Into The Light

The lunch bell rang, and students entered into the hallways, making their way toward the cafeteria to eat lunch. 

Lily gathered her books, trying to hide her reluctance to leave the classroom because it meant going to eat in the school compound under the big tree to eat.

She and Maya usually found a quiet spot in the courtyard for lunch—a place where they could enjoy their food without any prying eyes or harsh words.

She didn't know if it was the right thing to do now that she was Luna, but she preferred not to think about it too much.

Maya walked beside her, talking about an upcoming project in chemistry class she hopes they can work together on when Alex suddenly appeared in front of them, flashing a warm smile.

“Hey, Lily.” He said, a beaming smile on his face. "Would you mind introducing me to your beautiful friend?" 

Maya flushed and Lily could tell that she liked getting compliments from Alex.

"Where are my manners, Alex, this is Maya, my best friend in the whole world, and Maya this is our exchange student Alex. He's an alpha in his own pack" Lily said, introducing both of them and watched as they shook hands.

"It's really nice to meet you" Maya said then brushed off a strand of hair from her face.

"Likewise" Alex replied. "Any friend of Lily is a friend of mine from now on." 

Lily felt so safe and guarded just standing close to him and she wished she could be in his presence for a little while longer but she really needed to eat lunch before the bell rang again.

"Well, we're off, see you later" Lily said with a wave but Alex stopped her.

He stared at them both, his gaze lingering on Lily. 

“i wanted to ask if you would mind joining me and my friends in the cafeteria today?” he inquired.

Maya’s eyes lit up instantly. 

“Oh, really? Sure, that’d be fun!” She nudged Lily’s arm, eager for her friend to agree.

But Lily’s stomach twisted with unease. 

The idea of walking into the cafeteria, where she hadn’t set foot in years, filled her with dread. 

She still remembered all the times she’d been mocked, the whispered insults, the constant judgment. 

Even now, as Luna, she couldn’t imagine that crowd of hateful pack members accepting her.

“Uh, thanks, Alex, but we actually have a spot outside we usually go to…” Lily stammered, looking down.

Alex tilted his head, clearly picking up on her discomfort. He stepped closer, lowering his voice. 

“You’ll be fine, Lily. I promise. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” His reassuring tone softened the edge of her fears, and for a moment, she felt herself consider it.

Maya gave her a hopeful look. 

“Come on, Lil. It could be fun. Besides, Alex invited us and we certainly can't refuse an invite. It's rude to do such a thing”

Lily hesitated. 

“It’s just… If I go there, people will laugh or… worse.”

Alex’s brow furrowed in concern. 

“They won’t,” he said firmly. “And if they do, they’ll have me to answer to.” He offered his hand with a gentle smile. “Trust me.”

Before she could overthink, he took her hand in his, offering a reassuring squeeze that almost made her melt to his touch.

The warmth of his touch made her feel oddly safe, as if her fears were somehow less daunting.

Maya glanced at their joined hands, her eyes bright with excitement. 

“Let’s go, then!” she said, practically pulling Lily forward.

As they made their way to the cafeteria, Lily couldn’t ignore the nervous flutter in her stomach. 

She knew what awaited her on the other side of those doors: the stares, the whispers, the silent judgments. And she couldn’t help but wonder what Lucas and Liam would think if they saw her walking in hand-in-hand with another Alpha.

On the other hand, she thought, they might not even care, besides, they had told her that everything was just playing pretend and she was free to do whatever she wanted.

"It's now or never" Lily muttered to herself.

The cafeteria was buzzing with energy as students talked and laughed over their trays of food. 

The moment Lily, Alex and Maya walked in, however, a hush seemed to settle over the room. 

Heads turned, and Lily felt hundreds of eyes on her. Her grip tightened on Alex’s hand, but he gave her a gentle squeeze in return.

People began to murmur, their voices carrying an edge of surprise and disbelief. 

“Is that Lily? With Alex?” “Why is she holding his hand?” “Isn’t she… the Luna?”

At the far end of the cafeteria, she spotted Lucas and Liam, surrounded by their friends. 

Their expressions went from bored to sharply focused, their eyes narrowing as they took in the sight of her and Alex. 

She could practically feel their anger radiating across the room, but this time, it only strengthened her resolve. 

Let them watch, she thought. Let them see her standing with someone who genuinely cared.

A faint hint of triumph rose within her—a feeling she hadn’t experienced in years. 

She straightened her posture, finally meeting the gazes around her, refusing to cower as she had in the past.

Alex led her and Maya to a table where his friends were seated, their welcoming smiles easing some of her lingering anxiety. 

They introduced themselves, each one offering her and Maya a friendly greeting.

“Welcome to the ‘cool kids’ table,” one of Alex’s friends teased with a grin, making everyone chuckle.

As they sat down, Lily felt an unexpected sense of belonging. 

Alex’s friends treated her like she was one of them, like she mattered. 

It was refreshing, almost surreal, to be around people who didn’t judge her for her past or her title.

Maya leaned close, whispering, “See? This isn’t so bad, right?”

Lily smiled, nodding. “Yeah. It’s… it’s nice.”

But as she glanced across the room, her eyes met Lucas’s and Liam’s once more. 

They both looked furious, their expressions unreadable, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. 

She knew this wasn’t the end of it.