Her Hidden Identity: Make the Bullies Crumble

Skylar's POV

My father's fury was something to behold. It had taken every ounce of effort from both my mom and me to prevent him from tearing Grayson to pieces. A part of me, the darker part, wouldn’t have minded if he had. Grayson deserved everything that was coming to him.

Meanwhile, word had spread quickly, as it always does in the pack, that Grayson had been publicly chastised by his father, Alpha Amir, in front of the entire pack.

For an Alpha's heir, such a public rebuke was a humiliation of the highest order, one that could cripple a wolf's spirit. Wolves were prideful creatures, and to be shamed in such a way often caused their inner beasts to retreat, abandoning their human counterparts in silent protest. Grayson's wolf must be unresponsive now, leaving him vulnerable and furious.

'Serves the ignorant jerk right...'

'Keira! No profanity. What have I told you about this?' I reprimanded my wolf.

'Apologies, Skylar, but admit it. He is one, isn't he?' Keira shot back, her tone rebellious yet playful.

I couldn't help but laugh. Keira was my wolf spirit, the part of me that refused to be cowed by anyone or anything. She was fierce, unafraid to speak her mind, and never took anything too seriously—a trait I envied.

'No, Skylar. You don’t need to be more like me. You are already like me. We are one, remember? You possess that feisty spirit, just waiting for the right moment to unleash it. Trust me,' Keira's voice echoed in my mind.

Breakfast time.

My parents’ eyes were filled with remorse as they glanced at me over breakfast. The guilt in their expressions was heartbreaking. They blamed themselves for my situation, even though they had done everything they could to protect me. It wasn’t their fault—my fate had been sealed long before I was born, and nothing they did could change that.

"Are you alright, love?" My mother asked, her voice trembling slightly. I could see the worry etched into her features, the dark circles under her eyes from sleepless nights.

"I'm fine, Mom," I lied, forcing a smile. "Don't worry about me."

But they did worry. Every day, they watched as the pack's disdain grew, as the hatred directed toward me intensified. I was the girl who had caused Grayson, the future Alpha, disgrace, the girl who had brought shame to the entire pack by not being able to shift.

Their probing stares, filled with venomous disdain, were something I had grown accustomed to. It didn't matter who and what I was; to them, I was an outcast, a perfect target for their contempt.

I pulled the sleeves of my oversized sweater down further, making sure it covered my hands completely. The smell of cheap perfume clung to me, an overpowering scent meant to mask my true identity as a Nightshade Wolf. I had become adept at hiding who I was by faking Omega scent, and also by using loose clothing to conceal myself. Even at school, I kept my head down, hoping to avoid any more confrontations. I was grateful enough that even though life was hard there, Leon would always make it a little better.

But today, I wasn't so lucky.

Audrey, Grayson's girlfriend, sauntered over to where I was sitting, her entourage of mean girls in tow. She was the epitome of everything I despised—shallow, cruel, and utterly convinced of her own superiority. Another name to add to the ever-growing list of tormentors who seemed to derive endless pleasure from making my life miserable.

"How dare you show your face here?" Audrey's voice was shrill, cutting through the chatter of the other students. "Everyone hates you for what happened to Grayson. You absolute witch!"

I looked up, meeting her gaze with as much indifference as I could muster. Audrey’s words were meant to wound, but I was past the point of feeling hurt.

"Is there something you need, Audrey?" I asked, my voice calm despite the fury bubbling just beneath the surface.

"You need to disappear, Skylar. Grayson was humiliated because of you! How does it feel to be the most hated person in the pack?"

"I wouldn’t know," I replied, shrugging. "But you’re giving me a good idea of how it feels to be the most pathetic."

Audrey’s face flushed red with anger, but before she could respond, the bell rang, signaling the start of our next class. I didn’t wait for her to spit out whatever venomous retort she had prepared. Instead, I gathered my things and walked away, leaving her fuming.