Since the Lycans took control, everything changed. Every human had to wear the exact same clothes without exception, while the werewolves were free to dress however they wanted. Our uniform never changed. It consisted of a gray long sleeved shirt with a fully buttoned collar, matching gray pants, and plain black shoes. Nothing more.

There was once a girl at school who asked if she could wear a skirt. They punished her in front of everyone. After that, no one ever dared to question the rules again.

After getting dressed, I headed out. The walk to school normally took twenty minutes, but the pain slowed me down so much that it took nearly thirty. By the time I reached the entrance reserved for humans, I already knew I was late.

"Name and grade," the Lycan guarding the gate instructed. He didn't even bother looking at me like I was a person.

As we'd always been taught, I lowered my head.

"Dylan Riley. 12th grade."

He tapped a few times on his tablet before grabbing my arm without warning. Pain flashed across my face as he injected the liquid that removed any trace of wolfsbane from a human's body.

"Go to your classroom. Show up late one more time, and you'll be sent to the gym."

My heart nearly stopped. The "gym" wasn't a place where humans trained. It was where the werewolves practiced combat by using human students.

"Understood," I replied, but my reply came out a little too short.

The moment the word left my mouth, I knew I'd made a mistake.

His eyes turned cold. "Leave before I decide to drag you there myself."

Without saying another word, I gave him a quick nod and walked away. I kept my head lowered as I made my way through the hall toward the human classrooms. Along the way, I passed a single Lycan and didn't dare raise my eyes until I was well beyond him.

When I finally arrived outside my classroom, I knocked on the door and waited.

"Come in," the teacher said.

As I stepped inside, every pair of eyes landed on me.

"Dylan? Why are you here?" a girl asked in surprise.

I forced a tired smile before looking toward the teacher.

"Sorry I'm late."

Mr. Foley slowly shook his head and motioned for me to take my seat. He was about to continue the lesson, but he paused instead.

"You don't have to apologize."

I gave him a thankful nod.

"What happened yesterday?"

A sigh escaped me. I should've expected that question.

"My little brother, Freddie... he showed disrespect to the Alpha. I took the punishment for him."

I gave a small shrug as if none of it mattered.

"What about your mom?" Erin asked from the front row. She sat with the group reserved for humans who had already been claimed by Lycans.

I looked straight at her and tightened my jaw.

"That's not your concern."

Mr. Foley frowned. "Dylan, mind your attitude."

I stayed silent. To me, the humans who had been claimed by Lycans were the worst of all.

Erin had once been my friend. She, Nick, and I used to spend our time together. Then a Lycan chose her as his mate. Less than two days later, his mark was already on her.

There were several others like her in our class. Some of them were even pregnant. Every one of them sat on the left side of the room.

The order of society was simple. The Lycans stood at the top. Beneath them were the humans claimed by Lycans. At the very bottom were people like me.

"We didn't have a choice," Erin said with a shaky voice. "That's just the way things are..."

A bitter laugh slipped out of me.

"No. That's not true. Nothing like that happens without a choice. You made yours, so accept it."

She balled her hands into fists as tears filled her eyes.

"I hope the same thing happens to you. Then you'll finally understand."

I met her eyes without the slightest warmth.

"If a Lycan ever picked me... I'd rather die."

Silence swept through the classroom.

"Dylan, don't say things like that," Mr. Foley said quietly. His expression was filled with unease.

I only shrugged. I meant every word.

"No one's going to do anything to themselves in this classroom. Now let's continue with today's lesson," he said at last.

I had already stopped listening.

"If you say one more word, I'm sending you to the principal's office," he added.

My hands slowly curled into fists.

"They humiliated me in front of everyone because I protected my brother," I said as I rose from my seat. "They shamed me for standing up for him. And we're still expected to obey them? What's the point?"

Nick got to his feet right after me. One by one, the others stood as well. Before long, almost the entire class was standing. Only the humans who had been claimed by Lycans remained seated without saying a word.

"Sit down," Mr. Foley instructed. "I know you're angry, but this isn't the time for it. And I won't allow any of you to turn against our people."

I let out a quiet scoff before sitting down again. The rest of the class slowly followed.

"Don't call them 'our people,'" I muttered.

