You should have died along with your friend. Because even if you live, you will never belong anywhere." Zach’s words were cold and final. Bernice gritted her teeth. "You're wrong! I survived because I was meant to! And I will keep surviving!" * On prom night, Bernice and her best friend were attacked by a savage beast. Her friend didn’t make it. Bernice did. But something changed. Her senses sharpened, her strength grew, and an unfamiliar instinct awakened within her. She wasn’t just recovering—she was transforming. Into a werewolf. Then came Zachary, the enigmatic new transfer student who seemed to know more than he let on. He pulled Bernice into a hidden world she never knew existed—the world of werewolves. But there was no place for her there. She wasn’t pureblood, nor was she hybrid. Bernice was an unknown. At the werewolf academy, Bernice was outcast, unwelcome. But she refused to bow, determined to uncover the truth and avenge Sara, the friend she lost. Yet, being divergent made her something else—something dangerous. It drew the attention of three powerful Alpha heirs: the cold and calculating Zach, the fierce and loyal Genesis, and the charming yet ruthless Jasher. They were bound to her, unable to resist the pull. But as Bernice faces their relentless pursuit, an even darker truth emerges—the wolf that turned her wasn’t just any wolf. It was an ancient, deadly Alpha. And it was watching and waiting. With three Alphas ready to fight for her, will Bernice be strong enough to take down the monster that started it all? And when the time comes to be crowned Luna, who will she choose?
View More"You forgot your inhaler!"
Mom's panicked shout from the window made me freeze. I swallowed hard. Why did she have to do that? Now, all the East Bridge High students walking past me were giggling and whispering.
This is me—Bernice Jennings, a senior known as the "unknown object. "People call me the Krank Girl, the Asthmatic, sometimes just "Hey You" or "Her." I wish these labels would disappear from my life, but what can I do?
And tonight, for once, I just wanted to make a sweet memory for my future. But before it even began, Mom tore that dream down.
It's not that I hate Mom's attention. In fact, I'm grateful to have been born from her womb. She's smart, she's kind, she's principled.
Mom's concern has never waned, even now that I am seventeen. Since her divorce from Dad last year, she's become even more protective.
I walked over, grabbed the inhaler from her hand, and shoved it into my purse. Ew... the thing was too big, making one side of my clutch bulge awkwardly.
"Why are you using that clutch, Bern? You've got other bags big enough to hold your meds—I mean, your stuff," Mom said, puzzled.
"Mom, it's prom night. Did you expect me to bring a backpack?"
"Oh... you're right! Okay! I hope you have a great night! You look beautiful!" Mom looked nervous but proud, maybe because I looked different than usual. "I'll pick you up at ten?"
"Yes, Mom. Thanks."
A limousine rolled up, grabbing my attention. It stopped right in front of Mom's old car. The driver opened the door, and a couple of couples got out.
I took a deep breath and saw real beauty and charm; cheerleaders, beauty pageant hopefuls, and their hot dates from the hockey and basketball teams.
I knew I'd never be part of that "shining, shimmering, splendid" circle. Just watching them made me feel tiny, like stardust in a galaxy.
"Sweetie pie? Are you okay? Are you sure you want to go to the prom?" Mom's voice snapped me out of my daydream.
Shrinking back into myself, I shook my head quickly. "Oh, I'm fine!" I flashed a big, fake smile. "See you, Mom!"
"Call me if you need anything, feel anything, and—"
"Bye, Mom!" I pushed my glasses up on the bridge of my nose.
I walked quickly toward the school's back hall. I couldn't run, or Mom would scold me again. My body had always been weak, treated like delicate glass—Bernice, the breakable girl.
Someone waved at me at the entrance. I puffed out my cheeks as I approached Sara, my best friend. She's the only one who acknowledges my existence. Maybe because she also feels like an alien at East Bridge High.
Sara looked gorgeous in a soft blue dress that flared at the knees. Her dark hair was styled like a fairy princess' updo.
"You look beautiful," I told her sincerely.
Sara scoffed. "Like an upside-down tulip."
Truth be told, she looked much better than me.
What's it like to wear a long-sleeved, straight-cut medieval dress? My thin, light brown hair was braided like a zebra's tail. My pale skin clashed with the deep red of my dress, and my heavy glasses made me feel even more out of place. I looked like a grumpy, fragile European queen.
"Come on, let's go inside!" Sara sounded excited.
The hall had been transformed into a fairy tale theme, which was amazing. The DJ's music made my heart race. This was my first time out at night, and I was experiencing what prom was all about.
We stood on the sidelines and watched everyone mingle. They all looked so beautiful and confident, making me feel more insecure. How could I even think of mingling? No one knew me except Sara.
Why is this happening to me? I sighed.
Just as we reached for our drinks, someone bumped me hard from behind. I almost fell, but Sara caught my arm. The guy didn't even stop—he just glanced at me and kept walking.
