Claiming The Rogue Alpha

DELICIOUS

"Falling for me, princess?"

A warm husky voice said from below me. Something about his tone had me like he genuinely found the situation amusing.

My face went hot as soon as my brain caught up with what was going on. The heat began from my neck crawling upward instantly. Traitor. I squeezed my palms before realising I was still holding on to his shirt then immediately loosened my grip but didn't let go. My hands…just didn't get the memo fast enough.

My gaze met Hunter's golden eyes that were already on me, and that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part of the whole thing is he wasn't even fully upright yet. He was half-sprawled against the lockers, one arm braced behind him looking completely unbothered, like getting crashed into someone was something that happened to him every other Tuesday. Have I mentioned the fact that I'm on him?

I felt my eyes roll so hard it hurt.

Get up, Anya. Stand up. Just —

I got a hang of my body and pushed off him but my sandal caught the edge of my spilled textbook and I went sideways again, my palm slapped against his shoulder to catch myself.

He chuckled, the low rumble vibrated through me.

"If you wanted to feel me baby," he said, "you could've just asked."

"I didn't—" My voice came out higher than I wanted. I cleared my throat. "You almost fell on me."

"And I caught you…Mm." He murmured. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, his expression shifted into something else.

"Smells delicious," he breathed quietly, almost to himself.

My stomach dropped.

If this perfume were as potent as father bragged, I really wish it wouldn't work at the moment. A girl's voice cut through the silence from behind me,

"Ugh. What a slut."

It landed harshly, exactly how she expected it to.

Ouch. I straightened up, that's when I noticed the pairs of eyes on me. My face burned hotter than before, and I crouched to pick the books. The annotated pack law pages had fanned out across the floor.

I squeezed what I could into my bag.

I dragged my gaze over the hallway, noting familiar faces who had seen this happen. Maybel, Tristan, Silver…It stopped at the center of the hall and...

“Ryker.”

My eyes widened like saucers. I looked away immediately, suddenly aware of everything. My hair, oh gosh...I straightened my dress with fidgeting hands.

He was standing about twenty feet away from me, with his arms entwined, his head was in my direction. There were other guys around him, unfamiliar people with scowls on their faces,it looked like they were waiting to finish the fight. Hunter's pack, probably.

He was staring at me.

Omg… he's looking at me.

I lowered my head embarrassed that he'd seen me this way. I looked up again and noticed Minet by his side. She was also looking at me, her mouth curved up on one side in a scowl. I knew that look. It meant she'd push this away and would definitely find a use for it later.

"Attention seeker," someone close by murmured. "God, I hate girls like this." another replied.

I tucked my books against my chest and sped walked away.

"Hey — wait, you—"

I didn't stop, I walked even faster trying to get away as soon as I could.

---

First period, everyone stared.

Not all at once to have me racing home. They moved their heads as I came in, lowering their voices and subtly pointing at me with their lips. I took my seat by the window and opened my notebook to a clean page. I stared at the blank lines hoping they were going to tell me something useful.

Of course they didn't.

The teacher was saying something about isotopes, or isosceles triangles, or something that started with iso — I honestly couldn't tell. My brain had decided that this morning's events were so grand to be looped again and again. It had a thing for Hunter's eyes. The second hand shame I felt each time it replayed was scorching.

It got worse when it got to the scene where my gaze locked in with Rykers. I feel like his eyes were telling me how disappointed he was. What would he see me as now?

I zoned the teacher out and flipped to a new page in annoyance.

The second period was the same thing, people stared at me so much I almost snapped. I sat in the back this time yet people still found a way to make it feel like the front row. I doodled a box in the corner of my notes and then drew smaller boxes inside it until there was no more room and it was just a solid black square.

I was still staring at the black square when the desk beside me scraped back and something heavy landed on my notebook with a crack that made me jump.

I looked up.

“Minet”

She was standing with one hand still resting on the textbook she'd just slammed down, I stared at her perfectly manicured nails, nude pink with the little pointed tips she got done every two weeks without fail. She smiled at me,oh no, he bared her teeth at me. She slid into the seat sideways, one elbow on my desk like it was hers.

