Chapter 1
Oh, god, what am I doing here? This isn't me. I don't just go to some random house just to see some guys. And why these guys? Why had I suddenly found myself obsessed with them? I never had this problem at my old school. It's ok though, this is the last time I'll have to see them.
Oh, fuck, I hope it's not.
Stop it. What has gotten into me?
Oh god, there they are.
Shit!
I practically dove into the hallway when they caught me looking at them. Sebastian and Luke. The most handsome guys I've ever laid eyes on. Freaking Adonises.
They practically ran the freaking school and I'm just a nobody. Well, not exactly a nobody, a nobody would be better than being someone recognized only to be bullied.
Anyway, this little obsession I seem to have developed with them has made me aware of a few things:
One, they are not actually brothers like I originally thought. They are best friends and have been inseparable since the 'pack leaders' are their parents. Sebastian is the son of the 'Alpha', as they call him. Luke is the son of the Alpha's second in command, the 'Beta'. Weird, I know. This whole place is weird. But, I digress.
Two, they are both absolute assholes. I never thought of myself as one of those girls to fall for the arrogant, self-involved types, but apparently I have, and for two of them no less.
Three, everyone loves or respects them. It's like they're royalty just because their parents lead the 'pack'. They're adored despite being arrogant jerks.
Pack. Yes, pack. That's what they call their weird community here. Pack. Alpha. Beta. It's straight up cryptic and gives major cult vibes but everyone's so... chill, about it. Despite practically no one actually having any chill here.
When my parents passed and my grandparents came to collect me, I certainly hadn't seen joining a cult in my future. Here I am though. That's the only thing that makes sense as to what the hell this place is. We're in the middle of nowhere. Cut off from everyone else. They do border patrols and treat the leaders as if they have literal power. It's fucking weird. God, is everyone just so fucking gorgeous though. And then there's me. Plain and boring Amara.
I don't fit in anywhere. This is the first party I've even been invited to and it was by Luke's younger sister. She's the only one that even tries to speak to me other than my bullies. I mean, that's my fault too, I've been skittish about being here since I arrived. But, Chloe is the only person that's made an effort. She's a year younger than her brother, making us the same age for this brief time before my birthday. She's a grade behind me and I admire how confident and outgoing she is. She fits in everywhere. I wasn't going to come, but my grandparents literally locked me out of the house and told me to when they found out Chloe had invited me herself. My own grandparents! Can you believe that!? Apparently I 'need to socialize more.'
"Amara?" Chloe's voice startles me from my thoughts and I clutch at my chest.
"Sorry," she laughs, "Didn't mean to scare you."
"N-no," I stutter as I see the perfect sculptures of men behind her. "J-just startled me."
I close my eyes in embarrassment for a moment when Sebastian and Luke share a small smile, glancing at each other.
Great, because they probably didn't know I existed before and now I'm just some idiot.
"Um, I-I have to go." I mumble and turn the other direction and head down the hall.
I need to get out of here, I can't breathe.
"Where are you going?" Luke asks.
It's the first time he's ever spoken directly to me and I swear my legs will give out. Why is his voice so beautiful?
"Yeah, gorgeous, where are you trying to run off to?" Sebastian asks.
Ok, I'm dying. I'm dead. That's the only explanation for this. His voice is just as good and I can't handle it. Lay me in a grave and pour dirt over me because I'm a goner.
This must be a joke though, he called me 'gorgeous'.
I look behind me to see who else he might've been talking to but, there's no one there. He couldn't have meant it though. I'm not one of these girls from here. Beautiful and tall.
Both guys snicker and I feel my heart clench. They're messing with me. Of course they're messing with me.
"Are you ok?" Chloe asks.
"I need to go home." I answer, looking down at my feet.
"What? Why?"
Christ, Chloe is so nice she doesn't even realize her brother and his friend were teasing me.
"I-I just need to." I mumble and squeeze past the guys.
Oh, dear god, keep walking, Amara.
Why do they smell so good?
What the fuck is wrong with me?
I make it outside and gulp in deep breaths of the night air.
"What are you doing here?" A voice snarls at me.
I turn and look at Celine with a slight frown.
Celine, my bully, hates me. I don't know why. We never even spoke unless she was bullying me. It was my fourth day here and she just decided to prove all my thoughts about me not belonging here right.
"I was just leaving." I reply quietly.
