Chapter 1
(Hell’s Home)
Selene’s POV
If a wolfsbane blade were driven straight into my heart and someone demanded I define hell, my answer would be simple—Crescent Vale High School.
It wasn’t just hell. It was the abyss the ancients spoke of, the pit where the Luna Goddess cast those who defied her will.
And worst of all, it was home to the one person who would rather burn alive than let me have a single moment of peace.
Death? I've lived through it three times.
His fingers twisted tighter around my ponytail before he slammed my head into the lockers, the metallic clang echoing through the hall. Laughter spilled from his lips as if my pain were a joke. Being tormented by the school’s Elites wasn’t new—it was a tradition, an unspoken legacy handed down from one generation of wolves to the next. I had come to the realization that there was no savior, and salvation was a myth.
I shut my eyes, my heartbeat pounding like a war drum as the blows came again and again. Warm blood trickled down my temple, mixing with the tears sliding over my cheeks. They pooled on my trembling, cracked lips before slipping onto my tongue.
The metallic tang spread in my mouth. Begging was pointless—at best, it would fall on deaf ears. At worst, it would only feed their cruelty.
“You freak!” Damian said loudly, finally letting me go. He took a step back, allowing me to catch my breath—that, he considered mercy. Other days, he’d bully me until I passed out, and his friends would revive me.
Damian wasn’t just the most influential person in the school; he was the Alpha’s son and had a twisted obsession with bullying Omegas like me. He’d pick on me anytime, humiliate me, and turn me into a joke—just to feel better.
Over time, his attention settled on me for one simple reason—he loved the sound of my whimpers.
“She cries too loud… and I f*****g love it,” he’d sneer, jabbing my limp body with a stick just to see if I was still breathing after beating me to the edge of unconsciousness.
I leaned against the locker, my eyes trailing down his thighs to his legs. I didn’t dare look him in the eyes until he commanded me.
“Look at me,” he ordered.
But I didn’t. Not because I was stubborn, but because I was afraid—afraid he’d squeeze my jaw until my lips pleaded for mercy.
Afraid of what he’d do if I followed his instructions.
My body shook with sobs, my vision blurring. I struggled to keep the tears from slipping past my eyes. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction he craved.
“You don’t belong at Crescent Vale High School, douchebag,” he said, leaning closer—so close that the hot air escaping his nostrils brushed against a strand of my disheveled hair.
His fingers slid beneath my jaw, a mirthful chuckle escaping his throat as he tilted my chin high, forcing me to look into his hazel eyes.
The tears I had been holding back spilled freely as if commanded by an invisible force. Then… he grinned.
“Beg,” he muttered coldly, his voice dropping an octave.
My lips pressed into a thin line and I swallowed hard. I wanted to beg, but my throat tightened, and when my lips parted, all I could do was gasp.
His brow furrowed, his eyes blazing with fury. To him, I was the one person he could bully until exhaustion—and still, I wouldn’t beg.
I wished he knew that I wanted to beg for mercy, but every attempt was futile.
“You piece of s**t,” he said. He shot out his hand, placing it below my jaw—right at my throat.
“Trynna play hard?” he chuckled.
My skin paled as he pressed harder, squeezing the air from my lungs. I dug my nails into his muscular arms, struggling to breathe, but it was useless. I was never going to win.
He watched me gasp for air before finally letting me go. My body collapsed onto the cold marble floor, a dry cough escaping my throat, my chest rising and falling rapidly.
“Asshole,” he grinned before walking out of the gym room.
It wasn’t over—not until she said so.
I sat stiffly on the floor, waiting for the next wave of torture. My body still shook with fear.
“Did she beg?” a feminine voice asked, slicing through the air as she strutted in.
“She didn’t. She will next time,” Damian replied.
“I hate Omegas,” she declared loudly. Her heels echoed against the marble floor as she walked toward me.
“Pathetic,” she spat, lowering herself so she could meet my battered gaze.
“You know,” she began, “I see no reason why you should go through this phase. You could have simply done the assignments,” she said, feigning sympathy.
I took a deep breath.
“I… I was at the hospital with my dad. He’s been—”
“Awwn,” she cut in, faking sweetness. “The nerd has daddy issues.”
Her minions laughed at her humorless joke.
“Well, you should note that my work comes first before the lowlife you call a dad,” she said.
My chest tightened. I wanted to slam my fist into her perfect face, but that would only earn me more punishment.
She was Damian’s girlfriend, a self-proclaimed queen bee, and a Beta. Even if Damian wasn’t around, she’d beat me until I could barely move if I dared make one wrong move.
She patted my shoulder before walking out with her minions.
Just another normal day at my school.
Lizzy’s frantic breathing filled the air as she ran into the room.
“Selene,” she called, panic lacing her voice. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. Get up,” she urged, trying to lift me. But I was too weak.
A sad smile spread across my face as I stared into her eyes. The last thing I saw was Lizzy’s pale face before I passed out.
My eyes fluttered open and the blinding rays of light stabbed my pupils. I shut my eyes for a while, taking a deep breath. The scent was familiar.
Judging from the scent of antiseptics which wafted through the air, I could tell that I was in the school's clinic.
Again.
Lizzy had taken me there for quick recovery, which I was grateful for. Lizzy was the only gift Crescent Vale High School gave me. She was an Omega like me, constantly bullied, yet she was optimistic.
I steadied my breathing before sitting on the bed, my eyelids yanking open. My gaze fell on the silver-coated mirror which sat across the room, and I stared at my face. All the bruises were gone.
Of course, it wasn’t my wolf. I doubt I had any.
The hospital had injections to heal Omegas once they were hurt. Bullying was a norm, so instead of fighting it, they provided pills and injections to heal us so that the pack wouldn’t have a bad name. They rather patched up our faces like a broken toy than stop the monsters breaking us.
I picked up my bag from the other side of the bed and walked out of the room with the little strength I gathered. I didn’t care to wait for Lizzy; all I needed was to get the hell out of school and be alone.
When I walked out, I noticed that the school session was over. I walked out of the school gate, moving as fast as I could, my brain ignoring the continuous beeping of car horns.
I followed the shortest route home, unfazed by the mud which flickered across my dress.
After a while of navigating the narrow roads, I halted right before my house. I didn’t want to be noticed, so I sneaked into my room through my window that was adjacent to the woods.
And when I got into the comfort of my home, I let out all the emotions I’d bottled, slumping on the floor.