CHAPTER 2

Maxine POV.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Their chant grew louder, pounding in my chest.

I glanced at Alph, who was busy talking to his friend near the counter, completely unaware of the chaos building around us.

"Do it, Maxine!" someone teased, making my face heat up.

"Show us some action!" another voice called, followed by laughter.

Then, cutting through the din with a sharp, provocative tone, came Coreen's voice. "Come on, little sister, show us that you indeed are a big girl. Besides, it would be rude to turn down the birthday girl, wouldn't it?" She gave me a mocking pout; her eyes shined with mischief as she milked the crowd..

I cleared my throat and stepped toward Alph. The murmuring in the crowd around me faded into a buzz of indistinct noise as I advanced. Alph was busy talking to his two teammates, completely unaware of what was about to happen. My heart pounded in my chest, my nerves on edge. I felt every eye in the room on me as I approached him.

Without giving myself time to second-guess, I leaned in and quickly kissed Alph on the corner of his lips. The room erupted in cheers and laughter, and Alph's friend Marco pushed me back. "Woah, back off, pig!" he said loudly.

Coreen laughed. "I didn't know you really thought Alph would like you? Ew, look at yourself, Maxine," she sneered, and the group erupted in laughter.

My face burned with shame. I turned and ran from the room, the sound of their laughter following me like a dark cloud.

As I reached the hallway, I could still hear Coreen's voice. "Did you see her face? So pathetic!"

Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I needed to get out of there. I needed to escape the humiliation, the cruel laughter, and the crushing weight of their judgment.

But just as I was about to push through the front door, I heard Alph's voice. "That's enough!"

The room fell silent, and I turned to see Alph standing in the center of the room, his expression cold and unyielding. "This game has gone too far," he said, his voice steady and authoritative.

Coreen crossed her arms and smirked. "Why, Alph? Do you actually like her?"

Alph's eyes met mine for a brief moment before he turned back to Coreen. "There's no way I could fall for her," he said, his voice devoid of emotion."Just don't get me involved to this."

Coreen's smirk faltered, and a murmur spread through the crowd. Alph's words hung in the air, heavy with truth. The laughter had died, replaced by an uncomfortable silence.

"Let's just end this," Alph said, his voice softer now. "This game is over."

I stumbled out of the mansion, my heart still pounding from the night's humiliations. The laughter and taunts seemed to follow me, echoing in the cold air. I made my way toward the edge of the property, where a narrow path led into the forest. The trees, gnarled and shadowy, seemed to offer some form of solace, their darkness a stark contrast to the brightness of the party I was escaping.

I walked along the winding trail, my thoughts as tangled as the underbrush beneath my feet. The forest was eerily silent, the only sound the crunch of leaves underfoot. Eventually, I reached a small clearing near a river, its surface reflecting the full moon like a mirror of silver light. I sank down on a large, smooth rock at the river's edge, my breath visible in the chilly night air.

The moonlight cast a serene glow over the water, its calm surface a stark contrast to the turmoil within me. I stared at my reflection rippling in the river, my own image distorted but still recognizable. Memories of the night flooded back: Coreen's mocking laughter, Alph's indifferent stance, Marco's cruel shove.

"Woah, back off, pig!" Marco's words reverberated in my mind, a harsh reminder of how others saw me.

I pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. "There's no way I'd ever fall for her. But this game has gone far enough. It's over." Alph's voice played over and over, each repetition a reminder of my place in their world.

I looked at myself in the water, seeing the reflection of the same Maxine I've always known—the fat girl, the ugly nerd, the one with no wolf. I could see the weakness that had plagued me for so long. The insecurities that never seemed to fade, the feeling of being a perpetual loser. My heart ached as I saw nothing but flaws staring back at me from the water's surface.

Nothing ever changed. I was still the same Maxine, still dealing with the same failures and shortcomings. The cruel game had been another cruel reminder of how little I mattered in their world, how little I had changed.

