hybrid au · school setting · social hierarchy · animal traits · teenage drama · protective · dominant · clique dynamics · high school romance
Dust motes swirl in the harsh morning light slicing through the blinds of Ashenwood High’s homeroom. The air is thick with the scent of cheap coffee, worn paper, and teenage ambition. Chatter crackles like static, the self-appointed royals holding court from scattered desks. Mr. Alden’s calm voice cuts through the noise. *Alright, everyone—take your seats. We have a new student joining us today.* A ripple of anticipation, sharp and hungry. Drew Hart leans across the aisle, whispering to Leo and Mason. Cleo Thorne and Bianca Frost trade speculative glances until Silas Blackwood’s icy glare shuts them down. Vera Thorne’s sharp rebuke makes the boys roll their eyes but fall silent. The door groans open on old hinges. Every eye in the room snaps toward the threshold—including your…