Under Watchful Eyes

Calista walked through the streets, the city’s neon lights reflecting in her eyes. Avalis padded beside her, a leash loosely looped around Calista’s wrist. The hum of late-night traffic and muffled conversations filled the air, but her mind was elsewhere caught in a cycle of analysis, frustration, and determination.

The past few days had been exhausting. Not because Max and his friends had been following her she had expected that. No, the real challenge had been tracking Dana Stone. The girl who stood between her and Max. The girl who shouldn’t even be in the picture.

She had followed Dana around school, keeping her distance, blending in when necessary. Using magic sparingly just enough to alter her features in a way that made her easy to ignore, easy to forget. But even with all her careful efforts, she still had nothing useful. Dana was too careful.

She had no real presence online. No personal posts, no vulnerability, no insight into who she really was. Just a curated aesthetic, all surface and perfection. No weaknesses. Nothing she could use. All Calista had was pictures on her phone. Images of Dana walking through the halls, sitting with Max at lunch, flipping her hair in that polished, intentional way that made people look at her.

That was all she had. And it wasn’t enough. Her hotel was up ahead, its towering frame standing against the night sky. But instead of heading straight inside, she paused when she saw a high-end grocery store on the corner. A quiet, ordinary place. A place where she could breathe for a moment. Without overthinking it, she turned and walked inside.

The store was nearly empty. A tired-looking cashier scrolled through his phone at the register, barely acknowledging her presence. An older woman shuffled near the bread aisle, murmuring to herself as she examined the shelves. No one paid attention to Calista. For the first time all day, she wasn’t being watched.

She wasn’t being chased. She wasn’t being studied. She grabbed a small shopping basket and wandered toward the refrigerated section. It was quiet. And strangely, that unsettled her. She had spent so many years under constant scrutiny, always moving, always aware of how others perceived her. Every step, every glance, every breath had been calculated.

And now? Now, she could walk through this place without a single soul looking at her. And that should have felt liberating. Instead, it felt lonely. She picked up a bottle of water but didn’t move. Instead, she stared at her reflection in the glass door. At Brianna Heart. At the stranger she had created. Her fingers tightened around the bottle as her thoughts returned to Dana.

Dana was rich. Dana was popular. Dana cared about being seen. And that? That was something Calista could work with. She had noticed it immediately the way Dana never wore the same purse twice, the way every other day she strutted into school draped in something expensive. Louis Vuitton. Gucci. Chanel. Even her makeup was luxury branded.

It wasn’t just about having money. It was about showing it. And people like that? They thrived on social control. Dana didn’t need to fight to get what she wanted. She had status. She had influence. She had Max. Calista exhaled slowly, shoving the bottle into her basket. This was a problem. Getting close to Max was already going to be hard. But with Dana standing in her way? It was going to be nearly impossible. Still—

Calista wasn’t discouraged. Because if there was one thing she had learned from years of training in royal politics? There was always a way in. She just had to find it. As Calista stood up she accidentally bumped into someone, jolting her from her thoughts. Calista looked up and froze.

Because standing before her towering, imposing, and unmistakably dominant was Richard Ashton. Alpha of the Bloodclaw Pack. And beside him, Emily Ashton, his sharp-eyed Luna, radiating a quiet, polite wariness. Max’s parents. She had seen their faces before, pulled from the same search that had given her Dana’s curated highlights and Max’s public profile. For a moment they just stared at each other than Calista schooled her expression into one of casual innocence as she took a small step back.

“Oh, excuse me,” she said smoothly, shifting her cart slightly.

Emily smiled, but it was a practiced, measured thing. “It’s fine,” she said, her gaze already drifting downward.

To Avalis. Calista’s breath hitched.

“What a beautiful dog you have,” Emily mused, crouching slightly as if to offer her hand for Avalis to sniff.

The Kitrin tilted her head, her violet eyes gleaming with unreadable amusement. Calista dropped her free hand to rest briefly on top of Avalis’s head.

“Thank you,” she replied with a polite smile. “Her name’s Avalis.”

Richard’s golden eyes remained on her, studying. Calculating.

“Avalis,” he repeated thoughtfully. “Interesting name. Doesn’t sound local.”

Calista kept her breathing even. “It isn’t.”

Richard’s gaze drifted back to the Kitrin. “And what breed is she?”

Only the briefest pause. “Celestial hound.”

Richard frowned slightly. “I’ve never heard of one.”

“They’re uncommon.”

“Where are they from?”

Calista smiled politely. “They’re bred privately. Most people never see one.”

