Thora's POV: The teacher left the moment the bell rang, like our class was a den of wild animals. Luke, beside me, suddenly ran his hand through his hair, nervous. Sweat beaded at his temple. His keyboard clicked faster. I glanced at his screen. An error message blinked. I said lightly, "Line 340 has a transmission error. It conflicts with the driver layer." He snapped his head toward me. Behind his glasses, his eyes were full of shock. He moved the cursor to line 340 and changed the code where I said. The error message on the screen vanished. "Th ... thanks!" His voice was dry, full of disbelief and joy. People watched Luke and me. They whispered, "Luke actually talked. Has Thora really changed this time?"I ignored the stares and the gossip. I told Luke, "You're welcome," and stood up to leave. I wanted to walk the campus myself. This place might be my home for a long time. As I walked, students muttered behind me. "Since when did Class F get a hottie? He looks powerful—must be a strong pack heir." "No, look closer. That's Thora. Short hair and pants—that's all." "I heard she ran with rogues. They used her ... ruined her body." "Sure is a lowborn mixed-blood. Gross." I frowned. Hazel must have spread these rumors at school. She'd already been slapped. And she'd already forgotten the lesson. I made a mental note to "talk" to her later. A tall, clean-faced boy blocked my path. His tie was loose. His hands were shoved into his pockets. He looked casual and annoyed. "You, Thora?" he asked, sizing me up like he couldn't believe it. "Do you need something?" I asked back calmly. I scanned my memory of him. He was Caleb Lawson—the only grandson of the Argenvale Pack alpha next door. Argenvale and Silverleaf Packs had been allies. Rio Lawson, the current Argenvale alpha, had once been Marlon's comrade. Rio still commanded border defenses. Marlon had retired six months ago after a serious injury. Norman only kept the family's honor with a colonel's rank. Argenvale's position now outshone Silverleaf.Long ago, Marlon and Rio arranged marriages to strengthen the alliance. Caleb was Thora's former fiancé. In my memory, he had always looked down on Thora's mixed-blood status and favored Hazel. "Are you really Thora?" Caleb asked again, disbelief clear in his tone. The original Thora had chased after him, desperate. I was not that Thora. "If you don't have any business with me, I'll go." Rio might be respected, but he raised an arrogant grandson. I was in no mood to waste time. I would rather train. "Who said you could leave?" Caleb grabbed my arm. I looked at his hand like it was a paw and said in a cold voice, "Let go."He loosened his grip without thinking. His followers behind him started shouting. "How dare you talk to Mr. Caleb like that?" "Don't think we won't touch you just because you're a girl!" Caleb scowled. He looked at me with disgust, as if he couldn't believe he'd obeyed me a moment ago. "I'm not interested in someone who clings to rogues. I won't marry a lowborn woman who's been used by rogues," he said loudly, like an announcement. "You dirty, lowborn people have no right near me. Our engagement is canceled!" He waited, smirking, expecting me to collapse in tears. I only smiled a little. "You want to break the engagement?" "So what if I do?" he sneered. "Did your parents agree?" I asked plainly.He blinked. "What?" "Did your grandfather agree?" I pushed. My voice hardened. "Did your pack elders approve?" I felt the leader's pressure inside me—an instinct from my past life. It came out like a command. Caleb stepped back without meaning to. His eyes went guilty. "If they didn't agree, your breaking the engagement is meaningless," I said it slowly, tasting the irony. He really was stupid. He didn't even know how to break an arranged engagement properly. I wanted the deal gone more than he did. "So what if they haven't agreed?" Caleb spat. "An Argenvale alpha family would never marry someone mixed with rogues!" I looked at him coolly. "Funny. I'd never marry a dull man like you." "Thora, you're outrageous!" he shouted. Wolf power rolled off him in a faint ripple. He raised his hand to slap me. I narrowed my eyes, ready to block or counter ... When a large, knotted hand grabbed his swinging arm first.