#Chapter 1 Screens and Secrets

"Didn’t think you wolfless freak would have the guts to show up here again." A familiar sharp voice cuts through the air the moment I step into school.

"Looks like you just trudged here on foot. Hey Simon, give her a ride."

No sooner are the words out than Simon veers his bike straight toward me and rams right into me. I hit the ground hard, landing right on the bruises from yesterday’s beating.

Alice—the owner of that voice—and her brother Simon burst out laughing like my misery is some kind of comedy show.

Alice and Simon are the Beta’s beloved children. And me? I’m just a nobody orphan everyone can bully.

I can’t fight back. I just get up quietly and brush the dust off my clothes.

But it's gonna be over soon. Just until I’m eighteen then I’m out of this hellhole.

By the time I finally pull myself together, class is about to start. But the moment I push the half-open door, a bucket filled with my worst nightmares, insects and toads, tips over and dumps all over me.

I can feel them crawling down my collar, wriggling, alive—

And I snap. A scream tears out of me. I can’t hold back anymore. I feel the corners of my eyes prick with tears as Alice and her group approaches me.

“Hey, Chiara, it’s good to see you’ve finally made some friends.” Alice laughs.

Damn it. It hits me all at once. That bucket isn’t just showing up for no reason. Alice, that bully leader, must have come up with another way to torture me.

I avoid her gaze, hoping she’ll move on, but she continues. “It’s funny, I figured someone as pathetic as you would welcome the company.”

Something is growling inside me, furious, but I clamp down hard. I can’t risk pissing off the Beta’s daughter.

All I want is to keep my head down these last few days… and get out clean.

Her friends laugh, and her gaze narrows as she takes another step into my space. “It’s really no surprise that a wolfless weakling like you couldn’t even handle a couple of bugs though.”

My eyes scan the room looking for something, anything to get Alice off my back when Vedant walks into the room. I meet the gaze of my former friend, eyes pleading.

Just like always, with dark hair and those green eyes, Vedant’s still the most handsome in the pack. But that warmth he once had in his eyes is long gone.

All that’s left is ice.

He hesitates for a second, and I think for a moment that he might say something to Alice and her lackies, but then he tears his eyes from mine, preferring to look at something on his phone.

Alice’s grin twists into something more sinister as she follows my gaze. “Oh my Goddess. Do you really think someone like Vedant would help someone like you? He’s the son of the Alpha.”

I look down, as the tears I had been working so hard to keep at bay begin to trickle down my face.

“You are nothing but a worthless, pathetic, wolfless orphan.”

My anger flares at the repeated “wolfless” comment, but I feel the comforting presence of my wolf Molly, don’t say anything.

Don't forget our deal, keep me hidden until we know it’s safe.

 Alice laughs again and grabs my shoulders as if she means to push me to the ground, but before she can manage it, I reach out and grab the sleeve of Vedant’s jacket and use it to steady myself. As I do my eyes meet his one last time silently begging him to put a stop to this.

If anyone can put an end to my torment, it’s him. Alice has wanted him for as long as I can remember. She will listen to him.

Vedant’s eyes flash to where my hand grips the smooth material of his jacket and then back up to me.

Time seems to stand still and my heart pounds in my chest as everyone waits to see what he will do. His eyes meet mine and I think for a second that he is really going to help, until I feel a wave of Alpha power roll off of him. I drop his jacket as the wave forces me back several feet.

His deep voice echoes around the room, “Never touch me.”

Alice and her friends laugh again. She looks like she’s going to say something else, but the first bell rings signaling that class is about to begin. Before I can let out a sigh of relief Alice turns back to me one last time and the look in her eye tells me it’s only going to get worse from here.

I wish, not for the first time, that I could just leave. I could deal with Alice and her friend’s bullying if it was just them, but I have been ostracized by the entire pack for years. No matter where I go someone always has something to say.

I had once asked Alpha Richard if it would be possible to transfer to another pack, or even to venture out on my own as a lone wolf, but he forbade it stating that I needed to wait until I reach adulthood to ensure my mate isn’t part of the pack.  Finding a fated mate increases the strength of the individual wolves, and in turn the pack. With rogue activity increasing, the Alpha doesn’t feel comfortable letting me leave before I’ve had the potential to see if my mate is here.

I hope he’s not.

I’ve thought about running away, but I don’t want to seem ungrateful to the people who took me in. Besides, I still feel like I owe Alpha Richard something after everything that’s happened. As much as I want to leave, my guilt has kept me tied to this place.

I do my best to pull myself together and focus on the material, but as the day stretches on I find myself looking at my phone more and more. Things have been bad at school for a while now, but I do have one friend.

When the bullying picked up, I turned to the internet for comfort and that’s where I met my special friend, Felix.  Felix’s nothing like anyone I’ve met in real life. He's warm, brave, with a sense of humor that actually makes me smile for real.

Everything else around me keeps turning cold, but Felix stays. He always keeps piecing my broken heart back together with his unstinting care.

On particularly hard days I need to reread the messages between us to remind myself that I’m not completely alone in this world.

If the Moon Goddess really has to give me a mate tied to me for life… Felix’s the only one I want.

But I’ve never told Felix my real name. Instead, I’ve chosen to go by the name Iris, to hide my identity. I’m terrified that if Felix were to ever find out who I really am that he would think I am a wolfless freak like everyone else.

The final bell rings and I quickly gather my stuff, eager to leave as soon as possible. As I get the last of my books put away my phone lights up and I can’t suppress my smile as I see Felix’s name pop up on the screen.

I am just about to click into the message when a tall shadow falls over my desk.

"Who texted you?"

I turn my head and see Vedant’s green eyes narrowed with suspicion, watching me like something dangerous.

Almost on instinct, I try to hide my phone behind my back. I can’t let these demons find the only warmth I have left.

But that just pisses him off. He grabs my arm, going straight for the phone.

No time to process the sharp sting where Vedant touches my skin. I jerk sideways, pulling away, and try to tuck the phone tight against my chest.

Vedant gives me an incredulous look and I can feel my wolf Molly’s disapproval. “You can’t let them see your strength.”

I sigh but slow my speed as I try to dodge Vedant again. This time Vedant is able to reach out and grab my phone with ease.

My heart hammers in my chest as I see him go to open my messages. He is going to find my only peace, my only escape and then he will ruin it.

All it will take is one message from Vedant and the only one who cares about me will hate me too.