A NEW BULLY OR TWO
School days were never the best for Aria and as usual, her alarm went off irritating her. "The things I have to endure to get past this phase." Aria mumbled rolling onto her other side after turning off the alarm. She was in no mood to go to school, as she flipped on her other side, her eyes landed on her timetable pasted on her wall before her reading table and she jumped off the bed at the speed of light. "No way today is Thursday," Aria checked her phone and saw it was indeed Thursday. "Shoot," in a flash she had washed up and dressed up for school—She had werewolf History that day—one of the hardest subjects at Crescent Moon Academy, covering werewolf pack politics and ancient laws. Even if she was going to shunt any day of school, it couldn't be Thursday, she had dreams of attending college in human territory and building a life away from pack hierarchy and drama so it was important that she had good grades. "Mum, I'm already late for school I won't ha—" she paused her sentence when she saw her mum, spent on the couch. "I should have known better," her mum was sprawled out—hand dangling from the couch drunk. It was no shock to Aria but her heart hurt, it was the same old circular cycle—she was back to where they began—her mum never truly changed, she only ever just made audio promises. Aria was hurt. She pushed aside the feeling of bile rising in her throat and left the house—not before grabbing a can of soda and some snacks while popping her scent suppressant pills into her mouth. Aria couldn't go to school without the pills because it helped her conceal her identity as an Omega. "Oh goddess!" Aria narrowly escaped being hut by a speeding vehicle, she had left home in a rush and not even looked at the road before crossing. Her heart beat faster as color returned to her face. "I always wondered why Kai called you blind." The driver had stepped on the breaks in time to not run her over.. When he rolled down his glass, it was Ryan. "Are you always this clumsy?" He asked. He could have driven off but something about her made him stop for her. She had a faint smell and he recognized her as pack somehow even if he couldn't tell her rank. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking and I am already late for—" "Hop in, I'll drop you off," he didn't want to but he didn't know why he had said it. Aria's eyes widened twice their size as her skin broke out in goosebumps. Ryan, one of Kai’s friends, Aria could barely believe her ears so she stood fixed on a spot. "Are you dumb as well? I don't have all day to watch your drama." Ryan didn't have a cold personality like Kai but he sounded irritated as he reached for the door and pushed it open. "Get in already!" Aria scrambled into the front seat beside him and sat stiffly. The ride wasn't quiet since Ryan tried to engage her in different conversations, her single responses didn't deter him. He was the perfect Alpha play boy and her bulging chests lured him in a bit. "Are you always this boring and quiet or do you prefer being bullied to being treated nicely?" His question made her head turn to him. She saw him, chestnut brown hair, his eyes focused on the road, slender fingers holding the wheel firmly, he looked like he could stir her life in the right direction but she knew better. It was just her Omega wolf craving Alpha dominance and protection. "What are you looking at?" He turned to look at her and her breath got caught for a second. He looked different, she had never seen him so up close before. His hazel eyes danced, he didn't look like the arrogant Alpha male that tipped her books over or watched while his friend pulled her hair, he looked relaxed, different—attractive. Her throat was dry. "You're staring." He placed a hand on hers and her blood froze. Ryan saw her, her innocent eyes, her pale skin, her pink lips and roughly tied hair. Something in him shifted. "I'm sorry," she turned her face away, her cheeks flushed from embarrassment as she fidgeted with her hands taking it away from his. He smiled, he liked the way she reacted to his touch. "We're here." "Thank you," Aria didn't waste a second more in the vehicle. The morning sun was harsh, not the mild vitamin D that nourished your skin, the flowers opened up for photosynthesis but the air was dry and hot. Sitting in the tinted vehicle throughout the ride, Aria had to shield her eyes to adjust to the bright light before running to class. Thankfully Mrs Smith the History teacher had her back to the entrance when Aria snuck in three minutes late. She had seen Aria from the corner of her eyes but had let it slide since she was less than five minutes late. "Excuse me please, this is my seat." Aria had mingled with the students that were settling down for the class when she noticed someone occupied her usual seat. It was just like that an unspoken sitting arrangement, everyone had where they sat and everyone else respected their decisions but he was new. Aria didn't recognize him to be a part of her mates at all. "You can find yourself another seat then." He looked at her with that intimidating look, his Alpha Aura forcing her to shrink, to want to submit—definitely another transfer student but he didn't seem to be much of a werewolf. Nonetheless, Aria dismissed it since the school also had other students with diverse abilities. Whatever else she had to say was ignored by him. Aria sighed and found another seat, school days were just too unlucky for her. At recess, she sat in a corner and unpacked her back pack, having not eaten that morning, she had packed a cheeseburger—famished, she took a hungry bite only for the burger to be snatched form her hand. When she looked up, he was standing above her with her burger in his hand. "I'll take this with me." Alright friends, who do you think took her cheeseburger? