Chapter 10 - Pack Like Yours
1386 Words
Stephanie stood in the courtyard of the university beside her friend Melissa Highgrove.
The morning sun hung low above the old stone buildings, painting the campus in pale gold. Students were walking in every direction—some rushing toward their lectures, others lingering near the fountain in the center of the courtyard. Their voices blended into a constant background noise of laughter, arguments, and casual conversation.
But for Stephanie, everything felt strangely heavy.
She leaned against a row of metal lockers near the entrance to the academic hall, arms folded across her chest. Her expression was tense.
Melissa stood beside her, nervously tugging at the sleeve of her sweater.
Neither of them felt relaxed.
Kevin had been punished.
And in a place like this, news traveled faster than wind through the forest.
Every wolf in the academy already knew.
Kevin had walked through the halls earlier that morning like a thundercloud ready to burst. His shoulders were rigid, his eyes dark, and his presence alone had made students step aside to avoid crossing his path.
Stephanie had tried to speak to him after the first lecture.
He barely acknowledged her.
That alone had filled her with a cold knot of frustration.
Kevin was supposed to stand beside her.
Protect her.
Without him, the balance of power around her shifted instantly.
She hated that feeling.
“Did you finish the biology assignment?” Melissa asked quietly.
Stephanie blinked, pulling herself out of her thoughts.
“Half of it.”
Melissa sighed.
“I stayed up until two in the morning finishing mine.”
Stephanie gave a small snort.
“You always do.”
Melissa shrugged.
“I don't want to fail the class.”
They spoke for a few minutes about lectures, professors, and upcoming exams. The conversation moved slowly, awkwardly, as if both of them were trying to pretend that nothing unusual had happened in the last few days.
But the tension never really disappeared.
Stephanie eventually turned her head toward Melissa.
“So,” she said casually, though her eyes were sharp.
“When are you planning to tell your parents?”
Melissa frowned slightly.
“Tell them what?”
Stephanie rolled her eyes dramatically.
“Don't act stupid. About the mate mark.”
Melissa froze.
Her fingers instinctively pulled the sleeve of her sweater further down over her wrist.
The faint mark hidden beneath the fabric seemed to burn against her skin.
“I can't,” she said quietly.
Stephanie straightened.
“What do you mean you can't?”
Melissa glanced around quickly. Several students were passing nearby, laughing loudly about something unrelated.
Only after they walked away did she lower her voice.
“If my mate's family finds out it's me…”
She hesitated.
“They'll take me out of the university.”
Stephanie frowned.
“And?”
Melissa looked at her in disbelief.
“They'll force us to marry.”
Stephanie stared at her for a moment.
Then she shrugged.
“That doesn't sound so terrible.”
Melissa blinked.
“What?”
Stephanie tilted her head slightly.
“You'll marry a strong wolf. You'll have status. Protection.”
Melissa shook her head slowly.
“I want to study.”
“I want to graduate.”
Stephanie gestured toward the tall library building across the courtyard.
“Otherwise you'll end up like Florence.”
Melissa followed her gaze.
The library stood apart from the rest of the campus—tall, quiet, and isolated.
Stephanie smirked.
“Florence the librarian.”
Melissa didn't respond.
She didn't like the tone in Stephanie's voice.
Florence had always been quiet.
Kind, even.
But kindness rarely mattered in wolf society.
Especially when someone was weak.
Before Melissa could answer, a familiar voice interrupted them.
“Well. If it isn't the future queens of mediocrity.”
Both girls turned.
Fellicity Johnson was walking toward them.
Even from a distance she was impossible to ignore.
Her golden hair caught the sunlight, and her confident stride made several students glance in her direction.
Fellicity Johnson was famous in the academy.
Partly because of her beauty.
But mostly because of her bloodline.
She was the niece of Alpha Leonard Littlewood.
And everyone knew it.
Stephanie immediately felt her back straighten.
She hated Fellicity.
