The Bully Alpha's Defiant Slave

Sandi I was sitting in math class, eyes glued to the problem on the board, my mind drifting far away. The empty seat beside me felt like an accusation—Lindsay was usually there, chatting or joking around. But today, the chair was vacant, and it was teasing me, distracting me from the numbers and symbols that were supposed to make sense. "Is there a problem, Sandi?" Mr. Lewis's voice cut through my thoughts, pulling my gaze up to meet his patient but firm stare. I blinked, startled. "No, Sir." He nodded, eyes narrowing slightly. "Well, in that case, I suggest you focus on the work I’ve assigned." I turned back to my notebook, trying to concentrate. But my thoughts kept drifting back to that empty seat and Lindsay—the way she’d been acting all morning. The moment later, the seat beside me was abruptly yanked out, and Lindsay plopped down with a loud thud, her chubby cheeks glowing with excitement. "Boy, do I have something to tell you," she whispered, leaning in so close I could see her tiny, eager smile. I raised an eyebrow, curious. "Uh, okay. I haven't seen you this excited since they put cheesecake on the cafeteria menu." She giggled, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, no—this is way bigger. It’s... ginormous. Like, huge." I leaned in, my curiosity piqued. "So, what is it?" "Last night, I—" Her words were cut off by Mr. Lewis’s booming voice. "Girls! Silence! More work, less chatter. Geez, anyone would think a silent classroom was too much to ask for." I sighed and turned my attention back to my notebook, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever Lindsay was about to say was something major. Her excitement was practically radiating off her. When the bell finally rang, I hurriedly gathered my books. Lindsay did the same, and I watched in fascination as she struggled to hoist her chunky body out of her chair. Once she was on her feet, she waddled out of the classroom, and I followed silently behind her. We headed to our lockers, tossing our books inside. As I moved toward the cafeteria, Lindsay suddenly grabbed my wrist, stopping me cold. "No. No," she said hurriedly, tugging me outside. "Come with me." I followed, curious and a little wary, as she led me across the school grounds to the farthest table from the building. She plopped down and gestured for me to sit across from her, her face lit up with such excitement I wondered what had her so fired up. "So... what’s going on?" I asked carefully. Lindsay took a deep breath, her cheeks flushed. "Last night, I overheard my parents talking. They were so loud, I couldn’t help but listen. And, Sandi... it was about werewolves." My eyebrows shot up. "Werewolves? Like the storybook creatures?" She nodded eagerly. "They’re real. That’s what they were talking about." I blinked, confused. "Lindsay, you know those are just legends, right? Stories people tell around campfires?" She shook her head quickly. "No, no. They’re not just stories. They really exist. I swear." I looked at her, trying to process this. "Okay, but—how do you know? Maybe they were talking about a movie or something." She leaned in closer, eyes gleaming. "My dad said that every year, werewolves pick a girl from the graduating class. Just one. The families of those girls pretend they’ve gone off to college or started new jobs, but... they never come back. It’s like a secret." I stared at her, trying to keep my skepticism in check. "Lindsay, that sounds like some wild story. If werewolves were real—" She cut me off, her voice intense. "They’re not just stories. They’re real. And if they are, it’s a huge deal." I shook my head. "Lindsay, come on. If werewolves really existed, they’d be savage, terrifying monsters. They’d hunt, kill, and eat like animals—" "Exactly!" she interrupted, eyes wide. "That’s what makes it so awesome. Can you imagine? Being around something so powerful?" I hesitated. "But they’re killers, Lindsay. Haven’t you seen horror movies or read books? They’re dangerous, not cool." She waved a dismissive hand. "Horror movies are just stories. But if there’s even a chance that they’re real... it’s incredible." I looked at her, part amused, part worried. "Honestly? If they’re real, I think that’s a curse, not some exciting adventure. The bones shattering, the transformation—painful beyond belief. And once they shift, they lose all human control. They become wild animals." Lindsay’s gaze locked onto mine, unwavering. "They’re real, Sandi. My parents said so." I hesitated, feeling my skepticism battling her conviction. "Lindsay, I don’t know. It sounds crazy." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It’s not just a story. I know what I overheard. And I want you to believe me." She paused, then added softly, "If you really don't believe me, maybe you should ask my parents yourself." My heart pounded a little faster. "Lindsay..." She stood up abruptly, determination in her eyes. "Come on. Are you coming or not?" Feeling caught between doubt and curiosity, I nodded slowly. Together, we headed toward her car in the parking lot, the weight of her secret hanging heavy in the air.