He stared at me. Taken aback, I stared back.

He looked surprised. Annoyed? Distrustful. And something else…

What the hell was going on?

Suddenly he got up, pushing his chair behind him. A few other people in the class sprung up from their seats as well, expressions fierce and watching him as if waiting for his next move. He walked out of the room and the people who had stood up ran after him, one person even stopping to pick up his bag before following.

I sat in my seat, stunned. What the hell was happening?

The bell rung but everyone still in the room seemed to ignore it. Those students grouped up into what seemed like their respective cliques, all whispering too low for me to hear, but their glances at my face gave me enough to infer about what they were talking about. Or at least infer that I was part of what they were talking about.

Soon the teacher entered the classroom. All bustling books, scared eyes and flustered face. She got to the front desk, and tried to call for attention in a squeaky voice.

No one listened. Everyone was out of their seats and did not even care to spare the obviously new teacher a chance.

When her eyes met mine, I tried to give her what seemed like an encouraging smile. After all we both were new at the school it seemed.

But I wasn’t enough of an enigma to get up and help her gain attention. I was too scared of what kind of attention it would bring about me.

So I waited, cheeks flushed because the onslaught of looks from the other students continued, until finally the principal came in. As soon as she did, mostly everyone quieted down immediately. I couldn’t blame them. Ms. Kanji was a stern looking woman. White hair hinted at her age but her eyes were still bright. Her impeccable clothing was ironed to a tee and her glasses perched neatly on her nose.

She took the place of the thankful-looking new teacher at the front desk.

“I am very disappointed today,” she began, slowly sliding her gaze around the room. I shivered when her eyes met mine though they left after a second.

“After assuring Ms. Martin that our school was the residence of many exceptionally polite children, she has to come here to a rambling classroom and even request me to garner attention for her.”

Maybe it was just me but was Ms. Kanji subtlety telling Ms. Martin that she needed to work on her attention-grabbing skills while still scolding us?

“If I have to come here to quiet this class down one more time, there will be consequences.”

With that double-edged threat she left. Ms. Martin looked even more nervous than before but she quickly got herself together and started introducing the class.

I tried to listen but my eyes kept on returning to that white piece of plastic that labeled the owner of the desk next to mine. Kai.

 

 

When the bell signaling the end of class rang, I slowly packed up my things, wanting to wait for everyone to leave before I got up. Hopefully that would allow me some time away from the glances that had been peppering me all class.

When I did leave the classroom, a tall Asian kid almost ran me over.

“Hi!”

Even though his tone was friendly, the way his eyes surveyed me was a tad bit scary. A smile quickly took over his face soon after though.

“I’m Chanyeol Park,” he held out his hand to shake while smiling almost clownishly, “You are Inha, right?”

I frowned taking his hand, “My English name is-“

“I think Korean names are much better anyways. I’ll call you Inha,” He smiled at me and we stood in silence before I finally raised my eyebrows questioningly.

His eyes widened in understanding, “Oh, I’m your uh… tour guide. I mean because you’re new, right?”

I nodded, “I am. Thanks for doing this. Probably wasn’t something you were dying to do. Showing the new kid around, right?” I smiled sheepishly.

He grinned again, “No, it is okay. Can I see your schedule? So I can take you to your next class.” He was very giddy but it was something that I liked.

I handed over the schedule which had already been in my hands and watched him study it.

“So we have math and chemistry together. And you have French next, let’s go.”

He began walking but I stopped him frowning, “Then why weren’t you in the math class?”

I gestured to the door I had just exited from before realizing he might have been one of the kids who had followed that Kai guy out.

His nervous face, assured me that was the case, “Uh my friend suddenly got sick and I was helping him.”

“Were you part of the group that left at the start of class?”

“Oh- look at the time. We will be late. Let’s go!” He started walking, pretty much almost running, towards the end of the corridor and as he had my schedule still in his hand I had no choice but to run after him.

When we reached the French class, he quickly said bye before leaving. He was avoiding my questions.

 

 

But at the end of class he was right there when I exited. Waiting patiently, an almost puppy-dog look in his eyes.

I looked at him dubiously, “Didn’t you have class?”

“Oh, umm the teacher let me out early so I could guide you to the lunchroom.”

