Rise of Darkness Chains of Destiny

Kira's pov

I could feel them staring. Their eyes followed me as soon as I stepped through the gates of Crescent Moon Academy. I told myself this was supposed to be a fresh start, a new beginning. But deep down, I knew it wouldn’t be that simple.

I’ve always known I’m beautiful. People used to say I had an hourglass shape that would turn heads anywhere. But today, they weren’t looking at me because of that. They were looking because they all knew the same thing—I was the Alpha’s abandoned daughter. The whispers confirmed it as I moved through the hallway, and my wolf senses picked up every word, even if they tried to keep their voices low.

"That's her, right? The one the Alpha left behind..."

"She thinks she can just walk in here like nothing happened."

I kept my head high, ignoring them. I wasn’t here to make friends or worry about what they thought. I had a mission—finish school and move on with my life. Nothing more, nothing less.

But as I got closer to my locker, I sensed something was off. My wolf stirred inside me, alert. That’s when I felt it—a hard shove from behind. Someone had pushed me. I stumbled but didn’t fall, thanks to my reflexes kicking in just in time.

"Wow!" one of the students muttered in surprise. “Did you see that? She didn’t even hit the ground.”

I turned slowly to face my attacker. It was Claire. Of course, it was Claire. The daughter of the Nightfall pack leader. Her friends stood behind her, all smirking, enjoying the scene.

"You can’t just walk around here like you own the place," Claire said, crossing her arms with a smug look on her face.

"Who does she think she is?" one of her friends chimed in, tossing her hair back dramatically.

"Oh, wait," another one of Claire’s minions added, pretending to think hard. "Isn’t she the Alpha’s abandoned daughter?"

That sent them all into fits of laughter. Claire’s face lit up as if she’d just won something. But their words didn’t sting the way they wanted them to. They didn’t know me, and they didn’t know my story.

I kept my expression neutral, refusing to give them the satisfaction of a reaction. I wasn’t here to impress anyone. And I definitely wasn’t here to befriend Claire or her little circle. I had one goal—graduate. Nothing else mattered.

I forced myself to stay calm as I picked up my bag from the ground. The scuffle with Claire had left me rattled, but I wasn’t going to let her see that. I headed toward my locker, trying to ignore the murmurs and laughter that followed me.

"Why don’t you just go back to wherever you came from?" Claire’s voice echoed behind me, sharp and biting.

I tightened my grip on my bag, my fingers digging into the straps. I could hear one of Claire’s friends say, “We need to make her understand she’s nothing.”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "If you believe I’m nothing, then pretend you don’t see me," I said, my voice steady despite the anger bubbling inside.

Claire shoved me against the locker, the metal surface cold against my back. "You’re not in a position to tell me how I should treat you," she said, her eyes flashing with annoyance.

I wanted to push back, to let her know I wouldn’t be pushed around. But I knew it would only make things worse. I was about to say something when a tall, handsome figure appeared behind Claire.

“What’s going on here?” Jaxon Lycroft asked, his voice smooth and commanding. He leaned in and kissed Claire on the lips, making it clear they were a couple.