Chapter 6 A Walking Disaster

• Seren’s POV
• The topic in school today is the huge party the Alpha is throwing this weekend at the estate. It’s supposed to be some sort of engagement party for him and my mom and Alpha Thorne wants to officially introduce my mother and I as new members of the crimson moon pack. No matter how much I protested he was adamant. He said it’s tradition so it just has to be done and now everyone in school knows I’m the new girl, Kael’s step sister. They haven’t stopped staring at me.
• It’s just too much. I sit in the cafeteria on a small table with Kevin and Karlee, playing with my food as thoughts of Kael flood my mind. I woke up this morning to a new phone in front of my door.
• There was a small card with the word: ‘sorry’ written in elegant handwriting. I can’t believe Kael got me a new phone. He even went through the trouble of putting in a new sim and some of the basic applications every teenager uses. I haven’t gotten the chance to thank him for it and I don’t even know if I should. It’s his fault my phone fell in the pool in the first place.
• Why did he even go through the trouble of getting me a new phone? Everything about him is confusing. First, he chokes me, then he defends me from his mate, he pulls me into a pool with him and now he apologizes and gets me a new phone?
• I can’t logically explain any of our interactions. We were so close last night and for a moment I think I saw a crack in his demeanor, like he was actually about to open up to me, but in seconds he put up all his walls again and walked away.
• I just don’t understand him.
• “So, are you excited about the party this weekend Seren?” Karlee asks, taking me out of my trance. I glance at Kevin and I notice that he hasn’t stopped staring at me since I got to school today. Kevin is quiet and hard to read, he doesn’t talk much. I guess his twin Karlee took all the talent in that department.
• “Not really. It’s just… a lot you know? Everyone’s staring and I don’t really appreciate the attention.”
• “Well, of course they’re staring. This is a huge deal. The alpha has been celibate for the longest time. The rumor is many women from the pack tried to seduce him but he was disinterested, closed off you know? I mean after a while everyone just started accepting that Alpha Thorne would never remarry, and then here comes you and your mother and everyone is shocked you know? No one knew the alpha was dating again.” Karlee explains.
• “Yeah, I get it. I haven’t belonged to a pack in so long that I forgot how much everyone worships the alpha. It’s the comments I can’t stand. People can be so mean. I’ve heard some people call my mom a gold digger. I heard some students whispering to themselves in class today, saying my mom and I are probably spies from a rival pack. I mean seriously, we’ll never be accepted into the pack so I just think the party is useless.”
• Karlee gives me an apologetic look. “Well fuck them. They’re just intimidated by you because you have what so many students here can only dream of. You’re the Alpha’s new step daughter and you get to live in the same house with Kael.”
• She giggles at her last statement and I roll my eyes at her. It has become very clear to me that everyone in this school worships Kael. I mean he’s good at everything. He’s the captain of the school’s football team. He aces all his exams and he’s hot. Every single girl swoons over him like he’s a god.
• Despite the fact that everyone knows Ayla is his mate and she follows him around everywhere, it doesn’t stop the students from staring and admiring Kael.
• “That's gross, Karlee. Seren and Kael are basically siblings now," Kevin interjects, and my brows shoot up at the unexpected richness of his voice. I stare a moment too long, noticing how his dark hair falls over his eyes, the casual way he leans back, a muscled arm resting on the table, fork in hand. My gaze meets his, and he's already looking at me. He doesn't avert his eyes; instead, he holds my gaze and, to my surprise, winks. My cheeks flush, and I awkwardly smile, refocusing on my food. He’s really hot.
• Oh, please," Karlee scoffs, oblivious to the silent exchange. She shoves a forkful of fries into her mouth. "They're not related, and honestly, Seren and Kael have had more chemistry in a few days than he's had with his own mate! I still can't get over that parking lot incident! The way Seren smacked the crap out of him, and then he stopped Ayla from hurting Seren? So satisfying. It's about time someone put Ayla in her place."
• "What? Kael and I do not have chemistry. He's a big jerk," I retort.
• "Well, that's how all great love stories start," Karlee laughs. "First they swear they hate each other, and then suddenly, they can't keep their hands to themselves."
• "Ignore her," Kevin cuts in. "She pairs everyone with Kael except his actual mate. She has a personal vendetta against Ayla."
• "Well, because she's a bitch! She bullies anyone who doesn't do what she wants and acts like she's better than everyone else. She's not kind. A Luna should be kind, you know? Which is why I think Seren should be Kael's Luna! I mean, he already proved his undying love for you by defending you against his mate—even after you smacked him in the face!" Karlee says it playfully; I know she's just joking. In the short time I've known her, I've realized she's a total joker.
• But as the words leave her lips, I look up. Ayla stands about three meters from our table, radiating pure fury. The hatred she emanates is palpable, instantly felt by Karlee and Kevin, who both stiffen and look her way. The entire cafeteria seems to sense it too, falling silent as Ayla stomps towards our table. It’s no secret that she heard what Karlee just said.
• "What did you just say?" Ayla snarls, slamming her hand down on our table, sending food scattering. Two other girls, her minions by the way they stand with folded arms and scowls, lurk behind her.
• Kevin sighs. "Not one day of peace in this school. A guy can't even eat in peace anymore?"
• "Stay out of this, Kevin!" Ayla snaps. "This is between me and these two bitches you're sitting with. I believe I just heard your stupid twin utter a very treasonous statement about me and Kael."
• Karlee doesn't back down. She stands, facing Ayla head-on. "You're disrupting our lunch, Ayla. Is this because I said Seren should be Kael's Luna? I mean, I'm not wrong, am I? He defended her from you, and come on, everyone knows Kael hasn't made any statements about when he's going to give you the mark. People are saying maybe he doesn't even want to give it to you. Are you sure he even wants you, or are you too blind from how much you follow him around like a lost puppy? Just because you're his mate doesn't mean he loves you, you know."