Cold. That's the word.
My eyes followed him. Who didn't know the mysterious new guy, Zach?
Zachary Archer was a sensation at East Bridge High because of his cold, mysterious vibe—almost antisocial. But with that handsome face and tall frame, Zach was the exception. His aloofness had become a trend.
"Is it really that hard to say sorry?" Sara muttered.
"Maybe he's in a hurry."
"This isn't a train station, Bern."
I studied the tall guy with slightly long dark brown hair and piercing eyes. Zach had sharp features—a strong jawline, thin lips, and a perfectly sculpted nose. There were muscles under his shirt, visible on his arms.
Compared to me—small, skinny, practically light enough to be blown away—I had zero chance of being noticed by Zach.
"He smells expensive. How many bottles of cologne has he sprayed?" Sara tried to be sarcastic but didn't stop staring.
"At least he doesn't smell like a corpse. I feel like I'm dying."
"What? Don't say that! You'll be fine, Bern!"
"Probably..."
I didn't have many dreams, but tonight was one of them. Just a little happiness at the prom. The real joy? That was reserved for the stars of the school.
Suddenly, my chest tightened. Sadness hit me hard. Why did I feel this way on prom night? Ugh, this sucks!
"Hey, you!"
The call made both Sara and I look up. I pointed at myself—was she really calling me? It was Maggie, the head cheerleader. She nodded and motioned for me to come over.
Was this a dream? Had I just been noticed?
"W-what is it?" I asked nervously.
"Can you get me some tampons? I think my period just started. This can't happen tonight!" Maggie looked distressed.
I blinked. "Tampons?"
"Yes!" She leaned closer and whispered, "And a couple cans of beer. Meet me in the woods behind the hall. You'll help me, right?"
She shoved a pile of cash into my hands before I could say anything. Beer? Wasn't that against the rules? I didn't want to get in trouble.
"But..."
"Keep the change!"
As Maggie strutted off, Sara ran over.
"She asked me to buy tampons," I explained before she could ask.
"Give the money back! You're not Maggie's runner!"
But how could I say no to Maggie? Ugh, this was a mess.
"I can take a shortcut through the woods," I said.
"Don't be stupid!"
"When else is the cheer captain going to talk to us? Come on, Sara!"
Sara wasn't happy, but she followed me out. We walked along the dimly lit path leading to a woods trail.
"Are you sure about this?" Sara swallowed.
"There's nothing out here! Come on!"
Something inside me sparked courage as we turned on our cell phone flashlights. Yes, it was kind of stupid to cut through the woods. My gut was asking, "Why are you doing this?"
Yet there was this strange excitement. Maggie asked me for help. After almost three years at the same school, she finally noticed me. Maybe tomorrow, she'd say hello again. Perhaps we'd be best friends before graduation.
Okay, that was just a delusion. But who wouldn't want to be part of the popular crowd?
The half-mile walk through the woods went well. We bought the tampons and a few cans of beer. Everything seemed okay on the way back. Sara also relaxed a bit.
These woods weren't scary. They bordered the school and were often used by the kindergartners for nature activities. Practically safe.
"Are you cold?" Sara looked over at me.
I knew she was worried. I was starting to wheeze, and my cheeks must have been flushed.
"Do you have your inhaler?"
"In my purse." I showed her the clutch. "Relax, I'm fine."
Sara just nodded and said nothing else. We kept walking. The beer cans clinked in the plastic bag, leaves crunched under our feet.
Then we heard it. A twig snapping—not far off.
Sara and I froze, eyes wide open.
"You heard that?" she whispered.
"Probably a skunk."
Another snap. Louder. Then again. Sara flicked her phone's light around nervously.
"You think it's a skunk, Bern?"
"I don't..."
Then something slammed into Sara. It was huge. Dark. Her scream pierced the air.
"Sara!! Sara!!" My voice felt like it was disappearing.
I heard ripping. Snarling. Growling. The thing crouched over her limp body. Oh, God! Sara!
"No... no..." My voice broke.
The growl made my blood freeze. I couldn't move. I couldn't scream. Its glowing red eyes locked onto mine, starving.
"Please... please..." I choked out.
It lunged, slashing across my chest and tearing into my skin. I hit the ground, pain exploding through my body. I gasped for breath as the creature loomed over me.
A monster. With a snout. Sharp, blood-soaked teeth.
"Mom..." Tears streamed down my face.
The pain was unbearable. This was it. My last night alive.
In the distance, I heard a howl. The beast turned and ran, disappearing into the woods.
I could smell my own blood pooling on the ground.
"Mom... help... Mom..."
My vision blurred. I knew I was dying. One last figure approached—was it Zach?
Then everything went dark.
