Regret

Malia

The world seemed to spin as I stood in front of Avan's room. I didn't know what to do, I was just frozen in place, my heart heavy with the sight of his betrayal.

“Whoa! Savannah, giving Avan a BJ?! Who knew friends could roll like this?” Someone said behind me, startling me.

I turned around to meet the shocked eyes of a few students watching while Avan and Savannah finally realized that they were being watched.

“What the fuck Malia! Close the door!” Savannah said as she covered up herself. I hadn't even realized that she was naked!

I closed the door, but just as I was about to leave, the door opened again, and it was Avan.

“Everyone put your fucking phones down this instant!” He barked and they all obeyed. I stood there stunned because I had never heard him use this tone before.

“What the hell, Malia! You led these people here for what?” He accused.

“W-what? I didn't lead anyone anywhere. I came here to look for you after you and Savannah conveniently left me out of your birthday party!”

“So what? Why didn't you fucking call? What gives you the right to enter my room?”

“Avan, I'm your girlfriend!” I blurted out, and the whole place went silent. “I'm your mate!” I continued, fighting back tears. “I just saw you and Savannah, and you're mad at me? I should be the one -”

“- shut up!” He barked so fiercely that I stumbled backward. “I don't know what I was thinking. I don't know why I allowed you to tag along for this long, but you know what? It's time you faced the truth. You're not a good fit for me, Savannah is!”

“Avan!” I said, my voice completely breaking as I tried to get close to him.

“You're not Luna material Malia. You're just a silly little virgin!”

“But… I'm your mate Avan,” I said, tears trickling down my cheeks as I looked at him.

“Not anymore. I, Avan Sinclair, reject you, Malia Reeds, as my mate. Now get out,” Avan seethed while I choked back tears.

Savannah came out at that moment, a cunning smile on her face, while Avan pulled her close to him.

I couldn't stand the sight of them, so I turned around, my heart aching and my feet trembling as I walked away. My eyes met the judging gazes of the students gathered behind me, their whispered conversations rippling through the crowd like a contagious wave.

“She's delusional.”

“ Did she really think she'd be Avan's girl?”

“Oh, you're one to talk!” I suddenly snapped at the ones who were whispering, and then, in an instant, I turned to Avan. “You! You called me a silly little virgin, but you don't know me at all. You and everyone else here probably think that I'm a stupid, gullible girl, but it's time you found out just who you're dealing with!”

Avan stared at me completely dumbfounded by my reaction, but as I turned around, I kept walking with one thing on my mind - Revenge.

“Oh my God, dude she might actually smash your car or something!” Someone said in the crowd, and that's when Avan got invested.

“Malia, you better not fucking try it!” He barked as he and every other person there followed me.

I scoffed, a mischievous smirk on my face as I ran through the large halls in Avan's house, knowing I would lose them. I kept running, and I only stopped when I was sure that I had lost them.

I found myself in a room that was dimly lit. It was empty except for a few scattered chairs and a window letting in faint moonlight.

My mind was still reeling from what I had just witnessed - Savannah on her knees in front of Avan, his head thrown back in pleasure. The image burned into my brain, searing me with betrayal and anger. My heart pounded, but it wasn't from hurt anymore. No, now it was fury.

I needed to get back at Avan. To hurt him like he had hurt me.

That’s when I saw him - a guy leaning against the far wall. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair that fell into his sharp, angular face. His gaze was calm, indifferent, like nothing could touch him. He wasn’t from my pack, I could tell, but I didn’t care who he was. I had a plan, and I was desperate enough to follow through.

“Hey,” I called out, stepping closer to him.

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his hazel eyes scanning me curiously.

“I need your help,” I said, my voice steady even though my nerves were buzzing.

“With what?” His voice was low, smooth, and unimpressed.

“I want you to kiss me. Act like we’re... hooking up.” The words tumbled out before I could rethink them. I couldn’t afford to hesitate.

His gaze sharpened, flicking over my face and my posture. “Why?”

I swallowed, and my throat constricted as I said, “Revenge. I need someone to see it.” I glanced at the door, wondering if Avan would walk by, wondering if I could get him to feel just a fraction of what I felt.

The guy tilted his head, considering. “You’re serious?”

“Dead serious,” I responded, but he didn't move an inch. He just kept his hands in his pockets and gave me an amused look.

“Look, I know you don't know me, and I don't know you either, but I just caught my mate cheating on me with someone I thought was my best friend, and I just want revenge.” My voice cracked a little, but I didn’t back down.

For a heartbeat, there was silence. His smile was gone and he looked completely irritated. Suddenly, I heard footsteps and chatter, so I turned to him desperately. He turned to me, his gaze piercing through me as though he could see all the cracks Avan had left behind.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded. “Alright. But we have to make it convincing.”

Before I could respond, his hand was on my waist, pulling me closer. I expected a quick, careless kiss, but the moment his lips met mine, it was like a spark ignited between us. His lips were warm and firm, and the kiss… It wasn’t fake. It was passionate, intense, and completely overwhelming. My mind screamed that this was just an act, but my body betrayed me, responding to the heat and electricity between us.

I found myself kissing him back, harder than I intended. My hands tangled in his hair, and his grip tightened on my waist, drawing me even closer. For a second, it felt real. Too real. As we kissed, my hands gripped the fabric of his shirt as if I needed to hold onto something solid to keep from drowning in the intensity of it.

His hand slid up my back, and I felt his fingers dig into my skin through the fabric of my shirt. My heart hammered in my chest, the anger and pain from seeing Avan with Savannah blurring into something else entirely.

What was happening? This was supposed to be revenge. It was supposed to be simple. But nothing about this felt simple anymore.

His lips moved against mine with a fervor that sent heat spiraling through me. I could feel my pulse quicken, my breath coming in short bursts as I struggled to keep my head straight. I had kissed Avan before, but this was different. This kiss was full of passion and intensity, something that had been absent with Avan all along.

For a moment, I forgot why I had asked for this. I forgot about Avan, about Savannah, about everything except the way this stranger’s mouth was pressed against mine, the way his hand held me like he didn’t want to let go.

But just when it felt like it might be more than just an act, and we might actually do 'the deed', the sound of the door slamming open shattered the moment.

“Malia?!”

I jerked back, breathless, my eyes wide as I turned to see Avan standing in the doorway, his face twisted in shock and disbelief. His blue eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, I could see it - jealousy. He was jealous. His gaze flicked to the man still standing beside me, his arm still around my waist, and I saw his face flush with embarrassment.

Behind Avan, a small crowd had gathered, their eyes wide, and their phones already flashing as they captured the scene.

My heart thudded painfully in my chest, but I couldn’t deny the small flicker of satisfaction that bloomed inside me. I wanted Avan to feel what I had felt earlier, to see how it felt to be betrayed, to watch as the person you cared about was with someone else.

Then I heard someone gasp.

“Oh my god… That’s Asher Mendoza!”

The room seemed to freeze.

My breath caught in my throat as I glanced at the man still holding me -The Lycan King’s son... I almost slept with the Lycan King’s son?!

The whispers grew louder, and I felt the weight of a thousand eyes judging me because Lycans shouldn't be with werewolves.

Phones were still flashing, the clicks of cameras capturing every second of my downfall.

“This is gonna make big news!” someone murmured and in that instant, I knew my reputation was shattered. I had just made the worst mistake of my life all because I wanted revenge.

All I could feel in that moment was regret.