Wolf‑Less, Hunted by Lies

I broke eye contact with Kael and ducked into the swarm of students.

"Elowen?" Maya called out. "Where are you going?"

"Nurse," I tossed over my shoulder. "I'm going to throw up."

I didn't wait for her reply. I pushed through the sea of blue and gold jerseys, keeping my head down. The heavy scent of pine rolled through the corridor, suffocating the smell of floor wax and cheap perfume. I needed to get to the clinic, fake a fever, and call my mother to pick me up.

I turned the corner toward the administrative wing. The hallway was completely empty.

"Leaving so soon, defective?"

Rhea stepped out from an alcove, blocking my path. Two other girls from Moonlight Academy, Tasha and Briar, flanked her. They crossed their arms, sealing off the corridor.

"Move, Rhea." I kept my voice steady.

"Or what?" Rhea mocked. She closed the distance between us. "You're going to slap me again? Try it. Let's see how long you last without your daddy's money protecting you."

"I don't want any trouble."

"Too late." Rhea shoved my chest.

My spine hit the metal lockers with a loud crash. Before I could recover, she grabbed my left forearm. Her grip felt like a vise.

"You think you can hide among these weaklings?" Rhea sneered. "You think a human school makes you safe?"

"Let me go." I yanked my arm, but she held fast.

"I should drag you into the cafeteria right now." She leaned in close. "I should stand on a table and tell every single human in this pathetic building exactly what you are. A wolfless freak. A genetic mistake."

"They wouldn't believe you."

"They'd believe a demonstration." Her amber eyes flashed. Her fingernails elongated into sharp points, digging through the fabric of my sweater and piercing my skin.

A sharp gasp escaped my lips. Blood welled up beneath her claws.

"Hey!" a deep voice echoed down the hall.

Rhea's head snapped up. Her claws instantly retracted.

Jasper jogged toward us, his brow furrowed in anger. He wore his varsity jacket, his heavy footsteps echoing on the linoleum. "Is there a problem here?"

Rhea’s hostile expression vanished. She flashed a dazzling, innocent smile. "No problem at all! Just catching up with an old friend."

She linked her arm through mine, pressing her bloody fingers against my ribs. The hidden threat was clear. *Play along, or I expose you.*

"Elowen?" Jasper stopped in front of us. He scanned my pale face. "You know them?"

"Tell him, El," Rhea urged. She squeezed my ribs. Hard.

Pain shot through my side. I forced a nod. "Yes. We went to middle school together."

"Right." Jasper didn't look convinced. His gaze dropped to my trembling hands, then back to Rhea. "Well, she's sick. Coach asked me to walk her to the clinic."

Jasper reached out and grabbed my right hand, pulling me firmly away from Rhea’s grip.

Rhea let go, taking a step back. She pulled her phone from her pocket.

*Click.*

The camera flash briefly blinded me.

"Cute," Rhea laughed, tapping the screen. "A human knight in shining armor. I'm going to send this to Kael. Let's see what he thinks of your new boyfriend touching you."

"Don't do that," I warned, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"Oops. Sent." Rhea smirked. She turned on her heel. "See you on the field, Jasper. Good luck."

Tasha and Briar snickered as they followed her around the corner.

The moment they disappeared, I tore my hand out of Jasper's grip and sprinted for the side exit doors.

"Elowen, wait!"

I slammed my body against the crash bar. The heavy doors flew open. Cold afternoon air hit my face, but it did nothing to cool the panic burning in my chest. I ran down the concrete steps and hit the pavement of the parking lot.

Jasper caught up to me near the visitor bleachers. He grabbed my uninjured shoulder, spinning me around. "Hold on."

"Leave me alone, Jasper."

"You're bleeding." He pointed at my left arm.

I looked down. Four deep, crescent-shaped punctures leaked crimson down my wrist, staining the cuff of my sweater.

"I scratched myself on the locker," I lied, covering the marks with my other hand.

"Bullshit." Jasper stepped into my path, blocking my route to the street. "You begged me to cancel the game. You said they were dangerous. Then those girls corner you, and now you have wounds that look like animal bites. Tell me the truth."

"You need to forfeit the game. Right now."

"Not until you tell me what is actually going on." He crossed his massive arms. "Who is Kael? And why did that girl say he owns you?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words died in my throat.

A massive roar shattered the afternoon quiet.

It didn't come from a human throat. The sound was deafening, a furious, guttural explosion of rage that echoed from the visitor's locker room. The noise vibrated through the brick walls of the school, rattling the metal bleachers beside us.

Jasper spun toward the building, his eyes wide with shock. "What the hell was that?"

I backed away, my blood running cold.

"He saw the picture," I whispered.