I took a deep breath in front of the entrance to the hall, waiting for Paige.Where was she? I had already agreed to be her date for tonight's event.Judging by her usual personality, I didn't think Paige was the type of girl who liked to dress up, but maybe that was a different story when it came to parties.An itch started forming on my shoulder from the costume Genesis had gotten me: It was a full knight's armor, complete with a sword and cape. I didn't even get a chance to say no.What made it worse was that it made an annoying "shhk-shhk" sound every time I moved, drawing attention.Then, I saw four girls rushing toward the hall. The sight of one of them made my heart stop:Bernice.She was wearing a long, silvery-white gown. She looked like a snow princess. Her hair was down and flowing beautifully, and I couldn't take my eyes off her."Come on, let's go in. The event's starting," Paige said as she walked up to me.When I reached for her hand, she suddenly grabbed Bernice's and
"Genesis, how is Bernice doing?" I asked when Genesis returned to the room."She's fine."He joined Dwight and Troy, and they began whispering among themselves, clearly talking about today's incident.As a result, the match was canceled. Shirley had to return to Evercrest this afternoon and wait for her punishment.Tomorrow was supposed to be our final night here, a celebration of our victory, but I wasn't so sure it would be fun anymore. How could anyone enjoy a party after something like this? Everything felt so tainted.I tried to calm the anxiety and heavy guilt gnawing at my chest. I couldn't even show my face to Bernice. She must hate me now.There was so much I wanted to explain to her, especially about giving those flowers to Violet. I didn't do it to make Bernice jealous or to even the score with Axel.Violet asked me, though. She never said it outright, but she hinted that it would be nice to receive flowers from the jousting tournament champion.This year is Violet's last c
Someone was carrying me. I didn't know who it was, but he was moving fast. The next thing I knew, I was lying on a bed. I could hear shouting all around me. My vision was completely blurred, and everything was dark when I tried to open my eyes.Panic washed over me. What's happening to me? Help! But no sound came out.I heard a growl. Loud and clear. My eyes searched for the source. I saw a pair of yellow, glowing eyes.At first, they were just a tiny spark. Then they grew larger. Closer. Who is that?!'Please, don't hurt me…' I squeaked.'Oh, no, child. I won't let anyone hurt you.'I saw the shadow of a giant black wolf. It looked like darkness itself. I tried to scream, but again, no sound came out.Then, the wolf lunged toward me."Mom!" I finally screamed.This time, I could see everything clearly: the white ceiling lined with gold trim, A chandelier."Thank goodness she made it just in time," someone
I woke up to a much colder chill in the air than usual. Was it because autumn was coming to an end? I tossed the blanket aside, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked toward the slightly open glass door of the balcony.Curious, I tiptoed over to the door and heard soft sobbing. Was someone crying?When I peeked out onto the balcony, I couldn't believe my eyes. Shirley was sitting on a chair, crying. She flinched in surprise when she saw me."What do you want?" she hissed."Sorry. I didn't mean to bother you." I turned to leave, but then heard her scoff."Happy now? Did you get your revenge? Just because I tore your clothes that day, you went this far just to destroy me? Even going after Jasher!"I fell silent, debating whether to speak or keep quiet. But I hesitated because I was afraid Shirley wouldn't understand. Still, my urge to explain everything was stronger.I was tired of constantly fighting.I stepped out onto the balc
The atmosphere at the jousting field for the final match was electric, but I couldn't have been in a worse mood. I was drowning in pain that felt like it was binding my heart, and seeing Jasher only made me more upset. Looking at Zach? That made it worse.Then came the guilt because I had been ignoring Genesis.Down in the arena, Zach and Axel were getting ready. The crowd buzzed with excitement, but I only felt pressure tightening around me."Physically, Axel's way stronger," I heard Paige say as she discussed the final match with Aggy and Piper."Yeah, but Zach's got brains. You can't deny it—he's got amazing agility," Piper argued.Aggy giggled. "Aggy-lity. Like me—quick and sweet."I smiled at her joke, just a little. Suddenly, I felt a finger press softly into my cheek from the side. I turned my head, and there was Genesis."You look tired," he said gently, his voice laced with concern.I quickly shook my head.
My steps felt heavy as I walked to my room. I stopped in front of the door.When I entered, I saw Genesis lounging on the couch and snacking.I didn't know where Dwight and Thor were, but honestly, I was glad they weren't there. That meant fewer judgmental stares, like the one Genesis was giving me.I walked over to my bed and began removing the ridiculous armor."You should've held yourself back," Genesis said, breaking the silence with a piece of advice.Great."I don't want to talk about it," I replied coldly."Jasher, have you ever considered that this was all a tactic? Axel and his team might be trying to eliminate you, take you out of the competition. Like it or not, you're one of the best jousters."I heard Genesis munching on something."And..." He coughed a bit. "...you totally fell into their trap. Think about it. Do you really believe Bernice would be swayed by a single flower? If you do, then you're basically
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