Chapter 2

ALEXIS

I ignore the stares and whispers coming from every students in the cafetaria and try to find an empty seat. I gulp nervously as the dense atmosphere hits me. I had figured Monday morning would likely be something of this sort. But I never imagined it would be this worst. All because of Donovan.

I didn't ask for this. I never did.

I finally find an empty seat and plop myself on it, arranging my food tray carefully before me. I pull out my book from my underarm and immediately dive into my world of bookish cage while I ate from my food. For the first time since a very long time, I feel naked and vulnerable and wish Aurora was here.

Why did she have to miss school today of all days?

Suddenly, a hand slaps aggressively against the top of my table, causing my drink to jerk and spill on my book. The wolf in me jerks in fright and I raise my eyes to see Donovan and his friends standing before me, their girlfriends standing by them, owning evil smirks.

"What's up...faggie?" Lewis, the football team's midfielder says and his friends laugh as he says.

I cannot help glancing over at Donovan to see his reaction and as always, he only smiles a little and doesn't exactly react to the entire thing. Sometimes, I wish i can stop him by the hallway and ask what his intention really is. But then again, my crush on him since sixth grade, and the fact that he is now mated to me didn't exactly allow me do that.

I look back at Lewis again and roll my eyes at the lame nickname they had given me. I have always wondered when were they ever going to get tired of using that name? It wasn't even funny, to begin with.

I pick my book from the desk and shake the spillage off it.

"Haha. Not funny, Lewis. Try a better name if you want to provoke me next time." I say, fully aware my words would earn me a kick from one of the boys but I say it anyway because I am the nerd who isn't ever really afraid of anyone.

Lori sneers. I am sure I have earned her hate forever that I am mated to her boyfriend. The whole thing was funny. I still feel this is some kind of trick from the moon goddess. I mean...of all people Donovan could get paired with, it was me.

Alexis, the less than typical girl getting mated with the soon-to-be-lycan king. How ridiculous.

But then again, I am not exactly bothered by the whole thing. If this was real as it seems, then I am sure he wouldn't waste so much time to reject me. I was perfectly fine with that. The whole idea of getting rejected by someone you have feelings for.

I have been rejected from day one since he started letting his friends bully me. It isn't a big deal anymore.

"You think you have the nerves to run your mouth the way you want just because you are supposedly mated to my boyfriend. Is that it?" Lori attacked me and I maintain our gaze, not letting it slip for a moment.

"I've never been weak when it comes to talking back to you guys. Stop making an excuse, Lori." I replied her, keeping my voice as calm as I can. Being a part of Red Wood Academy isn't a piece of cake. I have worked for it. I have had sleepless nights when I studied for the entrance exam into the prestigious school. It wasn't easy. Grandma Rivera had made me promise to stay off trouble when I finally got the schorlarship and I had made sure I kept to that promise.

I would never let Lori or any of the guys make me do anything regrettable that would cause me my scholarship. Not especially now that I am in my final year.

"You pathetic thing." Valerie coos as she twists her ponytails. "You should be focused on planning to kill yourself after your mate rejects you."

I glance at Donovan again and sees how he set his jaw as he watched them bully me. He didn't give a damn about me. He never gave a damn about me.

"You know," I look back at Valerie with a smirk this time. "I think you should be the one focusing on advising your boyfriends to man up and play better. Last I heard, they lost to Ivory Academy. Everyone knows how much they suck..."

A sudden tug of my hair from behind me causes me to groan in pain and I looked at my attacker through my blind vision. It is Lori who had crept behind me and pulling me by the hair. My scalp hurts and I hit her hands in a bid to release myself from her grip but she doesn't budge. I hear the rest of the students in the cafeteria laugh at the scene and tears weld up in my eyes.

"You better learn to keep that mouth of yours in check, you dirty little thing." Lori spits on my face and without thinking twice, I throw my fist above me, aiming for her face and then, the sound of fist colliding with her nose, comes next.

She instantly lets go of me and her friends rush to her while Donovan remains unmoved from his position, his eyes squinting in surprise at my action. I quickly raise up from my seat and stared at Lori surrounded by her friends.

"Fuck, what have you done, you dirty witch!" Katy screams at my face and when Lori's hand travels to her nose to feel the spot and she brings them to her sight with a scream, I hold myself back from screaming too.

There is blood all over her hands and bathing her nose. I had injured Lori Beckham. Daughter of the Lycan King's beta. Daughter of the school principal.

There is no atonement for what I have done. This is my end in Red Wood Academy.