"What a wimp. She-“

“Shut up Sehun. She’s a human.”

“But she’s in the pack, no? She’ll have to be stronger than that if she wants to-“

“Well then we should have eased her into it. Not have tried to attack her!”

“Hey, I was just-“

“Please just shut up Sehun”

“You shut up Chanyeol! She-“

“She’s waking up. Look!”

“Why won’t you guys ever let me fin-“

My eyes fluttered open and I took in the scene in front of me. There was Chanyeol, smiling widely at me while holding a boy in front of him still with one hand and quiet with the other hand that was clamped surely on the boy’s mouth. The boy had blond hair and did not look very happy.

There were other people around me, none I recognized. All of them looked at me with slight smiles but there was a certain level of mistrust in their eyes.

I shivered and finally focused my eyes on the only other person in the room I recognized. Kai.

His eyes were deep pools of endless emotions. But there was a wall separating those emotions from everyone. Even his face was empty.

He stared at me almost blankly, but it was too deliberate to be exactly blank.

I stared back though I wasn’t exactly sure why. But as soon as I saw his brows draw together in a slight frown I snapped out of my trance. Looking around, I realized we were the only two people eft in the room, which was bare except the bed I was lying on and the chair Kai was sitting on beside me.

He kept looking at me, the frown now fully taking over his face. I noticed this out of the corner of my eyes, because this time I was doing all I can to look everywhere but at him.

I waited, hoping for some explanation. But then, last night’s events started playing in my head and my nervous fidgeting stopped.

The statue garden. The party. The cloaked people. The wolf.

I now met my wide eyes to Kai, who seemed to look at me with some satisfaction, finally showing some emotion.

“What?” I croaked out, my voice rough from sleep.

“What?” He gave back my question raised his eyebrows and my confusion and nervousness disappeared and gave room for my annoyance and frustration.

“What the hell is going on?” I glared at him and sat up straighter.

Apparently his anger had only needed a trigger.

“You tell me,” I winced slightly at his biting tone, “Who sent you, huh? Was it YG? Why the did you think we wouldn’t know?”

“Know what ? That you belong to some lunatic cult that harnesses wolves illegally?”

“Stop pretending like you don’t know! Why would the first human mate in a century come to my school, have the exact same schedule as me, sit beside me and,” his voice suddenly dropped to a whisper, “have Inha as her name? How the hell did YG find out about Inha?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. Just be sure I’m going to complain to-”

“Complain to who? Ms. Kanji? She’s part of all this. To the police who we already have connections with? To you parents who won’t be able to do anything? To WHO WILL YOU COMP-”

My slap rang across the empty room. His excited eyes darkened in silent anger and we glared at each other. I looked at satisfaction and also fear at the red mark marring the right side of his face. My mom joked about my strength often but now that strength would probably get me killed.

What was wrong with me? I wasn’t a violent person but this Kai pushed the buttons I didn’t even know I had.

But my fear grew and horror grew with it as the red mark turned blue then yellow and then faded completely.

Kai smirked at me expression, “Guess they didn’t tell you what you were getting into before they sent you here? You must have been desperate to do this without knowing anything? Tell me, how much money did they give you so you would yourself out to me?”

My hand rose again as pure rage filled me, but just as I was about to slap his infuriating face into infinity a voice rang out.

“Stop!”

Both of us whipped our heads to the front of the room where the voice had come from. There stood Chanyeol, face in a frenzy and looking at us with wide eyes.

 My hand lowered in shame while Kai turned his head away and swept his eyes downward, but not before I saw rage sill sparkle in them.

Chanyeol marched toward us, stopping at my bed with a face full of worry and… anger.

He glared at Kai.

“She’s your mate, Kai! I told you I don’t think she’s with YG. If you took the time to talk to her you would know too!”

Kai suddenly stood up. He was shorter than Chanyeol but his stance was still formidable.

“And I told you that the coincidences are too many, and you don’t know half of them.”

