Chapter 5
1085 Words
ADAH'S POV
I guided Angela away from the crowd, her blue-stained shoulders shaking with humiliation.
"I can't believe this," she sobbed, wiping paint from her eyes. "Who would do something like that?"
I bit back a smile. "No idea. What terrible luck."
Before I could say more, strong arms grabbed me from behind, yanking me backward. The familiar scent of bergamot and arrogance hit my nose—Kayden Castillo.
"What the hell?" he growled against my ear. "Where were you? I was waiting—"
Acting on pure instinct and three days' worth of rage over my "accident," I slammed my heel down onto his foot and twisted, driving my elbow hard into his stomach. As he doubled over, I brought my knee up sharply between his legs.
Kayden dropped like a stone, a strangled howl escaping his lips.
"Help!" I screamed, rushing back to Angela's side. "Someone help! He tried to attack us!"
Angela stared at me, wide-eyed and confused. "What? He didn't—"
"Are you okay?" I cut her off, grabbing her paint-covered hands. "Did he hurt you before I got there? Oh god, he was hiding, waiting for us!"
Students came running from every direction, phones already recording. Angela opened her mouth, but I squeezed her hands painfully tight.
"You're in shock," I said loudly. "She's in shock! He ambushed us behind the restrooms!"
"That's not—" Angela tried again.
"It's okay," I soothed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You don't have to be brave. Everyone saw what happened."
By now, a small crowd had gathered around us, with Kayden still on the ground clutching himself. Someone pushed through—Hayden Castillo, his face twisting from confusion to fury as he took in the scene.
"What the hell happened?" he demanded.
"Your brother," I said, voice trembling with manufactured fear, "he was hiding behind the restrooms. He grabbed me and—" I let my voice break, tears filling my eyes. "If I hadn't fought back..."
Angela stood frozen beside me, paint dripping from her hair, caught in a trap of her own making. If she told the truth now, she'd have to explain why she'd led me there in the first place.
Hayden's eyes darkened as he turned to his brother. "You did what?"
"She's lying," Kayden spat, struggling to his feet. "Angela set it up—"
But Hayden wasn't listening. With a roar, he launched himself at his brother, tackling him back to the ground. They rolled in the dirt, fists flying, curses echoing across the field.
"We should go," I whispered to Angela. "You need to get cleaned up."
She nodded mutely, shellshocked, as I led her away from the chaotic scene. Behind us, teachers were rushing to break up the fight, whistles blowing, students cheering.
I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. After days of being their victim, watching them turn on each other felt like sweet justice.
"What's so funny?" Angela asked dully as we walked back to the dorms.
"Nothing," I said. "Just thinking about how quickly things can change."
Back at our dorm, Angela disappeared into the bathroom while I sprawled across my bed, adrenaline still coursing through my veins. My phone buzzed with a message from the underground training facility I'd contacted after Ms. Carter's funeral.
Training starts tomorrow night. Warehouse district, Building 47. Come ready to work. - M
I stared at the message, determination hardening in my chest. The Castillo brothers thought they could break me, push me around, maybe even kill me like they had Ms. Carter. They had no idea what was coming.
The bathroom door was still closed, shower running behind it. Angela would be a while, scrubbing blue paint from every crevice. I pulled out my laptop and started researching everything I could about the Castillo family's business dealings, their connections, their weaknesses.
If I was going to bring them down, I needed to know exactly who I was fighting.
Morning sunlight streamed through the blinds, jolting me awake. I'd slept through the night in my clothes, my phone still clutched in my hand.
Angela's bed was empty, already made. The clock read 7:45—fifteen minutes until first class.
"s**t!" I scrambled up, grabbing fresh clothes and darting into the bathroom. Five minutes later, I was racing across campus, hair still damp, uniform slightly rumpled.
I rounded the corner of the science building and slammed straight into not one, but four solid bodies.
The Castillo brothers. All of them, minus Kayden.
"Watch it, Omega," Rayden sneered, stepping deliberately into my path as I tried to move around them.
"Move," I said flatly.
"Or what?" Jayden laughed. "You'll scream harassment again? That was quite the performance yesterday."
Zayden leaned in closer. "Did you really think you could pit us against each other? We know Kayden didn't touch you. Just like we know Angela didn't set that paint trap."
My heart raced, but I kept my expression bored. "I'm going to be late. Move."
"You should be scared right now," Hayden growled. "Very, very scared."
Something in me snapped. I'd been scared of them before—let their intimidation rule my life. Look where that got me. Dead on the pavement.
"You're right," I said loudly—very loudly. "I should be scared!"
Heads turned our way. Perfect.
"For the last time," I shouted, backing away dramatically, "I am NOT interested in dating ANY of you! Stop following me around campus!"
Gasps and giggles erupted from the growing crowd of students. The brothers stood frozen, eyes wide with shock.
"What the—" Rayden started.
"PLEASE," I continued, hand over my heart, "This is embarrassing for all of us! I'm flattered, really, but four brothers fighting over one girl? It's too much!"
The laughter grew louder. Someone whistled.
"She's lying!" Zayden hissed, his face reddening. "We weren't—"
"Now they're denying it," I stage-whispered to a nearby girl, who giggled behind her hand. "So awkward."
Jayden stepped forward, fury radiating from him. "You think you're clever, don't you? Playing these games?"
"She's not playing anything," Hayden said suddenly, his voice cutting through the laughter. His eyes locked on mine, something strange and calculating in their depths. "She's our mate."
The words hit me like a physical blow. The crowd fell silent.
"W-what?" I stammered.
"Our mate," Rayden repeated, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face as he caught on. "All of us. One little omega for four alpha wolves."
- Writer