He looked nervous so I decided against the questions, “I am pretty hungry. Classes at this school are so long. Being one and a half hours.”

Chanyeol nodded with pride, “But it is the best school in North America. One time both the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the US came. At the same time! Even though the school is in Canada, it is multi-national. A representative from Mexico came as well, now that I think about it but it wasn’t the head of the government or anything.”

He chattered on about the school until we reached the cafeteria. It was obvious he was really proud of it. His excitement was infectious I had to admit.

As we got food I scrunched my nose at the choices. Being vegan, there weren’t too many options other than salad.

You don’t like it when other people complain so you can’t either, I told myself. Stop looking like a snob.

“Why are you only getting that,” Chanyeol looked offended at my food choices, “We actually have good cafeteria food.”

“I’m vegan,” I explained ignoring his look of incredulousness. Learning how to ignore the looks was step one of joining the vegan lifestyle.

“Let’s sit with my friends,” Chanyeol led me to a large table at the back and I felt the gazes on us as we walked across the cafeteria.

Even though the table was large there were only three people there, all of whom who stopped their conversation when we approached.

“Guys this is Eunhae,” Chanyeol introduced me and the people at the table exchanged meaningful looks.

Great, they have already complained with Chanyeol about him being stuck with the new kid.

But even so, I tried to make an effort and I smiled. The only girl in the table smiled back at me while the two boys looked at me with... mistrust?

Chanyeol sat down and named the teenagers, “This is Sunyoung, Jinki, and Kyungsoo.”

The girl rolled her eyes, “Call me Luna, and this is Onew my boyfriend and the big-eyed one is D.O. Sorry, Chanyeol here is just obsessed with Korean names.”

“In that case, my name is Grace.” I smiled before picking up my fork and starting to eat.

I noticed Onew’s look at my salad and the slight judgement that passed his eyes, but I didn’t bother to defend.

“So there seems to be a lot of Koreans at the school,” I tried to pick up conversation. At a boarding school friends were the only source of a social life.

“Yeah there are,” Luna smiled, “And-“

She glanced at Onew beside her who seemed to give her a warning before pointedly looking at me.

I felt heat gather at my ears. This is embarrassing.

“Um sorry,” Luna grimaced apologetically at me, “We have to go,”

With that both she and Onew picked up their trays and left the table.

I followed their figures with my eyes to the trashcans and then to the exit doors.

Turning back to the table I jumped back when I saw the D.O. kid staring at me blankly.

I shifted my questioning eyes to Chanyeol who smiled nervously at me before lowering his head as if hiding. The rest of the lunch period dragged in silence.

 

 

After lunch the rest of the school day passed with the same glances from the student populace and with Chanyeol by my side through everything except History. It was ironic my saviour would leave at my most dreaded hour or rather hour(s) seeing how long periods were at this school.

“So my friends and I are doing this thing at 10 near the statue garden,” Chanyeol kicked at the rocks in the courtyard as he walked me to the senior girl’s dorms which were past the courtyard and toward the ore hilly side of campus.

I looked at him questioningly, “You mean Luna, Onew, and D.O. Sorry Chanyeol, they don’t really seem to like me much. I don’t think they’d appreciate me being there.”

Chanyeol shook him head vehemently, “No they do like you. And there will be more people there. Come, please.”

I turned my head sharply at the pleading tone his words had taken, “Why- What kind of party is this?”

“Just a regular one. You won’t get in trouble I promise. It’s custom and you’ll be able to meet new people too.”

I studied him. His eyes were bright with encouragement but also nervousness.

“Okay,” I decided as my dorm came into view, “10 o’clock at the statue garden, right?”

Chanyeol nodded vehemently. I smiled at his hyperness and waved bye as I ran to the dorm building.

 

 

At 9:40 I was prepared. I had picked out some good out-door party clothes. At least I hoped they were good out-door party clothes, being that I had never attended an out-door party before. Or rather any high-school party.

I walked along the hilly campus, shivering due to the wind. The school and its building were surrounded by a dense forest which blocked a lot of the wind from the Pacific Ocean raging from the left but not all of it.

I was actually quite creeped out walking alone to the pretty scary statue garden, which was in the corner of the campus. But I had decided if I didn’t go, I would be seen as a wuss for the rest of the school year.

