4: Ex-friends

PHOENIX

  

‘Phoenix, where are you?’ I’m a block away from the wolf community when I hear my mum’s gentle voice in my head. It makes tears spring to my eyes but I try to keep the emotions at bay, knowing she can feel them if she is mindlinking.

‘I went out with a few friends. I’ll be back later,’ my tongue feels bitter as I lie.

‘Oh, alright. Have fun dear and please come back before dinner.’ I hum as a reply, not having the gall to lie to her again out loud. She cuts off our mindlink the same time I reach the building of the wolf community.

There is a very long bus waiting already with a Wolf House logo on it. I suck in a sharp breath and go straight to the back of the bus. I don’t stop until I get to the last seat, not wanting to drag attention to myself.

I look out the window, where a few parents are standing with their beloved daughters. Some are crying while others try to seem strong and not break down, mostly the fathers. My heart burns and the tears I’ve been trying to hold back hit me so hard I had to breathe through the pain I’m feeling before a sob can break out.

The bus keeps filling out while I keep my head down. Nobody tries to talk to me, not that I’m particularly pissed about it. I would have been very pissed if they did try to talk though.

The pain I’ve been trying to keep at bay and pretend is not there, comes back with full force when I catch a glimpse of Lila.

Lila sits directly in front of me and I have to close my eyes to control myself. The urge to rip out her hair is so strong. I know better than to let my emotions take over.

“Pheon—“A cough cuts the girl that is speaking off. I have already looked up in time to see the slight head shake Lila gives her. She is in our grade and our mutual friend. I guess I should say my ex-friend now, seeing how she made a beeline for the seat next to Lila. She doesn’t spare me another glance.

That makes me take in the seating arrangement in the bus and a laugh threatens to burst out of me when I see that everyone is avoiding me. They are all hovered around Lila like bees to honey or more accurately, flies to poop. 

I roll my eyes because I can’t be annoyed to see that almost all the girls from school that worship the ground I walk on, knowing there is a high chance I would be their future luna, are all following Lila.

I knew they only liked me because Jake and I were together. Lila still had them wrapped around her fingers being the beta’s daughter. Not to mention, her father is very rich.

Most of the girls are jealous of her, just like they were of me when I was dating Jake. They have never said it to my face but a lot of them thought Lila was more fitting to be the luna, since she is already the beta’s daughter. In most pack’s, that is how the arrangement is made.

I want to laugh at the irony that now, neither of us will have that position. And maybe it makes me a bitter and terrible person but I’m glad.

A throat being cleared from the front of the bus has Lila’s little entourage running off. Leaving her with only her two seatmates, Bianca and Tracy.

A middle-aged woman stands at the front of the bus, she is very short and round and that is putting it in a nice way. She has a scarf wrapped around her head and her red painted lips are turned down in a scowl. A man is beside her, he is tall but pudgy and if the keys he is dangling in his hands is any form of identification, then I can tell he is the driver.

“Listen up girls,” the woman’s voice is grizzly and deep. Not at all feminine. “I am Melissa, the lady steward and this is our driver, Jaxon. We are from the Wolf House as you know and are responsible for transporting you. I will be your lady and matron during the course of your exercise.” She stops and takes in a large breath. “You are to ask me any questions, if you have, but mostly, you are expected to shut up and do as you’re asked.” The entire bus replies with ‘Yes, Lady.’

Satisfied, she nods to the driver and takes her seat in the front while he gets behind the wheel.

The bus starts moving and I breathe out, closing my eyes. I didn’t want to look out and find the other parents who came to bid their daughters off and not find my parents in the mix. I know I made the choice but that doesn’t mean it hurt any less. Also, I didn’t get enough—any sleep—last night. I hope to catch up on that a little.

My parents’ heartbroken eyes haunt me the moment I close my eyes. I wonder how they’ll feel when they find my letter. I know they will be hurt but I had to do what was the best. Even if it doesn’t seem like that with every mile the bus puts between me and the only life I’ve ever known.

“You have nothing to worry about Lila, you’re the prettiest in our class and you’re the BETA’s daughter. You’ve been trained for this your entire life.” a voice says in a low whisper and murmurs of agreement follow right after, interrupting my moment of peace.

Even with my eyes closed I can’t help the eye roll. I don’t look up or pay any attention to the girls who are buttering Lila up with compliments about how she was made to be the next Lycan princess.

