Operation Get Him Mad

I regretted agreeing to Aurelia’s stupid plan almost immediately. The moment she walked into my room carrying three shopping bags, makeup, and the confidence of someone about to ruin lives, I already knew peace was no longer an option for me. “You still dress like you’re preparing for emotional winter,” she complained dramatically, throwing clothes onto my bed. “This ends today.” I stayed laying on my stomach, staring at her with deep disappointment, muttering that I had survived mate rejection just to become her personal dressup doll. “Exactly,” she said proudly.

Aurelia ignored me completely and held up a fitted black top, declaring an end to my oversized hoodies. When I argued that I liked hiding inside them, she got quiet for a second, because she wasn't fully wrong. Ever since the rejection, hiding had felt easier than existing. Nyx shifted faintly inside me, no longer completely withdrawn, as Aurelia softened and sat beside me. “Liv,” she said gently, “I’m not trying to change you. I just want you to remember that one idiot rejecting you doesn’t make you less pretty. Or less wanted.”

Something about hearing that made my chest loosen slightly. I sighed dramatically and sat up, muttering that if I looked ridiculous, I was haunting her after death. An hour later, I barely recognized myself. I still looked like me same red hair, hazel eyes, and the silver mark on my neck but the fitted top and jeans actually showed I had legs instead of depression. The makeup was annoyingly pretty, light enough to make my eyes stand out. I stared at myself suspiciously. “This feels illegal,” I muttered, while Aurelia nearly cried from happiness, claiming people now had to suffer visually.

The moment we reached school, I knew something was different. People looked not enough to make a scene, but enough for me to notice. A few boys glanced twice, and one almost walked into a locker. Aurelia looked unbearably proud, whispering about "power," while I told her I hated her. Unfortunately, she was right; I didn't. By the time we got to class, my stomach started twisting again because Bane was there, leaning back in his chair and talking to his Delta, Damon Vale.

Damon was the kind of guy who looked dangerous without trying, and unlike Bane, he wasn't arrogant. His eyes lifted first, pausing on me with a flicker of surprise before he looked away. That was when Bane noticed too, and completely stopped talking. His gaze dragged over me slowly, not subtle or friendly, and heat crawled uncomfortably beneath my skin. I hated the way my body still reacted to him. I lifted my chin and walked past him like he didn’t matter, even if my heartbeat betrayed me.

I sat beside Aurelia, but fate decided I hadn't suffered enough because Bane took the seat directly in front of me with Damon beside him. I wanted death immediately. The teacher started talking, but I couldn't pay attention because I could feel Bane glancing back every few seconds. He was trying not to look while looking anyway. Annoying. So, naturally, I decided to become worse. I leaned toward Damon and whispered, asking if he took notes. A small smirk tugged at his mouth as he replied, “I survive.”

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Bane’s shoulders tense. Good. A few minutes later, a human boy with a nervous smile slid into the seat beside me and asked for my name. When I told him, his face turned red. Cute. I shifted in my seat, crossing one leg over the other casually, pulling my skirt up slightly against my thigh. The human boy nearly stopped breathing, and Damon immediately looked at the board like his life depended on mathematics. Meanwhile, a low growl sounded from directly in front of me.

Bane. Aurelia’s eyes widened. That was satisfying. I grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a note: The human boy is kind of cute. She smirked, so I quickly added another: Also Damon is hot. I tossed it toward her, but the note never reached its destination. A hand caught it first. Bane. The entire classroom suddenly felt too quiet as he unfolded the paper slowly. He read it once, his jaw tightening, and a low growl rumbled in his chest again not loud, but enough for everyone to notice.

His eyes lifted toward me slowly, filled with anger, possessiveness, and something darker underneath. Then he crushed the note in his hand, threw it onto the desk, and stood up abruptly. The chair scraped loudly against the floor as everyone, even the teacher, turned to look. Bane didn’t say a word; he just gave me one last sharp, furious stare before storming out of the classroom. The door slammed hard enough to shake the walls, leaving a heavy silence behind. Aurelia leaned toward me very slowly. “…I think the plan is working.”