An Enemy...

CHAPTER SIX

                       Elissa.

"Let... go- get off... me," I managed to wheeze. His grip tightened even more, applying more pressure. It felt as if my neck was one moment from snapping like a twig. His eyes radiant, enchanting colors, darkened as the gold threads flared.

My lungs were burning from the lack of oxygen. Suddenly I was back to the night my whole life fell apart, Lucian's cruel words echoing inside my head.

"You're useless and weak."

Tears slipped down my cheeks, wetting his hand on my neck.

Goddess.

I survived my own pack and became a fugitive only to die when I hadn't even gotten to live yet.

"Start talking," he snarled. I clawed at his hands, trying to point out the fact that he was making it difficult for me to do so. He released me and I collapsed on the floor, coughing profusely.

"What... What do you want?!" I demanded angrily, glowering at his imposing figure towering over me and blocking the sun.

"Names of whoever sent you here. If you try any funny business I will rip your head from your neck and I will take my time with it."

Why is he so violent?

His aura gave off Alpha vibes, but I knew there was something else I was missing. Unfortunately, I didn't have my wolf to figure it out.

Although my instincts were screaming for me to run.

He's not from our pack if he doesn't know me, which means he's also not sent by Lucian, but I still can't trust him.

Why is he here?

Why isn't he with his pack?

How many more werewolves are in this school?

I had to think of something to tell him. With the way he was acting, he wouldn't buy it if I told him the truth. He would probably find a way to contact Lucian and hand me over to him.

"No one sent me here. I came here on my own to live among humans because I was... curious. It was reckless, I got lost and found a human couple who took me in, that's how I ended up here," I explained, omitting a lot of details. I didn't exactly lie, I was exiled, or rather discarded at the verge of death, when I found the couple.

I wanted to blend in, but I could have opposed it. I was curious to find out what it felt like going to a human institute.

Fascinated with the idea of living a normal life.

"You expect me to believe that?" He scoffed and I rolled my eyes, getting off the ground. I had to strain my neck to meet his gaze.

"I don't care what you believe. I'm not going to bother you, and I will let this treatment slide just this once."

"Is that a threat?" He took two steps forward, my back hit the wall, my eyes widened in panic.

Shit.

I should have kept my big mouth shut.

"It will be, if you don't stay away from me," I glared, visibly trembling. As if he knew I was bluffing, he sighed and moved backwards.

I waited for him to say something again, holding my breath as we stared at each other. A weird feeling settled in my gut, similar to the way I felt in the class when I saw him.

His scent was another puzzle to me, something like magnolias and citrus.

It was the first time I had ever been hyper focused on another male's scent.

Strange.

His jaw ticked and he broke our eye contact, muttering something under his breath.

"Listen to me, I don't care if you're here for an adventure or not, but if you give me a reason to come after you, I won't hold back. Stay the fuck away from me and don't ruin things for me. No one should know about our identities, I hope you're not one of the stupid ones. In case you haven't been told, humans also see us as enemies, and they'll do anything to eradicate whatever they see as a threat. Or worse, turn you into a lab experiment."

I shuddered at his words, stunned that humans could be capable of such things, and our pack calls them weak.

He stormed off without another word. It took me a while to collect myself and pick up my books from the ground.

My blouse was ripped at the back from the neck, the asshole had used it to pull me. I cursed him under my breath as I tied the fabric together and used my hair to cover it. My stomach started grumbling and I headed for the cafeteria. There were students hanging outside in groups, the sound of laughter and chatting assaulting my heightened hearing. It felt like needles inside my brain.

I wondered if the professor felt this way too. My wolf is dormant and I still feel like this, the reminder that my wolf hadn't surfaced sent a pang of confusion through my chest.

I might as well be one of these humans.

A guy on a skateboard was charging towards me as I made my way up the steps. I jumped out of the way at the last minute, almost losing my balance, and I heard his friends laughing. Ignoring the rage simmering inside me, I entered the cafeteria. The whole place was packed too.

Students sat together, moving in groups. I felt out of place with the whole thing, even in the human world I didn't fit in.

My only hope for a bit of normalcy hated me and had almost killed me when he found out who I am. Maybe staying away from him would be better, although I was curious to know more about him. And I didn't understand why I felt strange with him, my body reacted differently in the classroom, and I know the man is good-looking, ethereal, but I had never felt like that with another male. Not even my previous mate.

Shaking off the stupid thoughts, I stood in the center of the large space like an idiot, trying to find where I could get food. People were starting to stare.

Damn it.

I was able to figure out where to get food and stood in front of the counter displaying some pies and food. I stared at the food in awe, wondering why it was captured inside glass and not free for all to eat.

A woman in an apron stood at the other end. "What am I getting you?" she asked, with a blank expression on her face.

"Umm, sandwich? Water," I blinked, and she sighed. I was still pondering what I did wrong to make her look so tired, when she slid the glass open and freed one of the sandwiches, wrapping it in shiny silver paper. She put it in a bag and handed it over to me.

"Water is over there. That's forty dollars," she said.

"What's... that?" I was genuinely confused, but the lady looked irritated.

"Everything you bought is forty dollars, go over there to pay and you'll get your bottle of water," she pointed at the other end of the counter where the glass ended. Another woman stood there holding the device Hugh and Betty called a phone. I was going to ask how I was going to pay when she left.

"It's pretty expensive, right? They're ripping off people here, back in Texas that amount of money could get me a meal," a female voice said from behind me, and I veered around to find a blonde with big blue eyes that reminded me of the ocean.

She smiled at me and I frowned, not knowing why she was speaking to me. She was holding something I recognized and pointed at the counter's end, so I headed in that direction.

I watched one of the students and took notice of the notes I saw the girl holding. I used the money Hugh had given me and made the exchange, or rather paid, as the humans say. I was still new to the whole thing and was fascinated by how easily I could get something with just a piece of paper.

Back at the pack, we use items and sometimes gold and precious stones.

"You're holding the line, sloth," someone shouted from behind.

"Pardon?" I turned, blinking, as the guy yelled again.

"She heard you the first time, jackass!" The pretty blonde girl returned, yelling back at the guy.

"Ugh, ignore him. They tend to get hangry because they spend all their time chasing balls around, stupid jocks," she huffed, and I just stared at her, not getting one thing she was saying.

"I'm Nora, are you a first year too? I haven't seen you around before, what are you studying?" she questioned. Her words were weird and I was about to speak when I realized something.

I don't know this girl, she showed up out of the blue asking me questions like... like a spy!

Did I stand out so much that I'm being questioned?

She's human, but didn't my professor say they can't be underestimated? I can't trust anybody.

"Come, let me buy you coffee, we can talk outside if you want. I don't really have many friends yet."

Right.

Everyone here has friends and groups, she's lying.

"I can't. Please excuse me," I dismissed politely and walked out of the cafeteria.

I won't fall victim to that ridiculous trap called friendship again. No matter how lonely it gets, I will never let that mistake repeat itself again.