Tempted By my Evil Lycan Stepbrother novel Chapter 1

Riley’s POV

I stood in front of the tall white archway, taking a deep breath.

Finally.

After nearly a full day of planes, trains, and cars, I was finally here—the Full Moon Pack. Home of the Lycans.

Lycans were the top of the werewolf world. At the very top were the royal Lycans, then the rest of the Lycans. They all lived here in the Full Moon Pack.

The rest of us—regular werewolves—lived scattered across the world in smaller packs, ruled by local Alphas.

Normally, someone like me would never be allowed here. But I had a reason. Not that my reason made me feel any better.

“Move it, mutt!”

Someone slammed into me from behind, hard enough to knock me and all my luggage straight into the gravel by the road. I gasped and fell. Sharp stones scraped my arm, making it sting like hell.

“Filthy dog,” he sneered.

I pushed myself up, wincing, and caught a glimpse of the guy who shoved me. He was obviously a Lycan—huge, broad, and built like a damn tank. He walked away with a crowd of people around him like he was some kind of prince.

Jerk.

I muttered internally.

Plenty of Lycans thought they were superior, but not many were straight-up rude enough to shove someone to the ground and call them a mutt. This one had the biggest ego I’d ever seen.

“Hey, are you okay?”

A young man came over and helped me up, grabbing my suitcase. He was a Lycan too, but like I said—not all of them were arrogant pricks.

“Thanks. I’m fine.” I smiled weakly, still clutching my scratched arm.

“Ezra just came back from a hunt. He’s still in predator mode. He didn’t mean to hurt you,” the young man explained with a warm smile.

“Ezra?” I blinked, confused. Why did he say it like I should know who that is?

“Ezra Ravenshire,” the guy said, looking just as shocked by my blank expression. “Lycan King’s only son. Our heir? You must be new here.”

Wow. So THAT was Ezra Ravenshire.

I knew I’d probably run into him during this trip, but—he was even worse than I imagined.

“Yeah, I just moved here from Pebble Creek Pack,” I asked.

The young man eyes lit up. “Pebble Creek… wait, are you Riley? Your mom sent me to pick you up!”

Great. I’d hoped to wander the city alone for a while before facing my mom. But so much for that plan. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Randall. I’m your mom’s head of security.” He beamed and grabbed my bags, gesturing to a car nearby. “Come on with me.”

As Randall drove us through the city, I looked out the window. Everything here was sleek and modern—skyscrapers, wild architecture, fashionably dressed people everywhere. It was nothing like the forests and creeks I knew back home in Pebble Creek Pack.

“So, how do you like Full Moon Pack so far?” Randall asked from the driver’s seat.

“It’s… nice.” A lie, but a polite one.

“Of course it is! This is the center of the world. You’re gonna love it here.” He grinned. “I know today’s supposed to be your freshman orientation, but your mom told me to bring you home first. You can drop off your stuff—she’s already spoken to the Royal Academy, you won’t even have to stay on campus.”

“No. Take me to the school first,” I said firmly.

He blinked at me through the rearview mirror. “But your mom specifically said—”

“I don’t care what she said. I’m going to the school first. And I’m staying in the dorms.”

Randall stared at me for a few seconds, then probably realized that I wasn’t some pushovers. He sighed and mumbled something like “How am I supposed to explain this to her?”

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

My mom might’ve dragged me here from home and transferred me into the Royal Academy, but she wasn’t going to make all my choices for me. Not anymore.

And right now, I was doing my best to delay that awkward reunion with her for as long as I could.

Randall dropped me off at the front gate of the Royal Academy. It was the first day of the semester, and the place was packed with cars dropping off new students.

I politely refused Randall’s offer to escort me in and made my way through tearful parents and nervous freshmen, dragging my suitcase behind me.

This place was undeniably the best school in the world.

Whether you wanted to be a warrior, a healer, or a future leader—this was the place.

All Lycans were required to study here before adulthood, and even many Alphas fought tooth and nail to get their kids accepted.

Let’s be honest—if it wasn’t for my mom, I wouldn’t stand a chance of getting in.