*****

Morning slammed hard against me, came roaring in bruisingly like a dull ache, and I lifted myself out of bed feeling wrung dry from last night's swirling together of mortification. My attempts at not remembering already remained scorched under the burn of Coreen's ugly trick. I plodded through my morning routine, barely taking notice of myself as I dressed for school. My hoodie and jeans felt particularly pathetic today.

The university corridors were as loud with student chattering and laughter coming from everywhere, but I sought out some place a little bit not so inhabited by people. There she was, close to where we used to sit, near the library. Her face lit up at the sight of me, but there was a furrowed line in her eyes that I could not overlook.

"Hey, Maxine," she said softly.

"Hey, Sarah," I replied, settling into my normal comfort around her.

We were walking to first class together, but she whispered, "So, how was the party last night?"

I sighed heavily. "You do not want to know. It was a disaster."

Sarah's eyes softened. "I heard Coreen was up to her usual tricks again. What happened?"

I shook my head. "Just usual. She humiliated me in front of everybody. Made me kiss Alph and then she made sure everybody knew how pathetic I look."

Sarah winced empathetically. "I'm sorry, Maxine. You don't deserve that."

"Thanks," I mumbled. "I just wish I could have handled it better."

We lapsed into a companionable silence for a moment, and in those moments, I liked Sarah once more. She seemed to know when to be silent and when to fill the conversation. Today, though, I couldn't keep my thoughts from straying back to the events of the previous night and the day that lay in front of me.

When we reached our classroom, Sarah paused and turned around to look at me. She looked thoughtful. "You know, something has been on my mind. You have been talking about not meeting your wolf. What do you think it will be like when you do?

Now nodding, I managed to pull the corners of my mouth into the smallest smile. "I've thought about it a lot actually. I wish that I could see my wolf now, know what I'd look like, what that would mean to me. Everyone else seems to have theirs already."

She peered at me with such softness. "Yeah, it'll be hard. It's going to happen when it's going to happen. Just try to hang in there."

"Thank you, Sarah," I replied, and some of that weight really did lift off my shoulders.

We walked into the classroom and took our seats. The rest of the day just seemed like a blur with lectures and assignments. By lunchtime, I was actually ready to bail from the confusing mess of the cafeteria. We decided to go outside to a quieter area and sit down to eat something.

We had been discussing some new book that Sarah had discovered when I saw the group approach from the side, making so much noise with their laughter and yelling. Among them all, there was only one new face—a gorgeous guy, taller than the others, his hair as dark as night, and a smile as easy as you please.

"Who's that?" I asked Sarah, nodding subtly with my chin toward the newcomer.

Sarah glanced over, to the new guy and examine him from head to toe.

"Oh, that's Leo. He is a new student over here. I think he has been here for only a couple of days."

I don't know. Looks like I see him at the party last night.

"He looks like he really fits in," I said as I looked at the crowd that was surrounding him and how they seemed to be enjoying his company.

Then, of course, right on cue, one of Coreen's regular cronies, Adam, passed by and shouted, "Hey, big fat nerd! Where's your hoodie?"

We all know the normal embarrassment and fury that flush across my visage. Before I could do anything, Leo moved forward, his body stepping in between Adam and me.

"Why don't you watch your mouth," Leo's voice was cold and commanding on the guy, "She's not bothering anyone."

Adam seemed surprised but grinned nonetheless. "What's it to you, new guy?"

Leo's posture stayed defensive. "Just leave her alone."

Adam of course shrugged it off with an air of nonchalance and walked away; his laughter could be heard down the corridor. I looked at Leo in surprise, not sure what to think of the salvation.

"Thanks," I answered softly. "You didn't need to do that."

Leo agreed with a sharp nod. "Don't mention it. No one should have to stand for that sort of crap."

He smile at me and walk away back to his companions.

Sarah blue eyes turned back to mine and opened wide. "Leo's not in Coreen's circle, is he?"

I shook my head, still trying to process the speed of what had just happened. "I don't think so. We just met him today."