Shifter Pack

I mentally groan as i watch the clock ticking on the wall. Raven High is like most high schools, 99% human. Theres a few open shifters here but i choose to stay hidden. The only people who know what i am, are shifters and vampires. They can scent me from a mile away, especially with alpha blood in my veins. The bell finally rings and i jump up, leaving the class before anyone else.

I walk through the hall, my chin firmly tucked against my chest.

‘Four more days left until school is over’ i thought to myself

Turning the corner and glancing up, i see Rowan and Rebecca arguing at the end of the hall. Glaring at Rebecca, i rein in a growl that threatens to echo through my chest.

I hate vampires, and the cheer captian standing in front of one of the schools most handsome football players is Rebecca Moore. A nasty blood sucker. I scuff and walk past them, picking up on a snippet of their conversation.

“Rebecca, youre too much for me. I cant do this anymore.” Rowan says nonchalantly, rolling his eyes. The air in the hallway seems to cool ten degrees. I duck my head further, squeezing past them as much as possible.

‘Good that icy brat doesn’t deserve him’

Rebecca does an awful screeching yell at him like a toddler throwing a fit before turning around and running straight into my side, slamming me against the lockers.

“Watch it flea bag” she hisses, stomping off. She found out im a wolf when she turned 18 a few months ago, being able to reach her full potential and scent me. Ive been a target for her since.

“Back at ya, bloodsucker” i growl back quietly, rubbing the cold chill off my arm. My eyes catch Rowans as i turn away, his head slightly cocking to the side.

“I dont think we’ve met before.” He says thoughtfully, stepping closer to me. I feel my eyes go wide and look away, saying a quick “probably not” as i scurry away. We had a chemistry project together two months ago, but thats besides the point. My pulse skyrockets as i slip out the side door, seeing Sarah flagging me across the lawn.

‘Please dont stop me, please dont stop me’

“Hey Briar!” She shouts, before finally reaching me while panting. “Whats the rush?”

“Im just heading out a little early today.” I mumble, pulling my bag higher in my shoulder as we walk.

“During fifth period? Thats a bit early even for you. Is something going on?” She gently grabs my arm, pulling me to a stop. “Talk to me bri.”

“It’s nothing, really im just.. restless I guess.” I tuck a lock of my smooth waves behind my ear, looking back at the door i ran out of. I feel my breath catch as i see a pair of eyes staring at us. Not Rowans or Rebeccas. Not even Sam, sarahs twin and my other best friend. Its a boy i don’t recognize, looking like the definition of sin.

While Rowan has sandy hair, dark brown eyes, and slim athletic muscles; This beautiful stranger has longer black hair falling into his eyes, peircing light blue eyes, and enough muscles to signify he is a gym rat. His shirt sleeves reveal both arms covered in tattoos, the black ink looking striking against is tan skin. I look up and notice his eyebrow slit, right as he winks at me.

‘Oh god im staring’

I whip my head away, seeing that Sarah is also staring at this beautiful stranger.

“You coming with?” I ask sarah quickly, pulling sarah to the parking lot with me before she can answer.

“Well i guess so” she laughs, pulling out her phone to call sam. “Hey little brother— im three minutes older— okay fine. Are you coming to briars house with us? Okay see you there.” She hangs up, rolling her eyes.

“Okay so sams coming?” I ask as we reach the car, trying my best not to look back at the sinful model by the door.

“No he has the last football game tonight so their coach is making them run drills next period.” She scuffs. “Do you want to go tonight? I told sam i would.” She adds, watching me frantically buckle my seatbelt and tear out of the parking lot.

‘Focus, buckle, reverse, get the fuck out of here’ my thoughts raddle through my brain like a bullet bouncing off metal.

I think about it once i was out of eye shot of the door. “Yeah sure.” I decide, knowing i was going anyways. I always go to watch Rowan, our star quarterback. My heart skips a beat as i remember why i left school in the first place.

“Rowan talked to me” i announced, not looking away from the road. I thought she didnt hear me after she didnt say anything for over a minute, but a quick glance showed her jaw dropped, staring at me.

“Why the hell are we leaving then?” She finally screeched, making me jump.

“Because he said ‘i dont think we’ve met’ right after that frigid bitch Becca slammed me into a locker. I was embarrassed from her, and from him not recognizing me when we just worked on an assignment a couple months ago. What was i supposed to say?” I huffed, my shoulders collapsing as i relive it in my mind.

“Well i dont know, but i wouldn’t have recommended you literally running away.” She laughs and leans back against the seat. “Also can we talk about the hotty by the door?” She gasps, grabbing my bicep. “Who is he? A transfer student?”

“I have literally no idea” i sigh, leaning back against my seat. “Hes something though” i admit, giving her a little smirk.

‘Something dangerous, and way too tempting’

“Hell yeah he is” she says, laughing.

The bleachers roar with the few hundred parents and students watching the game around us. Sarah and I cover our ears as they stomp, cheering about a touchdown. As the bleachers settle back down, we look at each other and laugh.

“These people really go crazy for high school football huh?” Sarah laughs, looking around

“Well i guess if they weren’t making all this noise, it would be boring. Just watching a bunch of pretty guys throw a ball around like a bad game of fetch.” I say back, earning a cackle from my best friend. I smile as watch as Rowan takes off his helmet, shaking the sweat out if his sandy hair.

