Song of the Peaks

The next day at school Calista had spent the entire day keeping herself composed and trying to avoid unnecessary attention. She knew Max was watching her, even when he pretended not to. She could feel it. The way his presence loomed just a little too close in the hallways. The way his posture shifted whenever she moved nearby.

The way his wolf-like instincts were practically circling her. But she wasn’t about to let herself get caught in his game. He was suspicious of her. But that was fine. She had grown up around scrutiny, trained from birth to hide her emotions when necessary.

And if Max thought he could read her, he would be sorely disappointed. But then she walked into Astronomy class and saw him sitting there. Again. It was starting to feel like fate was pushing them together. Fate, after all, had never particularly cared what she thought. But she wouldn’t let him know that she was starting to enjoy these little encounters.

Dr. Henshaw adjusted his glasses as he turned on the projector. “Today, we’re covering something you’re all familiar with the moon.”

Calista listened carefully. She had studied Earth’s moon before arriving, but hearing it from an earth born perspective was different. Serenia had two moons. And their celestial cycles influenced magic, love, and destiny not just tides and light. But on Earth? The moon was seen as a silent observer, an object to be studied but never felt. It was… fascinating.

Until—

“The lunar cycle affects many creatures,” Dr. Henshaw continued, flipping to the next slide. “Including some you might not expect.”

That’s when Calista felt it. The subtle shift in the air. Max’s posture straightened slightly. His wolf stirred beneath the surface. Her gaze flickered toward the slide. Lunar Cycle Effects on Supernaturals. Key Focus: Lycans.

“Contrary to popular belief,” Dr. Henshaw said, “Lycans are not controlled by the full moon. They are not cursed, nor are they involuntary shapeshifters.”

Calista already knew this. Lycans were different from werewolves. They were more evolved, able to shift at will, their instincts sharper, their control far superior. And yet—

“The moon still affects them,” Dr. Henshaw continued. “Not in the way it would a lesser werewolf, but in more subtle ways. During a full moon, their instincts sharpen. Aggression rises. Dominance urges heighten. Even the most experienced Lycans feel it.”

Max’s pen had gone still against the desk. His gaze dropped to the desk. Calista’s did not. Calista noticed. The way his fingers tapped lightly against the desk. The way his breathing changed just slightly. The way his body remained completely still—too still. He wasn’t just listening. He was reliving it. And for the first time, Calista wondered—

What was it like for him? To live in a world where his instincts constantly pushed against his control? To always have to hold back? Was that why he was resistant to their soulmate bond? Because if the moon could still influence him, if his nature still demanded something from him, what else was he trying to fight?

Dr. Henshaw flipped to another slide. Lunar Phases and Their Effects:

🌑 New Moon – Instincts dulled, control at its peak.

🌒 Waxing Crescent – Strength increases gradually, heightened awareness.

🌓 First Quarter – Pack bonds strengthen, mental clarity sharpens.

🌔 Waxing Gibbous – Urges intensify, dominance instincts rise.

🌕 Full Moon – Peak aggression, primal urges surface.

🌖 Waning Gibbous – Post-transformation fatigue, senses still heightened.

🌗 Last Quarter – Recovery phase, instincts stabilize.

🌘 Waning Crescent – Subtle pull toward introspection and solitude.

Calista found herself intrigued. The full moon didn’t control them, but it still affected them. She flicked a glance at Max. His expression was unreadable. But she knew better. She could see the tension in his posture. He didn’t like talking about this. Which meant… She should. Calista raised her hand, elbow resting on the desk first, the way she had seen bored students do it.

Dr. Henshaw nodded. “Yes, Miss Heart?”

She tilted her head slightly. “So Lycans don’t shift during full moons, but you said their instincts heighten?”

Dr. Henshaw nodded. “Correct.”

She pretended to be thoughtful, innocent. “Then does that mean even strong Lycans struggle?”

The class went silent. And Max? Max finally looked at her. She met his gaze without flinching.

Dr. Henshaw seemed pleased by the question. “The best Lycans train themselves to resist their more primal urges,” he explained. “But yes, even Alphas feel the effects. No one is completely immune.”

Calista didn’t smile, but she wanted to. Because Max had reacted. Not outwardly. Not, obviously. But his wolf bristled beneath the surface. She could see it in his tense shoulders. In the way his fingers curled slightly on the desk. He didn’t like being reminded of his limits. And she had done just that.

As class ended, students gathered their things, filtering out of the room. Max was silent as he stood. He didn’t look at her. Not at first.

But as she walked past his desk, he finally spoke. He stood slowly, exhaling through his nose. He wasn’t looking at her. Not at first.