"You're taking AP History," she said.

"Hi, Minet."

"So you can add it to your assignment. Mine is unit four, I have to turn it in tomorrow morning." She tapped her nails once against the cover of her own textbook. "Just put it in my locker first thing."

My cousin. The girl who used to steal my Halloween candy when I was seven because she said I "ate too slow". Some things never change…I looked at her in annoyance, and of course I said—

"Sure."

What else was I going to say?

She smiled again, a real one this time, it was quick and almost warm. Typical Minet. The bell rang immediately and she was gone with it. I sat there for a second in the emptying classroom before I remembered I had papers to collect for Professor Hale.

---

The staff quarters reeked of shredded paper and cigarettes. I moved through it quickly, gathered the grading stack from the tray outside Hale's room, and took my time getting back out. I needed the silence. Two minutes of peace without unnecessary scrutinizing gazes.

The way to the cafeteria was noisy, conversations layered over each other, laughter, and even music from a music box. How'd they sneak that in here? And why wasn't anyone doing anything about it.

I pushed through the side door with the papers tucked under my arm and scanned the room for my usual table, the one by the far window that nobody wanted because the radiator made a clicking sound all year round. It also had a clear view of Ryker's spot.

Ryker was at the center table. He was always at the center table, that was the unspoken pack laws, Alphas sat at center and everyone else arranged themselves accordingly. He had one arm slung over the back of his chair, looking so relaxed.

And… Minet was on his lap.

She had her fingers threaded through his hair, she was laughing at something he said with her head bobbing back, Soon she wasn't laughing anymore… because she was kissing him, and he was kissing her back. The whole cafeteria was half-watching and half-pretending not to. I went still, I felt something in my chest go very, very quiet.

I turned around and left.

---

I found a spot behind the school building besides a shed where the gardeners kept their equipment. There was a pavement you could sit on if you didn't mind your leg swinging over the high edge. People hardly ever come here. I sat on the pavement placing one leg on the other side, in case I fell I would have something to hold on to.

Dad will kill me, I whispered to myself. What do I do?, what do I do ?? think Anya…Think!!!

The first tear was embarrassing. I wiped it fast.

Dad will kill me, I whispered again to the dirt.

The second tear dropped and I swiped it off pretending like it didn't happen. I missed the third one by a second and it slipped off my jaw to my lap. Then the next, and another one I didn't bother trying to hold it in anymore. What was the point?

My chest was hurting, and it was worsening by the second. I can't breathe,I coughed hoping to catch my breath, but nothing. I feel like I am being sat on.

What did I do wrong? Where did I go wrong? I had been careful. So careful. I did everything the Reddit guide had suggested, fathers ridiculous demands, I put myself out there.

And Minet… Minet… why couldn't she just let me have this. She didn't need any of it, she is already three pack ranks above me. Must she continuously prove to me that I was nothing and she could have everything I wanted on a whim?. She could live without all this.

I let the plug out, I wailed the ugly way. That way you only let yourself cry when you're alone and you're sure nobody can hear. I pressed my palm on my lips trying to suppress the wails leaving my throat. My eyes stung, everything went blurry. The concrete edge dug into the back of my thighs but I didn't bother moving. I deserve the pain.

You're pathetic, The voice in my head began.

I chuckled this time, she's right. I know I replied. Let me finish.

If only you would just–

Snap.

Something cracked in the trees.

My head snapped up so fast I feared it might be broken. The woods are a stone's throw from where I'm seated and everyone avoided like a plague. I guess I am about to find out why.

Huff.

I heard another sound. Oh… I know that sound.

My blood went cold, I could hear the leaves rustling. I wiped my face with the back of my palm, moving my gaze around. I noticed how still the trees were . Too still actually. Even the birds that had been chattering loudly.

Suddenly, my instinct began screaming at me. "Look left Look left."

I shifted my gaze and met with a pair of beautiful blue eyes.