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 confusion—it was

The way the damn wind moves when they pass by like it’s bowing to

Clark stared at me.

scared with me. Maybe

But he didn’t laugh.

that was enough to

on, Lucas..." he said, his voice

I cut him

throat. "I knew something was off the moment that woman at registration smelled my ID. Not

He froze.

to me too,"

us—shared unease, maybe.

he still sat on

Still hesitated.

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

He didn’t answer.

that silence

I’d tried.

I really had.

them lured him away with a perfect face and a perfect voice and a

out on

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

That’s the thing, right?

Their smiles.

Wide. Bright. Charming.

Hiding teeth.

Hiding cruelty.

wide-eyed fool—fell into the trap thinking: Hey, a hot guy noticed me.

Fucking pathetic.

No more.

I was done.

and last stop:

entire place burn before I ever set foot

*********

the whole place was dead silent. Not a soul in sight. Just long, dark halls and an oppressive stillness that made

walked fast. As fast as I could. I didn’t want to

campus felt abandoned. Deserted. And yet,

with every step. I kept my head down, heart pounding, eyes locked on the floor tiles

in

But the halls...

God, the halls.

were too long. Too still. Too quiet. The kind of silence that presses against your ears like cotton. The kind you only

Thick air, flickering lights, and shadows that seemed to stretch longer than they should. Just walking

I went. Heavy. Thick. Like the building itself knew I was trying to leave—and didn’t

stopped

itself seemed to fight

knew I wanted to escape. Like it had a mind of its own and wasn’t ready to let me go. I kept turning corner after corner, passing hallways I swore I’d seen before. The exits

signs. Just doors. Hallways. A repeating maze. I swear I passed the same painting twice—a portrait of a pale man with too many

Was the building shifting?

stopped. My breathing

myself. "No.

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

tracing my way with my finger. I walked blindly, one foot in front of the other, following the lines and arrows without meeting

I did glance up—and the hallway I stood in didn’t look like it

like it was pulling

the university. Deeper into the belly of the

I kept following the lines

And then—

Exit.

sign was small, red, glowing faintly above

I froze.

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

something was off. I didn’t see anyone,