Fated to my Alpha nemesis のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

I startle at the sound of leaves crunching under boots. “Who’s there?” “Mia? Is that you?” I turn to find Cole picking his way toward me. “Cole,” I breathe. “How did you—” “I had a feeling they were going to come for you after what you did.” He finally reaches where I’m leaning against a tree, my body too weak to stand on its own. “So I kept a close eye.” “On me, or them?” “Both?” I sigh. “I guess telling you I can take care of myself again isn’t going to convince you any more than the last time.” “I guess telling you to stop provoking them again isn’t going to dissuade you any more than it did the last time.” “Fair enough,” I agree. “However, I wouldn’t call it provoking. It’s more like strategic retaliation.” Cole ignores that. He pauses to scrutinize me. His eyes widen. “It’s not that bad,” I say quickly before he can get hysterical. “Just some scrapes and bruises. Nothing an ointment can’t handle.” “Did he do this?” His voice is calm. Too calm. “He rammed the tree,”

The Festival of the Blue Moon is fast approaching, and suddenly everyone is a merchant, selling trinkets, beverages, treats, and practically anything that has a price tag. Mom and Dad set up a stall every year. However, they are usually too busy to manage it, being the Beta pair and all. Talia and I take turns manning it, or we do it together when the crowd is too much for one person to handle. The air is fragrant with baked goods, roasted nuts, savory treats, and sweet beverages. Trinkets are being arranged — charms, glowing pendants, hand-carved figurines. I gawk at the sight of it all despite the fact that I’ve been seeing this setup every single evening for the last four days. But today feels a little different. There is just one more day before the festival, and almost every structure has been completed, every stall opened and filled to the max. The decorations — peculiar, whimsical, and probably magical — are all set up now. Glimmering threads in the lanterns. Slight

Scanning my wardrobe for a few seconds, I choose a crimson-colored tube top and a short pleated skirt. I smile at my reflection in the mirror after putting it on. I apply mascara, eyeliner, pink gloss, then pull my hair up into a messy bun. Sitting on my bed, I slip on my favorite pair of black sneakers before grabbing my woolen cardigan and the bag containing my tulle dress. I storm down the stairs, only to stop when I find Mum in the living room. I wasn’t expecting her to be home at this time. Not when today is the first day of the Festival of the Blue Moon. “Mum? Is everything okay?” I ask, stepping fully into the room. She smiles and nods, her face pale with exhaustion. I don’t believe her, but asking would get me nowhere. Things aren’t okay. They haven’t been for a while. But she’s always trying to hold it together, trying to smile brighter every time something cracks beneath us. I’ve come to know her even more than I know myself over the years, and I can tell something

I look up at the tree, confirming it’s close enough to the window that I can slip inside without too much trouble. I rub my palms together for friction, then place my hands against the rough bark. I climb. Foot. Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot. Hand. The bark scratches my skin, flakes catching beneath my nails. I ignore it. I reach the branch that stretches toward the window and allow myself a small, victorious smile. Stealthily, I shimmy along it. For a split second, dread flickers through me. What if the window is locked and this entire plan falls apart? I’d been banking on him being too careless to lock it. And he was. I test it. It's opened. A quiet breath leaves me as I push the glass up slowly and slip inside. My feet hit the floor with a dull thud. I go still. The sound echoes louder in my head than it should. I strain for movement. For breathing shifts. For anything. Nothing. Slowly, I tiptoe toward where I assume the bed is. The room would be com