REJECTED BY THE ALPHA HOCKEY CAPTAIN

Lena's POV

The moment the gates of Blackwood Academy appeared, my wolf became restless.

Something about this place felt wrong… like my life was about to change forever.

The academy looked nothing like the schools I had attended before. Black stone buildings stretched across the massive campus, surrounded by thick forests that seemed almost alive.

Even the air felt… different.NCharged. Dangerous. Exciting.

The driver cleared his throat softly from the front seat.

“We’re here, Miss Lena.”

I exhaled slowly before opening the car door and stepping out. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, sending a strange shiver down my spine.

So this was it.

Blackwood Academy. The place where wolves, witches, and vampires studied together. The place my uncle had warned me about repeatedly.

Stay low. Don’t attract attention.

The driver stepped out of the car and leaned against the door, staring toward the academy buildings as if he was remembering something.

“You see that large field over there?” he said, pointing toward a massive grassy area near the center of the campus.

I followed his gaze.

“Yeah… what about it?”

A faint smile appeared on his face.

“That field used to be a battlefield.”

I blinked. “A battlefield?”

He nodded.

“Years ago, before this academy existed, wolves, witches, and vampires were constantly fighting each other. The supernatural world was chaotic. Every species wanted dominance.”

I frowned slightly.

“So… they built a school to fix that?”

“Exactly,” he replied. “Blackwood Academy was created so that young supernaturals could grow up learning how to coexist instead of fighting.”

I studied him carefully. “You talk like you know a lot about this place.”

He chuckled softly. “That’s because I do.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“How?”

The driver folded his arms casually.

“Because I was once a student here.”

My eyes widened. “You’re serious?”

“A werewolf, just like you,” he said with a wink. For a moment, I just stared at him in surprise.

“You went to Blackwood Academy?”

“Years ago,” he said. “Back when the academy was still figuring itself out.”

I hesitated before asking the question that had been bothering me since the beginning of this trip.

“Then tell me honestly… is this place really as dangerous as people say?”

The driver looked directly into my eyes.

“Yes.”

That single word made my stomach tighten. “But,” he added calmly, “it can also be the place where you discover who you truly are.”

I swallowed nervously. That didn’t exactly make me feel better.

“Well… thanks for the encouraging speech,” I muttered sarcastically.

He laughed. “You’ll be fine, Miss Lena.”

I nodded slowly before grabbing my suitcase.

“Thanks for bringing me here.”

As I turned toward the academy entrance, his voice stopped me again.

“And Miss Lena?”

I glanced back. “Be careful who you trust.”

With that, he got back into the car and drove away, leaving me standing alone at the gates of Blackwood Academy.

Great. No pressure.

The moment I stepped inside the campus, I immediately noticed something strange.

Everyone was running. Students were rushing past me in groups, all heading in the same direction.

Some were laughing. Some were shouting excitedly. Others were practically sprinting.

“What the hell…?” I muttered.

Curious, I stopped a girl who was walking past me.

“Hey, excuse me.”

She turned toward me slowly. The moment she did, I felt something strange.

Her skin looked pale… almost too pale.

And when she moved closer, a cold chill brushed against my skin. My wolf stirred instantly.

Vampire.

Her temperature was ice cold. She looked me up and down with an amused expression.

“You’re new, aren’t you?”

I frowned slightly. “How did you know?”

She rolled her eyes.

“Because if you weren’t new, you wouldn’t stop me.”

Rude.

I ignored the insult. “Why is everyone running?” I asked.

She stared at me like I had just asked the dumbest question in the world.

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously.”

The vampire girl sighed dramatically.

“Everyone’s going to the arena.”

“The arena?”

“Yes.”

“What’s happening there?”

She groaned. “Wow… you really are clueless.”

My patience was slowly running out.

“Could you just answer the question?”

She crossed her arms. “Adrian and his team just got back from their hockey match.”

I blinked. “Okay… and?”

Her eyes widened like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“And? You seriously don’t know who Adrian is?”

“No,” I said bluntly.

She stared at me for a long moment before suddenly bursting into laughter.

“Oh my God… you are new.”

“I figured that part out already,” I muttered.

She shook her head.

“Adrian Wolfe is the hottest guy in this entire academy.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Is that supposed to impress me?”

She ignored my comment.

“He’s the Alpha heir and the captain of the Blackwood hockey team. Everyone loves him.”

“Everyone?” I asked skeptically.

“Pretty much.”

I shrugged. “Good for him.”

The vampire girl looked mildly annoyed now. “You seriously don’t care?”

“Nope.”

She shook her head again.

“Whatever. If you want to see him, the arena’s that way.”

She pointed toward a massive building in the distance.

“Thanks,” I said.

She walked away before I could say anything else. I looked down at my suitcase… then toward the arena.

The sound of cheering echoed through the air.

Curiosity tugged at me. “Well…” I sighed.

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick look.”

I dropped my suitcase beside a nearby bench. “I’ll come back for you later.”

Then I followed the crowd.

The arena was already packed when I arrived. Students filled the stands, shouting and cheering excitedly.

“What is going on here…?” I whispered.

Then suddenly, the crowd exploded with excitement.

“They’re here!”

“The team’s here!”

I looked toward the entrance just as a group of guys walked into the arena wearing hockey jerseys. The cheering became deafening.

But the moment my eyes landed on him, everything else disappeared. Time froze. My breath caught in my throat. My wolf stirred violently inside me.

Mate.

The word echoed through my mind like thunder.

No. No way.

My heart started racing uncontrollably.

I had waited years for this moment.

Years.

And now… I had finally found him.

But as realization hit me, another shocking thought crossed my mind. Please don’t let it be him. Because the man standing in the center of the arena…

The one everyone was cheering for…

The one radiating pure Alpha dominance… Was Adrian.

His eyes suddenly snapped toward me.

The moment our gazes locked, his body went completely still. He felt it too. The mate bond.

The entire arena slowly went quiet as people began noticing the strange tension between us. Adrian stared at me like he couldn’t believe what he was sensing.

For a moment, hope sparked inside my chest. Maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad.

Adrian’s voice suddenly cut through the silence. “I reject you.”

The words echoed loudly through the arena..My heart shattered instantly.

Gasps spread through the crowd. Everyone stared at me.

Humiliation burned through my chest like fire. The mate bond snapped painfully inside me. And just like that…

The moment I had waited for my entire life… Was destroyed in front of hundreds of people.