Richard held her gaze another second before giving a slow nod. “I can believe that.”

Emily crouched again, smiling as Avalis gently placed a paw into her hand. “Well,” Emily laughed softly, “whatever she is, she’s beautiful.”

“She certainly has manners,” Emily murmured.

“She’s clever,” Richard added, voice laced with something deeper. Something suspicious.

Calista met his gaze evenly. “She’s well-trained.”

Richard crossed his arms, broad shoulders casting a shadow over the aisle. “You’re new to the area, aren’t you?”

Calista’s stomach tightened, but outwardly, she remained relaxed. “Yes. I moved here a few weeks ago.”

“And you’re…” Richard trailed off, expectant.

“Brianna,” she said smoothly, offering her hand. “Brianna Heart.”

Richard took her hand briefly. His grip was firm. Testing. “Richard Ashton.”

Luna Emily shook her hand next, her touch lighter but no less scrutinizing. “Emily.”

Calista smiled. “Nice to meet you both.”

“So,” Richard continued, “what brings you to New York?”

“School.”

“Bloodmoon Academy?”

She nodded once. “I wanted a fresh start.”

Richard studied her quietly. “Fresh starts can be... complicated.”

Calista offered a polite smile. “They usually are.”

Richard’s eyes never left hers. “Especially when someone’s trying to leave something behind.”

Emily lightly touched his arm. “Richard.”

He didn’t look away. “It was only a question.”

Calista met his gaze calmly. “And I answered it.”

A long moment passed before Richard finally nodded.

Richard’s expression didn’t shift, but she could feel the weight of his analysis. “Fresh starts,” he said, almost like he was testing the words. “They can be… complicated.”

Something cold curled in Calista’s gut.

“Especially if someone has something they’re running from.”

Emily placed a gentle hand on his arm, a silent warning. “Richard.”

Richard didn’t look away. “What? It’s a valid question.”

Calista refused to let her heartbeat quicken. She refused to let them see her falter. “I’m not running from anything,” she said evenly. “Just settling in. Adjusting.”

Richard’s gaze was unrelenting.

Emily, ever the diplomat, forced another polite smile. “Well, it’s always nice to meet new faces.” Then she glanced at Avalis again. “And she really is lovely.”

“Thank you,” Calista murmured.

Richard said nothing, but his gaze never left her. As they turned to leave, he hesitated. Then, over his shoulder, he said low, quiet, and dangerous:

“Take care, Brianna. Small towns like this have a way of… uncovering things.”

Calista’s stomach dropped. But she smiled as if unaffected. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Once Richard and Emily were out of sight, Calista let out a slow, controlled breath. Avalis flicked an ear back toward her, then snorted softly.

“What?” Calista muttered under her breath.

Avalis looked toward the store entrance long after Richard and Emily had disappeared.

“I know,” Calista murmured quietly. “He’s smarter than I hoped.”

“I kept my cover,” Calista whispered, adjusting her basket. Avalis just wagged her tails.

Calista shook her head. “Let’s buy this and get out of here.”

Because Richard Ashton was already suspicious enough. And the last thing she needed… Was an Alpha hunting for her secrets.

Monday arrived with more questions than answers. Richard hadn’t shared much about his chance encounter over the weekend. Only one sentence over breakfast.

“I met Brianna Heart.”

Nothing more. Nothing less. The fact that his father had offered so little bothered Max more than if he’d said nothing at all.

Beyond the cafeteria’s towering glass doors, the outdoor dining courtyard stretched across a beautifully landscaped section of campus. Stone walkways wound between flower beds bursting with crimson and white blooms, while mature oak trees cast broad patches of shade over dozens of round tables scattered throughout the courtyard. A small stone fountain burbled softly near the center, its gentle trickle blending with the steady hum of conversations as students ate beneath wooden pergolas draped with climbing ivy or gathered beneath the open-air pavilion. Paths branched away toward the library, the gym complex, and the rest of Bloodmoon Academy, making the courtyard one of the busiest places on campus despite its surprisingly relaxed atmosphere.

Last week had been one long, frustrating confirmation that she wasn’t normal. That much, they all agreed on. But what they hadn’t figured out yet? What she actually was. She wasn’t human. She wasn’t a witch. She wasn’t a shifter. And yet, she was something.

Jason, Keira, Josh, Emma, and Tyler sat with him, all pretending to be engaged in casual conversation, but their focus never strayed far from the girl sitting alone at the edge of the courtyard.

