Nyra barely slept.

She tossed and turned through the night, the ache between her legs a constant reminder, and her wolf purring in sadness a constant reminder of Adrian’s body on hers.

And when exhaustion finally dragged her under near dawn, nightmares took over. Anna, the names people would throw at her, the way Adrian had picked someone else.

Nyra wakes with a jerk, her heart pounding. "Today’s going to be hell," she mutters under her breath as she shoves the covers off.

Of course, the condo is empty. Adrian hadn’t come home last night.

The realization makes her chest ache, but she pretends not to notice, convincing herself that the hollow ache in her chest is just exhaustion as she drags herself to the bathroom.

She gasps when she looks in the mirror. There are so many dark hickeys blooming across her neck and collarbone. She lets the robe fall off to fully trace every mark, every bruise. There were grip marks and hickeys lining her hips and thighs.

She sighs, ignoring the stinging as she washes her body under warm water.

After, Nyra spends the next twenty minutes carefully layering concealer and setting powder, but even then, a few of the marks were still faintly visible.

She sighs and pulls on an old thick hoodie she had thrifted a few months ago, despite the warm morning air.

She leaves her sandy-brown hair down today, hoping it could cover what the makeup couldn’t.

Armor. She needs every layer today.

Her phone is next. As she finally turns it on, it instantly starts buzzing--hundreds of hate comments, tags, and shares of Anna’s live.

Congratulations to her for having her ’tragic disvirgining’ broadcasted for everyone in Moon-Crest to see.

Somehow, the academy management had managed to take down the video from their page, but it was useless.

It’s already shared on some of the students’ pages.

Nyra’s heart sinks, but she forces steady breaths. She had a Pack History test today; skipping wasn’t even an option.

-

The moment she steps onto campus, the stares hit like physical blows. Students stop talking mid-conversation, some openly continue to whisper, while the bolder ones instantly take their phones out and start recording her.

Some of her packmates even purposely bump her shoulder as she hurries down the main hallway.

Nyra just ignores them, too tired to get into a confrontation with anyone so early in the morning.

And she almost succeeds in getting to the first class unscathed, until three popular girls block the hallway just before her classroom.

She instantly recognizes them. Anna wannabes.

They dress like her, always whining about the pretty senior who was supposed to become the future Luna.

Nyra already expects trouble the moment she sees them there so she tries to pass the other side, but they still block her.

"Move!"

The leader, a tall beta named Claire with perfectly styled hair, steps forward first.

"I’m surprised you even showed up today." Claire muses loudly enough for the other students in the hallways to hear. "How does it feel knowing you ruined your sister’s relationship?"

"No, she didn’t," the second one, Trina, mumbles, holding out her phone. "Anna and Adrian just posted a picture together in the senior building--see."

Good for them then. Because now she’s stuck dealing with their mess.

Nyra tries to push past her, but they block her again. "Even spreading your legs for him couldn’t make him choose you. How pathetic..."

The comment stings. Because even though they didn’t know the full story, this part is true.

She doesn’t let the sting show, still glaring at them. "Learn to mind your own business, will you?"

"And what if we don’t!?" Claire smirks before tugging her hood back.

"Oops."

The concealer and hair hid most, but two fresh hickeys still showed near her collarbone.

Claire snaps a quick picture, quickly posting it on her page. "Anna is going to love this!"

Meanwhile, even more students gathered around them to see for themselves if the rumors are true.

Nyra yanks the hoodie back up angrily. "I said leave me alone," she says, pushing Claire’s hand away. "You don’t even know what happened."

"Oh, we know enough," Trina sneers, stepping closer. "Anna showed everyone. You’re just a desperate slut who thought fucking the Alpha heir would make you Luna. Newsflash--he’ll never choose you over his real girlfriend."

Nyra feels her tear glands acting up, but she refuses to let the fall. She didn’t endure all those years of bullying just to cry in front of these plastic girls.

She raises her hand to push them away again when Julian’s deep voice slices through the noise.

"Back away from her."

He appears beside her, dark hair slightly tousled. The girls hesitate, recognizing the new transfer student from a powerful family.

Julian instantly steps between them.

"I said move. Now."

The girls throw insults at both of them, but step aside reluctantly under the weight of Julian’s Alpha authority.

Julian turns to her. "You okay?" he asks in a voice only she can hear. "And why did you ignore my calls?"

Nyra looks up at him, the knot in her chest loosening just a fraction. She had thought he would stop hanging out with her, not wanting to be part of her mess.

But apparently not....

She feels guilty for judging him like that. "Sorry. I was..." She swallows. "...I just needed space."

He sighs and nods. "I was worried something happened. Just tell me next time if you don’t want to talk, okay?"

Claire who is still watching them from the corner, folds her hand and starts laughing, nudging Trina beside her.

"She’s so desperate. She couldn’t get Adrian to like her, do now she’s clinging to the new rich Alpha instead!"

Julian kisses his teeth, arching his shoulders to look more intimidating. "Keep talking. I dare you!"

"Whatever," Claire rolls her eyes. "If you want to hang out with the wolfless girl, that’s your problem."

"Exactly!" Julian retorts angrily. "It’s not your problem, so why do you keep-"

Before it can escalate again, the bell rings, shattering the moment.

Students mumble in disappointment, already drifting back toward their classrooms.

Julian flashes Nyra a gentle smile. "We’ll talk later, okay? I have social science first."

Nyra manages a small nod, " See you later, and thank you." She waves back, finally making it to class without anymore drama.

--

Across campus however, in the senior building, trouble is already brewing.

Adrian sits in the senior lounge, watching his friends play pingpong.

He’d managed to calm Anna down last night, but she’s been snappy at him all morning. More so, his phone hasn’t stopped blowing up since yesterday. It’s infuriating.

His friends are arguing with John over some foul move, when Jason comes through the door of the lounge.

He’s been pissed at him since this morning for whatever reason that Adrian doesn’t want to dig into right now.

"There’s someone here to see you." He says colly, brushing past Adrian toward the rest of the group.

Adrian already knows who it is. He opens the door, letting the junior beta in.

"What’s the update?"

"They’re still together." The boy reports quickly. "He even defended her this morning."

Adrian scowls at the news, but drops still a few bills into his hand as agreed.

"Do I continue watching her?" The shorter boy asks.

Adrian doesn’t hesitate, "Yeah. But nobody can know."

The boy nods and turns away, counting the few bills happily.

Adrian watches him go with a scowl, pulling out the Black Card he’d picked up from his mother morning for Nyra.

Seems like he is going to have to see her again.