Alpha's Bite: From Victim to Vengeance
img img Alpha's Bite: From Victim to Vengeance img Chapter 3 Know Your Place
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Chapter 7 Sigma's img
Chapter 8 Marked by Trouble img
Chapter 9 First Day, Shitty Day img
Chapter 10 STEM Class img
Chapter 11 Have a Crush on Him img
Chapter 12 Kiss Before the Fall img
Chapter 13 Claimed by Two img
Chapter 14 Marked by Guilt img
Chapter 15 Mate by Fate img
Chapter 16 Zach: The Price of a Kiss img
Chapter 17 A Mistake img
Chapter 18 Broken Heart, Burning Kisses img
Chapter 19 Bitten At Midnight img
Chapter 20 Genesis: Protecting Bernice img
Chapter 21 Don't Fall for Him, Bernice! img
Chapter 22 The Truth Untold img
Chapter 23 What Have I Done img
Chapter 24 His Mark, My Chaos img
Chapter 25 About the Initiation Event img
Chapter 26 Heat and Heartbreak img
Chapter 27 The History Book img
Chapter 28 Jasher: Too Late for Forgiveness img
Chapter 29 Jasher: Finally the Detention End! img
Chapter 30 The Mad King Legacy img
Chapter 31 Sleepover at Alpha's Dorm img
Chapter 32 Too Human for the Wolves img
Chapter 33 I Quit! img
Chapter 34 Flags Competition img
Chapter 35 Avalanche img
Chapter 36 Genesis: In the Storm img
Chapter 37 Genesis: I Found You img
Chapter 38 Marked at the Storm img
Chapter 39 Am I Saved Now img
Chapter 40 Leave My Son! img
Chapter 41 Unaccepted img
Chapter 42 Made by Mistake img
Chapter 43 Leave Quietly or Stay Loud img
Chapter 44 My Rights img
Chapter 45 To Stay To Survive img
Chapter 46 Bell of Mourning img
Chapter 47 To Be Hunted img
Chapter 48 The Escape Plan img
Chapter 49 Mom, I'm Home! img
Chapter 50 Bouquets Without a Name img
Chapter 51 Not a Normal Homecoming img
Chapter 52 Encounter Adam img
Chapter 53 Burn, Bernice! img
Chapter 54 The Alpha's Boys Coming img
Chapter 55 The Three Wolves and Mom img
Chapter 56 Leaving East Bridge img
Chapter 57 Murder in the Woods img
Chapter 58 Jasher: Trio Trouble img
Chapter 59 Jasher: Spill the Tea img
Chapter 60 Shamed and Scorned img
Chapter 61 Am I the Next Target img
Chapter 62 Zach: The Sketches I Shouldn't Have Drawn img
Chapter 63 Zach: The Pain I Chose img
Chapter 64 More Than A Painting img
Chapter 65 Painted in Shame img
Chapter 66 Jasher and Genesis Confession img
Chapter 67 Wrath! img
Chapter 68 Feared Not Admired img
Chapter 69 Alpha Marcus' Ultimatum img
Chapter 70 Zach's Confession img
Chapter 71 Don't Pity Me img
Chapter 72 The Monster img
Chapter 73 Marked by Zach img
Chapter 74 ZACH: Mate Wars img
Chapter 75 ZACH: Dealing with Shirley img
Chapter 76 Torn Between Alphas img
Chapter 77 The Lies img
Chapter 78 Runaway img
Chapter 79 Something Wrong with Aggy img
Chapter 80 Not Just a Deep Sleep img
Chapter 81 The Bite That Bound Us img
Chapter 82 Selection Spark img
Chapter 83 Chosen or Not img
Chapter 84 GENESIS: Awakened by Wrath img
Chapter 85 GENESIS: The Power Inside Bernice img
Chapter 86 Training Week img
Chapter 87 More Than Just a Star img
Chapter 88 Arrived in Graycrown Academy img
Chapter 89 Jealousy in the Air img
Chapter 90 Whispers Beneath the Skin img
Chapter 91 More Than Muscle img
Chapter 92 JASHER: One Punch, One Regret img
Chapter 93 JASHER: The Cost of One Flower img
Chapter 94 His Victory My Defeat img
Chapter 95 Don't Hate Me for His Choice img
Chapter 96 I'm the Reason She's Crying img
Chapter 97 ZACH: How Do I Make Her See img
Chapter 98 ZACH: Snow Princess, Burning Heart img
Chapter 99 The Way He Breaks Me img
Chapter 100 She's My Rival. Now, She's Gone img
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Chapter 3 Know Your Place

As soon as I got off the bus and walked into the school, I could feel all eyes on me. Well, it had actually started on the bus. The moment my foot hit the school floor, I received a range of looks-some horrified, others sympathetic.

Their eyes were practically trying to strip me naked.

It wasn't the kind of attention I wanted. If I could, I'd take it all back. I never wanted to be famous; I just wanted my unknown, quiet life back.

But the damage is done, right?

I walked down the hallway, unable to avoid those curious stares.

Why couldn't they just say what they were thinking to my face? I'd take it.

Yes, I was stupid. Stupid enough to go into the woods and take Sara with me, and now she's dead.

Is that what you want to hear?

I opened my locker, shoved my bag, and grabbed a few books for my first two classes. The moment I closed the locker, I almost screamed. Zach stood beside me, leaning casually against the locker and staring intensely.

What did he want from me?

"You Jennings? Bernice Jennings?" he asked.

"Yes, and?" I snapped, holding his gaze.

He didn't answer right away, just narrowed his eyes slightly. Then, out of nowhere, he said, "Where are your glasses? Didn't you wear glasses?"