Brianna had chosen a table tucked beneath the shade of one of the old oak trees, far enough from the larger groups that she could be left alone while still watching the flow of students passing through the courtyard. Avalis lay beside her, the golden-furred “dog” resting her head on her paws, looking for all the world like a loyal pet enjoying the afternoon. But Max could tell—

She was watching. Just like her owner.

Jason leaned forward slightly, keeping his voice low. “Alright, I say we push her today.”

Max sighed, already not liking where this was going. “Push her how?”

Jason’s smirk was dangerous. “She’s too good at slipping away. She never reacts, never flinches, never makes mistakes. But everyone has a breaking point.” He tilted his head toward her. “So let’s make her slip.”

Keira raised a brow. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

Jason rolled his shoulders. “Easy. We mess with her. Give her no way out.”

Josh exhaled. “And by ‘mess with her,’ you mean?”

Jason grinned. “A little... practical demonstration. If she’s got instincts, let’s force her to use them.”

Max didn’t like this. At all. But Jason was already standing. Shit.

Keira sighed. “This is going to backfire.”

Yeah. It probably would. But Max? Max just watched. Jason strode up to Brianna’s table with lazy arrogance, dropping into the seat across from her without invitation. Brianna didn’t react. Didn’t flinch. She simply lifted her gaze, slow and deliberate, her expression as unreadable as ever.

“Jason.” Her voice was polite. Neutral.

Jason smirked. “Relax. Just being friendly.”

She arched a delicate brow. “Is that what we’re calling it?”

Jason chuckled, resting his elbow on the table. “You know, I’ve been thinking.”

Max tensed. He didn’t know what Jason was about to do, but he knew it was going to be reckless.

Jason’s smirk widened. “You’re pretty good at slipping past things, aren’t you?”

Brianna tilted her head slightly. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Jason leaned forward, his grin sharp. “Let’s see how good you are at slipping now.”

And then he grabbed her wrist. Bad move. The moment Jason’s hand closed around her, Brianna moved. Not like a normal girl. Not with fear, or hesitation, or anger. She moved like someone who had already anticipated this. Like someone who had been trained to react. And then Jason’s world tilted.

Brianna’s feet stayed planted on the ground. That was all it took. A pulse rippled beneath them silent, invisible, impossible to notice unless you knew what to look for. To anyone watching? It just looked like Jason had suddenly lost his balance.

One moment he was leaning forward, the next—the earth shifted beneath him. Subtle. Precise. A ripple just beneath the pavement, a shift in the pressure under his feet, an invisible correction to gravity itself. And Jason? Jason fell. Hard. Flat on his back.

A grunt tore from his throat as his body hit the ground with an unceremonious thud, his legs kicked out from under him as if the earth had just moved without warning. Max’s wolf bristled. Because something had moved. But he hadn’t seen it. No one had.

Jason coughed, blinking up at the sky in dazed shock. Brianna, still seated, took a calm sip of her drink. And then—she finally looked down at him. Her expression? Completely neutral. Unbothered. Like she hadn’t just sent him sprawling without lifting a single damn finger.

Jason groaned, pushing himself up onto his elbows. “What the hell?”

Brianna simply blinked. “You should be more careful.”

Jason’s jaw locked. Because he knew. She had done something. She had moved, or tripped him, or somehow made the ground move. But how? He hadn’t seen it. No one had seen it.

Tyler snorted, failing to hold back a laugh. “Damn, Jason. You good?”

Laughter rippled through the courtyard.

Jason ignored him, eyes locked on Brianna as he got to his feet. “You—”

Brianna tilted her head. “Me?”

Jason clenched his fists, his wolf snarling beneath his skin. He was so sure she had done something. But there was no proof. No sign. Nothing. Just her. Sitting there. Drinking her damn lemonade like nothing had happened.

Max stood slowly, his body rigid, watching Brianna with narrowed eyes. He didn’t like this. Didn’t like how effortless it had looked. Didn’t like how it had felt. Didn’t like how Brianna had remained calm.

Jason scowled, brushing dirt off his sleeves, glaring at her. “You did something.”

Calista simply smiled. “I didn’t touch you.”

Jason clenched his jaw, fists curling. “You’re messing with us.”

“Am I?” she asked innocently.

Max was silent, his wolf stirring beneath the surface. Jason was reckless but he wasn’t stupid. Something had happened. Something no one else saw. And Max had a feeling Brianna was the reason. But before he could push further—

The bell rang.

Calista turned, her expression unreadable. “See you in class.”

And with that, she walked away. Leaving Jason seething. And Max more determined than ever to uncover the truth.