“I know you won’t have any trouble with any of the exercises.” Another voice says. It is so chirpy and loud I had to wince. “You have the face and body. You’ll definitely get the highest score when it comes to physical appearance.”

“Oh, Lila. Do not forget us mere ladies when you become the Lycan queen. Which I know will happen soon.” I look up when I hear that, unable to stop myself. Lila is smiling, her grin so big it is a surprise she didn’t tear her lips.

She flips her long hair off her shoulder and smirks. “Of course, I’ll remember you all, you’ll be my ladies in waiting.” She lowers her voice in a mock whisper. “My dad and the alpha have set a few things for me there, so I know there is no doubt I’ll be the first choice.”

The snort makes it past my lips before I can stop it.

“One day, in other people’s boyfriend’s beds and the next, dreaming of gracing the Lycan prince. Must be a chore to be this big of a whore.” I don’t realize my voice didn’t stay in my mind like I thought it did when Lila snaps her head to me and glares. I don’t down from the stare off.

Instead of being embarrassed like every other person with an ounce of shame, she shoots me a fake smile which makes me sneer. “You shouldn’t say crude things like that to people way above your stature, phoenix. It isn’t befitting of you, especially seeing what a lowlife you are.” I open my mouth with a hot retort but she beats me to it. “It’ll be a miracle if you even make it to the whore list, you’re breeder material from the looks of it.”

I don’t recall standing up or doing anything else, but the sting in my palms from how hard I slap Lila confirms it. I gasp, shocked at my own reaction and move back. My eyes widened.

The commotion in the bus is a distant noise in my head as I feel my back hit the side of the bus so violently, I must have broken a few ribs. When I force my eyes to open, Lila’s light brown wolf stands above me, growling angrily. 

She doesn’t give me a chance to shift as she throws herself at me, her front paws scratch my face in the process. I hold my hand up, but it doesn’t do much to protect me. She goes on hitting me and I try hard to not let her get to me.

When I get tired of it, I gain advantage by kicking my legs and throwing her off balance, then I jump on her wolf’s back and claw right close to her eyes. She writhes in pain and tries to shake me off but I’m digging my palm deep into her fur to keep myself stable.

“Cut it out!” a strong voice says and I feel myself being thrown off Lila’s wolf. My back arches as it comes in contact with one of the iron pillars in the bus and I grunt in pain.

“Why will you attack her?” Lady Melissa asks, glaring down at me. I don’t look up or reply to her. “You’ll pay for this.” Is the last thing she says before turning and walking back to the front of the bus.

I gather myself and settle in an upright position. I can feel the blood dripping down my face from when Lila’s claw dragged down my face. I don’t try to clean it off or even take note of the other wounds I must have.

The bus soon comes to a stop and I exhale a breath I didn’t know I was holding. We are told to get down from the bus and stand in a straight line. Lila has shifted back into her wolf form and is now wearing a pretty pink dress. She smirks at me as she stands in line to get into the large white house.

It looks like something straight out of a novel, with the castle-like appearance. I’m taken by its beauty and from the awed gasps of the girls around me, they seem equally enthralled by it.

“Come on, let’s go!” Lady Melissa growls and the line starts moving.

My jaw is on the floor as I finally get to the large golden double ornate doors. The interior is all white with a golden ensemble. The entire ground floor is just a large ballroom with pillars in the middle, like it is the support holding the entire building up. White marble floors and chandeliers hanging off the high ceiling gives the place a warm fluorescent glow.

The walls are adorned with large frames of the old Lycan king’s, each of their faces stoic and their eyes boring into us. There’s a spiral staircase in gold, which leads to the open floors. It’s an open space and we can see the reflection of the sun from the transparent ceiling that has an art I can’t tell. I guess it must be why the place is so bright.

“You,” I jump frightened when a voice yells at me. Lila and her group snicker at me but I don’t pay them any mind. “Join that line.”

I look around the room where fifty or so girls are standing on two opposite ends of the room. I quickly force my legs to move and go to stand in the place she points.

“Follow me,” the woman that yelled at me said again, in an equally loud voice.

We all follow her and walk out through a door that leads to an open area. The sun is shining brightly and the green grass is lush, giving the place a natural feel.

The loud voice comes again and I grimace, that is before I hear what she says. My entire body freezes in horror.

“Take off your clothes, now!”