“Then tell me, because having the same schedule as you and sitting next to you are just two instances that could easily have been chance or even the Spirit.”

I remembered his whisper from before. Have Inha as her name.

Why would my name being Inha be a coincidence. And more, a coincidence he doesn’t want to tell anyone about.

How the hell did YG find out about Inha?

I waited for his reply but he just glowered at Chanyeol for a few moment. Suddenly he shook his head and looked away.

“If you don’t tell me what you are misunderstanding how can I make you understand?” Chanyeol waited, his frustration evident.

But Kai kept on looking out the window, a frown marring his face.

Chanyeol sighed before turning to me, “Are you alright Inha?”

I nodded, “But what is going on Chanyeol? What was that thing you invited me to yesterday and why did they have wolves?”

Chanyeol opened his mouth to explain but before he could Kai spoke, still looking out the window.

“They don’t have wolves, they are wolves.” He turned to look me in the yes now, “But you already know that.”

 With that he turned to the door and left.

I was getting annoyed of being accused of being some sort of spy or accomplice of this YG guy. I wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all but Chanyeol’s hand on my shoulder brought me out of my frustration.

He had sat down on the chair Kai had vacated and he looked at me with a calming smile.

“I’ll explain everything Inha, but you need to rest,” his hand on my shoulder seemed weighted now, as if he was pushing me to lie down.

I shrugged off his and and asked again, “No Chanyeol, what I need is an explanation.”

He looked into my eyes for a while, as if searching for something. He must have found only resolve because he sighed before starting to talk

“Everyone you saw last night at the statue garden were werewolves. And you’ve been just initiated into our pack.”

I didn’t know what to do. It had been years since I told myself I would never stop believing in magic. And years since I had broken that promise.

I stared at him, not knowing… well not knowing anything.

He waited for me to say something but when I didn’t he continued, “Look, I’m sorry about yesterday. It’s a wolf law that only pack members know about the secret and until you became a pack member we couldn’t tell you anything. I don’t know how they convinced humans to join before without them knowing what they were joining but this was the only way we knew how to do it. We were lucky you accepted it so… so quickly?”

A look passed over Chanyeol’s face before he forced himself to smile. But then a grimace crossed his features.

“I’m sorry about Sehun yesterday. We told him not to phase until you knew everything but… some pack members don’t… well, some members aren’t used to humans being in packs.”

My mind started to process everything and I forced myself to face what I saw. I had been telling myself that that person yesterday hadn’t turned into a wolf but just had one behind him or something but now I forced myself to remember the empty space behind the wolf, where the clocked-person had stood just seconds ago.

I gulped, mind racing for a reasonable explanation.

“This… This isn’t some sort of prank is it,” My eyes pleaded with Chanyeol’s, “I-I’ll understand if it is. Boarding schools probably have some sort of initiation, right? This was just some prank. You can stop it now.” My voice trembled.

Chanyeol just looked at me with pity before dropping his eyes and shaking his head sadly.

“I’m sorry Inha. But being in the pack is amazing. I’m sure you’ll like it. It’ll be hard at first as we are not used to a human but it’ll get better.”

“But why Chanyeol,” I cried, “Why take me in to this pack thing if I’m apparently the only human? Why me?”

Chanyeol looked uncomfortable now, “Kai is supposed to be here for this,” He looked nervously at the door.

“Well, Kai obviously doesn’t care so just tell me.” I demanded.

Chanyeol still looked nervous but he whispered, “You’re his mate.”

“What?”

“His mate. Kai’s mate. The first human mate in a century. Usually two from different packs find each other and become mates and then the submissive wolf joins the dominant wolf’s pack. But this time a wolf found a human mate and so obviously you have to join the wolf’s pack. So I guess Kai will be the dominant one in your relationship,” suddenly Chanyeol snorted, “Sorry Inha but the pack already knew that Kai’s mate would be the one submissive. He’s already so demanding that it would be just funny if he was the submissive. We all have a laugh about it.”

