Riley's POV
The next few days at Blackthorn High settle into a tense routine. I avoid the Hawthorn triplets as much as I can, but it's impossible to escape them completely. They're in all my classes, and their presence is like a storm cloud hanging over me. Tara's glares haven't let up, and I've started noticing other students watching me too, some with curiosity, others with hostility. Lila's been a lifeline, sticking by my side and filling me in on Ravenwood's social hierarchy, but even she can't explain the triplets' fixation on me.
It's Thursday, and I'm in art class, sketching a landscape from one of my hikes. The teacher's late, so the room's buzzing with chatter. I'm lost in my drawing when the door opens, and the triplets walk in. The air shifts, and I keep my eyes on my paper, hoping they'll ignore me. No such luck. They take the desks in front of me again, and Tara plops down nearby, her eyes burning holes into me. She leans over to Silas, whispering something, but he doesn't respond. His focus is on me, and it's unsettling.
I try to concentrate on my sketch, but my hand shakes slightly. The bruise on my hand has faded, but the memory of Silas grabbing my wrist lingers. What was that about? And why do they keep staring? The teacher finally arrives, and class begins, but I can't shake the feeling that something's off. Lila, sitting next to me, nudges my arm. "You okay?" she whispers.
"Yeah," I lie, forcing a smile. "Just tired."
She doesn't push, but I can tell she's worried. The class drags on, and when the bell rings, I'm ready to bolt. But as I'm packing up, Silas grabs my wrist again, this time gentler, but still firm. I yank my hand free and glare at him. "What's your deal?" I snap.
He doesn't answer, just looks at my hand, then up at my face. His eyes are intense, like he's searching for something. Ethan steps in, his smile disarming. "Sorry about him. He's not great with boundaries."
"Clearly," I say, grabbing my bag. Caleb's watching, his expression unreadable. I turn to leave, but Silas finally speaks.
"Who did that to you?" he asks, nodding at my hand.
I freeze. "Nobody. It was an accident."
He doesn't look convinced, but he lets it go. I walk out, Lila trailing behind me. "Okay, that was weird," she says. "What's with Silas and your hand?"
"No clue," I say, but my mind's racing. Why does he care? And why does it feel like he knows more than he's letting on?
The rest of the day is uneventful, but I can't shake the triplets' presence. They're everywhere, and it's starting to get under my skin. By the time I get home, I'm on edge. The house is a mess, empty bottles scattered across the living room, dishes piled in the sink. Diane's passed out on the couch, and Carl's nowhere to be seen, which is a relief. I head to my room and lock the door, pulling out my sketchbook. I start drawing, and before I know it, I've sketched the triplets again. Their faces are burned into my mind, and it's driving me crazy.
I'm about to close the sketchbook when I hear a noise, a creak, like someone's in my room. I spin around, heart pounding, and see a guy sitting on my bed. He's lean, with dark hair and sharp green eyes, and he's looking at me like we're old friends. "Riley, right?" he says, his voice casual.
"Who the hell are you?" I demand, clutching my sketchbook like a shield.
"Name's Jasper," he says, leaning back. "Relax, I'm not here to hurt you."
"How did you get in here?" I glance at the window, it's closed, but I'm sure it wasn't locked.
"Doesn't matter," he says. "What matters is you. You're making waves, you know that?"
I narrow my eyes. "What are you talking about?"
He sighs, like I'm being difficult. "The Hawthorn triplets. You're on their radar, and that's not a good thing. You need to be careful."
"Why?" I ask, my voice sharp. "What's so special about them?"
Jasper smirks. "Let's just say they're not your average high school seniors. And you're not exactly average either, are you?"
My blood runs cold. "I don't know what you mean."
"Sure you do," he says, standing up. "You're playing human, but you're not fooling everyone. The triplets know you're their mate, even if they think you're human. That's why they're watching you."
My heart stops. Mate? What the hell is he talking about? "You're crazy," I say, but my voice shakes.
"Am I?" He pulls a small black bag from his pocket and tosses it to me. I catch it, and inside is a needle and a vial of clear liquid. "You know what to do with that. Keep your wolf suppressed, or you're gonna have a lot more problems than just the triplets."
I stare at the vial, my mind reeling. How does he know? I've been hiding what I am my whole life, even from myself. "Who sent you?" I ask.
"Doesn't matter," he says. "Just know you're not alone. But you need to hurry up and tell the triplets who you are. Time's running out."
"For what?" I snap.
He doesn't answer. Instead, he opens the window and slips out, disappearing into the darkening forest. I stand there, clutching the vial, my heart pounding. The triplets are dangerous, I've felt it from the start. But Jasper's words make it real. They're not just popular guys. They're something else. And somehow, I'm caught up in it.