Hay Creek

Chapter 13.

A week had passed, and today was Kai's birthday. He was finally eighteen, and his excitement was palpable—I could tell he had been looking forward to this day. Now, he was a mature alpha. Unfortunately, we still had school, and the tension between our packs lingered. Strangely enough, Roman hadn't done anything to provoke Kai.

I scanned the classroom, noticing that no one was really paying attention to Miss Jackson. To be honest, her history lectures were painfully dull; her monotonous voice made it hard to stay engaged. My gaze drifted to Kai, who was deep in conversation with Greyson about who-knows-what. I wished I could hear their discussion, but that would require my wolf to surface, and I wasn't ready for that yet.

Suddenly, Miss Jackson called on Roman to pick a partner for an assignment. What was this about? I really needed to pay attention. Roman turned in his seat and flashed me a grin. I braced myself—he better not say my name. "Avery," he called, a smirk dancing on his lips before he turned back around. Dammit, Roman! I knew it wouldn't take long for him to make a move. I slowly turned to gauge Kai's reaction. I could only see the side of his face from my spot on the other side of the classroom, but I could sense his anger simmering.

When the bell rang, Roman and his pack were among the first to dash out of the classroom. Kai wasted no time, rushing right after him. Greyson followed closely, calling for Archer and Lachlan to keep up. Naturally, I decided to follow as well, along with the others.

Once we entered the hallway, a massive crowd blocked our path. Just great. Marley grabbed my hand, pulling me through the throng. When we finally reached the front, we found Kai pinning Roman against the lockers, a fierce determination in his eyes. Greyson, Lachlan, and Archer stood protectively behind him, while Roman's pack, including Theodore and Andrew, flanked him, ready to spring into action at any moment.

"You've got some nerve!" Kai hissed, his voice low and dangerous. Roman smirked. "Happy birthday, boy! Isn't this a nice surprise?" Kai shoved Roman harder against the lockers. Roman let out a loud groan, but Andrew and Theodore stayed put, waiting for Roman's command.

I held my breath, hoping this confrontation would escalate. The crowd made it seem like a full-blown fight was about to erupt, but all we had was a tense standoff filled with glares and Roman's obnoxious laughter.

"Stay away from my friends, including my girl! Got it?" Kai spat. My girl. The words echoed in my mind; I had never heard him say that aloud before. It felt nice.

Roman chuckled darkly. "And what if I don't? Will that get you to do what I want?" Kai growled, "You're sick."

"Happy birthday! I guess you couldn't expect anything different from me!" Roman shot back, but Kai was already striding toward me, gently taking my hand and leading me through the crowd. Students shouted, urging them to finish the fight, blissfully unaware that this wasn't over yet.

Once we broke free from the throng, we headed to the cafeteria, where our friends were sitting by the window. Stella waved us over, and I smiled as we approached. "Are you guys okay?" Quinn asked, concern etched on her face.

"Everything's perfect," Greyson replied sarcastically as he plopped down.

"Don't mind him," Lachlan chimed in. "Thanks for asking. I'm more worried about Kai."

"I'm fine," Kai insisted, but I could sense the tension lingering.

"Great! Since everyone's fine, how about we go to a party tonight in the woods?" Daphne suggested. "Liam's parents have a huge place out there. We should definitely go." I admired her attempt to lift our spirits.

"A party sounds fun! What do you think, Kai?" Arabella asked, seeking his approval. Kai hesitated before finally agreeing. "Why not?"

"But Kai, it's your birthday. Do you really want to celebrate it at someone else's party?" Lachlan questioned.