Chapter 6

OLIVE

I decide to keep quiet about Amber to my mom. I don’t want to worry her, especially since we just moved here two days ago.

I fill her in on the mundane details of my classes and briefly mention the tall guy who approached me during lunch.

I tell her I went easy on my sparring partner, which caught the alpha’s attention. He questioned why I wasn’t giving my all, but I didn’t answer.

Then he told me he’d be my partner tomorrow.

My mom gasps, her hands flying to her mouth.

“Oh my goodness! Livi, he’s an alpha. They’re not easy to spar with, you know! I’ve known many betas who’ve ended up in the hospital from a friendly sparring match with an alpha!”

Even my mom doesn’t know about my hidden strength and agility, or my secret ability to resist the alpha command.

I lower my gaze. “I know, I know. I’ll be careful, I promise!”

I glance up to see my mom’s familiar worried expression. “Please do. I don’t want to have to challenge an alpha for hurting a single hair on your head, now do I!”

She gives a small smile and I laugh at the thought.

The next day, I wake up early to mentally prepare myself for the sparring session with the alpha.

I’m probably more relaxed about sparring an alpha than I should be. My extra abilities make less powerful wolves easy targets.

I feel like I might even match an alpha’s strength… Maybe I’m being too confident?

When I arrive at school, it seems word has already spread that the alpha will be sparring the freak. I catch some of the whispers as I walk through the halls.

“Why is he so interested in ~her~?”

“Freak.”

“Does she realize she’ll be in a coma by the end of today?”

“Freak.”

“Why would the alpha want to spar with a nobody?”

“Freak.”

I pretend I can’t hear them, but with every passing whisper, my face grows hotter.

I strive to be strong, but there are days when I just want to be a normal wolf, not a freak.

Some days their words penetrate my carefully built walls, and they hurt, really hurt. Today is one of those days.

Tears well up in my eyes and I rush to the restroom. I hold them back until I’m in the stall with the door locked, then the need to sob becomes too much.

I sit on the toilet lid, feeling overwhelmed and upset. I bury my face in my hands, my body shaking with each sob.

I feel a gentle hand stroking my hair. Their scent is familiar and almost comforting.

~I thought I locked the door?~

I look up through my tear-filled eyes.

“W-what a-are y-you doing h-here?” I stutter between sniffles.

“I came to check on you. I felt like you needed me… It seems I was right,” Daisy says, giving a comforting smile.

~This girl and her teleportation skills.~

I won’t lie; I’m really happy to see a friendly face. I need someone, anyone, on my side just this once—besides my mom, of course.

Daisy pulls my face so I’m looking at her.

“Olive, you’re strong, so so strong. One day you’ll realize your true power. I can feel it. You’re a powerful wolf…or hybrid.”

She giggles. “This nightmare, it will all work itself out. Trust in the Moon Goddess, she has a plan.”

She pulls my head into her stomach, and I wrap my arms around her, needing a friend, needing comfort.

It’s strange to see this side of Daisy. She’s usually so cheerful, almost childlike, but now I realize it’s her innocence and purity that make her seem that way.

“Thank you, Daisy, thank you so much for coming to me. I really needed a friend today.” I squeeze her even tighter, burying my face into her.

“Anytime, Olive,” she says soothingly.

I hear the restroom door open. There are hushed whispers. “Shhh, quick. They said she went in here.”

“Please, just leave her alone!” I hear Alice pleading.

My blood runs cold. Daisy. I have to get her out of here.

I whisper urgently, “Don’t say anything. I need you to leave. Right. Now,” I say, looking Daisy straight in the eye.

She nods and disappears before my eyes.

I sit in the stall, hoping whoever it is will leave me alone.

Then I hear it, shifted claws scraping along the stall doors, taunting me. Challenging me.

“Oh, Oliiiiiive,” she sings. “Come out, come out wherever you are!”

Amber.

“I knew you were weird, but talking to yourself? That’s a new level, even for you,” she mocks.

She’s the worst of the she-wolves I’ve met so far. Usually, people take a while to warm up to this level of torment. Not Amber, she dives straight in after two days.

At this rate, I’m pretty sure she’ll attempt murder by next week.

Honestly, I decided not to tell my mom about Amber because I’m tired of running. Tired of hiding.

I want a home, somewhere to call my own, even if I’m going to get picked on throughout college. Only a couple more years to go and I’ll be free of her.

I can do this. Maybe one day I’ll live in a cabin far from my pack’s wolves!

“What do you want, Amber?” I call out, annoyed.

“Oh, Olive, there’s no need to get upset. I just wanted to see if you were okay!”

“Well, I am, so please go away.”

“Sorry, ~freak~. You don’t get to tell me when to go. Not when I’ve heard you’re trying to get your dirty little claws into my brother,” she says with disgust.

“He told me I was to be his sparring partner. It would be disrespectful to refuse an alpha,” I retort.

“I’ve got your number, ~tramp~. Keep your hands off my brother.”

“Trust me, I’d be more than happy to, but how can I when I’m supposed to spar with him this afternoon?”

I hear heavy breathing from the other side of the stall, followed by an angry scream. The stall door flies off its hinges. Amber stands there, teeth bared in a snarl.

“How dare you talk back to me, you little bitch! I’m practically a princess—royalty!”

~Yeah, right. As if.~

She stalks toward me, ready to pounce. Anger starts to bubble up inside me, maybe it’s a defense mechanism, or maybe it’s adrenaline.

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to calm my emotions. She’s getting too close now.

My eyes snap open. Bright-green flames flicker back at her. She had raised her hand, ready to slap me, but instead she stumbles out of the stall.

