Chapter 4 Balls And Mates

• Bella:
• The day of the mating ball had arrived, and the school was abuzz with a mix of nerves and excitement. I lay sprawled on my bed, music blasting through my headphones to drown out the rest of the world—particularly Ryder and Fae’s incessant make-out sessions on his bed.
• I wasn’t just battling the heartache of my mate being with someone else; I was also swamped with school work, having transferred mid-semester. To top it all off, the entire school despised me, so the ball was the last thing on my mind.
• When my aching heart stopped, I knew they had finished, so I took off my earpiece and got to my feet.
• I needed to get away to breathe, so I went to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water, and Fae appeared, smug as ever.
• “You might want to start looking for another place,” she sneered. “After tonight, Ryder will officially be mine, and as the future Luna, I cannot have you around.”
• Her words stung, but I held back my response. “Thanks for not gracing the ball with your presence,” she added, her taunts relentless.
• Before I could respond, a knock interrupted us.
• A porter stood at the door, holding a large box. “Delivery for Ms. Bella Runestone,” she announced.
• Inside was a dress from Alpha Fredrick, along with a note to meet him. Fae’s eyes narrowed with envy, but I didn’t waste time.
• I didn’t waste a moment meeting the alpha.
• There in the reception, Alpha Fredrick was waiting with a necklace in hand.
• “This will help you blend in tonight,” he said, handing it over to me. “It will suppress your vampire side.” he added, and I forced a smile on my face.
• “Thank you,” I muttered, returning to the room to unbox my dress.
• The dress was a golden masterpiece, and for the first time, I felt a flicker of excitement about the ball. I texted Hazel, and she told me exactly where to find her, so I hurriedly dressed up and headed to the ballroom.
• **
• The ballroom was a whirlwind of colors and sounds. I spotted Fae, her dress shimmering obnoxiously.
• She floated over, her words dripping with fake sweetness.
• “I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said. “Your dress is… surprising. Almost better than mine,” she said, and I scoffed with an eye roll.
• I ignored her, scanning the room for Hazel, and the moment I saw her, I bolted towards her. But I didn’t go too far when the spotlight hit me, and the room fell silent.
• My dress, under the harsh lights, was revealing, and my hello kitty underwear was everywhere with phones flickering in my face. My heart raced as I wondered why Alph Fredrick would want to humiliate me in the presence of the entire school.
• Then I looked up to see the triplets, standing with Fae and her minions, holding the missing lining of my dress, their grins wide and malicious.
• “I think you dropped this,” she said, tossing it in my face.
• Kai blocked Hazel’s concerned face, and I felt the rage building inside me.
• My fangs threatened to show. In a swift motion, I clasped the necklace around my neck, and the laughter from the triplets ceased, replaced by a possessive growl.
• “Mate!” They echoed, and I paused briefly to see the glow in their eyes.
• I didn’t wait for Fae’s reaction. I pushed through the crowd, the necklace’s weight a reminder of who I was and what I had to hide. Outside, I ripped it off, my vampire fighting its way to the surface.
• Alpha Fredrick arrived just in time, and I saw my mother get out of his car with him.
• I glanced at them with a subtle glow in my eyes.
• “Bella,” my mother called out.
• But I was already gone, scaling the building with ease, leaving them—and their betrayal far behind
• “Where is Bella?” Ryder’s voice was frantic.
• “Will someone tell me what the hell is going on here?” Alpha Fredrick asked. “What did you do, Ryder?”
• “This isn’t the time to push blame, because Bella is my mate and I need to find her!”
• “Our mate!” the twins growled.
• As the tension in the air thickened, I stood atop the building. The triplets below were a mix of confusion and concern, their scents mingling with the cool breeze.
• My heart raced from the betrayal as my mind replayed the evening’s humiliations, the laughter of her peers, and the sting of the spotlight.
• My wolf fought hard to regain control, creating turmoil in my mind. I was lost in thought that I didn’t notice Fae approaching from behind. Before I could tell, she pushed me, but my vampire reflexes were fast, causing me to grab the railing on the roof.
• “That won’t save you, Bella. You think you can waltz into this school, and steal what is mine? I see the way Ryder has been over you since you arrived, and now, this.” She shook her head.
• "Please, Fae, you do not want to do this. You can have Ryder, and I will reject him if you want, please.”
• “Like that will happen under the alphas watch. It ends tonight, and right now,” she said, stepping on my fingers, causing me to slip off the railing.
• In the twinkle of an eye, I was falling freely from the tip of the roof. Time seemed to have slowed but in reality, I was falling very fast.
• I could save myself. I knew that, but that would be in exchange of everyone finding out my secret. Mother’s words rang in my ears, and as I thought of the fact, I would be staked to death, I bit myself quickly, storing part of my vamp blood in my mouth before switching to my wolf.
• The triplet sensed something wrong, and they turned in my direction at once.
• “Bella!” They echoed, rushing to my aid, but they were too late.
• I allowed myself to fall to the hard, rocky ground in human form. I felt the air being knocked out of my lungs and a hundred bones in my body breaking. I shut my vampire side.
• “Ouch!” The triplets exclaimed at once.
• Panic surged in as I heard my mom calling for an ambulance while my vision began to blurred, and I slowly lost consciousness.
• “Bella, please don’t die. We promise never to mistreat you again,” Ryder said, holding my hands, but my body paled out and I slowly lost consciousness.
• Seeing the triplets plead didn’t make me feel better. It increased my drive for revenge, because it took almost dying for them to recognize my worth.
• The moment I was wheeled into an ambulance, I swallowed my blood, which healed me while I feigned being passed out, thinking of the best way to make the triplets pay for their sins.
• The first thing on my mind was rejection, and now that I had the power to make them suffer, I was determined not to hold back.