"Good choice." She says, stepping closer to me.
Her face scrunches up and she suddenly grabs at my shirt, pulling me closer.
"Why the fuck do you smell like them?" She sneers.
"W-what?"
"Sebastian and Luke!" She screeches.
"I-I." I stutter, not sure how to answer.
"They are mine. Do you understand me?!" She screams and slaps me.
Oh, did I forget to mention that she dated both Sebastian and Luke? Like, at the same time. Yeah, so that eliminates me as ever even possibly being their type. Celine is tall and thin. Her face is perfectly sculpted, high cheekbones and a perfectly straight nose. Her eyes are set perfectly apart in distance, they're so brightly blue it's almost unbelievable. She's truly beautiful, as if Aphrodite herself had blessed her. Her blonde hair always flows perfectly. Her teeth are straight and white. She knows just how to apply her makeup to enhance her appearance. I can barely slap on lipstick without looking like a clown. However, her damned personality gets in the way of all that beauty. She's never shied away from being as ugly as possible on the inside. From what I've seen anyway.
"I-I." I stutter some more, not sure how she can smell them on me.
"Stay away from them. Your grandparents never should have brought you here. You're a pathetic, weak little." She spits at me as she lifts me by my throat.
The first time she did this, I was completely surprised and shocked by her strength. Now, it's pretty normal. I don't claw at her hands and arms like I used to. There's no point. Last time I did, she used the opportunity to pull my hand from hers and mock my un-manicured nails. Yeah, she's oddly cutting about weird things in the midst of these physical altercations. Though, it must be because it's the kind of things she cares about.
"Celine!" A deep voice barks, cutting her off from spewing hateful words, and she drops me to the ground.
"S-Sebastian." She stutters, and it's the first time I've ever heard her melodic voice falter.
"Do not touch her." Luke growls.
This is so embarrassing. I can feel the tears starting to roll down my cheeks. I don't want to be here. I can't be here. I don't want them to see this.
Chloe steps out from behind them, glaring at Celine. I know Chloe will want to try to make me feel better, she's too nice not to, but I don't deserve it. Celine is right, I shouldn't be here, I am weak and pathetic. I don't belong and it was a mistake coming here.
I scramble to my feet and take off running. It's the one thing I'm good at. I've done track since middle school and have never not come in first.
I can hear Chloe calling after me but I don't stop. My grandparents have already told me to be stronger, stand up for myself. I could, but I can't. They just don't get it and I know how much of a disappointment I am to them. I can't go home like this. Door is probably still locked anyway.
My legs carry me into the forest and I finally slump down against a tree. I'm not supposed to be in the forest, my grandparents have warned me about the wolves. I don't care right now though. Besides, it's not like I've left the territory, a fucking guard would have stopped me. I found that out after I tried to leave once I realized my grandparents were in a cult.
My body shakes as I try to calm down and stop my tears.
Why? Why did I end up here? Why was Celine such a bitch when Sebastian and Luke clearly had no interest in me? And why did I have to find myself with this fucking crush that turned all consuming? It was like I'd stop breathing if I went too long without seeing them.
The hairs on my body stand up, goosebumps spreading across my flesh. I force myself to steady my breathing and listen. I can hear footsteps, light and deliberate. My hand moves to my mouth to stifle my breathing. It won't do anything if it already knows I'm here though.
I watch as two glowing orbs appear before me, still at a distance, but growing closer. There's not much I can do against a wolf. I'm fast but I know it would catch me. Especially with how close it already is.
Slowly, carefully, I rise and pat at my pockets. My dad always carried his knife, and now I do.
The yellow eyes stop when I slowly bring the knife into position. A growl causes me to wince at the noise, it's so loud. Louder than the ones I've heard before, late at night.
The animal lunges, its eyes boring into mine. It easily knocks me back against the tree, my head hitting hard. I slide down the tree, slumping against it with the beast looming over me. It's teeth gnash at my shoulder and I scream in pain. I manage to bring my knife to its belly and stab. A whimper comes from the beast as I drag the knife up with both hands, and it finally releases my shoulder. Its body falls against me and I fully collapse to the ground under its weight, blood and entrails pouring out onto me.
I'm trapped.
This wolf is bigger than any I've ever seen. My head is pounding from hitting the tree. The whole thing happened so fast.
I keep hold of my knife that's still buried in its flesh as my eyes close.
