The Bully Alpha's Defiant Slave

Chapter 10

**Sandi**

As soon as we stepped inside our house, the phone shrilled sharply, slicing through the quiet. My father was already in the kitchen, answering it in a low, cautious voice. I watched him intently, unable to hear the words, but I could tell from his expression—frowning, eyes flickering with confusion—that whatever was on the other end wasn’t good.

My mother and I exchanged uneasy glances. She seemed just as anxious, her brow creased as she observed him. When he finally hung up, he turned and looked at her, his face grim.

“So, apparently, we’re supposed to take Sandi to the school assembly hall tomorrow morning,” he said slowly, voice strained. “There’s going to be an announcement for the graduates… in the auditorium.”

“What? Why?” my mother’s voice cracked, her brows knitting tighter. “She’s already graduated. There’s no reason for her to go back to school now.”

“I know,” my father admitted, rubbing his forehead. “I’m just as confused as you are. They didn’t tell us why—just that we need to be there.”

My stomach clenched as I looked from him to my mother. “Do you guys know anything about this?” I asked, feeling a strange knot tighten in my chest.

They both hesitated. I could see the worry in their eyes, but I knew I couldn’t tell them the truth—that this might be about the werewolves, or something even darker. So I shrugged, forcing a calm tone. “Honestly, I have no idea. I thought we were done with school, done with all the staff and functions.”

They believed me. I saw it in their faces, the way their shoulders relaxed just a little.

My mother’s voice was sharp with concern. “What if we don’t go tomorrow? What’s the worst they could do?”

My heart pounded. I squeezed my fists, hoping he’d say they couldn’t do anything. “We don’t even know why they want to see her,” she added desperately. “What if it’s some kind of trap? An ambush?”

My father’s brow furrowed as he looked at her, trying to dismiss her fears. “We don’t even know why they’re calling us back there. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe just a routine thing.”

“Nothing?” my mother snapped. “That’s what you say, but I can feel it—that gnawing feeling in my gut. If we go there, if they take her—if they take her away from us—who knows what’ll happen? They could throw us in prison, or worse.”

I stepped forward, trying to calm her. “Mom—”

“No! No,” she cut me off, clutching my shoulders. “This is wrong. I can feel it. We’re about to lose her forever, and I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

Her tears welled up, spilling over as she clung to me tightly. “I know I’m overreacting, but I can’t help it. I just… I feel it. If we go tomorrow, she’ll be taken—away, forever.”

I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her trembling. “Mom, I’m not going anywhere. I promise. Just relax, okay?”

But she shook her head fiercely. “Relax? How can I relax? I need to stay one step ahead. I need to keep you safe. That’s all I care about.”

I looked into her eyes, trying to be the voice of reason. “Let’s just wait and see what happens. We don’t have all the answers yet.”

Her voice was frantic. “No, we can’t risk it. This could be a trap. They might be waiting to snatch her up, just like that. We could lose her forever, and I—”

“Mom, stop,” I said softly. “We’ll figure it out. We just need to stay calm.”

She glared at my father, tears in her eyes. “You see? That’s what I mean. You don’t understand. This is bigger than us. I can feel it—I know this isn’t over.”

My father sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Look, I get it. But we can’t go into panic mode. We’ll go to the assembly tomorrow, find out what’s happening, and then we’ll decide what to do next. We have to face it, one way or another.”

Her voice cracked with desperation. “It’s not just about facing it. I know they’re hiding something. I feel it in my bones. If she goes there tomorrow… I just know we’ll never see her again.”

I gently pulled her into a hug, trying to offer comfort. “Mom, I’ll be okay. We’ll get through this.”

She clung to me, her voice trembling. “No! I can’t lose her. I won’t.”

My heart ached. I knew she was right—something about this was wrong. But I also knew I had to stay strong. Whatever was waiting for us at that assembly hall, I had to face it. For her, for my family.

“Let’s just get some rest,” I said softly. “Tomorrow will tell us everything.”

She nodded painfully, still clutching me tightly.

As I left the room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t over yet. Whatever they had planned, I knew it was going to change everything.