Chapter 2: Freezing Wind

Hudson's Pov:

Hudson shoved himself away from her desk. The metal legs of his chair scraped loudly against the linoleum floor. The entire History class went dead silent again.

"Don't look at me," Hudson snapped. His chest heaved as if he could not get enough air. He wiped his hand across his mouth in pure disgust.

Bailey shrank back in her seat. Her heart pounded violently against her ribs. The scent of pine and mint was overwhelming now. It made her stomach clench with a terrifying realization. The Moon Goddess was going to pair her with the monster who made her life a living hell. But she hoped all of this wasn't true, perhaps it was just her hormones changing.

"I said look away from me, Omega," Hudson roared. The Alpha command in his voice forced Bailey to drop her chin instantly.

Her neck ached from the sheer force of his power.

Mr. Harrison stood at the front of the classroom.

He held a piece of chalk but did not dare intervene. No one crossed the Alpha's sons.

"Class is over for me," Hudson muttered. He grabbed his leather jacket from the back of the chair. He did not spare Bailey another glance. He walked out of the room.

Zayn and Beckett exchanged a dark look. They slowly stood up from their desks.

"You really did it this time, stray," Zayn whispered as he walked past her desk. "Whatever you did to his wolf. You are going to pay for it."

They followed their brother out the door.

Bailey let out a breath she did not know she was holding. Her hands shook as she opened her history textbook.

Rhea leaned over from the next row. Her eyes were wide with panic. "What just happened? What did he smell?"

"I do not know," Bailey lied. She kept her eyes glued to the pages. She knew exactly what he smelled. Her eighteenth birthday was five days away. Her wolf was waking up. And it was calling out to its mate.

The rest of the school day was a blur of anxiety. Bailey avoided the main hallways. She took the long way to her locker to avoid running into the triplets. It did not work.

When the final bell rang, Bailey walked out to the student parking lot. The rain had stopped but the air was still freezing.

A group of girls stood by Hudson's black Porsche.

At the center was Chloe. She was the daughter of the pack's Beta. She had long blonde hair and a vicious smile. She also thought she was destined to be Hudson's Luna.

Chloe spotted Bailey walking toward the bus stop. She whispered something to her friends. They all laughed.

Chloe stepped into Bailey's path. "Leaving so soon, servant?"

"Excuse me, Chloe," Bailey said softly. "I need to catch my bus."

"Alpha Hudson gave me a message for you," Chloe sneered. She crossed her arms over her chest. "He said you are officially on kitchen duty for the banquet this weekend. You are to wash every dish by hand. If a single glass is spotted, he will have you locked in the cellar."

Bailey swallowed hard. The cellar was dark, damp, and freezing. It was where they locked rogues before execution.

"I understand," Bailey said. She tried to step around the Beta's daughter.

Chloe shoved her back hard. Bailey stumbled and hit the wet pavement. Her palms scraped against the rough asphalt.

"Do not walk away when a superior is talking to you," Chloe hissed. Her eyes flashed amber.

"Hudson belongs to me. I do not know what kind of cheap trick you pulled in History class today. But he is a pureblood Alpha. He will never look twice at a pathetic Omega."

"I do not want him to look at me," Bailey said. She pushed herself up from the ground. Her palms were bleeding. "You can have him."

A slow, dark clap echoed across the parking lot.

The crowd of students parted instantly. Hudson walked through. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his dark jeans. The cold indifference on his face made Bailey's blood run cold.

"Is that right?" Hudson asked. He stopped right in front of her.

Chloe immediately changed her posture. She smiled and touched Hudson's arm.

"I was just putting the Omega in her place, Hudson."

Hudson did not look at Chloe. He kept his icy blue eyes fixed on Bailey.

"Leave us," Hudson commanded.

Chloe frowned. "But we were going to get coffee."

"I said leave," he growled.

Chloe flinched. She grabbed her bag and scurried away with her friends.

Hudson stepped closer to Bailey. The magnetic pull of the mate bond tugged at Bailey's chest. It was a cruel, sickening feeling. Her wolf craved his touch. Her human mind knew he would destroy her.

"You do not want me to look at you," Hudson repeated her words softly.

"Please, Hudson," Bailey whispered. "Just let me go home."

"This is not your home," he said. He reached out and grabbed her injured wrist. He did not care that she flinched in pain. He pulled her close until she could feel the heat radiating from his chest. "Listen to me very carefully. You are going to suppress your wolf. You will take the bane-root potion every night until your birthday."

Bailey gasped. "Bane-root is poison. It could permanently damage my wolf before she even fully shifts."

"That is the point," Hudson sneered. He leaned down so his lips hovered over her ear. "If your wolf is dead, the bond is dead. I will not be tethered to a weak, worthless servant. You will take the poison, Bailey. Or I will rip your wolf out of you myself."

He dropped her wrist. He turned his back on her and walked toward his car.

Bailey stood frozen in the freezing wind. The threat echoed in her mind.