Jasmin's POV
What twisted game was the universe playing with me? Of all the Alphas who could have been assigned as my roommate, it had to be Max. I could have managed living with the other three, but him? This was different. This was dangerous.
He made no effort to hide the way he looked at me, like a predator sizing up prey. My hands curled into fists as I stood there, wondering what I had done to deserve this fate. Sharing a room with him would be like sleeping next to a starving wolf.
I bit down on the inside of my cheek and stepped aside, letting him pass as I made my way to my bed. At least new students got the first day to settle in. I had nowhere else I needed to be, thank the moon goddess.
"Max, we weren't expecting you back today," Hardy said, his voice carrying a nervous edge that replaced his earlier smugness entirely.
Not expecting him? I kept unpacking, pretending not to listen while every fiber of my being stayed alert to their conversation. Max's response made my blood run cold.
"Something caught my attention, so I decided to stick around and see how things play out."
My hands stilled on the clothes I was folding. I could feel his gaze burning into my back like a physical touch.
The sharp ring of a bell cut through the tension.
Matthew groaned loudly. "Finally. I'm starving after that brutal morning training session. Let's go eat." Hardy practically bolted after him.
I watched them leave, confused about the sudden urgency. Was it meal time already? Clyde lingered by the door, catching my puzzled expression.
"Breakfast," he explained, his tone surprisingly gentle compared to the others. "The cafeteria is downstairs on the ground floor. If you're late, you'll go hungry. They don't keep food waiting for stragglers."
I blinked in surprise. Had he just helped me? "Thank you," I managed.
He gave a brief nod and disappeared down the hallway. Maybe not every Alpha here was determined to make my life miserable. Some, like Clyde, seemed to have actual decency. A small smile tugged at my lips.
Then I felt it again. That intense, unwavering stare.
Slowly, I turned to find Max still in the room, sitting on his oversized bed with perfect posture, legs crossed casually. His violet eyes never wavered from mine, studying me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. Why hadn't he left with the others? And why was he watching me like I was some fascinating specimen?
I forced myself to look away and continued unpacking, silently willing him to leave. I desperately wanted some privacy to organize my belongings without an audience, but he showed absolutely no intention of moving.
Each second that passed made my discomfort worse. His stare felt heavier, more invasive.
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I abandoned my unpacking and headed for the door without a single glance in his direction. As I walked down the corridor, I risked looking back over my shoulder. What was his problem? He remained exactly where I'd left him, but now I had no choice but to head to the cafeteria, even though food was the last thing on my mind.
When I reached the ground floor, however, my wolf perked up at the rich aroma of breakfast. Following my nose, I found the cafeteria easily enough. The sight that greeted me was overwhelming - hundreds of Alphas in identical academy uniforms filled every available space. I kept my head down and made my way to the food service area, quietly filling my plate while trying to ignore the curious stares and whispered comments about my size.
Their mockery rolled off me. I'd heard worse. But finding somewhere to sit proved nearly impossible.
Every table was claimed by established groups, and approaching random Alphas uninvited could end badly. Newcomers, especially ones who looked as weak as I apparently did, weren't exactly welcomed with open arms.
"Evan!" The voice cut through the cafeteria noise.
I looked right to see Matthew waving enthusiastically. "Over here! We saved you a spot."
Hardy and Clyde sat with him at their table. I hesitated, plate balanced carefully in my hands. These guys were still strangers, and our first meeting had been anything but friendly. So why the sudden hospitality? I scanned the room desperately for alternatives, but every seat was taken.
"What are you waiting for? Come on, there's room right here," Matthew called again, grinning.
With no other options, I started toward their table. But something in Clyde's expression stopped me cold. His eyes held a clear warning, a subtle shake of his head that screamed danger. My steps slowed as the pieces clicked together - Hardy's too-bright smile, Matthew's sudden friendliness. Nothing was ever free in this world, and this reeked of a setup.
I changed direction abruptly, catching the way Hardy's jaw tightened when his plan crumbled.
Just as I spotted an empty chair and moved toward it, thinking I'd successfully avoided whatever trap they'd laid, someone slammed into me from behind. Hard. I stumbled forward, desperately trying to save both my food and my balance, but I was so focused on not falling that I didn't see the Alpha directly in my path.
My entire plate of food crashed into his uniform with a wet splat.
The cafeteria went dead silent. I stood frozen, empty plate still clutched in my hands, as the Alpha's aura washed over me like a tidal wave of barely contained fury.
When I finally looked up, my breath caught. The Alpha towering over me was devastatingly handsome in a way that seemed almost cruel. Dark, wavy hair framed a face carved from marble - sharp cheekbones, a jaw that could cut glass, and eyes like a winter storm, pale blue and absolutely lethal as they locked onto mine.
Whispers erupted around us like wildfire.
"He just ruined Harris's uniform!"
"First day and he's already made an enemy of the wrong Alpha!"
My grip tightened on the plate. Harris? As in Harris Greenvale? The second-ranked Alpha in the entire academy?
His massive frame seemed to block out everything else. The academy uniform stretched tight across shoulders built for war and a chest that looked like it had been forged from steel. Every angle of his face spoke of dangerous beauty - the kind that made smart people do stupid things. But those ice-blue eyes held something that made my blood freeze. Pure, calculated rage.
This was a complete disaster. He looked ready to tear me apart.
I tried to defuse the situation quickly. "I'm sor-"
He moved faster than I expected, closing the distance between us until I could feel the heat radiating from his body. His voice came out as a low, threatening growl. "You pathetic little fuck. Do you have any idea who you just messed with?"
I forced myself to meet his deadly gaze, even as his overwhelming presence tried to crush me into submission. "Someone bumped into me. It was an accident," I said, keeping my voice as steady as possible.
A cold, predatory smile spread across his lips. "An accident?" His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Well, let me make something crystal clear - everything I do to you from this point forward will be completely, absolutely intentional." His eyes raked over my face like he was memorizing every detail for future torture. "You better watch your back, little wolf."
He brushed past me with enough force to make me stumble again.
Slowly, the cafeteria returned to its usual chaos, but I remained motionless, still gripping that damn plate.
First Max with his predatory staring, now Harris with his promises of revenge.
On my very first day, I'd somehow managed to make enemies of the two most dangerous Alphas in the academy. What were the odds?
Cursing under my breath, I dumped the plate and stormed out of the cafeteria without looking back, completely unaware that from across the room, Max had witnessed the entire scene. And his violet eyes had never once left my retreating form.