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 door

pressed my lips together, unsure how—if—I should tell him what I saw: the girl, the moans,

empty bunk next to his and lay as far away as the narrow space allowed. The mattress creaked under me like

my words felt hollow. I closed

I heard Lucas shift. The window curtain fluttered with a breeze. Shadows hissed across the ceiling tiles. The

to that stupid fresher’s bash tonight, are you?" His tone brooked disbelief,

I would go," I

me. "If you really love that friend—you both shouldn’t

with anticipation. Should I warn her that Lucas thinks the party is dangerous? That I saw a girl—maybe her—being fed on, moaning as her neck bled? I swallowed hard and looked away,

I clenched my thighs, refused

like betrayal now. Every second without answers felt like unchanged

my back, staring at the flicker of light from the window. The ceiling tiles rattled again. The

I hear footsteps? My eyes darted downward, but the

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. When the room blackened and cracked, I woke drenched in sweat. It was already

instant noodles from a roadside cup. Noodles had never looked so mundane. My phone buzzed—it was

His

up, hands

Don’t tell me you bailed on me?" Her

idea

Then muffled giggles. Other girls? I heard

because you don’t want to come?"

Desperation twisted my gut.

Don’t go. We shouldn’t

I couldn’t catch it

a fan of parties, I get it. But don’t

She hung up.

My heart shattered. She thought I was controlling. And I couldn’t tell

the wall, willing numb calm into my body. It’s just a party. It’s

dread echoed. I had seen

Sara was going, I couldn’t let her

Fuck.

bell, but my feet moved on their own. I pushed off the bed and marched straight to the tiny, sad excuse of a closet. My hands rummaged through the half-unpacked mess inside, searching for something—anything—that could pass as