But shouldn’t here be more students walking to the party?

I was even less sure when the statue garden came into view. Completely dark and quiet. There did not seem to be anyone there. There was no music or lights to suggest at a party’s presence.

Maybe it’s a prank.

But even if it was, if I didn’t go what would they think of me?

What if something bad happens?
Chanyeol wouldn’t let it. I hadn’t imagined his friendliness.

So I crept closer and closer to the garden, heart hammering, excuses flying in and out of my head.

When I reached the first statue I instinctively grabbed on to it, hiding my body from view before peeking around it. Nothing. No movement. No music. No people.

I grabbed on to the next nearest statue and performed the same peeking routine.

Soon enough I was crouched behind a structure that was a part of a ring of statues that hallowed out a large, empty circle in the centre of the garden.

Snap.

I froze hearing the sound behind me. Slowly I turned my body around, facing the outside of the garden rather than the inside circle. Right at that instant, a hand dropped heavily on to my shoulders from behind.

Screaming, I jumped and tried to kick whoever was behind me while turning around.

My leg collided with the statue instead, resulting in a few seconds of sweltering pain before I was brought out of the spell.

In front of me was a boy, an Asian… Kai.

My eyes widened in realization and I pulled myself up straight. He was wearing some old cloak thing with the hood down. His eyes were narrowed into a frown and there seemed to be an internal fight going on in that expression.

He lowered his hold from my shoulder to my hand. I shivered. But then he abruptly pulled me into the circle, dropping my hand as he flung me toward the centre.

Coming out of the swing, I dropped down on to the ground from dizziness.

 When I lifted my head, the circle was lined with cloaked-figures.

My heart thumped in fear and sweat trickled down my face.

A figure wearing a cloak the same dark purple as the rest but with threadings of gold, stepped forward.

His face was sunk in shadows until he pulled down the hood of the cloak and stared at me.

He was another Asian, an older one through it seemed. His rigid demeanor was made all the more so by the stern glasses on his face and the tight smile lightly curling his lips.

I shrunk away. And started crawling backwards until a pair of legs behind me stopped me.

My hands curled around the person’s ankles and I shifted to see the face of the barrier. Kai.

How did he get there so fast?

Kai’s face now was stone-cold and expressionless. He looked at me as he bowed, face inching ever so closer. My eyes snapped to the gold-threaded cloak-clad figure when I realized he was the recipient of the gesture.

Then all around the circle, the figures started bowing, coming to their knees. My head whirled around and around futilely, hoping to find some means of comprehension or escape.

“Inha Song,” my head whipped to the gold-threaded cloak wearer.

“You are hereby integrated into the Eundal pack, the first human in over a century,” the man hesitated it seemed before starting to walk towards me, “Do you accept your entry into the pack?”

I stared, eyes wide. My head turned to find reassurance in the only other person I could see here. Kai. But his head was downturned, far enough that his eyes weren’t visible.

“I repeat, Inha Song. Do you accept your entry into the Eundal pack?”

I forced myself to speak, “What are y-you t-talking about?’

Again the man hesitated, stopping in his perusal to stand in front of me, at the centre of the circle. But then in quick few strides he was there, looking over me.

“Get up,” he commanded. I hesitated, trying to peer into his face. He lowered his head to meet my eyes and I finally stood up after seeing their sharpness.

“My name is Sooman Lee,” he studied me before continuing, “I am the alpha.”

My brows crinkled in confusion, Alpha? Pack? Were they talking about… werewolves? Was I being integrated into a cult of some kind?

But then I remembered the school’s mascot. I was a wolf. Maybe this was some sort of initiation for the school. But what was all that about the first human or whatever? To make it seem more dramatic? To signify that I was joining late as a senior?

“Do you accept your entry into the pack?” the man repeated the question again.

I nodded hesitantly. I didn’t want to be some weirdo, who didn’t participate in the initiation ceremony but I was still unsure.

“Speak, child.” The man’s glasses seemed to blaze, even in the dark.

“I- I accept,” I stammered, hoping I was doing the right thing. The man suddenly seemed to almost smirk. I gulped.

“Then welcome.”

The cloak clad-people making the circle seemed to vanish and suddenly... there were wolves there instead!

One ran to us, jumping up, about to… crash on top of me!

And my world rang dark.