Chapter 2

Kat's POV

Maddie Jacobs.

Maddie smirked, her blue eyes shining with cruel amusement. She always had that look on her face when she was about to make my life miserable.

"Where do you think you're running off to, freak?" she sneered, tilting her head mockingly.

I clenched my jaw, already exhausted from the day. I didn’t have the energy to deal with her right now.

"I don't have time for your games, Maddie. I need to get to class," I said, my voice as steady as I could manage.

I turned back to my locker, hoping she would just let it go.

Big mistake.

The second I reached for my locker handle, pain exploded in my head as Maddie grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me backward. My skull slammed against the cold metal of the locker behind me, sending a sharp, throbbing ache through my entire body.

I gasped, my vision blurring for a second.

Maddie held onto my hair, keeping me trapped as she leaned in close. Her breath was hot against my face, filled with anger and pure hatred.

"How dare you ignore me, you weak little bitch!" she hissed.

I winced, my hands flying up to pry her fingers from my hair, but her grip was iron-tight.

I struggled, nails digging into her wrist, but she just laughed, enjoying my pain. Her friends, standing nearby, snickered like this was all some sort of game to them.

My heart pounded wildly in my chest. I hated this. I hated feeling so powerless, so trapped.

But Maddie wasn’t done yet.

She yanked my head to the side, forcing me to look at her. "You think you're safe just because you ran out of my dad’s office? Think again."

Fear curled in my stomach, but I refused to let her see it. I forced myself to glare at her. "Let. Me. Go."

Maddie only smirked wider. "Make me."

And with that, she shoved me hard against the locker again, making my head snap back from the impact. Stars burst behind my eyes.

Just when I thought Maddie would never let go, she was suddenly ripped away from me and thrown into the lockers with a loud bang!

I gasped, my head still throbbing, as I stared in shock.

Who would dare touch Maddie Jacobs?

Then I saw her.

My mother.

She stood there, her grip tight in Maddie’s blonde hair, her eyes blazing with pure rage. I had never seen her this angry before.

"You listen to me, you little brat," my mother hissed, yanking Maddie’s head back slightly. "You ever lay a hand on my daughter again, and I swear you’ll regret it."

Maddie’s eyes widened in shock for a second, but then her usual arrogance returned. She screeched and tried to claw at my mom’s hand.

"Let me go, you crazy bitch!" she yelled. "My dad is going to kill you for this! You’re dead, do you hear me? Dead!"

My mother just scoffed. "Go to hell."

Then she shoved Maddie away like she was nothing.

Maddie stumbled, catching herself against the lockers, her face red with fury.

"This isn’t over!" she shrieked.

My mom ignored her, turning to me instead. Without another word, she grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the crowd that had gathered.

"Come on, Kat," she said, her voice tight.

I didn’t argue. My heart was still racing, my hands shaking. I let her lead me down the hall, my mind spinning with everything that had just happened.

Something was very wrong.

As we stepped out of the school, my mother walked fast, gripping my hand tightly as if she was afraid I would disappear. I struggled to keep up with her pace. She led me straight to her car, a slightly old but well-maintained black sedan, and yanked the door open.

"Get in," she said, her voice sharp.

I hesitated for a second, still trying to process what had just happened, but the look on her face made me obey without question. I slid into the passenger seat, and she got in right after me, slamming the door shut.

The moment she started the car, she turned to me, her eyes wide with fear.

"What did the Alpha say to you?" she asked urgently.

I blinked, startled. "How do you know about that?"

"I have my ways," she said quickly, brushing off my question. "Just tell me, Kat. What did he say?"

I frowned, still confused by her reaction. "He asked me when I was turning eighteen."

Her hands tightened around the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white.

"And then?" she pressed.

I swallowed. "I told him my birthday was in a few weeks, and he just...smiled and said, 'Soon.' Then he told me to leave."

My mother’s breath hitched. Her entire body went stiff. Her eyes, already filled with worry, now flooded with fear.

She shook her head furiously. "No. No, I won’t let him have you."

I felt a chill crawl up my spine. What was she talking about?

"Mom, what do you mean?" I asked, my voice small.

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she reached for the gear shift, her hands trembling.

"We’re leaving," she said firmly. "We’re leaving the pack tonight."

My heart stopped.

"What?!" I turned to her, my eyes wide. "Mom, what are you talking about? We can’t just leave!"

She met my gaze, her expression serious and filled with something I couldn’t quite understand.

"You don’t get it, Kat," she said, her voice breaking slightly. "If we stay...he’ll take you."

My blood ran cold.

What the hell was going on?