CHAPTER 5: BULLYING THE BULLY

Ryder’s POV

“You go.”

“No, you go.”

“No, you.”

“Stone, paper, scissors!”

“Haha! You’ve got to go now, Ryder,” Chester snickered, giving me a hard shove up the stairs while everyone was distracted.

“Screw you, you troll,” I muttered, slinking up with vampire stealth.

After I finished my little errand in seconds—thanks to my freakishly fast speed—we casually joined the others in the living room. Oddly, everyone was standing.

“There you are, my boys,” Great Grandpa chuckled warmly, steering us toward Reed.

“Take them for a tour of the pack house,” Alpha Adolf said. “We need to discuss something in private.” He led the two Masters to the office while Reed beckoned us outside toward the training grounds.

“I’m sorry,” Reed said suddenly, his voice unusually soft.

Both Chester and I turned toward him, confused.

“I haven’t been on my best behavior tonight. I apologize for that,” he said, his stern features softening for a second.

He was striking—rugged, strong, the classic dominant male type.

“No worries, sir. We understand you're under pressure,” I said politely.

“Call me Reed, son,” he replied, ruffling my hair like I was still twelve.

Chester, ever the nosy Beta, blurted out, “I hope it’s not too personal to ask, but… why are you against the Alpha’s daughter taking over?”

Reed sighed. “I don’t mind answering. Truth is—she’s a bully. Only a few of us know it—me, her gang, and now you two.”

He glanced away for a second before continuing.

“She’s got skill. Alpha blood. Intelligence. But no heart.”

“Any idea why?” Chester asked.

Of course he asked. He was using his Truth Induction. Hybrid blood perks.

Reed looked down at the ground. “I don’t know why I’m venting to two strangers… maybe because you’ll be gone soon, halfway across the world.”

Nope. That’s not the reason, buddy. Chester’s just playing his vampire cards right.

“My son… he was her first love,” Reed began. “They were sweet together. Happy. But five years ago, he fell into bad company. Got rebellious. I wanted him to take over my Beta role. He wanted to be Alpha.”

“San would’ve gotten that title anyway,” Chester pointed out.

“Yes, but my son wanted total control. When Alpha Adolf wouldn’t just hand it over, he snapped. He tried to force himself on her. My own son.”

His voice cracked. My heart twisted.

“What happened after?” I asked softly.

“The whole pack turned on him, of course. I begged for mercy. He was my only child. In the end, I let him flee. I knew he might return stronger. Maybe darker. But I just… I just wanted him alive.”

“You did the right thing, Reed,” I said, my voice calm. “He paid a price. He lost you, his love, his title, his home. That’s more than enough punishment.”

Reed nodded, holding back tears.

“You don’t understand, Ry,” he said. “She’s never been the same since. She buried her emotions, shut down completely. And now she channels all that hurt into cruelty—bullying students at her university. She’s broken.”

Chester asked quietly, “What happened to your son?”

Reed hesitated, then answered, “You know him. Everyone does. He’s Zang.”

We both gasped.

“Zang—the Vulture?” Chester’s face went pale.

Reed nodded grimly. “That’s him.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

“No, I’m the fool who let that demon escape. He mastered the Dark Arts. He’s a monster now.”

“You still did the right thing,” I said again, firmly. “A parent can’t predict the future. You followed your heart.”

“Thank you,” Reed murmured. “You don’t know how much it means to be heard.”

He clapped us on the back with a genuine smile.

“Now let’s see what that bitch is up to,” he muttered.

Wait—did he just call her a bitch?

“I heard that,” a sharp, commanding voice cut through the trees.

We turned to see San hanging upside down from a branch, her teacher counting laps below.

“You have guests tonight, San,” the Great Master said. “We’ll resume tomorrow.” They exchanged bows, and he disappeared with Reed into the woods.

“Hi. I’m San,” she said in a bored tone, avoiding eye contact.

“I’m Ry. This is Mac,” I replied, noting the nervous way she bit her lip.

“The ground’s not that interesting,” I said flatly. “An Alpha should meet eyes—even if they’re about to get their ass kicked.”

She blinked, startled. Clearly not used to anyone talking back.

After hearing Reed’s story, I wasn’t excusing her behavior. If she had trauma, she should’ve grown from it—not lashed out at others.

Still… there was something about her. And no, it wasn’t brotherly.

“Watch your tone,” she growled. “I could kill you in seconds.”

“Dream on, bitch,” I smirked. “Try me.”

I turned on my heel, Chester close behind, but I sensed something—a dart sizzling through the air.

In a blink, I flipped, caught it mid-air, and flung it back. She vaporized it instantly.

“Graceless hosts,” I muttered.

“Asshole guests,” she shot back.

Then I saw it—a wolf trap hidden in the grass, right in her path.

No time.

I dashed forward, grabbing her mid-step and rolling us downhill, away from danger.

We crashed into the forest, tumbling over rocks and roots. I wrapped my arms around her, shielding her from injury.

She clung to me, wide-eyed, as the echo of the snapping trap faded behind us.

And then… her lips were on mine.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t hesitant.

It was desperate.

I kissed her back—hard—my hands gripping her curves as if she were mine.

And for a moment… it felt like she was.

Then reality punched me in the gut.

What the hell was I doing?

I shoved her off and vanished, my vampire speed pulling me far from the girl I should never have kissed.

By the time I reached the parking lot, Great Grandpa and Chester were already bidding goodbye to Alpha Adolf.

We drove off, leaving behind the Dark Moon Pack and the maddening chaos I had just ignited.