Chapter 346
OLLIE
91
School was exactly as I remembered it-loud, colorful, and full of energy that made my wolf practically bounce with excitement. The
hallways smelled like cleaning supplies and crayons and that particular scent that was just “school,” a mixture of books and lunch food
and kids all packed together.
“This way,” I said to Riley and Lake, leading them down the main corridor toward our classroom. “Mrs. Henderson is our homeroom teacher but today, we have Mrs Patty. She is really nice. She lets us have extra recess if we finish our work early, and she doesn’t yell unless someone does something really bad like putting glue in someone’s hair. Which only happened once and it wasn’t me.”
“It was totally you,” a voice called out, and I turned to see Troy Chen running up to us, his backpack bouncing against his shoulders. Troy had been my best friend since we were three, when we’d bonded over both being obsessed with superhero comics.
“It was not!” I protested, though I was grinning. “That was Jeremy Williams and you know it.”
“Sure, sure,” he said, but he was smiling too. Then his attention shifted to Riley and Lake, curiosity bright in his eyes. “Are these your
brothers? The ones everyone’s been talking about?”
I felt Riley tense beside me and Lake’s hand twitch like he was considering opening a portal to escape. I stepped slightly in front of them, not blocking them but making it clear they were under my protection.
“Yeah,” I said proudly. “This is Riley and Lake. They’re in our class starting today. Riley’s my twin-he was stolen when we were babies, but we found him. And Lake is his brother, so that makes him my brother too.”.
It was a simplified version of the truth, leaving out all the complicated parts about Andy and experiments and trauma, but it was
enough for school purposes.
“Cool!” Troy said enthusiastically. “I’m Troy. Do you guys like superheroes? Ollie and I are always arguing about who’s the best hero.
He thinks it’s Captain Justice but that’s obviously wrong.”
“Captain Justice is objectively the best,” I declared, the familiar argument settling over me like a comfortable blanket. “He has the
most powers and the coolest costume.”
“Having the most powers doesn’t make you the best,” Riley said quietly, echoing what he’d said last night. “It’s about character
development and moral complexity.”
Marcus’s eyes lit up. “See? Your brother gets it! Ollie, I finally have someone on my side!”
We continued down the hallway, Marcus immediately launching into an enthusiastic explanation of why Shadow Knight was superior to Captain Justice in every way. Other kids were starting to arrive, filling the halls with noise and movement.
“Ollie!” Sarah Martinez called out, waving from where she stood with a group of girls near the water fountain. “Is it true you have new
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13:01 Thu, Jan 29 M…
Chapter 346
brothers?”
Word traveled fast in pack schools. I should have expected that everyone would already know about Riley and Lake-probably their
parents had told them, or they’d overheard adult conversations, or they’d picked up on the general pack awareness that something
significant had happened.
“Yeah!” I called back. “Riley and Lake! They’re starting in our class today!”
Sarah and her friends immediately migrated over, surrounding us with curious faces and eager questions.
“Which one is which?” asked Emma Thompson, standing on her tiptoes to see over the crowd.
“I’m Riley,” Riley said quietly, his posture stiff and uncomfortable with all the attention. “That’s Lake.”
“Are you really twins?” Sarah asked me. “You don’t look that much alike.”
“We are,” I confirmed. “We have the same birthday and everything. Riley just has darker hair.”
“And he was kidnapped by bad guys,” Emma added dramatically. “My mom told me. She said it was really sad and awful and that we
should all be extra nice to him.”
91
I saw Riley’s expression close off at that, his face going carefully blank in that way that meant he was uncomfortable but trying not to show it. I remembered what Mom had said about not having to explain their past to everyone.
else.”
“Riley and Lake are just regular kids,” I said firmly. “They don’t need anyone to be ‘extra nice’ to them. Just normal nice. Like everyone
“But-” Emma started.
“Come on,” Troy interrupted, clearly sensing the tension. “We should get to class before the bell rings. Mrs. Patty hates when people
are late.”
We made our way to the classroom, accumulating more kids as we went. Everyone wanted to see the new students, wanted to know about my brothers, wanted to be part of the excitement. I could feel Riley and Lake both getting more overwhelmed with each new face,
each new question.
When we finally reached our classroom, I deliberately steered them toward seats in the middle-not too close to the front where the teacher might call on them constantly, but not in the back where the troublemakers usually sat. Troy immediately claimed the desk next to mine, which put him close to Riley and Lake too.
“Okay class, settle down!” Mrs. Patty called out as the bell rang. She was youngish for a teacher, probably in her thirties, with kind eyes and the kind of patience that came from genuinely liking children. “I see we have some new faces today. Would our new students like
to introduce themselves?”
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Chapter 346
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I saw both Riley and Lake freeze, their expressions going carefully neutral. Public speaking was probably terrifying when you’d spent
most of your life in a facility where drawing attention meant becoming a target.
“It’s okay,” Mrs. Patty said gently, clearly picking up on their discomfort. “You don’t have to do a full presentation. Just tell us your
names and one thing you like.”
Lake stood first, his movements careful and controlled. “I’m Lake,” he said, his voice quiet but steady. “I like… reading. Science books
mostly.”
“Wonderful!” Mrs. Patty said warmly. “We have an excellent library here. I’ll make sure to show you where the science section is during break.”
Lake nodded and sat down, looking relieved to have that over with. Riley stood next, and I could see him calculating what to say, how
much to reveal.
“I’m Riley,” he said. “Ollie’s my brother. Twin brother. I like… strategy games. Chess and stuff.”
“Excellent!” Mrs. Patty beamed. “We have a chess club that meets on Thursdays after school. You should check it out. Now, let’s begin
our morning with-”
“Wait,” a voice interrupted from the back of the classroom. I turned to see Derek Johnson standing, his expression skeptical and slightly hostile. Derek was the son of one of the pack elders, and he’d always been kind of a jerk about anyone he perceived as weaker or different. “I heard Lake isn’t even a real werewolf. That he’s a werewitch. Is that true?”
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Reborn From Regret A Second Chance at Luna’s Heart
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.

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