I looked helplessly as he giggled.

“Oh- I’m sorry Inha,” He caught me expression and grimaced.

“I think you’re wrong Chanyeol,” I wrung my hands, “Kai hates me and I’m beginning to return the feeling.

Chanyeol looked shocked, “He doesn’t hate you, Inha. It’s impossible for wolves to reject their mates. If you are not around each other for at least an hour a day you both suffer.”

I frowned, “Suffer?”

Chanyeol shook his head gravely, “You don’t want to know.”

“You’re right, I don’t. But I do know that Kai does not like me.”

“He just thinks that you… that you are... are a,” Chanyeol struggled for words so I filled the rest of the sentence.

“He thinks that I’m some sort of set up from someone named YG, right?”

Chanyeol looked shocked, “No he-“

“He just told me that Chanyeol,” I massaged my temples and closed my eyes, “Who is YG”

“The pack leader of the Dalsol pack. Our biggest enemies.”

“And why does Kai think I am with them?” I raised my eyebrows.

“There have just been some- some coincidences,” Chanyeol finished weakly.

“He said all that rubbish to me because of some coincidences,” I snorted in upheaval.

“And one prophecy.” Chanyeol looked uncomfortable and it wasn’t until I shook his shoulder did he start to speak, “A few weeks ago Taeyeon, a pack member foresaw a war. IN the war she recognized Kai and GD. A member of the Dalsol pack. Ever since then the pack has been waiting for something to happen. And then you showed up.” Chanyeol gestured at me.

“And everyone thought that I was that something.” I looked at him thoughtfully, “Do you thin that I am a-“

“No!” Chanyeol shook his head vehemently,” I am good at reading people and after being with you all day today can tell nothing is up with you. And don’t worry, I am trying to convince every one of the same.”

I frowned, “Today?” Suddenly my eyes went wide, “What time is it?”

Chanyeol checked his watch. “It’s about to in the morning. But don’t worry, Ms. Kanji is part of all this wolf business and she knows you’re here.”

“Ms. Kanji? Is she part of your pack too?”

“Our pack?” Chanyeol corrected, “And no. Actually this whole school is for wolf students and it had been decided ages ago that the principal would have to leave their pack to keep the post. So there is no partiality.”

“If the school’s for wolf students, then how did I get in?” I asked, confused.

“There are human students as well but only to keep appearances. You’re lucky. Actually our pack is based in Korea but due to the annual international packs’ meeting, our pack leading SooMan-nim was in town. Or we would have had to wait several days for him to come and let you be initiated. They had to leave. Their flight back was at 1 and they were already cutting it close but SooMan-nim really had wanted to talk to you.”

The coincidences kept growing and I was starting to understand why everyone was so suspicious.

“I think I want to go back to my dorm now Chanyeol,” I started getting up from the bed.

“Ms. Kanji said you could take the day off tomorrow if you’re still in shock,” Chanyeol looked at me worriedly.

“I’m fine. Besides I can’t miss only the second day of school though…wait” I frowned, “Why did Kai and all those people leave class yesterday?”

“As soon as he saw your eyes he mated,” Chanyeol explained as we walked out of the room. There was no one in the hallway outside.

“He’s kind of the leader in our school gang and so when he left, all the pack members in the class left. It seemed a bit dramatic because a lot us got the same math class.”

We were now walking to the dorms, having exited the school building, which I guess the infirmary was located in.

“Then why did you come back?” I asked.

“The pack decided I was the friendliest and so they sent me to watch over you so no other pack would get any ideas.”

I frowned at that but my head was spinning and I wasn’t in the mood for any more questions.

We walked to the dorm in silence and I waved bye to Chanyeol before entering the building, where surprisingly the guard woman said nothing as I passed the lobby.

I didn’t think I was getting any sleep now but I needed to rest. And prepare.