WEREWOLF SYSTEM

Kyle's POV

The cafeteria buzzed with voices, the sound bouncing off the walls in chaotic harmony. I sat alone at a table near the window, poking at my half-eaten sandwich. My mind wandered back to class earlier that morning. It was uneventful, except for the occasional stares and whispers I caught from my classmates. Being the new guy wasn't new to me. I was used to fading into the background wherever I went.

But there was one thing I couldn't shake: Elena. That girl at the back of the class. Our eyes had met again today. Just for a second. But it lingered, like a thread being pulled taut. She hadn't said a word to me, not yet, but there was something about her that stood apart from everyone else. It wasn't just her confidence—or lack of it. It was something deeper, something I couldn't put my finger on.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Her voice was calm, almost too casual to belong to the whirlwind of thoughts in my head. I looked up, and there she was, tray in hand, eyes unreadable.

"Uh… sure," I mumbled, gesturing to the seat across from me.

She slid into the chair and set her tray down, barely touching the food. For a moment, she didn't say anything, and I was too stunned to speak.

"So," she finally said, breaking the silence. "Kyle, right?"

"Yeah. And you're Elena."

She tilted her head slightly, as if the confirmation of her name amused her. "You're adjusting well for a new student."

I let out a hollow laugh. "Not sure about that. Most people avoid me."

Her lips twitched upward, but it wasn't quite a smile. "You're not missing much. Trust me."

Elena's POV

Sitting across from him, I studied Kyle's face—his subtle nervousness, the way he avoided my gaze when he wasn't sure how to respond. He was different from the others. They all came pre-packaged with bravado and masks, ready to play their roles in this little drama we called college. But Kyle? He didn't fit the mold, and that intrigued me.

"You don't seem like the type to care about fitting in," I said, leaning back slightly in my chair.

He raised an eyebrow. "You say that like you know me."

"I don't." I glanced out the window, watching the wind ruffle the leaves of a tree. "Not yet, anyway."

That was the truth. I didn't know him, but I wanted to. Something about Kyle called to me, a quiet resonance I couldn't ignore. Still, I wasn't about to let my guard down completely. People always disappointed you if you let them get too close.

"You've been here for a while, right?" he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. "What's this place really like?"

I shrugged. "It's a college. You study, you graduate, and somewhere along the way, you lose a piece of yourself."

He frowned, clearly not expecting that answer.

Kyle's POV

"That's… depressing," I said, not sure how else to respond.

Elena gave me a small, humorless chuckle. "It's realistic."

I wanted to ask what she meant, to dig deeper, but something about her tone told me not to push. Instead, I shifted the focus.

"So, what do you do for fun around here?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Fun? Is that what you're looking for?"

Her question hung in the air, and I wasn't sure if it was meant to be sarcastic or genuine.

"Maybe not fun," I admitted. "Just… something to pass the time."

Her gaze softened, just for a moment. "You'll figure it out."

Elena's POV

I hated small talk, but with Kyle, it felt less forced. There was something disarming about his honesty, his awkwardness. It reminded me of a time when I wasn't so guarded.

Still, I couldn't let him get too close. Not yet. "You'll hear rumors," I said suddenly, my voice dropping lower.

He leaned forward slightly. "What kind of rumors?"

"About students disappearing. About strange things happening around campus." I paused, studying his reaction. "Most people don't take it seriously. They laugh it off, call it urban legends. But you should know…" I hesitated, the words hanging on the tip of my tongue.

"Know what?" he pressed, his curiosity evident.

I shook my head. "Never mind. You'll figure that out, too."

Kyle's POV

Her cryptic response left me more confused than ever. Before I could ask another question, a faint chime echoed from my pocket. I pulled out my phone, and so did everyone else in the cafeteria.

A notification blinked on the screen:

"ATTENTION: Another student has been reported missing. If you have any information, please contact campus security immediately."

Murmurs spread through the room like wildfire.

"Again?" someone muttered nearby.

I looked at Elena, expecting her to react, but her expression remained eerily calm.

"Does this happen often?" I asked.

She met my gaze, her eyes unreadable. "You could say that."

Her answer sent a chill down my spine. Whatever was happening here, it was more than just rumors. And somehow, I had a feeling Elena knew more than she was letting on.