Erin broke down in tears. The pregnant student gently rested a hand over her stomach. Meanwhile, Gary, another human who had been claimed by a Lycan, kept staring nervously at the classroom door.

That was when the loudspeaker suddenly came to life.

"Attention, human students." The principal's voice echoed through the speakers.

I lifted my head a little.

"Tomorrow is the birthday of the Alpha twins. A ceremony will be held in their honor."

Just great.

Adrian and Arya. The two people I hated most.

"Attendance is mandatory for every student. Human students will stand on the left. Lycan students will stand on the right. Humans who have been claimed will stand at the front."

Quiet whispers spread across the classroom.

"It's been three years since they held a gathering like this," Nick whispered.

My hands slowly curled into fists.

"They're only doing this to put us on display. It's also the perfect chance for those idiots to choose their mates," I muttered.

The twins were about to turn seventeen. That was the age when everything changed for Lycans.

And if someone in this room ended up getting involved...

No.

It wouldn't be me.

I wasn't going to accept that kind of future.

My life belonged to me. I wouldn't let anyone take that away.

"Mama? I'm home!"

The moment I stepped through the front door, I heard hurried footsteps rushing down the stairs. She appeared almost at once and wrapped me in a tight hug. Tears had already filled her eyes.

"Dylan... I... I'm so sorry about yesterday. I stayed by your side for so long, but you never woke up... I had to go check on Freddie..."

Her voice broke before she buried her face against my shoulder and cried. I glanced upward, feeling a little awkward. I was never comfortable with too much affection. When it came to Mom, she always went a little overboard.

"It's okay, Mama."

After a few moments, she finally settled down. She wiped the tears from her cheeks before taking a step back.

"Your father would've been proud of you... proud of the person you've become."

I gave her a faint smile but didn't say anything. Then I turned and started toward the stairs.

"Dylan... I made your favorite."

I'd already recognized the smell before she mentioned it. It was beef broth. The scent alone told me what it was. That kind of meal was a rare treat in our home. We almost never had it because it cost too much, unless someone managed to find another way to get the ingredients. I gave a small nod, knowing how much effort she'd put into making it.

"Thank you."

A gentle smile appeared on her face before she went back into the kitchen.

Things between us had never been simple. We rarely talked, and we didn't really understand each other. Even so, the bond between us never disappeared. She couldn't accept my rebellious nature, and I had a hard time accepting how easily she gave in. She'd always dreamed of having a kind, obedient daughter who believed in the same things she did. Instead, she ended up with me. I was nothing like the daughter she'd hoped for.

She'd never been physically strong. Fighting had never been something she could do. Even so, she always found a way to protect Freddie and me with whatever she had. Sometimes, though, she depended on me more than she should have. Somewhere along the way, without either of us ever talking about it, I became the one carrying our family.

"Dilly!"

I turned around at once. Freddie had rushed toward the stairs without paying attention. I caught him just before he could fall.

"Be careful!"

He wrapped his arms around me and locked his legs around my waist. The pressure on my back made me flinch.

"Gently... It still hurts."

He looked up at me with a guilty expression.

"Sorry..."

I leaned over and kissed his cheek. He immediately burst into laughter, and I carefully set him back on the floor. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the table with his usual excitement.

"Come on!"

I let him lead the way as he practically dragged me behind him.

"Dylan... your back..."

My mother's voice suddenly faded. Standing in the doorway with two bowls in her hands, she stared at me after I sat down.

I reached behind me and touched my shirt. The fabric felt wet.

That wasn't a good sign.

"Looks like I'll have to see Sheila again after dinner."

I pulled my hand away and looked at it. My fingers were smeared with blood. The bandages had already loosened. Some of the wounds must've opened again.

"Please let me take care of it. I can change your bandages after we finish eating."

She placed the bowls in front of us. I answered with a small smile and gently shook my head.

"You're too gentle. They need to be wrapped tighter. Thanks anyway."

A disappointed sigh escaped her before she went back to get her own bowl. Then she returned and sat down with us.

"I know how to wrap bandages, Dylan. I've treated much worse injuries when you were little."

I looked at her for a moment before finally giving in.

"Alright..."

At least I wouldn't have to make another trip to the infirmary.

Once dinner was over, I wanted nothing more than to lie down and stay there. All the exhaustion caught up with me at once.