Was he making small talk or mocking me? I couldn't tell, and honestly, I didn't care.

"What's it to you?" I looked away.

"If you don't wear glasses, how do you even know where you're going?"

Wait, where are my glasses? When did I stop wearing them? Without them, everything should be a blur.

But... I felt fine. Everything I saw looked normal. Too normal.

I glanced back at Zach, unsure, then turned my shoe sole and walked away without answering.

God... why do I feel so uncomfortable?

From my fast-healing wounds to bending a metal spoon, and now this... my glasses?

I can't lie to myself anymore.

Something strange is happening to me. And I have no idea what it is.

I looked back at the hallway's corner, but Zach was gone. Thank God. I hope he stays out of my life forever. In fact, I don't want anyone to bother me at all.

I hurried into class and sat down. Reflexively, I turned to the empty seat next to me. That was where Sara used to sit. On mornings like this, she'd be scrolling through Pinterest, looking for DIY projects.

The pain hit me again. God... I miss Sara so much.

Suddenly, a familiar scent hit me, like a reminder: vanilla, with a hint of iris and peony-the same scent I remembered from that night.

Maggie's scent.

I turned toward the door, and there she was-Maggie, standing in the doorway. When our eyes met, she walked in, her little entourage trailing behind her. She stopped by my desk.

What does she want now?

"Hey, you! I hear you're feeling better. Sorry about your friend," she said.

I could tell she was trying to sound sympathetic, but I wasn't buying it. If she cared, she would've visited me in the hospital or at home. But no, she kept her distance.

Of course, she did. Because of her, my life will never be the same.

"Are you okay?" she asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Never been better."

"Yeah, I'm really sorry..." she repeated, but it sounded even more hollow this time.

"Her name was Sara, not 'your friend.'" I glared at her. "Or have you already forgotten what you did that night?"

"What did I do?"

She gave a fake laugh, echoed by her plastic little clique.

God, I used to think Maggie's circle was cool. Now I'm just disgusted by how forced their whole vibe is.

Their laughter died as Maggie cleared her throat and leaned closer, her voice softer. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something."

"Again?" I scoffed. "The last time you 'asked' me for something, my best friend ended up dead. What now?"

She looked uncomfortable. Her eyes flicked to her friends, and she gave a small smile. "It's no big deal, really. I just don't want any more... problems between us. You understand, right?"

I frowned. "Issues? What are you talking about?"

"I just... I wasn't too thrilled with the statement you gave to the police. My family got dragged into it, too. They said I asked you to buy tampons and beer."

That's what actually happened. What else was I supposed to say? That Sara and I went to the woods for fun?

She forced a smile. "Look, I hope you can change your story. You know I have a future, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't mess it up. I know you're smart enough to handle this the right way."

My hands clenched into fists.

She shrugged. "I understand this is hard for you. I don't want another tragedy like your friend. Let's just say we're even after this, okay?"

"Oh, really?"

"Those who have passed on are better left in peace, right? We must tend the living."

And just like that, Maggie and her girls left.

What the hell did she mean? Was it a threat? If I stuck to my story for the cops?

Usually, I'd sit back and swallow my feelings. But not this time. This time, I could feel my anger boiling. I slammed my desk down, startling everyone.

I stormed out of class. Yeah, I was going after the heartless queen bee herself!

I yanked her shoulder as soon as I spotted her in the hallway. As she spun around, I slapped her hard across the face.

"You bitch!" I yelled.

Her eyes went wide in shock. But I wasn't done. Not by a long shot.

"I guess your future is all that matters to you! Meanwhile, my best friend is buried six feet under! The least you could do is show some damn compassion!" I pointed at her. "Sara and I went into these woods because of you! Don't you dare run away from what you did-own it!"

I stormed back to class, not caring what Maggie thought or who had seen it.

She deserved that slap. Honestly, she deserved more.

As I sat back down, another scent hit me. I turned to Sara's seat and almost jumped.

Zach was sitting there, the same intense look in his eyes.

My eyebrows knitted. "Why are you sitting in Sara's seat?"

He didn't answer right away. His cold stare pierced me as if he had every ounce of control in the world.

"Can we talk? After class. I'll find you."

"Talk about what?"

"Something important."

And then he walked out, leaving me with a thousand questions.

*

As soon as class was over, I rushed out. There he was, Zach, waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall like he didn't care.

People stared, glancing between the two of us. I ignored them and walked straight up to him.

"What do you want to talk about?"

He gestured for me to follow him, and we walked out of the school building into a quiet corner. Suddenly, I felt a little nervous.

"Why are we out here? Can't you tell me now? I don't have time for games!" I snapped.

Our eyes locked again. The same stare. My heart was racing. And then the memory of the woods came back. Of Zach. The last thing I saw that night.

"Me neither, Bernice," he said firmly. "Didn't I say this was important?"

"Well, what is it?"

"Listen. You need to control your emotions and behavior, or you'll be in serious trouble."

"What the hell did I do?" I shot back.

"Slapping Maggie like that? You went too far. Know your place!"

"Too far? She got Sara killed!"

"No. Maggie didn't kill your friend. That creature did."

Zach stepped closer. I instinctively backed away, but he didn't stop. He kept coming until I was pinned against the wall. Heat radiated from his body, and I could hear his low, snarling breath.

"You've been given a second chance, Bernice. Make the most of it. Your friend didn't. But that doesn't mean you're better than her," he hissed.

I scoffed. "Oh, so you're saying I should have died instead of Sara?"

"No. That's not what I'm saying." He leaned closer, his breath hitting my face. "I'm saying that both of you should have died. Because that's what was supposed to happen."

His eyes burned with conviction.

Why?

Why would he say such a cruel thing?

            
            

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