Rejected by the Beta, Claimed by the Alpha

Chapter 161: "Run, Fool, Run"

Lucas POV

I woke up early.

Not like I’d really slept.

Even in my dreams, they were there—laughing, watching, touching. I couldn’t breathe right even when unconscious.

Who would’ve thought the monsters wore such beautiful faces?

Hot people. Models. Walking gods. That’s what they looked like. But behind those glowing eyes and sharp smiles, something rotted. Something old. Inhuman.

They didn’t even have to hide it well. We—humans—are too stupid, too desperate to be seen, to be touched, to matter, to even notice the danger.

I looked like a goddamn zombie by the time morning came up. Hollow-eyed. Grey. Shaky. My face was pale, eyes sunken, limbs heavy.

But I didn’t care.

I knew one thing: I would only be able to breathe again the moment I got out of this godforsaken hellhole of a place.

I’d made up my mind.

I was leaving.

No matter what.

I was halfway through stuffing the last of my things into my bag—zipper straining from how fast I was packing—when my roommate stirred.

Clark sat up, blinking through the sleep, his hair sticking up in every direction.

"Hey," he croaked. "What’re you doing?"

"Leaving," I muttered without looking at him.

He rubbed his face. "What? Why?"

"I’m going home."

Clark blinked a few times, then sat all the way up.

"You didn’t just pass the entrance exams and get accepted into Memoville to run off before orientation, man," he said. "Come on."

His tone was casual—like I’d just been through a bad breakup or lost a wallet.

He thought I was bullied.

Bullied.

What happened to me... that wasn’t bullying.

That was something else.

Something no human should ever experience.

Something no one would believe even if I tried to explain it.

And that’s exactly why they get away with it. Why there’s always fresh meat.

I crouched to grab my hoodie and stuffed it into my duffel, trying not to scream.

"You won’t believe me anyway," I said. "Nobody ever does. That’s why they always get fresh meat. That’s what we are to them."

Clark was more awake now. More alert. He watched me closely.

"...What are you talking about?" he asked.

I looked at him, finally.

"You saw it, didn’t you?" I asked. "The ones that walk like they’ve never tripped in their lives? The ones that talk like they’re in a Shakespeare play and never blink at the right time?"

silence wasn’t just

eyes? The paleness? The way the damn

Clark stared at me.

with me.

But he didn’t laugh.

that was enough

Lucas..." he said, his voice

cut

bitterness rising in my throat. "I knew something was off

He froze.

did that to me

between us—shared unease, maybe. Or

sat

Still hesitated.

are you still here?" I asked him, sharper than I meant

He didn’t answer.

that silence

I’d tried.

I really had.

he wanted to stay, if he wanted to wait until one of them lured him away with a

find out on

anyone," I said as I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder. "Especially the ones who smile

That’s the thing, right?

Their smiles.

Wide. Bright. Charming.

Hiding teeth.

Hiding cruelty.

the trap thinking: Hey, a hot guy noticed me.

Fucking pathetic.

No more.

I was done.

and last stop: the

place burn before I ever set foot back

*********

soul in sight. Just long, dark halls and an oppressive

walked fast. As fast as I could. I didn’t want to be here one second longer than

felt abandoned. Deserted. And yet,

walked fast—faster than I probably should have—my duffel bouncing against my back with every step. I kept my head down, heart pounding, eyes locked

to stay in

But the halls...

God, the halls.

presses against

straight from a Gothic horror movie. High arched ceilings. Cold stone walls. The occasional flickering light bulb that seemed to sputter only when I walked under it. Thick air, flickering lights, and shadows that seemed to stretch longer than

the air changed the further I went. Heavy. Thick. Like the building itself knew I was trying to leave—and

stopped making

place itself seemed to fight

to let me go. I kept turning corner after corner, passing hallways I swore I’d seen before. The exits didn’t exist—just endless corridors, like I was stuck

windows, without signs. Just doors. Hallways. A repeating maze. I swear I passed the same painting

Was the building shifting?

My breathing

I whispered to myself. "No.

crumpled campus map from my pocket, unfolded it, and focused.

my way with my finger. I walked blindly, one foot in front of the other, following

stood in didn’t look

it was pulling

I was heading deeper into the university. Deeper

didn’t turn around. I didn’t let myself think about it. I kept following the lines on the map like they were lifelines—my last chance to claw my way out

And then—

Exit.

red, glowing faintly above a pair of

I froze.

I couldn’t breathe—not from fear this time, but

something was off. I didn’t