Chapter 1 Between heaven and hell

It was almost thirty minutes that Ralph had been waiting for his adoptive brother, Conan at the passage between Ridgehaven Academy and Ridgehaven High, but Conan hadn't arrived. He ran a frustrated hand through his curly dark hair, his lean frame tense with impatience – he was already late for work.

Ridgehaven Academy is for the supernaturals while Ridgehaven High is for humans like Ralph. Ralph usually called the passage the way to heaven and hell because it's the only passage for the supernatural beings and human beings to access their school premises.

He watched as everyone went their way, while some waited for their friends at the gate. His backpack was resting on one shoulder, and then he heard cars beeping, one blocking the others in front, as cars lined up, unable to move forward. He felt someone's gaze on him. He turned toward the car, thinking it was Conan. He wanted to rant at him about keeping him waiting. But it was him – again.

Mr. Hale Elias.

Exactly what Conan called him. Mr Hale, a middle-aged man was behind the steering wheel during the holdup, as their eyes met, he smiled, Ralph bowed slightly and smiled back, then looked away. He held his backpack tight as he could still feel his gaze on him. Since the day he found out Ralph's real surname was Greymoor – he started giving him that look. Like he knew him from somewhere.

But they had never talked or stood together before. Ralph attended Ridgehaven High, while Mr Hale teaches at Ridgehaven Academy. Which made the way Mr Hale looked at him strange. ‘I wasn't one of his students,’ he thought.

Ralph changed his surname to Fenwick two years ago, when Conan's father took him in – the leader of the Fenwick pack. A pack of betas – the strongest werewolves in Ridgehaven, because alphas are banned from the city and no one has seen one in centuries – the red eyes they call them. Only betas and omegas are allowed. He watched Mr Hale drive away as the cars moved, his eyes lingered on the back of his car.

Then another car beeped and almost made him go deaf. Ralph turned toward the annoying sound, and there was Conan – broad-shouldered, slightly long hair pushed back, his black eyes sharp and unamused – sitting behind the steering wheel, his hand still on the horn. Ciara, his girlfriend and a banshee, was beside him. She had warm brown hair that fell loosely around her face, and she was smiling at Ralph like she found the whole situation amusing.

“Seriously?” Conan asked, raising his brows.

Ralph walked toward the car and took the back seat. "That again," he said as he settled in. “Are you sure your Mr Hale was okay?"

"Mr Hale?” Conan glanced back at him. “He's one of the best teachers in Ridgehaven Academy,” he said and started the car.

“Did he ask you anything?" Ciara asked, as she turned to look at Ralph.

“No. Just that weird look." Ralph said annoyed.

She smiled and turned back to the front. “He must have taken a liking to you."

“What's so special about me?" Ralph asked and raised his brows. ‘I’m human after all. Nothing special, he thought.’

“Exactly," Conan said, turning to Ciara. “He's just human." He glared at Ralph through the rearview mirror, making sure Ralph saw the smirk on his face.

Ralph's jaw clenched. He looked out the window. It wasn't the first time Conan would talk down to him. But his words didn't land well with him this time. He really wanted to scream at Conan, but he could only do that in his head. After all, he was indebted to him, he would always be grateful that his father took him in.

“Where are my clothes?" Conan asked – exactly why Ralph had been waiting since. He opened up his bag and pulled out his clothes. He was wearing them to Ciara's ritual ceremony. Ralph had to bring them to him because Conan's parents had forbidden him from being with a banshee. Especially his mother – she had made herself clear, ‘over her dead body’ but here they were, deeply in love.

Ciara was eighteen years old, a year older than Ralph. Her powers started to awaken recently, and today was her birthday. Her parents were celebrating both her power awakening ritual and her birthday for her.

Ralph was seventeen years old and he hadn't celebrated his birthdays for two years. Since he lost his family in Hawthorne, his hometown. When the beasts attacked, he was the only one who escaped that night.

The car came to a halt. Ralph stepped out in front of the cafe where he worked.

“Ralph," Conan called his name and he turned toward the car. “Don't forget tonight, eight o'clock," Conan said, his eyes held Ralph's.

"Okay,” Ralph nodded. Conan ignited the engine and rolled off the curb.

Ralph turned back to the cafe. He really wanted to say no this time. He hated getting involved in supernatural things, but Conan never stopped getting him involved, dragging him to it was like a hobby to him. Conan had been obsessed with the missing kids at Ridgehaven Academy recently. Ralph let him know it wasn't their job, that was for the cops to find out, but it was futile. Conan never listened.

As he entered the cafe, it was more crowded than on most evenings. Elera, his co-worker and a beta, was there staring at him with the look that told him he was late. Her brown hair was packed back into a knot – she did that every time things got busy.

Ralph's lips pressed tight. “I'm sorry,” he finally said. Elera's shift was already over. He rushed to get his apron and get to work. Elera was about to take another tray of customers' orders.

“I'll take it from here." Ralph took the tray from her and served the coffee to the customers. But there she was again, tending to other customers. Ralph noticed she had not smiled once, because that was her signature for customer service. When he got to her side. “I thought you said you had a date with your boyfriend?” Ralph asked.

"Yeah," Elera said simply, then sighed. “But we broke up."

Ralph's body stilled.

Elera had gone to serve other customers, while Ralph only watched her. The question that was eating him up was ‘hope it wasn't because of him?’ as Elera got back to his side. He asked immediately, “Was it because of me?" The guilt was already consuming him.