The First Bully

I barely slept that night. When morning came, I dragged myself out of bed and got ready for my first day at Blackthorn Academy. I told myself I could handle it. I had survived worse schools before. But the moment I stepped out of the car, I knew today would be different.

"Look who decided to show up," a sharp voice called out as soon as I walked through the main gates. "The charity case who bought her way in with her mother's new marriage."

Three girls I recognized from my old school stood waiting with a group of new faces. They surrounded me fast.

"Please, just leave me alone," I said quietly, trying to walk past them.

The tallest girl, Mia, laughed loudly. "Leave you alone? After you stole one of the Blackthorn brothers' last name? I don't think so."

They followed me down the hallway, their voices getting louder.

"Does she even have a scent?" one of them asked. "I heard she's completely broken. No wolf, no smell, nothing."

Another girl stepped in front of me and shoved my books to the floor. "Pick them up, Omega trash."

I bent down to gather my things. My hands shook but I kept my mouth shut. Students stopped to watch. Phones came out. I could feel the eyes on me from every direction.

The bullying only got worse as the day went on. In every class, whispers followed me. Someone tripped me in the corridor. Another person poured water on my chair before I sat down. By lunch time, I was already exhausted.

I found a corner table in the cafeteria and sat alone. That was my first mistake.

Mia and her friends appeared again. This time they had trays full of food.

"Time for a little welcome gift," Mia said with a sweet smile.

Before I could react, they flipped their trays right over my head. Hot sauce, pasta, and juice spilled all over my shirt, my hair, and my lap. The entire cafeteria exploded with laughter.

"Look at her now!" someone shouted. "Perfect little charity whore."

I sat there frozen, sauce dripping down my face. Tears burned in my eyes but I refused to let them fall.

"Pathetic," Mia sneered. "The Blackthorns must be so proud of their new toy."

I stood up slowly, my clothes sticking to my skin. "Why do you hate me so much? I never did anything to any of you."

Mia stepped closer. "Because you don't belong here. You never will. Go back to the hole you crawled out of."

The laughter grew louder. I turned to leave, but someone stuck their foot out and I stumbled forward. My hands hit the floor hard.

That was when a strong arm grabbed me from behind and pulled me up roughly.

"Enough," Jax's voice cut through the noise.

The cafeteria went quiet fast. Jax stood there in his black uniform, looking every bit the dangerous Alpha he was. He did not smile. He simply grabbed my wrist and started dragging me out of the room.

"Let go of me," I hissed as we moved down the empty hallway.

"Quiet," he ordered.

He pushed open the door to an empty classroom and pulled me inside. The door clicked shut behind us. Jax locked it.

"Sit," he said, pointing to a desk.

"I can clean myself up," I replied.

"I said sit."

I sat down. Sauce and juice still covered my chest and stomach. Jax towered over me. He looked down at the mess with dark eyes.

He reached out and slowly ran his thumb across my chest, wiping away some of the sauce. His touch was deliberate. He brushed right over my breast, circling the spot where my nipple had hardened from the cold wet fabric.

I sucked in a sharp breath. "Jax, stop."

"Pathetic," he murmured, his voice low. "Covered in food like a little mess. But your body does not seem to hate me at all."

His thumb moved again, slower this time, pressing just enough to make me feel it. My nipple tightened even more under his touch. Heat rushed through me despite how angry I felt.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice shaky. "You hate me. You all do."

Jax kept his eyes on my chest as he wiped another spot. "I do hate how weak you are. How you let them treat you like that. But this..." He brushed his thumb over me once more. "This part of you responds so nicely. Makes me curious."

I grabbed his wrist to stop him. "You are sick. Get your hands off me."

He leaned down closer, his face inches from mine. "You whimpered for me last night. Your body is begging even if your mouth says no. Look at you right now. Nipples hard. Breathing fast. You want this."

"I want you to leave me alone," I said firmly. "I did not ask for any of this. Not the marriage, not your house, and definitely not your hands on me."

Jax smiled darkly. He finally pulled his hand back but stayed standing right in front of me. "Keep telling yourself that, Avery. But we both know the truth. Your body likes when I touch it."

He wiped his thumb on my skirt, leaving a streak of sauce. "Clean yourself up properly before next class. And try not to look so helpless next time. It makes me want to break you even more."

With that, he turned and walked out of the classroom, leaving me sitting there aching, furious, and confused.

I stayed for a few minutes trying to collect myself. My chest still tingled where he had touched me. I hated how my body reacted to him. I hated him more for knowing it.

The rest of the afternoon dragged by. Whispers followed me everywhere, but no one touched me again. Jax's presence seemed to keep the worst of them away, even if he did not speak to me.

When the final bell rang, I packed my bag quickly and headed toward the exit. I just wanted to get back to the mansion and lock myself in my room.

I never made it.

A group of five guys blocked the side path near the parking lot. They were older, bigger, and clearly not from the nice crowd.

"Hey, Blackthorn's new pet," the leader called out. "Come here. We want to see what all the fuss is about."

I tried to turn back but two of them moved behind me, cutting off my escape.

"I don't want any trouble," I said, keeping my voice calm. "Just let me pass."

The leader laughed and stepped closer. "Trouble? We just want to have a little fun. Word around school is you have no wolf. No real protection. Means you're fair game."

One of them grabbed my arm. "The Blackthorns can't watch you every second. Let's see how long it takes before they get bored of you."

My heart pounded hard. I looked around desperately for help, but the path was empty. Where was Jax now? Or any of them?

"Get your hands off me," I said loudly, trying to pull away.

The guy tightened his grip. "Make us."

Another one moved in, reaching for my shirt. "This should be quick and sweet."

I braced myself for what was coming, fear rising fast in my throat.

This was it. No one was coming to save me.