LL

se rushed out, laughing, gossiping, and racing to their

er students, I

ways cleaned, polished, and tidied, moving quietly while the elites strutted through corridors like they owned the m

learned to find c

asting long shadows across the hallway. I hummed softly,

ertain privileges, letting me study in the library after hours, granting me access t

east I tho

floor near the b

. Wai

ri

ght, and her three friends-Emily, Agatha, and Lesley

ed, stepping forward. "Tho

f my hair. Pain shot through my scalp, and I

" I whispered, b

t bathroom cubicle, slammed t

ic

ands against the cold metal

ed through th

here to stand. Never look at Larson.

reaming down my face. My wolf, Gi

fighting, Jilli

's daughter! She's strong! She's... she's the

worth to be queen. You are stronger

in this tight, locked cubicle, not when Ma

ariel sneered, voice echoing faintly through the walls. "And if I'm qu

m down the hallway, leaving me a

yone else had gone home. The maintenance staff had l

s swall

g freely. My wolf paced inside my

, Jillian! Gigi snapped.

whispered, voice cracking. "

sed. You're not n

r. I wanted to feel it-but in this cubicle, tra

ounds of the academy faded into silence. I cried until my throa

st the door. I banged, s

" My voice barely carried, s

omething different

, the door rattled violently

ed back. My heart sl

how... familiar-was King Carlton Davis. And beside h

eyes scanned me. "Who locked you in here?" His voice

gh my mind. Tell t

s clenched my books tightly. No. If I tell, he'll pun

ed, barely able to meet their eyes. My gaz

push. "Go home," he said, voice soft

r. I'll... excuse me." I turned to leave, relief m

fr

ric. My body shivered. My wolf, Gi

ut tense. "Why do you have a bruise on

, barely audible. Then, without another word, I bol

n't you tell him

If I tell him... Mariel will bully

ow. The small shared space with the other neighbor omega felt even smaller, suffocati

should leave the pack," I

ce. A chance to study, to work, to rise above

If Mariel marries Larson and becomes

ell me, Jillian... do you feel an

. I have no right to feel anything...

One side of my mind pulsed strangely whenever I thought of them-the father

, longing, and something else I didn