NN

ed and too conspicuous. I wanted badly to put yesterday's events behin

. Those who felt no need to hide the fact that they were talking about me kept pointing a

he traitor's daughter. I knew it, and I didn't really care as long as I wasn't pushed around the way I

searing pain through my chest, a

er girl. I couldn't tell if it had been Julia or someone else, but he had made sure he punished me by having s

nded a lot like what I had heard from Arlene and the others yesterday. I didn't have to lo

e," the short one said

. I'm not surprised that she's a filthy little liar. I

ild indeed to think she can ever be anything to the Ash

pond but looked over her friend's shoul

t I knew I was the one they were talking about. My mouth f

that Asher

me never to let a

f he found out, and I w

I had spread the rumour. He would hurt me. He was that cruel. I was sure

saying something to me

smack into Asher. His look of hate

trangled sort of voice. Not a soun

nough for me to say, "I sw

re almost literally knocking together. I was scared, so scared of what he would

school. He went deeper into the woods. It was lonely and silent in there, and it made me t

on a sob. "Please, believe

n a bright red sweater that must have cost the earth. She tossed back her glossy blonde hair, popped her bubblegum and gave m

filthy mouth!" Asher yelled, flexi

tell anyone we are mates. I went home immediately after school,

out. "You spread the r

-wh

oward some trees, and a

a pointed at the girl. "T

erday that she and Asher were mates. She told me he would regret not ac

rd out of the girl's mouth until he

poken to her in my life. I haven't even se

girl muttered and

r, I d

owed. He turned to

Asher snapped his fingers, and two boys seemed to materialize f

A cruel smile lit up his face. "She needs to be taught a lesson. Fill

rectly, I went limp with shoc

er," said the bigg

mine who would go first. Seeing that they actually meant

" one of t

mpted to bite the hand of the other, who

down," Juli

orward and pressed his hands savagely against my chest, pinning me to the floor while the other boy, who

rst sort of humiliation suddenly made something in me s

a howl of agony as the point sank into his flesh and immediately let go of me. In a second, I

s!" I heard Asher yell as

headed in the dire

*********************

the last two hours. In the darkest corner of my room, I cowered, shivering. I couldn't sto

ack to school. Until Asher forgot about me, I would find a job as a waitr

utside my door. I froze

ce sailed into the room. "Hannah

aid, but she was al

aged to pull myself up and strolled downstairs.

called. Something in me

ree hefty men barged into the living room, my mot

Alpha. The men's eyes immediately fell on me, even thoug

Baker?" one of th

ted, then

to see you. You'

eze past two of the men, so she stood in front of me.

toward me. The hands of the

my daughter!" My mothe

he house while she screamed

f my wits, I managed to say, "

ame with. With a guard sitting on