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Kai, Ryan or the new guy?One of the Beta girls stepped forward near the edge of the crowd, her lip curled just enough to call it confidence, voice loud enough to be heard but not enough to draw real attention, not yet.“Seducing an Alpha and lacing his drink is disgusting,” she said, head tilted like she wanted Aria to break under it, “bold move though.”Aria stopped.So did Karen.The room didn’t fall silent but it shifted, heads turning in that ripple way, half of them pretending not to listen while standing completely still.Aria’s brows pulled in.Her mouth parted but nothing came out.Her hand moved a little, just enough to reach for something that wasn’t there.Karen stepped forward fast, “What did you say?”The girl laughed, short and sharp, then turned to her friend with a smirk, like she’d already won.Aria didn’t move.She didn’t understand.She scanned the faces closest to her, the smirks, the tilted heads, the way none of them looked confused.They already knew.They’d heard it.She looked toward
One of the Beta girls stepped forward near the edge of the crowd, her lip curled just enough to call it confidence, voice loud enough to be heard but not enough to draw real attention, not yet.“Seducing an Alpha and lacing his drink is disgusting,” she said, head tilted like she wanted Aria to break under it, “bold move though.”Aria stopped.So did Karen.The room didn’t fall silent but it shifted, heads turning in that ripple way, half of them pretending not to listen while standing completely still.Aria’s brows pulled in.Her mouth parted but nothing came out.Her hand moved a little, just enough to reach for something that wasn’t there.Karen stepped forward fast, “What did you say?”The girl laughed, short and sharp, then turned to her friend with a smirk, like she’d already won.Aria didn’t move.She didn’t understand.She scanned the faces closest to her, the smirks, the tilted heads, the way none of them looked confused.They already knew.They’d heard it.She looked toward
LET THEM TALKOne of the Beta girls stepped forward near the edge of the crowd, her lip curled just enough to call it confidence, voice loud enough to be heard but not enough to draw real attention, not yet.“Seducing an Alpha and lacing his drink is disgusting,” she said, head tilted like she wanted Aria to break under it, “bold move though.”Aria stopped.So did Karen.The room didn’t fall silent but it shifted, heads turning in that ripple way, half of them pretending not to listen while standing completely still.Aria’s brows pulled in.Her mouth parted but nothing came out.Her hand moved a little, just enough to reach for something that wasn’t there.Karen stepped forward fast, “What did you say?”The girl laughed, short and sharp, then turned to her friend with a smirk, like she’d already won.Aria didn’t move.She didn’t understand.She scanned the faces closest to her, the smirks, the tilted heads, the way none of them looked confused.They already knew.They’d heard it.She
CHAPTER — THE STAINThe music had changed again, slower now, less frantic, the bass shallow like someone had turned it down to hear themselves thinkCassie hadn’t slowed downShe was standing near the hallway by the guest bathroom, one heel hooked behind the other, leaning into the wall like she wasn’t hunting somethingA girl leaned in, the one with the pink mini dress and a braid that looked too tight for her face, she was new, unsure, easyCassie didn’t smileShe didn’t need to“Did you hear what happened earlier,” she said it low but not secret, her voice made for control, the kind that dripped into ears and didn’t ask questionsThe girl blinked“No?”Cassie leaned closer, eyes flicking once toward the living room then back, like she was scared of being caught but not really“She laced his drink,” she whispered, then paused, like she wasn’t sure she should go on, “Kai’s, I mean”The girl frowned“What?”Cassie nodded once, serious now, voice smaller like that made it real“Swear i
HIS OMEGA ERAThe private sitting room upstairs was louder now, too crowded, too warm. Sweaty breath and pulsing lights made the air thick, sharp with cheap alcohol and scent marks bleeding together.Kai didn’t sit. He stood off-center near the kitchen counter, one hand flexing against the edge of it, knuckles tight, jaw tighter. His eyes didn’t move from the doorway. Like if he blinked, she’d vanish again. Like Aria stepping outside would turn into her disappearing for good.No one said his name at first.But he could feel them watching. The shift of eyes, the change in tone, the weight behind words that weren’t loud enough to be direct but not quiet enough to be ignored.Someone laughed behind him, short and sharp, not real.“Damn,” a voice said near the corner couch, one of the newer Betas, the ones that hadn’t been around long enough to learn silence, “I didn’t know Kai was on his Omega phase already.”The group barked. Not real laughter, not honest. Just noise.Kai didn’t turn.H
AFTERThe night air was colder than expected. It scraped against her skin as she stepped outside, her arms wrapping around herself too fast. Kai had gone to let out the steam so Karen followed half a second later, the door swinging behind them with a soft thud. Music still thumped from inside, but muffled now, the bass nothing more than background breath.Aria didn’t say anything at first. She moved toward the far edge of the porch, stood by the railing, blinked up at the dark sky like it could steady her. It didn’t. Nothing really did.Karen hovered for a moment, unsure whether to speak or just exist beside her. Then she muttered something and disappeared inside again. The door clicked softly behind her.Aria exhaled slowly, hands rubbing along the sides of her thighs, still tense. She should have pulled away earlier, should’ve said something, should’ve—The wood creaked.Karen was back, holding out a plastic cup filled with water. Not cold, not fresh, but it gave her something to d