Three

“What? No, I can’t. I have to stay inside, or I will be punished,” Elsa protested, her voice trembling. But it didn’t take much, her small frame was no match for the three girls, and they easily pulled her down from the bunk.

“Don’t worry, we will be back before curfew,” the purple-haired girl assured her, but Elsa just shook her head, instinctively backing away.

“Come on, don’t be a jerk. We need our squad complete if we are going to have a chance with the X boys,” one of them said, rolling her eyes.

“No, you don’t understand! I can’t go out. I have to stay invisible, or Father will be disappointed,” Elsa said, her voice rising into a near-plead. The girls exchanged glances, clearly unsure what to make of her.

“Fine. Family can be tough, we get it,” the pink-haired one said with a sly smile, “but we are not giving you a choice. Refuse, and I will tell everyone you brought in drugs. Do you think your father would like that?” Elsa looked up, eyes wide in terror.

“Finally, she looks up!” The green-haired girl said, and they all giggled.

“No! You can’t do that. Father will disown me! Please… please don’t!” Elsa’s voice cracked, her eyes shimmering with tears. The purple-haired girl hesitated, clearly moved.

Before she could respond, the blue-haired girl stepped forward, smiling gently. “That’s exactly why you should come with us. It’s just a bonfire, you don’t even have to drink if you don’t want to. Juice, water, whatever. Pleaseee?” Her eyes were wide, palms pressed together in a pleading gesture. Elsa stared at her, caught off guard.

Swallowing hard, Elsa lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers, weighing her options. If she made a mistake on her first night, she was sure her father wouldn’t hesitate to disown her, maybe even throw her out. But if she kept to herself and followed the rules, they might come back before curfew, and everything would be fine. Besides, with her skinny and unattractive appearance, no one would pay any attention to her.

“Okay… I will go. But we have to be back before curfew,” she said quietly.

The girls squealed in excitement. For the first time, Elsa felt a spark of control over her life. Usually, unless her father permitted it, she couldn’t do anything she wanted. And now, for the first time, she had made a choice.

“Let’s get ready. We don’t have much time!” 

…

The bonfire was a chaos of warmth and noise. A tall stack of wood blazed in the center while students circled it. Some whispered intimately, others shouted and laughed. The scene was alive, wild, and overwhelming. Elsa froze, reconsidering her decision.

‘This is my first time around so many people. What if I make a mistake? Say the wrong thing? Offend someone by accident?’ Different thoughts swirled in her mind.

The crowd grew louder. Elsa’s breaths became shallow and uneven. Her hands trembled as her gaze fell to the ground. She stumbled backward until she collided with something solid.

“Ah! I am so sorry. I…I didn’t mean to, I just…” she stammered, looking up in panic.

A calm, deep voice cut in before she could finish. “First bonfire? Yeah, it can be pretty intense.”

Elsa forced herself to look up. Her cheeks flamed red when her eyes landed on him. Handsome, yes but not impossibly so. And yet… she knew, painfully, that she would never be worthy even if she were just a beta.

“Juice. Just for you!” one of her roommates offered, holding out a cup filled with bright orange liquid.

“Thank you,” Elsa murmured, taking it carefully and walking away.

“Hey!” The guy called after her, but her legs moved faster than her words could follow.

A little distance from the crowd, Elsa let out a shaky sigh of relief and drank the juice in one go. The taste, sweet, tangy, and new made her eyes widen. Except for the apple juice her nanny occasionally snuck her, she had never tasted anything else. She was curious to know what it was made of and wanted more.

She took a step toward the bonfire and froze when she heard a faint sound behind her. Glancing over her shoulder into the darkness, she assumed it was a bird or an insect. When she took another step, the sound came again, closer, sharper, and somehow…different. 

Curiosity overrode caution. She crept toward the source, steps soft and careful, until she reached a poorly lit opening. She squinted and froze.

There they were.

Her step-sister, wrapped in the arms of a tall, muscular man, lost in a lewd embrace. Elsa’s stomach twisted. The man’s back… she recognized it immediately. Six months ago, Lily had brought her boyfriend home, and Elsa had dressed as a maid just to catch a glimpse. She only saw his back then but was sure it was him. She might not be good at anything but one thing she had was the talent of memorizing things. She has a good memory. 

When they turned, Elsa’s heart lurched. He was the guy she saw at the gate, the one whose gaze had lingered on her that morning… it was him. She froze, torn between awe and fear. It is not surprising Lily was able to bag such a man. They were both beautiful, came from a rich family and had powerful wolves. They were perfect together. It was foolish of her to even look at him twice. 

He’s way out of your league. ‘He’s your sister’s boyfriend. Quit dreaming,’ she scolded herself, shaking her head. She tried to step back quietly, but her foot caught on something, and a small yelp escaped her lips.

Their heads snapped toward her. Elsa’s eyes widened in panic as she locked gazes with both of them. Heart hammering, she turned and ran, not bothering to check her path.

If Lily finds out it was her, she would tell their father and have her disowned. But surely, from such a distance, they couldn’t have seen her clearly right? Her stomach sank. They were high ranked wolves and their senses were sharper than hers who is just a wolfless omega. They must have seen her.

Fear sharpened every sense. She cursed under her breath, panic twisting her stomach.

“Hey! Where are you going? The party’s not over yet!” A strong hand grabbed her wrist, pulling her to a stop.

“I…I have to leave,” Elsa stammered, voice trembling.

“Not so fast. The party’s just getting started.”