THORNBOUND OMEGA

I never meant to start my first day at Ebonridge Academy with my heart pounding like it wanted to jump out of my chest. The bus had rolled in late, the driver mumbling something about traffic in the mountains. Now I had less than ten minutes to reach orientation, and the campus map on my phone looked like a bad joke, big green spaces, old stone buildings covered in ivy, and paths that twisted everywhere. My legs already ached from the long ride, but I could not miss this.

I clutched the strap of my old duffel bag tighter and broke into a run. The scholarship letter said full ride for cross-country and archery. I earned it through early morning practices back home and nights spent studying at the kitchen table, while My Mom worried about bills. This place was my shot at something better. No way was I starting it marked as the unreliable new girl.

The main paths were packed with students laughing and chatting, coffee cups in hand. I dodged around them, my sneakers slapping against the stone. Sweat already stuck my dark hair to my neck. The air smelled clean, like pine and fresh dirt, with something else underneath. Something wild and green that made my skin tingle in a way I did not like.

A tall fence caught my eye. Signs on it read "Training Grounds - Authorized Personnel Only." The map showed the orientation hall just on the other side. Cutting through would save me five minutes, maybe more. I glanced around. No one was watching. I hopped the low part of the fence and landed on soft grass.

The ground felt different here. Springy. Alive. Tall trees stood like guards around a big open course full of obstacles. Ropes, walls, logs, and water pits. It looked like the kind of place rich kids trained to stay on top. I kept my head down and ran along the edge, staying low.

Voices ahead. Deep ones. Male. I slowed a little but did not stop. A group of guys stood near the start of the timed section. Five of them stood out right away, tall and built as if they lived in the gym. The others hung back, watching. One of the main five, the biggest, checked his watch and barked orders.

"Again. Full effort this time. No excuses," he said, voice rough like gravel.

I tried to slip past behind some bushes, but my foot caught on a root. I stumbled forward, right into the open area. All eyes snapped to me.

The leader turned first. Broad shoulders, dark hair, eyes like black stone. He crossed his arms, jaw tight. "This area is off limits, new girl. Turn around."

My face burned. I straightened up, brushing dirt from my shorts. "Sorry. Just trying to get to orientation. I'll be out in ten seconds."

Another one of them, with messy lighter hair and sharp green eyes, smirked. But it was not a friendly smirk. "You picked the wrong shortcut. This is our trial run. Leave."

I should have listened. My legs felt heavy, and that green scent in the air got stronger, wrapping around me. It made my head feel light. Instead, I looked at the course ahead. It ended at a tall rope wall about two hundred meters away. A timer board showed their best time.

The leader stepped closer. His friends moved with him, like they shared one mind. "You deaf? Get out."

Something in me snapped. Back home, people always said I was too small, too broke, too much of a dreamer for big things. I lifted my chin. "How about this? I run it with you. If I beat your time, you let me cut through whenever I need. If I lose, I stay off your precious grounds forever."

The group went quiet. Then one of them laughed, low and surprised. The leader stared at me like I had grown two heads. His jaw worked, muscles tight in his neck. I could see the frustration in the way he flexed his hands at his sides. He did not like being challenged, especially not by someone like me.

"You have no idea what you're asking," he said. His voice dropped lower. "But fine. Suit yourself. Try to keep up."

The others lined up. I dropped my duffel bag near a tree and stepped beside them. My heart hammered so hard I could hear it in my ears. What was I doing? This was stupid. But my feet itched to move, and that strange green scent pushed me forward.

"Go!" someone shouted.

We took off.

The ground flew under my sneakers. Wind rushed past my face. The first obstacles came fast. I jumped a low log, rolled under a net, and pushed up quick. The guys were fast. Really fast. The leader stayed right beside me, his breathing steady and hard. His shoulder brushed mine once, and heat shot through me.

"Stay out of my way," he growled without looking over.

I did not answer. I focused on my steps, on the burn in my legs that felt good. We hit the water pit. Cold water splashed up my thighs. I climbed out faster than I expected, arms straining. One of the others cursed behind me.

Halfway now. My lungs burned, but something else woke up inside. That wild scent filled my nose. It made my blood feel hot. My strides got longer. Stronger. I pulled ahead by a half step.

The leader noticed. His eyes widened. He pushed harder, teeth clenched, sweat dripping down his face. "What the hell..."

I did not slow down. The rope wall loomed. I grabbed the thick ropes and climbed as my life depended on it. My muscles screamed, but I reached the top and slid down the other side. My feet hit the ground first. I crossed the finish line two full seconds before the leader.

I bent over, hands on my knees, gasping for air. My curls stuck to my forehead. The timer board beeped and flashed a new record. Mine.

