Bullied as Wolfless, Chosen as the Alpha's Luna

Freezing water slammed into my skull. The shock punched the air straight from my lungs.

"Look at this pathetic mess." Chloe Thorne’s voice echoed off the tiled bathroom walls, followed instantly by a chorus of shrill laughter.

Ice-cold droplets slid down my hair, soaking through my thin uniform shirt. I scrubbed the stinging water from my eyes, shivering violently.

Chloe stood over me, her arms crossed tight against her chest. She drove the heel of her sneaker straight into the center of my canvas backpack.

"A monster without a wolf," Chloe sneered, leaning closer. "And you actually thought you could sit next to the new transfer student today?"

More girls crowded around the bathroom stalls. The harsh glare of cell phone cameras flashed in my face, blinding me for a second.

"I didn't ask to sit there," I said, my teeth chattering. "Mr. Harrison assigned the seats."

"Shut up!" A girl named Maya hoisted a plastic trash bin.

Foul, brown sludge rained down on my shoulders. The stench of rotting food and old mop water coated my skin. I gagged, curling inward to protect my face.

Another girl grabbed my torn backpack. She dumped the contents onto the wet tiles. Pages ripped loudly as she kicked my history textbook across the floor.

Then, a sharp tug at my throat.

The silver chain snapped.

"No!" I lunged forward.

Chloe danced back, dangling the silver moon pendant just out of my reach. It was the only thing my mother had left me before she died.

"Give it back," I begged, dropping to my knees. The dirty water soaked through my uniform skirt, chilling my skin. "Please, Chloe. Keep the bag. Ruin the books. Just give me the necklace."

"Why should I?" Chloe tossed the pendant into the air and caught it. "You don't deserve pack silver. You're a defect."

"I don't have a wolf," I cried out, desperation cracking my voice. "You know I don't! I'll never have a Fated Mate. I'm not going to steal any Alpha from you or anyone else!"

Chloe’s expression twisted into something ugly. She slammed the sole of her shoe down on my right hand.

Pain shot up my arm. I bit my lip hard enough to taste copper, refusing to scream.

"That's exactly your trick," Chloe hissed. "You play this pathetic, broken victim. That's why men look twice at you. Why did the teacher put you next to the Crown Prince today? Did you bat your eyelashes at him? Did you try to seduce him?"

"I don't even know who he is!" I shook my head frantically, trying to pull my hand free.

She only pressed harder, grinding her heel into my knuckles.

"Liar." Chloe glared at her friends. "Lock the door."

The deadbolt clicked shut. The metallic sound echoed like a gunshot in the cramped space.

"Keep recording," Chloe ordered. "Make sure you get a good angle of her crying. We’re posting this to the main forum. Let the whole school see what this freak really is."

Maya grabbed a heavy metal bucket from the janitor's closet. She shoved it into Chloe's hands. Water sloshed over the rim.

"Any last words, wolf-less?" Chloe hoisted the bucket higher.

I squeezed my eyes shut and braced for the impact.

*CRASH.*

The heavy wooden door blew off its hinges. It slammed into the tile wall, cracking the plaster in a spiderweb pattern.

A suffocating weight crashed into the room. The sheer force of the Alpha aura forced everyone to freeze. My chest tightened under the invisible pressure, pinning me to the floor.

A silver-haired boy stepped through the ruined doorway. The harsh fluorescent lights caught his ice-blue eyes. He swept his gaze across the terrified girls, his expression carved from stone.

The new transfer student.

"Release her," he commanded. His voice wasn't loud, but it vibrated against my bones.

Chloe’s face flushed red, though her hands trembled. She dropped the bucket. Water splashed across the floor, missing me by inches.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Chloe lifted her chin, trying to project strength she clearly didn't have. "My father is the Beta of the Blood Moon Pack. You can't just walk in here—"

"I don't care who your father is."

The boy reached into his pocket. He pulled out a heavy gold badge and held it up. A snarling wolf, crowned with thorns, gleamed in the center.

The royal crest.

"I am Julian," he said, his tone flat and absolute. "The Alpha King's only son. The future heir to the throne."

Dead silence swallowed the room. Maya dropped her phone. It clattered against the wet tiles, the screen shattering.

"From this exact second forward," Julian continued, locking eyes with Chloe, "anyone who touches her makes an enemy of the entire royal family. Do you understand?"

Chloe’s mouth opened and closed. All the color drained from her face. She took a step back, hitting the sink counter hard.

"I asked if you understand," Julian repeated, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

"Yes," Chloe whispered, her eyes darting to the floor. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Drop the necklace."

Chloe scrambled to open her fist. The silver pendant hit the wet floor with a tiny clink.

"Get out. All of you."

The girls shoved past each other, scrambling over the broken door frame to escape into the hallway. Within seconds, the bathroom was completely empty, save for the two of us.

Julian walked toward me. His dark boots splashed softly in the puddles of dirty water.

I shrank back against the wall, pulling my knees to my chest. Alphas never paid attention to me unless they wanted a punching bag. I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable insult. Waiting for him to tell me I was a disgrace to our kind.

He didn't yell. He didn't sneer.

Julian shrugged off his heavy, fleece-lined jacket. He crouched down, ignoring the filth soaking into his expensive jeans. Gently, he draped the warm coat over my shivering shoulders. It smelled like pine needles and crisp winter air.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

His voice was entirely different from the harsh command he had used seconds ago. It was quiet. Almost gentle.

I stared at him, completely stunned. For eighteen years, I had been the pack outcast. The defect. The girl everyone ignored or abused.

This was the absolute first time anyone had ever stood in front of me.

"I..." I swallowed hard, finding my voice. "I think so."

He offered his hand.

I hesitated, staring at his large palm. Slowly, I placed my bruised, trembling fingers into his grip. His skin was incredibly warm. He pulled me to my feet with effortless strength, steadying my waist when my knees wobbled.

Maybe I wasn't just a monster. Maybe I wasn't entirely unlovable.

Julian bent down and retrieved my mother’s silver pendant from the puddle. He wiped it clean on his shirt, then handed it back to me.

"Thank you," I whispered, clutching the moon tightly in my fist.

He didn't reply right away. Instead, he leaned in just a fraction of an inch. His ice-blue eyes widened slightly, the pupils dilating until they nearly swallowed the iris. He inhaled deeply, his chest expanding against his shirt.

"Your scent," Julian murmured, his voice dropping an octave.

"What about it?" I asked, my heart hammering against my ribs.

He stepped closer, closing the distance between us until I had to tilt my head back to look at him.

"They said you don't have a wolf," he stated, his gaze dropping to my lips.

"I don't."

A strange, possessive gleam flared in his eyes. He reached out, his thumb brushing a wet strand of hair away from my cheek.

"Then why," he whispered, "is my wolf screaming that you belong to me?"