed, motioning to a tall brunette who stepped forward from the intimidating group on my left.

Oh shit.

She had at least four inches on me and was surprisingly ripped as she stood there in her sports bra and tennis skirt.

Her nails were perfectly manicured in the brightest shade of pink I'd ever seen- and I only knew that because as soon as the whistle blew— those pink nails lengthened into claws and she ran at me.