Chapter 19 First Day of School
Phoebe
“I understand, Mom.”
Mom ended the call with her usual words of encouragement. No matter what, she was still my mom—the kind who would always check on her daughter’s needs on the first day of school, whether it was a new semester or not. Oh, Moon Goddess, how I missed the bustling mornings when Phoenix would tease me about my perpetually messy appearance.
“Maybe I should visit her when I have some free time.”
I glanced over the study schedule Finley had sent me and felt relieved to know I could count on him for biology. Taking on Phoenix’s role as the sharp and talented one meant I had to stay focused, especially on the subjects he excelled in. For a moment, I wondered why the Moon Goddess had given us such different abilities despite us being twins.
Locking the door behind me, I heard Finley call out from the bottom of the stairs. He waved casually at me, his warm smile brightening my mood. I waved back and joined him as we walked toward the dining room.
“Hayden’s on breakfast duty today. Think you can survive his cooking?” Finley teased with a sly grin.
I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Since moving into this dorm, I haven’t had a chance to try Hayden’s cooking. We took turns handling breakfast, and today was his turn.
“I’m curious,” I said. “Does he, like, decorate the plates or tie little bows on the toast?”
“Wait, are you being serious, or are you roasting him?”
“I’m being serious! Hayden’s so extra about perfection. Toast with ribbons would totally match his vibe.”
“If that’s a joke, you’ve got potential as a stand-up comedian, Phoenix,” Finley said, bursting into laughter.
I wasn’t trying to be funny, but his reaction caught me off guard. It made me feel a little bad, like I’d just gossiped behind Hayden’s back.
“I toast the bread at just the right temperature—crispy but not burnt, keeping the nutrients intact,” Hayden’s voice suddenly cut in, making me jump. He stood behind us with his signature serious expression. “I also layer it with bacon and the sauces you all like. Do you even think about that while you’re shoving it down your throat?”
“Wow. That’s... thorough,” Finley muttered, clearly amused. I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. “You put way too much thought into breakfast,” I added, trying to sound casual.
“I have to. We’re a team,” Hayden said, tilting his chin with that usual arrogant flair. “And I didn’t hear any gratitude from you.”
Instead of humoring his demand for praise, I smiled and said, “Thanks.”
For a moment, I thought I saw his ears turn red. The sight made me laugh to myself—who knew Hayden could get flustered?
Finley cleared his throat, breaking the moment. I’d forgotten we were supposed to be keeping things low-key. Blinking rapidly, I turned and headed toward the dining room.
In the kitchen, Adonis was seated with toast in hand, while Zion stood by the stove. The second I walked in, Zion turned toward me as if he’d been triggered by some invisible signal. It all happened so fast that I barely registered the goosebump that hit me when Adonis glanced at me from behind his glasses.
No way was I letting yesterday’s mess happen again—not on my first day of school. Luckily, Adonis didn’t react when I pulled out a chair and sat down. He didn’t stare too long, either, which gave me time to quietly grab my breakfast from the table.
“This is for you.” Zion and Finley both plunked down a bottle of warm milk in front of me at the exact same time.
“I called dibs on giving him milk first, Zion,” Finley said, shooting him a look.
“Oh yeah? Let’s see which one Mathews chooses,” Zion shot back, flashing a smug grin.
“Actually, this one’s his,” Hayden cut in, his voice firm and no-nonsense. “Goat milk. I ordered it from Amazon specifically for you, Mathews, and you’re going to drink it. You’re too thin—I don’t want you getting sick.”
The room went dead silent. Everyone just kind of stared at Hayden, their jaws practically hitting the floor. Surprised? Shocked? Plain confused? Who knew? Meanwhile, I smiled nervously, feeling the awkward tension crawl up my spine.
To break the ice, I said, “I’ll just take all of them. Thanks for looking out for me.”
I didn’t drink the milk right then—figured I’d save it for lunch or maybe after training. Still, their reactions were all over the place, and I couldn’t even begin to guess what they were thinking.
After finishing my last bite, I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder. Finley followed suit, and we walked to class together. I noticed Zion and Hayden heading in the opposite direction, while Adonis disappeared up the stairs ahead of us. Relief washed over me once he was out of sight.
“Is Adonis okay? He didn’t say a word at breakfast,” I asked.
“He woke up looking for his glasses and texted me. That’s normal for him,” Finley replied simply. “Silent mode is just his default.”
“Have you asked him about it?” I placed two books in my locker before shutting it. “I can’t help but be curious.”
“Nope. Adonis slept all morning. I doubt he wants to be bothered.”
Together, we headed to class. This school was far more luxurious than my previous one. It made sense, though—Livingstone catered to werewolves from elite families. Each desk had a laptop and other high-tech gadgets made by humans. On the wall was a fingerprint scanner for attendance, a far cry from the old-fashioned roll call back at my old school.
“This is amazing,” I muttered without thinking.
“What did you just say?” Finley asked, raising an eyebrow.
I slapped a hand over my mouth, realizing my slip-up. “I mean... the uniform is amazing,” I stammered, gesturing to the soft maroon fabric.
“They updated the design this semester. You like it?”
“Yeah, maroon suits Livingstone perfectly,” I replied, hoping to steer the conversation away from my blunder.
Finley smiled slightly, and I prayed he wouldn’t get suspicious. We took our assigned seats, marked with name tags, another impressive detail about Livingstone that I hadn’t expected.
As I got settled down, a girl with shoulder-length black hair walked up to me, smiling as she handed me a book. I frowned, trying to figure out if I recognized her. Was she one of Phoenix’s friends?
“Thanks for letting me borrow this,” she said. “Sorry it took so long to get it back to you.”
“This book…”
“The one you gave me to study for the advancement exams. Don’t tell me you forgot?”
“Oh, right! Glad I could help,” I said, trying to sound casual.
“You didn’t just help—you inspired me to push myself harder,” she added. “I left a note inside for you. Make sure to read it later, okay?”
A note? That got my attention. I nodded, slipping the book into my desk. Whatever it was, it had to be something meant for Phoenix.
When I glanced over at Finley, our eyes met. His expression was unusually tense—something I’d never seen from him before.
What was he trying to tell me?