“Enjoy the lesson?” His tone was neutral. But there was something else beneath it. Something testing her. His voice was calm too calm. Controlled. Dangerous.

Calista let her lips curve into the barest hint of a smile. “It was… informative.”

Their eyes met. Max let out a slow breath, tilting his head just slightly. Then deliberately, without looking away he let his claws extend. Just for a second. Just long enough for her to see. A silent message.

And for the briefest second it wasn’t a game anymore. Because Max wasn’t just suspicious of her. And she wasn’t just studying him. She was curious. Too curious. And if she wasn’t careful? That curiosity would turn into something much harder to ignore.

Max’s jaw was still tight when he pushed through the door of his last class. First, Brianna had disappeared into thin air yesterday a fact that still gnawed at him. And now? Now he was realizing something even more frustrating. She was in his music class. And he had only just noticed. He glanced at Keira, who sat two rows away, and she gave him a subtle what the hell look.

Jason, on the other hand, just looked amused. “She’s been here the whole time, huh?” he muttered under his breath. “Guess you’re not as observant as you thought.”

Max ignored him, turning his focus back to the front of the room. Brianna sat perfectly poised at her desk, her posture flawless as she studied the sheet music in front of her. Unlike the other students, who slouched or tapped their feet impatiently, she seemed completely at ease. Too at ease.

And then he heard it. A soft humming. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t attention-seeking. It was effortless. Natural. And yet, it stilled the air around her. Max’s wolf stirred. Because the melody was strange. It wasn’t in English. Hell, it didn’t sound like any language he’d ever heard.

It was melodic, fluid, carrying an echoing resonance that reminded him of wind rushing through mountain peaks. The way the syllables melted together felt… ancient. Sacred. Something not of this world. His breath hitched. Brianna completely unaware of the eyes on her continued humming, her fingers tracing the edge of the desk absently. Then—

“Brianna?” The teacher’s voice broke the moment, and Brianna’s humming stopped instantly.

She looked up, blinking in mild surprise. “Yes?”

Mr. Cole, their music instructor, smiled. “That tune you were humming just now—it was beautiful. What language was that?”

Max tensed. Brianna hesitated for a split second just enough for him to notice. Then she gave a practiced, polite smile.

“It’s… an old dialect,” she said smoothly. “Something my—” She paused, then quickly corrected herself. “—my family used to sing.”

Max’s wolf bristled. She was lying. Not because she sounded dishonest. But because her body betrayed her. The way she sat a little too still. The way her fingers tightened ever so slightly on her desk. The way her lips pressed together before speaking. He had seen it before—in people hiding something. She was choosing her words carefully. And that meant there was something she didn’t want them to know.

And Jason, of course, was the first to push it further. “You should sing it for us,” he suggested, his grin sharp with challenge.

Brianna’s eyes flickered toward him, expression unreadable. Mr. Cole seemed to love the idea. “That’s a wonderful suggestion! Brianna, would you be willing to share it with the class?”

Max watched her carefully. For a moment, she seemed to consider refusing. Then slowly she exhaled. “If it pleases you,” she said smoothly, then quickly corrected herself again. “I mean um, sure.”

Max caught the subtle shift in her phrasing. That wasn’t the way a normal teenager spoke. That was the way someone raised in high status spoke. It wasn’t just proper. It was regal. And when she stood and walked to the front of the room, Max’s pen stopped moving.

When Brianna began to sing, the entire room went silent. Her voice was ethereal. Soft, yet powerful. Each note carried a haunting, otherworldly resonance, flowing through the air like a river cascading down a mountainside. The words were neither human nor supernatural.

Silence. Not the kind that came from politeness. The kind that came from worship. The moment Brianna began to sing, the room belonged to her. Her voice was not human. It was vast, commanding, each note a thread weaving something unseen into the air. And Max? He was caught in it. Like prey.

Max didn’t recognize the language, but it made something deep in his chest tighten. It was like listening to the wind whisper through the peaks. Like the sound of a world untouched by time. It was beautiful. And it was wrong. Because nothing about this girl was normal.

And this song? This song was something ancient. His wolf snarled in his chest, on edge. Jason, Keira, Josh, Tyler, and Emma all exchanged wide-eyed glances. They knew it too. This was not some family lullaby. This was something else. The moment she finished, there was a brief silence then the entire class erupted into applause.

Mr. Cole looked stunned. “Brianna, that was… extraordinary.”

She lowered her head slightly, a graceful, controlled gesture. “Thank you.”

Max didn’t applaud. Across the aisle, Jason was already sliding his phone face-down onto his desk, the small red recording light blinking off. Their eyes met for just a second. Jason gave the faintest nod. Jason had recorded the whole thing. And tonight? They were going to find out exactly what the hell she had just sung.