Chapter 1
The dark red of the roses was a stark contrast to her pale, freckled back. Roses had been her favorite flower growing up in the flower shop, which was now a family-friendly ice cream store that went by the name Shelly’s Scoop. It still retained the same dull green wallpaper and smelled of fresh soil out the back. Whenever she visited, she always got a free extra scoop. “Abby, you’ll be late for school if you don’t stop piercing another part of your body!” Her Aunt March called, walking into her room, uninvited, to smirk at her niece. Abagail turned to stare at her aunt, unamused, while putting in her earrings. “Piercings aren’t really my thing.” She shrugged, staring into the mirror with her eyes trained on her ear. March, with her dyed black hair and crow’s feet around her eyes, was an inviting presence, kind, and gentle. It was only understandable; she had two sons under the age of seven she had to look after. Her children looked exactly like her—their eyes and their smiles, tanned skin and crooked teeth save for the hair. Hence the hair dye, so they felt more connected to her. Abagail, on the other hand, had wavy auburn hair, fair skin, and an unblemished face, except for the collection of freckles littering her nose. Thanks to her werewolf genes, she went through hormones at an earlier age, so her acne days had been over for some time now. These were attributes she was told made her pretty, especially when she wasn’t scowling at everybody. “Just because you’re next in line for Beta doesn’t mean you must look intimidating,” her aunt told her, even if she herself had been a troublemaker in her youth. But March was not next in line as second command to a pack. Being the beta-in-line was no easy task. Abagail still had to help out, learn, and train, alongside her best friend and future Alpha, Caden Miller. The pair were being groomed and trained every day. Caden was another story. Unlike Abagail, he tried to keep himself out of trouble and was seen as a sweet, well-behaved and perfect son, that is, to anyone who didn’t know him. Just like Abagail, he was a troublemaker as well. He and Abagail were a dynamic duo. Friends since childhood. “Bye, Aunty,” Abagail shot over her shoulder. With her nails painted black, leather jacket on, and skinny jeans she had ripped-up herself, she exited the house. The bus idled out in front of her house, a few other students climbing on one at a time. Abagail scrunched her face up and scowled as she got on the bus. Usually, she didn’t need to catch it; Caden routinely came and picked her up and drove her. But when he couldn’t pick her up, like today, she’d land herself on the public transport. As soon as she stepped inside the vehicle, people quieted down and sunk into their seat, recoiling from her as she stalked past them, taking slow steps as if assessing her prey. Everyone was eyeing her nervously, waiting for her to decide where she would sit. But Abagail kept walking, eyes set on the back row. Everyone could sense she wasn’t in a good mood, and she definitely wasn’t. “Move,” she growled, watching as the younger werewolves vacated the back seats in fear, leaving the it all to herself. Smirking in satisfaction, she sat down. *** Daniel Harris wiped his palms nervously against his jeans. That had been a close one. Abagail’s eyes had thankfully skimmed right over him before taking a seat at the back. Thankfully, not talking or making a move to attack him. She had never done so before. They had never actually spoken ever, but she had once scratched his row of lockers with what he assumed were keys for no particular reason. Although his locker didn’t open for him then, and he had to have the cleaner do it, which was embarrassing. “What do you think happened to her childhood that made her such a bitch?” Simon, Daniel’s only bestfriend, asked. His hair black and messy, blue eyes as wide as saucers. Daniel adjusted his black thick-rimmed glasses that his mother had insisted on getting him. “I heard that a boy broke her heart,” he answered, not really paying attention to Simon. His mind was busy thinking and hoping he wouldn’t break his glasses today. He had been beaten and shoved many times and broke his glasses all the time. “More like she broke the boy’s heart. Whoever that boy is,” Simon murmured. They turned around to stare at the brooding Abagail at the back of the bus. She sat alone with her arms folded across her chest, staring out the window. She slouched in her seat, comfortable. “Are you going to ask Holly out today?” Daniel’s face burned at the thought of the girl Simon was talking about. Holly Hammond was one of the most popular girls in school, and Daniel had been crushing on her for half his high school years. Ever since she had giggled to a joke he made in their shared English class. She was the sweetest girl he had ever seen. Even the mere thought of her made his heart flutter. “I don’t know,” he admitted. I don’t really think I’m worth it, he thought cynically to himself. As soon as he finished his thought, he sat up straight, running a hand to fix his dark sandy coloured hair. Then Holly Hammond got on the bus in her pink dress, with her blonde hair styled into two braids. He had not had an actual conversation with her ever, but she had never bullied him, and that was all that mattered. “Come on, it’s nearly the end of the school year! Grow a pair and just tell her what you feel,” Simon tried to reason, knowing he had to boost his friend’s confidence. Simon was short and stocky, whereas Daniel was tall and had barely any muscle. “I’ll think about it,” Daniel mumbled, face burning hotter as Holly walked past him, her bag brushing his shoulder slightly. His heart erupted in his chest that he swore everyone on the bus could have heard it, Did she do it on purpose? Daniel hoped so. He wanted Holly Hammond to desperately fall for him. Like she did in his dreams. An obnoxiously loud holler from the back of the bus caught the two boys’ attention. Looking back, Abagail Grey had someone in a headlock. She was so absorbed in it she hadn’t noticed half the bus’ attention on her. The two were laughing their heads off. Daniel realized it was one of Abagail’s close friends. A shiver raced down his spine at the thought that that could have been him, but he wouldn’t be laughing. Daniel and Abagail barely thought about each other. Although they go to the same school and town, it was like they existed on two different worlds. Daniel was living in fear of her and Abagail could not spot the damaged boy in the sea of students. The only thoughts he spared on her were having these moments on the bus, where she held the attention. She didn’t care about anything in her world. Unlike her, Daniel cared about everything.
