Two
1185 Words
Raiden
I watched Kate scurried away like a rabbit, but for some reason I didn't feel the thrill I usually get from tormenting her. Grabbing my backpack, I met up with Sera and our friends out front, and we decided to head to the cafe down the street.
As we walked, the conversation turned to the upcoming exams.
"Ugh, I can't believe finals are already next week," Sera groaned. "I'm so not ready."
"Me neither," her friend Kara agreed. "So much cramming to do."
"Well, after exams are done, it'll be time to party!" our buddy Liam said excitedly. "Graduation is right around the corner."
At the mention of graduation, I perked up. "Oh yeah, we definitely need to throw a rager before the main event," I said. An epic party at my house was just what we needed to kick off the official summer break.
Sera nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely! Your parties are always insane, Raiden."
The others chimed in with agreement. I grinned, my mind already whirling with ideas.
We arrived at the cafe and grabbed a booth. Once we had our drinks and a giant plate of fries to share, the conversation inevitably turned to the day's highlight - humiliating the loser wolfless girl, Kate.
They all took turns gleefully recounting what they had done to her that day. Tripping her in class, taking her stuff, the old classic dumping juice on her. I mostly just listened and laughed along while munching on fries.
Sure, I used to mess with her sometimes too back when we were in school together. But that was just kid stuff, bored bullies looking for any easy target. Now Kate was Sera and the other's favorite chew toy, while I had mostly grown bored of the old routine.
"Ugh, she's so pathetic, it's almost sad," Sera was saying now, wrinkling her nose. "Like, just shift already and stop being such a freak!"
The others muttered in agreement and disgust. I stayed silent, focusing on stealing the last few fries.
"We definitely need to prank her one last epic time before graduation," Kara said with an almost manic glint in her eyes.
Sera's eyes lit up. "Oooh yes! We should totally invite her to Raiden's party and completely humiliate her."
I swallowed my mouthful of fries and finally spoke up, frowning skeptically. "I don't know...she'll probably be too scared to even show up."
But Sera was already warming up to the idea, an evil grin spreading across her face. "Not if we really convince her that we want her there. We'll pretend to be nice and welcoming and stuff. Then she'll think she's finally being accepted."
The grin turned positively wolfish. "Here's what we'll do - we'll hire one of those male escorts to seduce her at the party. He can pretend to be interested in her, get her wasted and then sleep with her! It will be sooo embarrassing when everyone finds out."
Sera and the others cackled with wicked delight at this idea. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Something about this prank felt different, darker somehow. More sinister.
Sure, Kate was an annoying, mousy loser with no wolf. But tricking her into losing her virginity with a stranger, just to laugh about it later? That seemed beyond messed up. Like...illegal messed up.
But as I glanced around at my friends' eager faces, I knew there was no way I could admit my hesitations aloud. Sera would ridicule me as a sympathizer. The others would question my loyalty. And there was no way I would risk damaging my rep as the cool, reckless party boy alpha.
So I swallowed my doubts and made myself smirk. "Alright, let's do it! This will be epic."
The table erupted into devilish laughter again. I forced out a chuckle and snatched another fry to distract myself.
"This is perfect!" Sera declared. "Obviously none of us can give her the invite. So you'll have to do it, Raiden."
I froze mid-chew. Crap. I should have seen that coming.
They all turned expectant eyes on me. With no way to refuse without looking suspicious, I sighed and nodded.
"Yeah alright, I can pass her the invite tomorrow after class."
The group whooped and high-fived. I pasted a cocky grin on my face, ignoring the knot in my gut.
We hung out a while longer, tossing around more party ideas. But my smile felt strained and the fries sat heavy in my stomach. I kept picturing the wary, resigned look Kate always wore, and imagining her trusting hope if I pretended to be nice...
Mercifully, the conversation eventually shifted to other topics and I could tune out. I laughed and joked on autopilot, acting the part. But I felt no excitement about the upcoming party or prank. Only dread.
What was wrong with me? This was supposed to be a legendary night we'd remember forever. But I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that it was a mistake.
After we finally split up for the evening, I decided to clear my head with a patrol run. Being the Alpha's son meant I helped keep an eye on our territory boundaries. As I loped through the shadowy woods, the familiar earthy scents and solitude soothed my restless mind.
By the time I returned home, I had made an uneasy peace with my task for tomorrow. I would pass Kate the invite, sure. But I wouldn't pretend to be nice. I'd make sure she knew she shouldn't come. That way if she did, it was on her. I could walk away with a clean conscience.
Satisfied with this compromise, I was able to push the situation from my mind and get some sleep.
The next afternoon after my classes ended, I swung by the high school. I spotted Kate at her locker, looking skinny and skittish as ever. Taking a breath, I sauntered over.
"Hey," I muttered, shoving the party invite at her.
She blinked those wide doe eyes at me in confusion as she took it. I crossed my arms and leaned against the lockers, affecting a bored look.
"We're having a party this weekend. You can come if you want." I shrugged. "Or don't. Up to you."
I kept my tone and body language closed off and indifferent. Her eyes searched my face warily, like she was trying to detect some trick. Smart girl.
"Um, thanks," she finally mumbled uncertainly.
I just grunted and pushed off the lockers. "See ya around." I walked away without looking back, shoving down the nagging guilt. I had given her a fair warning, I told myself. What she chose to do now was on her.
But even as I repeatsd that logic in my head, I had a sinking feeling I was failing some important test of character. That I was abandoning her to the wolves, so to speak.
I could only hope that common sense would prevail and she'd stay far away from the party. But if she didn't, what happened next would be on my head. And I wasn't sure I was ready to carry that burden.
- Writer
