HER DARK ALPHA novel Chapter 4

(REMI'S POV)

“Happy birthday, Remi.”

Blinking my eyes open, I smiled at the ceiling, happy the first person to wish me that was my wolf, Theia.

“Time sure flies, doesn't it?” Stretching, I let the positive emotions spread warmth through my system for a few seconds, temporarily pushing thoughts about the upcoming routine of pain and embarrassment awaiting me.

“Do you believe we could find our mate today? Because I can't wait!” She squealed.

I chuckled, wondering how she was able to put up that type of glee despite everything we were forced to face.

Last night had to be the most humiliating experience of my entire existence and I was so close to skipping school today because I couldn't face Jax after all that.

However, I couldn't arouse suspicions from my parents or make them worry in any way. Besides, it was my birthday.

The excitement was enough to drive away every negative emotion piling up and hanging over me like a cloud. So, like any other day, I forced myself up. The next few minutes were spent blowing the candles on my birthday cake, getting hugs and kisses from my parents which induced the big smile on my face as I left the house.

In the end, I did everything for their sake. Knowing they would never find out about my miserable life at school brought me some peace.

As long as Jaxon Gallagher kept up with his deal, I could walk through this dark tunnel.

Usually, the hallways were quiet, but today, there was an unsettling feeling in the air as I walked through the hallway.

And why the hell was everyone staring at me?

It couldn't be about my birthday because I knew none of these losers cared. And I was also sure I hadn't undergone a jaw dropping transformation as that was the only thing which I believed could evoke such a reaction from them.

Then what the hell was it? I looked down at my clothes and felt behind me. There was nothing wrong with me. Suddenly having a flash of what happened yesterday, I got a hint.

Perhaps they did not expect me to be back at school so soon, especially after all that happened.

But even if that was the case, their stares were too intense. They pricked my skin like needles, leaving goosebumps all over my body.

Add to that, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was terribly wrong. The air felt too dense and my guts wouldn't stop chur-

“Ugh!” The gasp flew out of me as I bumped into someone.

A sour frown crinkled the lines on her face as she took me in with one horrifying but also derogatory glare. “Hey watch it, you abominable little slut!”

Pushing past me, I was still in a state of confusion after she left. What was that about?

‘Don't put much thought into it, Remi,’ I told myself, proceeding to my locker. I had barely typed my code in when a shrill voice called my name loudly.

“Rem!”

Turning my head, I mustered a smile as a familiar figure ran to me. Bouncy hair, glasses and freckles, my best friend, the only person who truly cared about me in the whole school, Viola Smith came running down the hallway.

Our story was nothing classic. We were paired on a group project, had a little fight at the start but ended up presenting the best science project in the class.

“I’ve been looking all over for you!” She blurted out.

Noticing she was out of breath, I reckoned she had run a long distance.

“Uhh…I just arrived,” I said, still confused at why she ran all the way here to meet me. It couldn't be to wish me a happy birthday, was it?

Or was it to talk about what happened yesterday considering she hadn't been in school …

Turning back to my locker, I continued typing in the combination with a feigned sense of nonchalance. “What's up?”

For a moment, Viola was stunned. She watched me in silence, like someone who was out of her mind. I did not appreciate the intense gaze, so I turned back with a tight smile.

“Well? I'm perfectly fine if you're worried about the prank...”

“Prank?” She stopped me with her question. Just staring into her eyes brought back that unsettling feeling I tried to suppress in full force.

“Don't you know what's going on?” She proceeded to ask.

“Rem!” Viola's scream was very distant in my ears as I took off, practically sprinting down the hallway at the speed of light, ignoring every gaze that was perched on me.

Arriving at the basketball court, I came to halt, breathing hard as I looked around. And then I spotted them.

“Sophia!”

Startled my undoubtedly enraged voice, the little crowd of the most dangerous despicable people I knew turned around with their ringleader’s eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint as soon as she locked her gaze on me.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? The star of the moment, everyone,” her voice dragged on with a tone of condescending mockery while her eyes travelled over me, the look of amusement deepening in her sick gaze. “Who would've thought you had it in you, Thompson-”

Unfortunately, I was not in the mood to tolerate her little antics. “Where's fucking Jaxon Gallagher?!”

I couldn't be sure if it was my audacious reference to their mini god but everyone around us gasped.

“The slut has grown truly bold, hasn't she?” A contemptuous expression rested on Sophia's face. At this moment, she could pass for an ogre.

“I’m pretty sure you're not deaf. Or have you gone senile overnight? I asked a question,” I calmly retorted, refusing to break under the stares that rested on me, focusing instead on the blonde in front of me who was fast losing a grip on her cool.

“You have a lot of nerve,” she gritted, moving forward. “Instead of hiding away with everything that's happened in the span of the last few hours, you're here insulting me, huh? Have you forgotten who you're talking to?”

Like I could care less at the moment who the hell she was or what she could do to me. I fixed my stance and glared right back at her even as her claws extended out of her fingers as she approached me, expelling nothing but pure rage.

“And what are you exactly? The scum of the earth with no real purpose except pompously walking around the school with a brain full of shit?”

“What did you say?” Her shock outlined how not even in a million years would she have expected this from me. For a moment, her face went pale while a few mumbles and unsuccessfully suppressed chuckles slipped past our ears, coming from the mini crowd behind her.

Realizing attacking me directly wouldn't do her any good at this point, despite wanting to lunge at me and probably rip my face off my head, a creepy smile spread out on Sophia's face.

“You can say whatever you want, Remi Laurent but it's not my videos which are all over the internet.”

She paused to chuckle, her eyes travelling over me at a slow, measured pace before narrowing down to a disdainful glare. “I'm not the one playing double roles, acting like a good kid at day when in truth, I'm some filthy whore…”

“You played everyone so well, while we all believed you were some naive and innocent brat, you actually are some desperate, two-faced slut!”