Rejected by the Beta, Claimed by the Alpha

Chapter 151: Freshers’ Bash

CLARK POV:

My legs felt like jelly as I stood in the dim corridor, staring at Reed’s disappearing figure. He’d led me to the men’s dorm entrance, gave a curt yank on my arm, and then, almost casually, said:

"Mind your business, kid,"

Then turned and vanished.

And that was it. He let go of me, left me swaying there, dumbfounded. I looked down at my arm where he’d gripped me—it was tingling, almost numb, like a burning-bruised imprint. Was I supposed to thank him? I wondered.

His words echoed in my chest. "Mind your business, kid." My mind screamed: But I can’t; I saw something. I can’t just mind it.

Questions inflated in my chest. Was he involved with them? Were they a cult? Why the girl’s screams turned to moans when blonde guy sank his jaw into her wrist? No tears. No struggle. Just... surrender.

It took all my nerve to step into the corridor again. It felt colder, darker. That feeling, the one you get when you sense predator eyes on your spine—it crawled all over me.

I stumbled toward my room, footsteps heavy as guilt.

Inside, I found Lucas sprawled on his bunk, eyes closed. His bags were tossed across the mattress; clothing lay in odd angles. Leftovers of someone wrestling with emotions—or terror.

I leaned against the doorframe. How do you even begin this?

Finally I let it out: "I thought you left?"

He lifted his head slowly. His eyes looked haunted; insane laughter trembling at the edges of his lips.

"They wouldn’t let me."

I exhaled sharply. "Who wouldn’t?" The words came out jagged. I could feel the panic spike again.

He let out a laugh that wasn’t funny.

"They know. I know. I can’t escape. No one can."

me like a

saw: the girl, the moans,

lay as far away as the narrow

him, even though my words felt hollow. I closed my eyes, though my

beat in my ear. I heard Lucas shift. The window curtain fluttered with a breeze. Shadows hissed across the ceiling tiles. The world felt alive with

voice low, brittle: "You not planning to go to that stupid fresher’s bash tonight, are you?" His tone

friend I would go," I

glowered at me. "If you really love

that Lucas thinks the party is dangerous? That I saw a girl—maybe her—being fed on, moaning as her

groaned in dormant tension. I clenched

betrayal now. Every

of light from the window. The ceiling tiles

hear footsteps? My eyes darted downward,

desk was Sara’s face. Those same three guys massaged her limbs while the blonde bear-shouldered vampire latched onto her throat. He looked up and spotted me watching. His jaw dripped thick crimson ribbons as his pale lips parted in a smirk. I tried to scream. She moaned again.

slurping instant noodles from a roadside cup. Noodles had never looked so

His eyes saw

up, hands

me you

idea going to

muffled giggles. Other

this some excuse because you

Desperation twisted my gut.

We shouldn’t

yelled something. I couldn’t

a fan of parties, I get it. But don’t decide for me. Sorry, I’m

She hung up.

the phone to my chest. My heart shattered. She thought I was controlling. And I

my chest was guilt and fear twined together. I stared at the wall, willing numb calm into my body. It’s just a party. It’s my imagination.

echoed. I had seen it. And I couldn’t

was going, I

Fuck.

and marched straight to the tiny, sad excuse of a closet. My hands rummaged through the half-unpacked mess inside, searching for