The feeling was mutual.
Normally Stephanie had Kevin standing beside her.
Kevin's presence alone was enough to silence most people.
But today he wasn't there.
And without Kevin…
Stephanie was simply the daughter of a beta.
Fellicity stopped a few steps away.
Her gaze slowly scanned Stephanie's face.
“What happened to you?” she asked lightly.
Stephanie narrowed her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
Fellicity tilted her head.
“You look like someone stole your lunch.”
Melissa shifted nervously beside her friend.
Stephanie forced a thin smile.
“My mood gets worse whenever you're nearby.”
Fellicity blinked once.
Then she laughed.
Not angrily.
Not even insulted.
Just amused.
“You know,” Fellicity said, crossing her arms, “if someone like Florence lived in my pack, I'd probably be in a bad mood too.”
Stephanie said nothing.
But her hands slowly curled into fists.
Fellicity leaned slightly closer.
“Everyone knows Kevin got into trouble because of her.”
Melissa glanced at Stephanie.
Stephanie remained silent.
Fellicity stepped closer.
Close enough that her voice dropped to a whisper.
“You should get rid of that little fox already.”
Stephanie's eyes widened slightly.
Fellicity smiled sweetly.
“It’s embarrassing for the rest of us to even share a class with a pack like yours.”
Then she stepped back as if nothing had happened.
Without another word she turned and walked away.
Her confident steps echoed across the stone courtyard.
Melissa watched her go.
Then she turned to Stephanie.
“Don't listen to her,” Melissa said quickly.
“She just says things like that to provoke people.”
Stephanie didn't respond.
Her gaze remained fixed in the direction Fellicity had disappeared.
Her thoughts were racing.
Get rid of that little fox.
The words echoed in her mind.
Florence.
Quiet.
Soft-spoken.
Always hiding behind the shelves of the library.
Stephanie suddenly slammed her fist against her locker.
The metal door rattled loudly.
Several students nearby turned their heads.
Melissa jumped.
“Stephanie!”
Stephanie's knuckles throbbed, but she barely felt the pain.
Her breathing was heavier now.
“In some ways…” she said slowly.
Melissa stared at her.
“What?”
Stephanie turned toward her.
Her eyes were darker than before.
“She's not wrong.”
Melissa felt a cold chill run down her spine.
“What do you mean?”
Stephanie looked toward the library again.
Her voice dropped.
“Everything started because of Florence.”
Melissa shook her head quickly.
“No. Kevin destroyed those books. That wasn't her fault.”
Stephanie didn't answer immediately.
She was thinking.
Slowly.
Carefully.
“If Florence hadn't told anyone…”
Melissa interrupted her.
“She didn't tell anyone.”
Stephanie looked back at her.
“But someone did.”
Melissa fell silent.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Students continued walking past them.
Laughing.
Talking.
Living their lives.
Completely unaware of the storm beginning to form.
Stephanie's voice became colder.
“Kevin was humiliated.”
Melissa whispered,
“He was punished.”
Stephanie nodded slowly.
“And someone has to pay for that.”
Melissa felt her stomach tighten.
“Stephanie… don't.”
Stephanie looked at her.
“Don't what?”
“Don't start something you'll regret.”
Stephanie's lips curled into a small smile.
“I'm not starting anything.”
Her eyes moved once more toward the library.
“I'm finishing it.”
Melissa felt a deep sense of dread settle in her chest.
For the first time that day she truly understood something.
This wasn't just anger.
Stephanie was planning something.
And Florence had no idea what was coming.
But she barely felt it.
Her voice came out low.
Almost a growl.
“In some ways…”
She paused.
Then said quietly,
“She isn't wrong.”
Melissa stared at her.
“What?”
Stephanie finally turned toward her.
Her eyes were dark.
“Everything started because of Florence.”
Melissa felt a cold chill run down her spine.
And for the first time that day…
She felt truly afraid.
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