Echoes Of An Alpha

Chapter 10: Our little secret

The quiet of the house grows heavier, as if it knows something dangerous is stirring far beyond its walls. Outside, the forest's distant glow still faintly lingers in the sky, but it feels a world away. My thoughts whirl, replaying Kristen's twisted smile and the fire bending to her will. She's not just angry-she's been waiting.

Roshni stays near the door, still shaken by what we saw in the woods. "Kristen... she was using fire like it was hers. How is that even possible?"

Selene, standing by the window, watches the horizon carefully. "Because she's not human, or at least, not entirely. She's something else, something dark."

It's all starting to click into place. Kristen was never just a high school girl with typical drama. From the moment I moved in, she's been hovering around me but I never paid attention because I thought she just happened to always be around. Always nearby, always keeping an eye on things.

"She was sent to watch me," I say, my voice soft but firm. "This whole time, Kristen wasn't just Zade's girlfriend. She was placed here, like a guard."

Roshni looks up, startled. "Watch you? But why? What would she want with you?"

I turn away from the door, my mind racing. "It's not about what she wants. She's working for someone else. They knew I'd be here... knew I'd eventually figure out who I am. Kristen was keeping me distracted, making sure I didn't realize the truth until it was too late."

Selene folds her arms. "And now that you're catching on, she's showing her true colors."

I nod, the weight of it all settling in. The prophecy about the savior and the destroyer suddenly feels more urgent. If Kristen was sent to spy on me, then someone-or something-believes I'm a threat. And Kristen's not going to stop until her mission is complete.

Before I can say more, a knock breaks the tension, sharp and urgent. We all freeze.

Selene glances at me, her expression hardening. Whoever is at the door couldn't have chosen a worse time. Roshni backs up, her face pale. The forest is miles away, but somehow the danger feels as close as ever.

---
The fire blazed far in the distance, but the memory of Kristen's twisted power haunted me through the night. When morning came, everything felt off. The usual morning routine felt hollow, the weight of the previous night's events still heavy on my chest.

Downstairs, I could hear Mr. Henderson's voice carrying through the kitchen, the news on in the background. I exchanged a glance with Selene as we reached the bottom of the stairs. We didn't need to say anything; we both knew what was about to come.

Mr. Henderson was sitting at the table, reading his tablet with a concerned frown. Zoë and Zain were eating breakfast nearby, seemingly unaware of the tension in the air. Mrs. Henderson was pacing by the window, looking out at the morning sky.

"Good morning," I said, keeping my tone neutral.

Mr. Henderson looked up from his tablet, nodding toward us. "Morning, girls. Did you hear about the fire last night?"

My heart skipped a beat. I stayed silent, glancing at Selene, who managed to keep a calm expression.

"No, what fire?" she asked, sitting down across from her father.

"There was a big one out in the woods," he replied, his voice low. "It's all over the news. They're saying it was... unnatural. It spread too quickly but when firefighters arrived, it started dying out on its own. No explanation for it."

Mrs. Henderson, still staring out the window, added, "It's strange. Some of the news channels are talking about how it left the trees untouched in certain areas, like something was controlling it."

I felt a chill run down my spine. Roshni, who had arrived earlier and was sitting quietly next to me, exchanged a glance with me but didn't say a word.

Zade entered the room shortly after, his usual casual smile faltering as he saw the tension in the air. "What's going on?"

"Fire in the woods last night," Mr. Henderson said, showing him the tablet. Zade read it, his face darkening slightly.

"It doesn't make sense," he said, shaking his head. "Something like that would've wiped out half the forest. It's like... something was controlling it."

Selene and I kept our faces neutral, not daring to look at each other. The fire was all too familiar, but we couldn't let anyone know. Not yet.

"Are they investigating it?" Zade asked, leaning against the counter.

"They are," Mr. Henderson replied. "But so far, they don't have any real leads. Just rumors about it being unnatural."

We finished breakfast in tense silence. I could feel Zade's eyes on me a few times, but I avoided his gaze. The rest of the day would be even harder to get through, especially with the secret Selene and I were holding onto.

---

Later that morning, the news of the fire was everywhere at school. Students whispered in the hallways, sharing wild theories about what had caused it. Some said it was lightning, others thought it was something more... mystical.

Roshni and I stayed quiet as we passed by a group of students, overhearing them talk about how the fire had spread but left certain parts of the forest untouched.

"It's like someone was... guiding it," one student said, his voice hushed. "There's no way that's natural."

I glanced at Roshni, who gave me a small nod, silently agreeing to keep quiet.

When we finally reached the lockers, Selene was already waiting for us. Zade stood by her side, casually leaning against the wall. People had been mistaking them for a couple more and more lately, and today was no different-one of the students walked by and smirked, clearly thinking the same thing.

"Can't believe you two haven't made it official yet," a passing girl teased.

Selene just rolled her eyes, ignoring the comment, while Zade chuckled lightly.

"Maybe they're just trying to keep the mystery alive," I said, throwing a teasing look at Selene. She shot me a warning glance but said nothing, her expression remaining neutral.

"Anyway," Zade said, stepping closer to us, "what do you make of this whole fire thing?"

I tensed slightly. He wasn't letting it go.

"I don't know," I replied, keeping my voice casual. "Seems like everyone has their own theory. Maybe we'll get more answers when they finish the investigation."

Roshni nodded in agreement, and Selene remained silent, her eyes flicking toward me. We couldn't say anything, not without giving away what we saw in the woods-and Kristen's true role in it all.

Zade sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess. It's just... weird, you know? Too many things don't add up."

The bell rang, cutting the conversation short. We all parted ways to head to class, but I could feel Zade's lingering curiosity as I walked away. He wasn't going to stop digging, and sooner or later, he might uncover something we didn't want anyone else to know.

---

By lunchtime, the fire was still the hot topic around the school. People were glued to their phones, reading updates about the investigation. Kristen was nowhere to be seen, and the absence only made me more suspicious. What was she planning next?

Selene, Roshni, and I sat at our usual table, keeping our conversation light, but my mind was spinning. We were holding onto a dangerous secret-one that could change everything if it got out. And I had a feeling Kristen wasn't done with us yet.

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