I didn’t realize it earlier but it looks like his muscles have grown three time the size in the last week.. weird. Must be me not noticing enough.

‘As if’

I laugh to myself at the irony. If that boy is in the same room as me, the hair on my arms stands up and i feel forced to watch him. I have a feeling its either a really bad crush, or when i get my wolf, he will be my fated mate.

Fated mates between wolfs and humans are rare, but not as rare as with other shifters. With him being human, the chances arnt too out there.

‘What if hes not human?’ My blood runs cold from the thought.

Ive never personally met another shifter, just wolves and vampires, but there are hundreds of species. My dad used to rant about meeting a snake shifter once, and how he stole his wallet after biting and paralyzing him with his venom. Apparently, the venom can last up to 24 hours so my dad laid in the ally all day. I miss my dad, and my mom.

Its just me and my big brother now, the last of the alpha bloodline in our pack. My brother is acting alpha right now, until my birthday next week when i can access my wolf. Our wolves will fight to see who is stronger, and the winner is alpha. It would normally be to the death, but since we are the last of the bloodline, our elders are allowing us to fight to submission. We need to get alpha numbers back up before killing them on purpose.

‘And i would die before killing my brother.’

“No. Fucking. Way.” Sarah gasps, breaking me out of my spiraling thoughts.

“What?” I look around, eyes quickly landing on the model— the student from earlier, taking his helmet off and getting a drink of water. He spots us and grins, winking again.

‘He transfers on the last week of school and somehow plays the last game? Weird’

“Oh my god!” Sarah squeels as i look away. We are hear for sam, and kinda for Rowan. Not for whoever the new linebacker is.

“I think im gonna head out, my brother should be home soon” i say to sarah, kissing the top of her head, slightly inhaling her human scent before hopping down the metal stairs. Out of the corner of my eye, it looks like Rowan turns to watch me. When i turn my head hes looking down.

‘Also weird’

I walk to my car, humming a song thats been playing in my head on loop. As i unlock the car and grab the handle, i hear a deep voice rumble behind me. “Hello beautiful.”

A chill runs down my spine, a good chill for some reason.

I quickly turn, slamming my back against my door when I see how close hes standing to me. Even at my impressive 5’ 11”, hes a full head taller than me.

I lean my head back and look in his icey blue eyes. His hair is dripping sweat, running down his high cheek bones and chiseled jaw. His jersey keeps making swishing noises as he twitches, seeming to have trouble staying still.

“Arnt you in the middle of a game?” I ask, trying my best not to show how flustered i am.

“Nope wrong question, try again” he says with a cocky smirk that perfectly suits his face. I stare at him, mouth agape as i process his demand.

“Excuse me?” I growl, only letting a little bit of my limited wolf show. He chuckles, leaning down until our noses almost touch. I feel his hands reach for my car on either side, pinning me in.

“Ask me the right question princess” he purrs, searching my eyes. Heat shoots straight into my lower belly, my thighs clenching.

“Who are you?” I whisper, eyes flicking down to his very close mouth.

“Good job. Thats the right question.” His grin grows wider as he slowly stands back up straight. “My name is Sebastian Ryke. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.. or more”

“Im Brair. Brair Hawk.” I say, managing to look down my nose at him while tipping my head back to even look at him. “Have a good night.”

I jump in my car before i give myself anytime to think about what just happened, peeling out if the parking lot.

‘What is wrong with me? Its like he drugged me without ever touching me’

. I mumble to myself about him all the way home.

I pull up to my house, noticing James car is still not there.

“Great, rushed home for nothing.” I grumble, going to unlock the door. Right as im entering, someone grabs me from behind.

I gasp and land an elbow right in their eye socket, earning a loud “OW what the fuck briar” coming from max. My brothers beta.

‘Oh thank god.’

“You should know better dumbass” i laugh, walking inside without turning to check on him.

“Wheres my brother?” I call out to his curled up figure on the porch, holding his eye and rocking.

After a minute, he peels himself off the wood and walks into the entryway. He looks at his eye in the mirror, it having already swollen shut. He glares at me with his good eye, answering

“hes still out of town. Theres a few rouges bothering our sister pack hes helping take care of”

I groan and walk into the kitchen. “Always the sister pack and never the sister” i grumble, looking in the fridge.

‘I havent seen or talked to him in weeks’

“Brair, thats not fair. Hes doing what he can with what he has.” Max plops down on the barstool at the kitchen island. I turn and glare at him.

“He left me unprotected.”

“Youre not unprotected you have me!”

“What use are you with one eye?” I throw up my hands, defeated.

“You little—“ he sighs deeply. “We are all doing our best, baby alpha.”

“Dont call me that” i growl, my chest rattling with enough power to shake the walls. He holds up his hands, eyes wide surrendering.

‘Hes not scared of me, not yet at least’ i remind myself as guilt floods my veins.

“Whatever im going to bed” i stomp upstairs and slam my door. Im aware that im acting like a little kid, or even a bratty teenager. I dont really care. Max has become my brother of sorts, and James has became my only parental figure. It hurts when hes gone, because it reminds me that they are too.

I plop on too on my blankets, staring at the ceiling. “Maybe he’ll come home tomorrow” i whisper to myself, and the thought helps me drift off to sleep.

Briar visual

Rowan visual

Sebastian visual