Caught by the Alpha's Gaze

"She's shy," Brooklyn shrugged, glancing at Indianna, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but in the classroom with them.

"Well, come on. I don't bite," Greyson urged, and Indianna stiffened-just like before.

"Don't talk about that," Indianna said. Her voice was still quiet, but firm.

"Struck a nerve, have I?" Greyson wondered. He raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Somebody likes it rough."

Indianna Hughs had always been the quiet one-the shy one. She stayed in the background, blending in, never getting noticed. She liked it that way.

So when she was forced to move schools, she wasn't happy. Everyone notices the new kid-and she didn't want that kind of attention, especially not from Mr. Bad Boy, who already seemed a little too interested in her.

"You'll be fine," Indianna's mother said, waving her hand dismissively.

Indianna looked out the car window, raising her dark eyebrows at the large red-brick building in front of them.

"Just be social and make friends!"

"Social," Indianna muttered as she grabbed her bag from the back seat. "Sure."

She climbed out of the car, ignoring her mother's cheerful goodbye. The door slammed behind her as she glanced up at the school. The parking lot was crowded with students-laughing, talking, existing like it was easy.

Students who noticed Indianna.

She groaned quietly and swung her bag over her shoulder. Lowering her gaze, she made her way up the steps and into the bustling corridors. Her teeth clenched as she flinched every time she accidentally brushed shoulders with someone.

If she couldn't see them... maybe they couldn't see her either.

She knew that was stupid.

The town Indianna and her mother had moved to wasn't small-but it wasn't big either. People didn't all know each other personally, but they could recognize a new face from a mile away.

And that made her anxiety spike.

She hated being noticed.

Her grip tightened around the strap of her bag as she pushed through the busy hallway. She had come to the school a few days earlier, and the principal had shown her around, so it didn't take long to find her locker.

She fumbled with the lock before finally opening it, quickly grabbing the neatly stacked textbooks and stuffing them into her bag.

Indianna hated that she could feel everyone's curious gazes on her. She hated that she stood out.

She swallowed nervously and looked at the crumpled piece of paper in her hands, scanning her timetable. Her first lesson was History.

After stuffing it back into her pocket, she braced herself and walked down the rowdy corridors, hoping to find her class quickly-just so she could have a moment of peace before being surrounded by a room full of strangers.

Indianna let out a quiet sigh of relief when she finally made it to the classroom. It was relatively empty.

Perfect.

She made a beeline for a seat at the back. No eyes on her.

Her shoulders relaxed as she leaned back in her chair.

One