**Chapter 2: The Unspoken**
Eva spent the rest of her first morning at Oakridge High trying to shake off the unease that had settled into her bones. The classes were normal enough—math, English, history. The teachers seemed like regular teachers, with tired eyes and monotone voices. But the students… they weren't like anyone she'd ever met before. There was an energy about them that prickled at her nerves, like an electric current running beneath the surface of everything.
During her third-period history class, she felt their eyes on her. They stared just a little too long, whispered just a little too loudly. It wasn't the usual curiosity of students seeing a new face. It was something more intense, like they were analyzing her, weighing her, as if she were some sort of… prey.
"Miss Grace?"
The teacher's sharp voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Mr. Avery, the history teacher, standing at the front of the classroom with his arms crossed.
"Is there something you'd like to add to the discussion on colonial economics, or are you content with daydreaming through your first day back?"
A few students snickered, but Eva forced a tight smile. "Sorry, sir," she muttered, lowering her gaze.
Mr. Avery gave her a long, strange look, then turned back to the board. "As I was saying…"
Evelyn exhaled, trying to calm the swirling thoughts in her head. Maybe it was just nerves, she told herself. After all, being the new girl was never easy. She just needed time to adjust.
But by the time lunch rolled around, that explanation didn't seem to hold water anymore.
She grabbed her tray and scanned the crowded cafeteria for a familiar face—any face—but came up short. Everyone seemed to be seated in tight groups, laughing and talking as though they'd known each other forever. She spotted Lucas sitting with a group of guys in the far corner. His back was turned, but the way they all huddled together, their heads bent low, made her hesitate. They were deep in conversation, and for a moment, Evelyn thought she heard one of them growl. No, it couldn't be. Must be my imagination, she thought.
With no other option, she found an empty table near the back and sat down, picking at her food without much interest. As she sat there, though, the feeling of being watched returned. She glanced up and caught the eye of a girl sitting a few tables away. The girl was tall and striking, with pale skin and dark hair that cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall. Her eyes were a piercing green, and they were locked onto Eva with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.
Eva quickly looked away, pretending to focus on her tray. But she could still feel the girl's gaze burning into her. She glanced around, trying to make sense of the situation, and realized something strange. The groups in the cafeteria weren't random at all. There were clear divisions—clusters of students who looked... different. Like the girl watching her, they were all tall, athletic, almost too perfect. Their features were sharp, their movements too fluid, too graceful.
Just as Eva was beginning to wonder if she was the only one who noticed this, someone slid into the seat across from her. She looked up and froze.
It was the girl. The one with the green eyes.
"You're Eva Grace," she said, her voice smooth and cool like glass.
"Yeah," Eva replied cautiously. "And you are?"
"Vivienne," the girl said, smiling, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I've heard about you."
Eva raised an eyebrow. "You have?"
Vivienne's smile widened, and again, Eva felt that strange sense of danger. "Small school," Vivienne said, waving a hand dismissively. "Word travels fast."
Eva nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. Vivienne's gaze was too intense, like she was trying to see right through her. The silence stretched between them, uncomfortable and heavy.
"So, what's your deal?" Vivienne asked, her voice light but her eyes sharp. "Why now? You've been gone for, what, years? Why come back?"
Eva hesitated, the question catching her off guard. She wasn't used to being so direct with strangers, but something told her that Vivienne wasn't the type to back down.
"I was sick," Eva said quietly. "I had to go abroad for treatment. But I'm better now."
Vivienne tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "Better," she echoed, as though testing the word. "Good for you."
Eva didn't know how to respond, so she stayed quiet, pushing her food around on her plate. She could feel Vivienne's eyes lingering on her, watching, waiting.
"Well, if you need help finding your way around," Vivienne said after a long pause, "just ask. This school can be… overwhelming."
"Thanks," Eva replied, though her voice sounded hollow even to her own ears.
Vivienne gave her one last unreadable smile before standing up and walking away, her movements as fluid and silent as a shadow.
As she disappeared into the crowd, Eva let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Something about that conversation felt... off, like Vivienne had been sizing her up for something.
And then there was the way she said that last part: *This school can be overwhelming.* Was that a warning?
"Eva!"
She looked up to see Lucas striding toward her, a serious look on his face. He glanced around the cafeteria as though making sure no one was listening, then sat down beside her.
"Hey," he said quietly, leaning in. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Eva said, trying to sound normal. "Just... adjusting."
Lucas gave her a tight-lipped smile, but his eyes were full of concern. "Listen," he said, his voice low, "I know this is weird, but there's something you need to know about Oakridge. About the people here."
Eva's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
Lucas ran a hand through his hair, looking conflicted. "I didn't want to tell you this right away, but... this school isn't like other schools. The people here—they're different. Some of them aren't... human."
Eva blinked, certain she hadn't heard him right. "What?"
Lucas looked her dead in the eyes, his expression deadly serious. "This school is for werewolves, Eva."
For a moment, all she could do was stare at him, the words not quite making sense. Then she laughed, though it came out strained. "That's... not funny, Lucas."
But Lucas wasn't laughing. "I'm serious. Oakridge is a werewolf school. And I... I'm one of them."
Her breath caught in her throat. "What?"
"I didn't know how to tell you," Lucas said, his voice tight. "I didn't want to scare you. But you're here now, and you need to know. Not everyone's going to be... friendly. You're human, Eva, and that makes you... different."
Eva's mind spun, struggling to process what he was saying. Werewolves? Lucas? No, it couldn't be real. But the strange tension, the whispers, the stares... they all started to make sense.
She stared at him, her heart pounding. "You're serious."
Lucas nodded. "Dead serious."
Eva leaned back in her seat, her mind racing. Her first day at Oakridge was supposed to be normal. She was supposed to blend in, finish her studies, and move on with her life.
But now, it was clear that nothing about this place was normal. Not the school. Not the students.
And certainly not her best friend.