“What the h-hell?” she stammers.

She quickly regains her composure and stands tall.

~Maybe she’s stronger than I thought. Most wolves take longer to recover after seeing my eyes.~

I regain control of myself, my eyes returning to their normal chestnut brown color.

Amber’s friends rush to her side. “Oh my goddess, Amber! Are you okay? What happened?”

Amber turns to leave the restroom. “This isn’t over.” She throws a glare over her shoulder.

“Did you see that? Her eyes?” she whispers to her friends. “She really is a freak.”

Alice gives me one last look before running to catch up with Amber.

I pull myself together, clean up any smeared makeup, and leave the restroom with my head held high.

I make it through my classes without too many problems. The occasional insult, the odd paper ball thrown at my head, the usual.

Suddenly it’s time for combat training. Butterflies start to flutter in my stomach.

I’m worried that this sparring session is going to cause more trouble. Dread starts to fill every cell in my body.

~Breathe, Olive. It will all work out. It’s all part of the Goddess’s bigger plan.~

I change in the girls’ locker room. I can feel Amber’s glare on me the whole time. I ignore her and head to the gym as soon as I’m dressed.

Alpha Max and Mr. O are already there. Alpha Max looks me over and gives me a warm smile. I return a small, awkward smile.

“The alpha has requested to spar with Olive. Therefore, Amber, since you would have no partner, you will be sparring with me,” Mr. O announces.

Amber rolls her eyes and crosses her arms, clearly annoyed. I smirk, knowing she’s about to get her ass kicked.

“Pair up!” Mr. O calls.

I start to walk over to the alpha; Raven is panting with desire in my mind.

~Come on, Olive, you’ve got to admit he’s hot! And he smells so good too!~

~If I agree that he’s hot, will you shut up?~

~Yes.~

~Okay, then yes, he is hot.~

Raven howls with victory. I tell her to be quiet.

“Are you ready?” Alpha Max asks.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I grin.

We find a spot on the mat and crouch into a fighting stance. I still don’t plan to give this match my all, even if that means getting beaten by an alpha.

I can’t let everyone know my secrets.

Alpha Max smirks and charges at me with incredible speed. I throw myself back ~Matrix~ style and quickly stand up, spinning around to face the alpha.

I’m the next to attack. We go hand to hand. I hit the alpha with half strength so it at least looks like I’m trying.

He kicks my legs out from under me and I land with a thud.

He grabs my hands and pins them above my head. He leans down into the crook of my neck, his nose brushing my skin as he inhales deeply.

My eyes roll back into my head and a shiver runs down my spine. I enjoy the close contact, but I snap out of it when he whispers in my ear, “I know you’re holding back. Fight. Me.”

“I’m trying!” I fake a whimper. I kick him in the side and wiggle my hands free, no longer pinned. I jump back to my feet.

He quickly gets back on his feet and rushes at me again. “Stop holding back!” he commands in an authoritative alpha tone. I continue to defend myself from his barrage of attacks.

He swipes low with both hands, leaving his upper body exposed. I could get a kill shot straight to the neck.

I let the opportunity pass. His hands shoot up with incredible force and speed, grabbing me by the throat, lifting me high above his head, and then slamming me onto the mat with such force that the entire gym shakes.

I let out a yelp on impact.

~Ouch!~

Amber, who is watching, cackles with her friends. It sounds like she’s about to start crying with laughter.

Alpha Max crouches next to me again, still holding me in place by my throat. He whispers so quietly that no one else can hear, “Thank you for proving my point.”

“Your point?” I ask, confused.

“That you are not giving it your all.”

“Please, Alpha, I—”

“Don’t try to lie. I gave you an alpha command to stop holding back, and you didn’t even flinch.

“I also deliberately gave you the opportunity for a kill shot and you didn’t take it. How long have you known you can do that?”

He doesn’t sound angry, more curious than anything.

“I-I…”

“Olive, you’re not in trouble,” he reassures me.

“For as long as I can remember,” I answer honestly.

He stands up and offers me his hand. I take it and he pulls me up.

“Mr. O, change of plans. Please spar with Olive.”

I look at him, confused and a little hurt. Is he going to tell people about my strange ability?

“Yes, Alpha,” Mr. O responds, moving closer. “Is there something amiss?”

“Indeed, she’s too frail,” Alpha Max declares, a hint of disgust in his voice.

~Frail? I’m anything but frail.~

“I’ll spar with Amber instead. At least that way, I might break a sweat.”

~Amber!? AMBER!? She’s the frail one. I could wipe the floor with her in no time!!~

A surge of fierce determination floods through me.

~I’ll show you how “frail” I am,~ I vow to myself.

Mr. O and I square off. He motions for me to make the first move.

I charge at him, a blur of speed. His eyes widen in surprise. I pretend to go for a low slide attack. He reacts as I hoped, crouching slightly, ready to counter a low blow.

At the last moment, I spring up, flipping elegantly over his head. My claws dig into his shoulders, and I use the momentum from my leap to hurl him to the ground as I land.

I tower over him, my claws at his throat.

~Did that seem~ frail ~to you, Alpha?~ I smirk inwardly.

Mr. O’s eyes are wide with shock and confusion, clearly struggling to comprehend what the fuck just transpired.

“Where did that come from, Olive?” he stammers, propping himself up on his elbows.

Before I can answer, I hear a slow clap from behind. I whirl around to find Alpha Max applauding. He’s smirking, a strange glint in his eyes. Could it be pride?

He strides over to me. “I thought getting under your skin might reveal your true potential.” He smirks.

It was a setup... and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Desperate to prove myself, to be seen as more than just an outcast.

~What have I done?~