**Athena POV**
“I’ll be right here, waiting for you,” she assures me with a nod, her mind seemingly adrift in a sea of thoughts, completely oblivious to the pointed gaze I’m directing her way. After three rounds of scrubbing in the shower, the stench of rotten eggs still clings stubbornly to me. Perhaps those who lack a wolf are immune to such scents, but for those of us who do, the smell is inescapable. Thankfully, I’m lucky enough that no one at school has their wolf yet—except for the teachers, of course. Just a little bit of grace on my side, right? ‘What grace? You have the grace of a bulldozer,’ Ares snickers in my mind. I can’t even argue with her; she’s not wrong.
As I step out of the shower, I find Millie still stationed exactly where I left her. There’s a troubled look on her face, but it’s mixed with an unmistakable fire. I usually adore that fierce look, but now, with my life hanging in the balance, it doesn’t bring me any comfort. To my surprise, she remains silent, not uttering a word just yet.
“Let’s get to class. What do you have?” I prompt her, hoping to break the tension.
“I’m not sure. What classes do you have?” she counters, her brow furrowing.
“My schedule will be different from yours. Everyone has unique courses,” I explain, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Nope, I have every class you do. I specifically requested it. And after that disaster back there, I’m even more relieved about it,” she responds, her tone laced with determination.
“Wait, you asked to share all my classes? And they just… agreed? Oh goddess, you’re going to get me killed here,” I groan, my head falling into my hands.
“Alpha Menno might have pulled a few strings. He cares about you, even though you’re not part of his pack. And come on, grow a pair, Ath! Where did the firecracker I love go?” she challenges, her eyes narrowing playfully.
“She was beaten into submission,” I reply with a forced laugh, but Millie’s expression remains serious. If I’m honest, they haven’t beaten me into submission so much as into compliance, all for my mother’s sake.
“Let’s go, snowflake,” I say, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the hallway. I can’t help but feel a little lighter, knowing she hasn’t abandoned me just yet. But, of course, my luck runs out—just as we step into the hallway, the bell rings, signaling chaos.
I tense up, bracing myself for the onslaught of judgment and ridicule that Millie is about to witness. But, like the angel she is, she squeezes my hand, her shoulders squared, striding forward with a confidence I can only dream of. I admire her so much; it’s a shame we can’t communicate through a mind link. Mind linking is a privilege reserved for those who have their wolf, a way to converse telepathically with pack members.
As expected, the moment they spot me, grins and chuckles erupt among the students. If only they knew I could tear them apart if I chose to. But I made a promise to my mom not to unleash Ares, and I fear the repercussions that would come crashing down upon her. So many “ifs” swirl in my mind.
However, when they catch sight of Millie, their laughter fades into an uneasy silence. Thanks to my enhanced hearing, I can pick up their hushed whispers. “Who is she? What’s she doing with that thing?” “The exchange student is hot as hell. Bad choice in company, though.” “Someone should tell her to steer clear of the fatty.”
I try to convince myself that I’m numb to their barbs, that their opinions don’t matter, but the sting still lingers. Not as painfully as it used to, thank goddess, but still, being this universally despised is a heavy burden. ‘Screw them. Screw all of them! One day, I’ll rip their throats out and burn this pack to the ground,’ Ares rages, her fury echoing in my mind. She’s got some serious anger issues, and, truthfully, I share that sentiment. If it came down to it, I’d take my mom, Luna Grace, and—despite our differences—my dad, and leave the rest to their fiery demise.
“Hey girl! You’re the exchange student, right? I’m Thalia, the Alpha’s girlfriend. Come with us; you don’t want to be seen with this one,” a cockroach of a girl laughs, her friends snickering along. Millie’s body tenses immediately. I can see the fire in her eyes, and I know she’s ready to growl and bare her teeth if she could. She releases my hand, and for a fleeting moment, I worry she’s reconsidering our friendship.
“YO, ALL OF YOU, LISTEN UP!”
“Millie, don’t!” I hiss, frantically looking around, my heart racing.
“Yes, I’m the exchange student. And I have ZERO interest in any of you being my friend. ESPECIALLY you; I don’t do bedwarmers for friends,” she declares, fixing her gaze on Thalia with unwavering intensity.
