Rejected by the Beta, Claimed by the Alpha

Chapter 146

Chapter 146: Run

Clark POV:

"Hey," I whispered, even though I knew he wouldn’t answer. "Whatever happened... I’m not gonna ask again. Just... you’re safe here, alright?"

No response.

I didn’t expect one.

But I thought—maybe, just maybe—I saw the covers shift slightly. A twitch. Like maybe he heard me.

I turned toward him, my whisper barely audible.

"Hey... you never told me your name."

No answer.

A minute passed. Then two.

And then, from beneath the blanket, a soft whisper, hoarse and quiet:

"...Lucas."

I nodded in the dark. "I’m Clark."

A pause. Then another whisper, barely more than a breath.

"We shouldn’t have come here."

A chill ran through me. I pulled my covers higher, heart thudding in my chest.

This place... this wasn’t just about bullies.

It was something else.

Something worse.

And I had no Clare here to fight for me.

Just me.

*********

I don’t know when I finally drifted off. Maybe sometime after midnight. My brain had been spiraling like it always did—overthinking, analyzing, replaying the weirdness of the day on a loop—until it finally just short-circuited. Blackout sleep.

I was deep in it when I heard shuffling.

grinding shut. The quiet thump of something soft being stuffed into

it had been stuffed with cotton. I reached for my

What the hell?

the darkness and saw Lucas—dressed, his suitcase halfway zipped up. His face was pale in the faint blue glow from the hallway night light filtering under

croaked, rubbing the crust of sleep from

voice like

voice trembled, but not from tiredness—no, it was something rawer. "I’m going home. I can’t... I won’t stay here with

a bit, confused. In my still-half-asleep state, my brain hadn’t caught up. "What things? You mean—like—bullies? You’re letting them

of upperclassman hazing. That had to be it. All schools had

exams and get accepted into Memoville to run off before orientation, man," I said.

me like

said, eyes wide. "You

that meant anything good. It was

was bullies," he whispered. "At least bullies don’t drink your blood or smile like they’re

I froze.

crouching and stuffing his hoodie into his bag. "Nobody ever does. That’s why they always get fresh meat. That’s what we are to

fell after that was suffocating. My heart

talking about?" I asked, not sure if I even wanted to know the

me. Not blinking.

from a play and move too... perfectly?" He was talking fast

just nerves. Jet

"Lucas, come on—"

on. Leave. You think I’m crazy? Fine. But if I stay, I die. Or worse." He zipped his suitcase fully, stood up, and walked

to me. "I knew something was wrong the moment that woman at registration smelled my

My blood chilled.

too," I admitted before I could

slowly, eyes wide. His face crumbled. "Then

door creaked open. A gust of cold morning air

trying to memorize the

"Especially the

Then he was gone.

there for what felt like hours, but the clock only ticked

for anyone to be

chamber in my head: They drink

at registration had said I "smelled delicious." She

bench had glowing eyes. And that

No. There’s

Right?

Some ancient part of me that lived in the bones and blood, long

And it whispered:

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