Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Because of that couple earlier, I had to abandon my plan to spend more time by the pool. I shuddered at the thought of what they were doing in there.

Oh God, would the pool water be contaminated by them? I couldn't imagine swimming in water that they had been in. Just thinking about it made my stomach turn.

"Are you hungry?" Jeni, who was still following me, asked.

"Not really, maybe I need an isotonic drink," I replied, because that's what I needed right now. My body fluids had dropped drastically from seeing them, oh darn, I kept thinking about that disgusting image.

"In that case, let's go to the cafeteria," Jeni invited, pulling my hand again.

"Wait, Jen, could you take me to the swimming club room first? I'm not very familiar with all the locations here, and unfortunately, I left my map in the classroom earlier," I asked for her help, hoping she would agree, as Jeni was the only person I had talked to on my first day at NYHS.

"Okay, I'll take you there," I guessed she'd help.

I walked following Jeni's steps, trying to memorize the way. It turned out the swimming club room was past the library. I briefly wanted to go in, but I didn't want to keep Jeni waiting as she must be very hungry by now.

Maybe I could visit the library tomorrow.

Jeni stopped walking, and I stopped too. "Why?" I asked, curious about the puzzled look on Jeni's face.

"I just remembered, Maudy won't be coming to school for the next few days," she replied, making me raise both my eyebrows. Maudy? Who is she, and what's her connection to the club?

"And?"

"She's the swimming club president, and she's my cousin," she explained, finally making sense to me.

"Can't we ask the vice president or other members?"

"No, for new members, Maudy doesn't want anyone else to get involved," Jeni replied, making me a bit disappointed because I really wanted to join the club so I could swim to my heart's content there.

"Don't worry, Maudy will like you, and you'll definitely be accepted right away," Jeni continued, finally making me nod.

Now, I was really thirsty. Why did NYHS have to be this big? It took me ten minutes to walk from the club room to the cafeteria.

"What drink would you like?" Jeni asked when we arrived at the cafeteria. I immediately sat down in one of the empty chairs, my legs were really tired, and I needed to soak them in warm water when I got home from school, yeah, that's a good idea.

"I think this time I'm hungry," I whispered with a smile.

"Alright, just wait, I'll pick out food and drinks for you," Jeni said, then grabbed a red tray from the pantry area.

I slightly bent my body to massage my calf to my ankle. Why were they so sore? Was it because I hadn't exercised much? I guess so. I wasn't really into activities like running or going to the gym, but swimming was another story. Maybe because it was in the water, I never felt tired at all. Ah, I don't know.

I glanced around the cafeteria, trying to spot Jeni. She was taking quite a while, and I really needed a drink. I was about to get up from my comfy seat to find her, but my body froze as I realized who had just entered the cafeteria.

Why did my legs suddenly feel so heavy? I remained still, staring at the guy with his gray eyes, as he walked in with a few people trailing behind him. Wait, the girl, she was still fresh in my memory. My brain kicked into overdrive, and now I understood. The couple who had engaged in that disgusting activity in the pool turned out to be the wolf guy and the girl casually hanging on his arm. It was evident from their semi-wet hair.

"Where are you going?" Jeni's voice snapped me back to reality, and I looked at her, now standing in front of the table with a tray of food and drinks.

"Oh, I was just looking for you," I replied, then turned my attention back to the wolf pack of guys who had taken their seats right in the center of the cafeteria, at a large round table that seemed different from the others.

I furrowed my brow in confusion, thinking that their table was indeed unique compared to the square ones, and I had just noticed it.

"What are you looking at?" Jeni once again redirected my focus to her, offering me a bottle of isotonic drink.

"Who is he?" I asked, curious.

"Who?" Jeni inquired, now following my gaze.

"The one sitting with the girl in his lap?" I asked again.

"He's a Wolf."

"Seriously?"

"I've never been more serious."

"I don't see fur, a tail, or fangs on him," I said, even though I had previously thought of him as a wolf.

"Come on, you have to be his prey target first, then you'll see the wolf in him."

"Prey?"

"Yes, and I don't recommend it. Never get close to him, keep a minimum distance of two meters, or he'll mark you for real."

I blinked a few times, trying to gather my scattered thoughts from the day before. Keep a minimum distance of two meters.

I smacked my head and felt resigned to being marked.

"Are you okay, who are you?" Jeni asked, realizing my absurd behavior. The answer was no, I was not okay.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you call him a wolf?" I asked, curious about the nickname Jeni had given him. It seemed like I wasn't the only one who saw him as a wolf.

Jeni struggled to finish her sandwich and took a sip of the mineral water in front of her before answering my question. I was eagerly waiting for her response.

"Because he's like a wolf, not literally, but you get what I mean," Jeni explained, making me even more confused.

"He's Alpha Gray Wolfin, you know what I mean?" Jeni asked, making me nod quickly, signaling my understanding. His name, even the name of a gray wolf, perfectly matched the color of his eyes and his pet wolf.

"And you definitely know, not just from his name, we can already guess, he's the leader of the other wolves," Jeni explains, making me gaze back at the round table in front of me. I tilt my head slightly because Jeni's position slightly blocks my view.

"So why are they sitting there?" I ask again, my curiosity multiplying tenfold when discussing the wolf guy.

"That's their spot. They even have a room that serves as their gang's headquarters." I'm even more curious about who they really are.

"Who are they, really?"

"All I know is they have higher ranks than us. Power is in their hands, so they easily get away with causing trouble."

"Causing trouble, them?"

"Yeah, them. One of them even got caught with drugs and had a sex party, but they just walked away like nothing happened." I cover my wide-open mouth. I was prepared for the social scene in the West before I decided to move to New York, but I didn't expect it to be this bad.

"And Gray's intervention, always saving them," Jeni continues. Oh, so his name is Gray. I'm even more curious and try to sneak another look at them. I'm genuinely shocked when the wolf guy named Gray is devouring the lips of the girl on his lap.

What kind of school did I get into, I wonder inwardly.

But I'm even more surprised when his sharp gray eyes stare in Jeni's direction—or rather, in my direction. He's looking at me and immediately stops the kiss.

And stupidly, I remain frozen, meeting his gaze as he gets up from his seat and walks toward me.

"Jen, I, uh, have to go. My class is starting soon," I hurriedly say and try to run before Gray reaches our table.

"Your food, Aurel," Jeni shouts.

"Just for you," I reply before taking a thousand steps to get out of the cafeteria.