Chapter 3

That night, I had no money for dinner, and my stomach was growling.

After digging around for a while, I found a loaf of expired bread in the corner of a drawer. Overjoyed, I started eating it at once.

But then I spotted a post blowing up on the campus forum.

The headline read:

"Shocking! Gold-Digging Omega Exposed for Harassing Innocent Beta!"

Underneath were nearly 3,000 comments tearing me apart.

[It's a disgrace to share a campus with someone like her! The school should kick her out and send her back to whatever backwoods den she crawled out of!]

[So that's how she could afford a Porsche. She took Theodore's! Totally shameless!]

[Wow, so I bet her food and clothes all come out of Theodore's pocket, too? That's way over the line.]

My eyes stung.

I chewed on the stale, tasteless bread and scrolled through my contacts.

Dad was busy with pack business, and Mom was overseas on a work trip.

There was nobody who could help me.

Before I came to school, Dad had even told Theodore to take good care of me.

But now I couldn't even afford a meal.

Two more days to go. I prayed silently.

Theodore, please hurry back!

If this keeps up, I'm going to lose my mind!

The next day was the campus musical theater competition.

I'd loved music since I was little, and I'd been preparing for this competition for a long time.

Excited, I hurried to the venue, but a staff member stopped me as soon as I walked in.

"I'm sorry, Vera. We just got word that you've been disqualified."

"What?"

I was stunned.

"But I signed up a week ago.

Why would I be disqualified?"

The staff member avoided my eyes and seemed to be holding something back.

"We don't know either, but the administration made the decision."

When I stormed into the dean's office, Scarlett was there, chatting and laughing with Gerald.

When I demanded an answer, their smiles vanished.

"We're sorry about this, Vera. But you've been at the center of so much controversy lately that letting you compete could disrupt the event. We have to make sure it runs smoothly."

"I'll clear it up! But the competition is today, and Theodore won't be back until noon tomorrow. You can't disqualify me over this!"

My eyes burned with anger.

"Do you know how much work I put into this?"

I pulled out my props and costume.

"I made all of it myself. I spent a whole month getting ready!"

But they didn't care at all.

Scarlett put her hands on her hips, her voice full of contempt.

"So what? Nobody's going to feel sorry for you. Right now, everyone thinks you're guilty.

"Save all this for next year! Oh wait... I don't know if you'll even still be here next year. More likely, your lies will be exposed, and you'll drop out in shame! Hahaha!"

My eyes still red, I looked at Gerald, but he just kept repeating,

"We're sorry."

I stormed out and slammed the door.

Once I reached a corner where no one could see me, I pulled a voice recorder out of my pocket.

When Theodore came back the next day, the truth would come out.

And when it did, I would make every one of them answer for what they'd done to me.

The results of the musical theater competition surprised no one: Scarlett won.

Onstage accepting her award, she looked as proud as a peacock.

"First of all, I want to thank the school for this recognition. My musical is called 'The Right to Say No.' It's a brand-new piece I wrote, inspired by the recent controversy.

"And I want to say this to everyone who's ever been harassed. Be brave and say 'no'!"

As soon as she finished, the audience burst into thunderous applause.

"Well said!"

Some of the werewolves looked pointedly at me and whispered.

I felt like a gutter rat, watching someone else shine from backstage while everyone looked down on me.

Just then, one of Scarlett's sidekicks snuck over and shoved a piece of paper into my hand.

"Read what it says."

I looked it over.

It was a prepared apology cataloging every supposed flaw in my character and every way I'd allegedly hurt Theodore.

I smiled.

"Nicely written."

The sidekick looked smug.

"Of course it is!

"This is your last chance to apologize. If you behave yourself, maybe we'll have mercy on you..."

But she didn't get to finish.

A second later, I ripped the paper to shreds in one quick, clean motion.

"Sorry, but I'm not in the habit of apologizing."

With that, I turned and walked away.

Behind me, I heard her furious voice:

"Fine, you had your chance and blew it! Just wait until tomorrow, when you get what's coming to you!"