Wicked Wolves and Tangled Truths: An Urban Fantasy Romance (Blood and Magic : Hellbound Book 1)

I told Brian as much, but he was adamant it’d been taken care of.
With the Pack off the table, I’d had to beg Brian to let me attend Hellbound High. He wanted me to attend Hillcrest Academy. The top private school in the area. A human-only high school. He thought I could blend in. Suppress my wolf. I made sure to educate him on that front. There is no hiding the fact I am a shifter and I refuse to even try. I am proud of who and what I am. Even if he isn’t.
Even knowing that, getting him to agree to this stupid school was still like pulling teeth. He’d even considered hiring private tutors and having me homeschooled.
I shudder. The isolation of it all would have driven me crazy.
“Are you sure? Your father wouldn’t be happy if—”
“I’m good. Promise.” I slam the door behind me, not giving her the chance to comment further, and rush across the parking lot to the school’s front entrance. A large red devil mascot stares down at me.
Welcome to Hellbound High, home of the Devils.
I pass through the open doors, a sense of foreboding washing over me, but I quash it.
I’ll be okay.
Mom was strong. I can be strong, too.
I just have to take things one day at a time.

2 Isabella
The school had been informed of my arrival late last week, so they had everything ready for me. I got my schedule from the school counselor—a Druid, Mr. Rourke—along with a few forms he said I’d need to take home and bring back with Brian’s signature. I got my locker assignment and combination, though I have no intention of using it. I’ll lug my books in my backpack between classes rather than dropping them off in my locker to save on time.
Hellbound High is on a trimester system, so I only have four classes. English, Calculus, Spanish 4, and The Natural History of the Unnatural World. Calc will kick my butt. Math has never been my strong suit. But the rest of my classes should be easy enough to get caught up on. A mix of the mundane and paranormal. Back in Arizona, school is different. There’s no mixing between factions but we still learn the basics: English, math, science, American history, though from a shifter’s perspective, not the inaccurate version humans learn.
“Your, umm, Natalia informed me of your … situation,” Mr. Rourke says, a sympathetic frown tugging at his features. “If you need to talk to anyone, my office door is always open.”
Always the diligent assistant. Natalia has taken care of everything, including airing my business. Wonderful.
“Thanks.” I nod, not that I have any plans of taking him up on the offer. Mr. Rourke seems nice enough. He’s younger than most of the faculty I’ve seen so far. Late twenties, maybe early thirties. Though you can never be one hundred percent sure when it comes to Druids. Magic has a way of altering its user. Sometimes for better. Sometimes for worse.
He has reddish brown hair and dark blue eyes. He’s attractive enough and carries an easy smile. But I don’t need a shoulder to cry on. Least of all a stranger’s. I haven’t bothered to confide in my new dad. Why on earth would I confide in him?
The warning bell rings, signaling first period is about to start. I stand up to leave, tucking my schedule into the front pocket of my pants. Before I can make it out of his office, a boy slips into the room on silent feet and a wolfish smirk on his face. One quick whiff and I know he’s a wolf.
I stand a little bit taller.
The boy tilts his head toward Mr. Rourke in greeting before plopping down in the chair I just vacated, not bothering to spare me a glance.
Rude. But, that’s okay. I’m the new girl. Maybe he hasn’t realized I’m a wolf, too.
No. That can’t be right.
I knew within seconds. There’s no way he could have missed my scent.
Maybe Hellbound High is like those high schools on TV where everyone has their core group of friends and they all hate outsiders. Or maybe it has something to do with me being a lone wolf. I’m not sure. Hellbound High being a hybrid school—society’s way of trying to blend the human world and the paranormal—you’d think people would be more welcoming. There are a few schools like it around the states but for the most part, we all stick to our own kind. Which doesn’t explain why this wolf would ignore me when I’m a wolf, too.
Hellbound High is a melting pot of factions. A way to see just how likely it is that we can coexist. I haven’t interacted much with anyone from other factions. At least, not in a friendly manner. But the alternative is hiding what I am and going to school with the humans. Hard pass.
Here, I have a chance of interacting with other wolves. Though I guess I should give up the hope of a welcome reception. At least I have Josué, Damien, and Kai back in Star Valley, Arizona. I don’t plan on sticking around long once I graduate, so if he and the rest of the shifters here want to snub me, fine.
“Mr. Castillo. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Mr. Rourke says in a stern tone, but I don’t miss the slight curve to his mouth. I know right away that this guy, Castillo, is one of those kids who spends a lot of time in the office. There’s an air of smug hostility about him common in young shifter males still testing their dominance, but Mr. Rourke doesn’t seem bothered by it. He seems … amused.
When the boy finally looks my way, he gives me a slow once-over before his upper lip curls in disgust. He mutters, “Chiflada,” under his breath with a roll of his pretty brown eyes.
“Hey!” I snap. He doesn’t know me, and I don’t care how