• My eyes widen in shock. Karlee told me she despises Ayla because Ayla used to bully her when they were younger, even once giving her a drug that plunged her into a deep sleep before cutting off all her hair. Karlee has to wear hats and wigs for a long time before she could grow out her hair again.
• Their animosity is ancient, and Karlee is exceptionally good with words. She knows precisely how to wound. I can see the impact of her words on Ayla. Is there truth to what Karlee's saying? Is that why it's affecting Ayla this profoundly?
• Ayla’s fists clench, her lips pulled back in a snarl. “You little bitch,” she hisses, and before anyone can stop her, she lunges across the table.
• Karlee barely has time to react before Ayla grabs a fistful of her hair and yanks hard. Karlee screams, trying to claw at Ayla’s hands, but Ayla’s grip is vicious. She’s the beta’s daughter after all. I’m sure she’s strong and knows how to harness her werewolf powers perfectly.
• Kevin bolts up, knocking over his chair with a growl. “Let her go, Ayla!”
• But he doesn’t get the chance to move. Because I do.
• Something in me snaps. A sudden instinct to protect Karlee.
• One second, I’m in my seat and the next, my wolf takes over. My vision sharpens. The sounds in the cafeteria blur and twist, and a low, deep instinct thrums through my body like a drumbeat: protect Karlee.
• I don’t think. I move.
• In a blur of motion, I’m across the table and slamming into Ayla with more force than I even knew I could muster. My hands hit her square in the chest and send her flying.
• Flying.
• My mother taught me the basics of controlling my werewolf powers, but I’ve never really been in a situation where I actually had to use them in a fight. I wasn’t even trying to use them. It just happened. Out of my control.
• She crashes into the wall ten meters away, the impact so loud it silences the entire cafeteria. Trays clatter to the floor. A soda can rolls. Somewhere, someone gasps.
• Ayla slumps to the ground, stunned, eyes wide with shock as she looks up at me. I stare at my hands, chest heaving, adrenaline roaring in my ears.
• What the hell just happened?
• Karlee is still frozen mid-scream with disheveled hair and Kevin is looking at me like I just grew a second head. The silence is thick and electric, no one daring to breathe.
• Ayla groans, starting to rise to her feet, but there’s hesitation in her eyes now. Fear and curiosity.
• “What the actual fuck...” someone whispers from the far side of the room.
• “Seren?” Karlee whispers, eyes wide with disbelief. “How..”
• My throat is dry.
• I take a shaky step back. My muscles are still tensed, like I could launch again if I needed to, and I feel something underneath my skin — power, raw and unfamiliar, humming just below the surface like it’s always been there, just waiting to be unleashed. I don’t want this.
• “Bitch! I’m going to fucking end you!” Ayla groans, already recovering from whatever pain I must have put her in with my hit. She speeds towards me and I’m frozen, ready to let her slam into me and do whatever she wants, but then he’s suddenly here. Kael.
• I mean of course he’s here. I just physically hurt his mate. He must have felt it.
• His back faces me as he stops Ayla before she can slam into me.
• “Let me go Kael! She hurt me! She hit me Kale! Everyone saw it!”
• “ENOUGH!” Kael raises his voice with an alpha’s command and the whole cafeteria goes as silent as a graveyard. Even Ayla stops her feral screaming and looks up at Kael with tears in her eyes.
• “Do something!” Ayla whispers to him.
• Kael turns slowly, his eyes meeting mine. They're not soft. Not concerned. They're glowing gold with rage.
• He looks from me to the dent in the wall created from Ayla’s impact on it. Because of me. I did that. I’m still shocked from whatever the hell just happened to me. I can’t believe I did that. I didn’t even know I had that much strength. I’ve just been stressed.
• From the party, to the things people have been saying about my mom and I and then Ayla picking a fight with Karlee. It was just too much that I snapped.
• “Do you want a death wish?” Kael says angrily to me. “Why can’t you just seem to get the hell out of the way? Why are you such a walking disaster?”
• “What?” I flinch. “It was an accident. I didn’t mean—”
• “Did I fucking say you could speak?” he roars.
• The air shifts. Heavy. Crushing. For the first time, I feel the true weight of his power—not the controlled temper he usually shows, but the raw, snarling force of the Alpha he is. It hits me like a tidal wave, drowning me in submission. I try to resist, but I can’t. My body folds. My head bows.
• And Kael’s not done.
• In one brutal motion, he closes the distance and grabs me by the throat. His fingers are tight. Unforgiving. He pulls me so close I can feel the heat of his breath on my skin.
• “Kael—” I gasp, choking. “Let go. You’re hurting me.”
• Kevin surges forward, furious. “Kael, that’s enough. You’re going to fucking kill her man—”
• “STAY OUT OF THIS!” Kael’s voice explodes, making Kevin falter. He stops in his tracks, fists clenched, jaw locked, but he doesn’t move any closer. No one does. They all just… watch.
• Kael leans in, his voice low and cold. “This is your fault.”
• And then he throws me.
• Not drops. Not shoves.
• Throws.
• I fly backwards—weightless for a terrifying moment—before I’m crashing through the air in the same direction Ayla went when I pushed her. Kevin sprints toward me, but he can’t reach me in time to catch me safely. All he can do is brace himself behind me, letting me slam into him instead of the wall.
• The impact knocks the air out of me. Gasps ripple through the room. My head spins, vision blurring.
• Kael walks away, Ayla in his arms. She looks back at me with an unsatisfied smirk.