Chapter Three

ARIEL’S POV

I hurried down the stairs, already rushing to leave the house, but before I could reach the door, Mom's voice stopped me.

“Good morning, Mom. I'm heading to class, and I'm already almost late,” I said as I turned around.

“And what chores have you done this morning?”

“Oh, Mom, please. I'll do them when I get back. If I leave now, I can still make it before class starts.”

“Right. And who's going to do your work while you're gone? Me?” she asked, her voice filled with irritation. “Have everything done before you leave.”

“Mom, please…”

She had already turned her back to me and started heading upstairs before I could say anything else. A moment later, Cassandra came rushing down the stairs, looking completely unbothered. Mom immediately turned her attention to her.

“Morning, dear. Your breakfast is on the table, and I sent you money for lunch. Have fun.”

“Thanks, Mom,” she replied before hurrying past me.

Of course. The job was for me, not for everybody else in the house.

I headed toward the kitchen and immediately started washing the dishes, moving as quickly as I could. I already knew there wouldn't be any breakfast waiting for me. That was how things always worked. I only received food from the house on Saturdays and Sundays.

As soon as I finished everything, I hurried toward the bus stop, hoping I could still catch the bus. I checked the time and realized I had only ten minutes left.

“Oh my God, I'm definitely late.”

I hurried toward the bus, and just as I was about to get inside, a passenger rushed in ahead of me and pushed me aside. I stumbled, twisting my ankle as I tried to keep myself from falling.

“Ah!” I gasped, grabbing my ankle.

The passenger glanced back at me before continuing into the bus, which soon took off without waiting for me.

I clenched my teeth and pushed myself back up. The bus was already starting to move.

“Wait, I'm going too!” I shouted, running after it.

I tried to catch up, but my ankle was making it difficult. Just as I got closer to the bus, my foot hit a pebble, and I fell, scraping both my palms against the rough pavement.

I winced, staring at the small cuts on my palms.

The bus kept moving.

At that moment, a motorcycle sped past, splashing dirty water all over me. The muddy water soaked my clothes and splashed across my face.

I froze for a moment, looking around as people stared at me.

I quickly wiped my face with the back of my palm, trying to ignore the sting from my scraped hands.

Thankfully, the bus stopped a little farther ahead for someone to get on. I pushed myself to my feet and hurried toward it, limping.

“Seriously? Didn't you hear me?” I asked as I struggled to get inside.

“Oh, sorry,” one of the students said. “They said you weren't going. I thought you were a bully.”

“Seriously?” I stared at them with a frown before finally entering the bus and taking a seat at the back.

I put on my headset, letting the calm music playing through it drown out everything around me.

About fifteen minutes later, the bus stopped in front of the school, and the students immediately began rushing out. I hurried toward the exit and accidentally bumped into a girl who was getting down at the same time.

“Sorry, I'm so sorry,” I quickly apologized.

“You idiot! Do you even have eyes?” she snapped, glaring at me. “You feel like a whole bag of bricks!”

I was about to continue apologizing, but her words made me stop. Instead, I turned away and hurried into the school.

I hadn't even made it far when three girls stepped in front of me, blocking my path.

“Look who it is. It's Miss Wolfless.”

“Please, I really have to get to class,” I said, trying to move around them.

“And whose business is that?” one of them asked, stepping in front of me. “Do you think anyone here cares whether you make it to class?”

I tried going through the other side, but they blocked me again.

“What? So angry?” one of them mocked. “Or are you finally realizing that nobody here wants you around?”

“To think she actually had eyes for Alpha Prince Luca,” one of them said with a scoff. “What exactly made you think someone like him would ever choose someone like you?”

She looked me up and down, her lips curling into a cruel smile.

“Just look at yourself. No wolf, no status, no beauty, and absolutely nothing that makes you worth looking at.”

Another girl laughed. “And she still has the nerve to dress like she belongs among us. That dress doesn't even know whether it's supposed to be clothing or a punishment.”

“Forget the dress,” the third girl added, looking me over. “She walks around carrying all that weight and still expected the Alpha Prince to want her. That's almost embarrassing.”

The girls burst into laughter.

So much for having pretty faces but ugly characters.

“Look, I'm in a hurry, and I'm already late for class. I don't have time for this,” I said, trying to remain calm.

“Did she just speak to me in that manner?” one of them asked, looking at the others.

“She definitely did,” another replied.

“You must really think you're something,” the first girl said, her expression hardening. “Let me remind you of something. You were rejected by the Alpha Prince. He looked at you and decided you weren't good enough to be his mate. That should have taught you your place.”

They laughed again.

“You're not his mate anymore. You're the girl he threw away. So stop walking around like you're still important. Nobody is looking at you with respect. They're looking at you because they can't believe someone like you ever thought she belonged beside him.”

Before I could respond, a car drove through the school entrance. I didn't need anyone to tell me who it was.

“Oh my God! The Alpha Prince is here!” the girls exclaimed, immediately rushing away from me and deliberately bumping their shoulders against mine as they passed.

“At least he was of some use in my life,” I muttered, referring to Luca as I hurried toward my classroom, hoping the rest of the day would be a little better.

When I reached the classroom door, I saw that class had already started. I tried sneaking in quietly, but just as I stepped inside, someone raised her hand.

“Sir? Is it acceptable for somebody to come into your class late?” the girl asked, her eyes fixed on me.

“Ariel, why are you just coming to my class?” Mr. Zeke asked.

“Ah, it was a very bad and rough day, sir. I apologize. This shouldn't repeat itself. I'm sorry, sir,” I replied before quickly rushing toward my seat.

It was just me and my seat. Nobody wanted to sit with me anyway, and honestly, I didn't mind. This was my favorite class, and I actually enjoyed it.

Thankfully, the rest of the lesson went well. Finally, it was time for break, and I could finally get something to eat.

I stood in line, waiting patiently for my turn.

“Oh, Ariel, you again!” the woman serving the food called out, a smile appearing on her face. “I saw the whole issue on the internet,” she whispered.

I shrugged. “Just some destiny shenanigans.”

“You really wished you'd get a good mate, didn't you?”

“Yeah, I didn't really expect the rejection,” I admitted.

She handed me my food. “Happy belated birthday.”

“Thank you.” I smiled before walking away.

I didn't usually eat there. It was better not to get noticed.

I was almost at the door when I came face-to-face with Luca and his beloved girlfriend, Valentina.

“Oh, isn't it the wolfless and infertile fatty?” Valentina asked with a mocking smile. “Did you stage this whole accident to get my boyfriend's attention?”

I swallowed. “I'm not interested in your boyfriend's attention.”

I tried moving around them, but one of Valentina's minions stepped in front of me.

“Have some respect when you talk to her. Do you know who her sister is?”

Who cares who your sister is? I thought.

“Her sister is the potential bride of the Alpha King. Now do you dare offend her?”

The Alpha King, the man rumored to be fearless. I definitely didn't want to get into trouble with someone relatively connected to him.

I sighed. “Sorry. I didn't know you guys were coming through this way, so I bumped into you. Sorry.”

“Sorry?” Valentina repeated with a mocking laugh before suddenly hitting my plate and sending it crashing onto the floor.

“Hey!” I shouted, staring at my ruined lunch. “That was my lunch!”

“Come on. What do you need more food for?” she asked with a laugh. “You're already fat enough as it is.”

They laughed, and even Luca joined them.

I wasn't crying because he was laughing. I really wasn't. It was because of my wasted food. Yeah, that was it. I sniffed as I hurried away, my heart aching badly because of the anger and the hunger. That was it. Nothing more or less.