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.

quiet thump of something soft being stuffed

groggy, my head feeling like it had been stuffed with cotton. I reached for

What the hell?

saw Lucas—dressed, his suitcase halfway zipped up. His face was pale in the faint blue glow from the hallway

you doing, man?" I croaked, rubbing the crust

voice like I’d

trembled, but not from tiredness—no, it was something rawer. "I’m going

my brain hadn’t caught up. "What things? You mean—like—bullies? You’re

all screamed victim of upperclassman hazing. That had to be it. All schools had them. Maybe here it was

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

at me like I had

said, eyes wide. "You think I

that meant anything good. It was dry. Empty. Like his throat had forgotten how

don’t drink your blood or smile like

I froze.

bag. "Nobody ever does. That’s why they always get fresh

My heart kicked in my

about?" I asked, not sure

at me. Not blinking.

from a play and move too... perfectly?" He was talking fast now. "Didn’t you feel it? The cold? The eyes? The paleness? The way the

had felt something. Seen things. But that was just nerves. Jet lag. Maybe a

"Lucas, come on—"

crazy? Fine. But if I stay, I die. Or worse." He zipped his suitcase fully, stood up, and walked toward the door like his

he said, his back to me. "I knew something was wrong the moment that woman at registration smelled my ID.

My blood chilled.

I admitted

crumbled. "Then why the hell

open. A gust of cold morning air from the corridor pushed in like

shoulder once, like he was trying to memorize

"Especially

Then he was gone.

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

too early for anyone to be up, but I

in my head: They drink blood. They stretch skin over bone. Don’t trust the smiling

at registration had said I

bench had

No. There’s no

Right?

stirred—something primal. Some ancient part of me that lived in the bones and

And it whispered:

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