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.

of something soft

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

What the hell?

up. His face was pale in the faint blue glow

rubbing

jumped, startled by my voice like I’d broken

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

bit, confused. In my still-half-asleep state, my brain hadn’t caught

trembling, the panic, the silence last night—it all screamed victim of upperclassman hazing. That had to

Memoville to run

Lucas looked at me like I

said, eyes wide. "You

laughed, but it wasn’t a laugh that meant anything good. It was dry. Empty. Like his

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

I froze.

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

after that was suffocating. My heart kicked in

about?" I asked, not sure

just stared at me. Not blinking. Not

saw it, didn’t you? The ones that walk like models, but don’t blink enough? The ones who talk like they’re quoting from a play and move too... perfectly?" He was talking fast now. "Didn’t

But that was just

"Lucas, come on—"

if I stay, I die. Or worse." He zipped his suitcase fully, stood up, and walked toward the door like his legs were made of glass about

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

My blood chilled.

that to me too," I admitted before I

wide. His face crumbled. "Then why the hell

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

trying to memorize the room

said. "Especially the ones who smile

Then he was gone.

what felt like hours, but the

to be up, but I

drink blood.

want to believe him. But the girl at registration had said I "smelled delicious." She

the bench had

There’s no

Right?

primal. Some ancient part of me that lived in the bones and blood, long before logic

And it whispered:

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