While Freddie remained at the table doing his homework, I sat down on a small stool. Then I slowly took off my shirt, gritting my teeth through every movement.

My mother came back carrying a basin filled with warm salt water and a bundle of cotton.

I already knew this was going to hurt.

She carefully started removing the bandages wrapped around my torso. The farther she got, the slower her hands became. By the time she reached the last layer, I felt the cloth pull against my skin where it had dried to the wounds.

My hands tightened into fists.

"Damn..."

The final strip came free, and the cool air brushing across my back made me let out a long breath.

"Oh my God..."

Her voice shook.

"There are so many more this time... far more than fifteen..."

I turned my head slightly to look at her. Tears were already running down her face.

"Mom, I'm going to be fine."

She kept shaking her head, unable to stop crying.

"No, you're not! I'm your mother. I'm supposed to keep you safe... I never should've let this happen to you... Your father would've..."

I stopped her before she could finish.

"Stop."

The word came out more sharply than I'd meant it to, but I didn't take it back.

"Dad's gone. We'll never know what he would've done. He never had to live in this world."

Even so, I already knew the answer. He would've fought back. And he would've ended up dying all over again.

"If you really want to help me, then stop crying and take care of my wounds. And next time, don't offer if you're not ready to look at them."

She drew in a shaky breath, forced back her tears, and began treating my injuries.

The cotton soaked in warm salt water touched my back.

The moment it brushed against my skin, I clenched my teeth. The pain was intense, almost impossible to bear, but it had to be done. Every touch sent another burning wave through my body.

"Some of these wounds are deep, Dylan..."

Her hands were still shaking.

"I told you I'll be fine. Just keep going."

One by one, she cleaned every wound before wrapping fresh bandages tightly around my torso. By the time she finished, the water inside the basin had turned red.

"You need to take it easy for a few days... Your body can't handle any more than this."

I nodded.

Slowly, I got to my feet and walked over to Freddie. I ruffled his hair.

"Goodnight, little one."

He laughed as he tried to fix his messy hair.

"Goodnight, Dilly."

I smiled at him one last time before making my way upstairs.

After I entered my room, I shut the door behind me and dropped face first onto the bed.

All the pain hit me again in an instant.

I buried my face in the pillow and pressed a hand over my mouth to keep myself quiet. My mom's treatment had helped. Even so, it still hurt like hell.

I couldn't let her know that.

I had to endure it. For Freddie. For her.

If she realized how much pain I was in, she'd break down.

Not long after that, my eyes drifted shut.

She'd been right about one thing.

For the time being, I needed to keep a low profile.

I couldn't survive another beating.

...

After a night that felt endless and a morning that was somehow even worse, we were finally lined up in the school hallway. We stood in perfectly straight rows, waiting for the twins to arrive just as we'd been instructed.

"Get ready!"

The order echoed through the hall, and everyone immediately straightened up. Since Nick and I were seniors, we stood at the very end of the human line. Across from us, the humans who had been claimed by Lycans stood beside their partners, all matched by age, as though the separation had to be obvious for everyone to see.

Nobody dared to move. The silence hanging over the hallway was unbearable.

Arya was the first to arrive. She walked slowly along the line until she stopped in front of Nick. He looked completely uncertain, as if he didn't know whether he should meet her eyes or keep his head lowered.

"Look at me."

Nick hesitated. He shot me a quick glance, hoping I'd somehow know what to do. Before he could react, she spoke again, this time with a colder voice.

"I said, look at me."

At last, he slowly lifted his head. From where I stood, I could clearly see his eyes. They were dark and filled with something that almost looked sinister.

"I... I don't..."

He never finished his sentence. Two Lycans suddenly stepped forward, grabbed him without warning, and dragged him out of the line.

"Hey!"

The word slipped out before I could stop myself. I stepped forward without thinking and left my place. Every eye in the hallway immediately turned toward me, and I knew I'd just made a serious mistake.

Without saying a word, Adrian walked over to me. His fist drove straight into my stomach with crushing force. The blow stole the air from my lungs, and I doubled over as the wounds across my back flared with pain all over again.

"I heard you were punished in front of everyone two days ago," he said calmly.

I clenched my teeth but didn't answer.

"I also heard that you questioned our rules during class yesterday."