Silence.

The five guys stood there staring. Not moving. Their bodies were tense, shoulders up, fists loose at their sides like they fought not to step closer. The leader straightened slowly. His dark eyes locked on me, pupils wide. His chest rose and fell fast.

One of the others, the one with the green eyes, took a step forward. His hands shook a little. "That... that should not be possible."

Then the biggest one, the quiet mountain of a guy with tattoos peeking from his shirt, inhaled deeply. His voice came out rough, almost broken. "Aether..."

The word dropped like a stone in still water. It hit me in the chest. The air changed. It felt thicker, heavier. The green scent exploded around us, sweet and sharp at the same time. My skin tingled everywhere. My knees felt weak, but I locked them.

"What did you just say?" I asked, voice shaky. I backed up one step.

The leader moved then. He reached out like he could not stop himself, fingers brushing my arm. Electricity jumped between us. He pulled back fast, eyes wide with shock and something darker. Hunger. "You need to come with us. Now."

"I don't think so." I grabbed my bag and turned to run.

That was when the wards flared.

A loud crack split the air. The sky above the trees flashed with strange light. Figures dropped from the shadows between the trees. Men in dark clothes, faces covered, moving too fast to be normal. One of them pointed right at me.

"There! The Aether scent is strongest on her. Grab the girl!"

Chaos broke loose.

The five guys around me changed. Their bodies rippled. Bones shifted under skin with sickening pops. Claws grew from their fingers. Eyes glowed. Fur pushed through in patches. Not full wolves, but something halfway. Terrifying and powerful.

"Stay behind us!" the leader shouted. His voice sounded deeper, more animal.

One of the attackers lunged at me with a knife that glinted weirdly. Before I could scream, the quiet tattooed guy slammed into him. The sound of bodies hitting was loud and ugly. Another attacker came from the side. The one with green eyes tackled him, growling low in his throat.

I stood frozen, bag clutched to my chest. My mind screamed to run, but my legs would not listen. The green scent mixed with blood and anger now. It made my head spin.

The leader fought the biggest attacker, fists and claws flying. He took a hit to the ribs but did not stop. Pain flashed across his face, but he pushed through it, protecting the space in front of me. "I said stay back!"

More attackers poured from the trees. Five, six, maybe more. They moved as they had trained for this. One of them got past the others and grabbed my arm hard. His fingers dug in. Pain shot up to my shoulder.

"Got her!" he yelled, voice full of ugly triumph. "The boss will reward us big for this one."

I twisted and kicked him in the knee. He grunted but held on. Fear clawed up my throat. This could not be happening. Not on my first day. Not like this.

The five guys roared. The sound shook the trees. They fought harder, bodies moving in perfect sync even though they barely knew me. The leader ripped the man off me and threw him across the grass like he weighed nothing. The attacker hit a tree with a crack and did not get up.

For a second, everything slowed. The five of them stood in a half circle around me, partially shifted, breathing hard, eyes glowing with rage and something else. Protection. Need. Their scents mixed until I could not tell them apart. It filled my lungs and made my heart ache in a new way.

Then more shadows moved at the edge of the woods. A bigger group this time. Their leader stepped forward, face hidden but eyes glowing red. He pointed at me again.

"Take her alive. Kill the rest if you have to."

The five guys tensed, ready for another fight. The leader glanced back at me, his partially shifted face full of frustration and worry. "This is only the start. They will keep coming for you."

My voice came out small. "Who are you, people? What am I?"

Before anyone could answer, the new attackers charged.

The air filled with growls and the sound of bodies crashing together. Claws slashed. Someone shouted in pain. I pressed my back against a tree, heart slamming against my ribs, as the fight closed in around me again.

Everything had changed in one stupid shortcut. And it looked like the danger had only just begun.

End of Chapter 1

The fight turned into a blur of bodies and growls. I pressed my back harder against the rough tree bark, my fingers digging into the strap of my duffel bag until my knuckles hurt. My legs shook. I wanted to run, but where? Those things with claws and glowing eyes were everywhere.

Kael, the leader with the dark hair and black eyes, stood right in front of me. His shoulders stayed squared even as fresh blood ran down his arm from a deep cut. He swung at the nearest attacker, his fist connecting with a sick thud. The man flew back and hit the ground hard.

"Stay close!" Kael shouted over his shoulder. His voice sounded raw, like he fought to keep control, and dirt covered his face. He glanced at me quickly, eyes full of frustration and something sharper. Like he hated that I was here but could not leave me.

Another attacker slipped past the others and came straight at me. I swung my bag at his head. It hit with a dull smack, but he barely slowed. H