“How utterly pathetic. One of the Alpha’s toys thinks she’s special. Until they find their fated mate, goddess help the poor soul, and you will barely be a memory,” Thalia laughs, and I wince, bracing for the fallout that’s sure to follow.
“Now, all of you, stay the hell away from me if you know what’s good for you. Y’all have a fabulous day now,” Millie calls out, grabbing my hand and yanking me toward class. Normally, I’d have sarcastically praised her for wishing them a fabulous day, but I’m still in shock.
The shock dissipates quickly, however, when one of Thalia’s little minions yanks Millie back by her arm. Thalia herself seems too stunned to react.
“YOU B*TCH!” the minion screeches, raising her hand to slap Millie. At that moment, something snaps inside me. I don’t care what happens to me; I’ll survive. But nobody touches someone I love. Not an Alpha, not even a king. Nobody lays a hand on her.
Before Millie can react, I step in front of her, grabbing the minion’s wrist with fierce determination.
“What the…,” she begins to seethe, but I cut her off, my voice low and menacing. She didn’t see this coming, and why would she? I’ve never fought back before.
“You do NOT touch her, do you hear me?!” I growl, tightening my grip just enough to elicit a cry of pain from her.
‘P*ssy,’ Ares comments dryly, and I can’t help but agree. I barely applied any strength at all.
“NOBODY TOUCHES HER!” I shout, my voice rising louder than I intended. The years of bottled-up anger surge to the surface, ignited by their attempt to harm Millie.
“NOBODY!!!!!” I roar again, scanning the hallway with a deadly glare. When my eyes land on the two instigators, my fury spikes, and a snap echoes through the air.
“AHHHHHHHHH!!!!” the minion screams, and gasps ripple through the crowd surrounding us.
“That’s enough, babe. You’ll get in trouble,” Millie whispers urgently in my ear, and I finally release the minion’s wrist.
“Who cares? School sucks anyway,” I retort, trying to regain my composure, though my heart races with adrenaline. Millie takes my hand and pulls me away, but I can feel their piercing stares boring into my back until we round the corner, out of sight.
“Well, happy first school day!” I smirk at Millie, but then the weight of my actions crashes down on me. I just feel so different when I’m with her, and at Red Runner pack. My insecurities don’t gnaw at me so viciously, and sometimes, I feel… strong. I’m not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse, especially when it comes to my protective instincts toward her.
“I just signed my own death warrant, but hey, it was fun while it lasted, right?” I chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.
“That was SO badass! That’s the girl I know!! And hell, if they even think about touching you, they’ll have to go through me,” she declares, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
But it’s not their touch I fear. I just hope the little minion is insignificant enough not to draw the wrath of the others.
“I know. But you won’t be here forever, unfortunately,” I remind her, the weight of reality pressing down on me.
“Maybe you won’t either,” she counters, her tone teasing.
“With my luck, I will,” I scoff, but a part of me hopes she’s wrong.
“Maybe your mate is in Red Runner,” she suggests, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
“Maybe. But I doubt that somehow,” I reply, shaking my head.
As we round the corner to our classroom, Millie gives me a side hug, and we enter to find we’re the first ones there. I typically prefer the front row, but Millie drags me all the way to the back.
“Better vantage point,” we both say in unison, laughing as we settle into our seats in the left corner.
Other students trickle in, each one throwing me dirty looks. “Freak,” I hear one whisper, followed by a chorus of snickers. I try to tune them out as much as possible, focusing instead on the front of the classroom.
“Alright, class,” our history teacher announces as he walks in. Something about his presence feels… off. He looks different. And as he begins to speak, I realize exactly why.
“A last-minute adjustment to the course of today has come to my attention. Follow me,” he instructs, his eyes locking onto mine for a brief moment. I catch a flicker of mild panic reflected in his gaze. Whatever is about to unfold, it can’t be good. We never leave the classroom in this class.
“Field trip?” Millie asks excitedly, but I can’t share her enthusiasm.
“Something like that,” I reply absentmindedly as I rise from my chair.
“Whatever happens, DON’T interfere, Millie. I mean it,” I warn her, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on my chest.
