As the final bell of the day rang, I gathered my books, feeling a sense of dread settle in the pit of my stomach. The thought of facing Alex and Austin after school weighed heavily on my mind. I mounted my bike and pedaled all the way home, the ride offering little solace from the anxiety gnawing at me.

When I arrived, the house was empty, a note from Mariah sitting on the kitchen counter. She was deep cleaning someone’s house and had left some noodles in the fridge for dinner. I sighed, microwaving the noodles and sitting down in our little living room, my thoughts consumed by the twins’ mansion and the dreaded assignment.

Yes, mansion. Most of the big families in our pack came from old money, many having made their fortunes from the resources the mountains and forests provided. The Vandabelt twins and Elijah’s family made their money from lumber, while Isaiah’s family owned a coal mine. The twins lived in a grand house that exuded both wealth and intimidation.

I toyed with the idea of not going, just staying home and dealing with the repercussions later. But thinking of the many things the twins would do to me if I didn’t show up made me think twice. With no other choice, I finished my noodles, took a quick shower, and got dressed in a large T-shirt, jean shorts, and my old Timberland boots.

With a heavy heart, I slung my backpack onto my shoulder and made my way to my bike. Each step felt like I was walking to my doom. The ride to the twins’ house was short, but the anxiety spiked with every pedal stroke. My mind raced with thoughts of what awaited me.

Their house loomed ahead, a grand structure that seemed almost out of place in our small town. I parked my bike at the edge of their driveway, feeling like I was stepping into enemy territory. The front door seemed even more imposing as I approached, my hand trembling as I knocked.

The door swung open almost immediately, revealing Austin standing there with a smirk on his face. My heart sank further when I saw he was shirtless, his chiseled torso on full display. Alex appeared behind him, also without a shirt, his eyes glinting with mischief.

“Well, well, look who decided to show up,” Austin said, his voice dripping with condescension.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm. “You said we needed to do the assignment.”

Alex’s smirk widened. “We did. And it’s good to see you can follow instructions. We like obedient girls.”

My skin prickled with discomfort at his words. I stepped inside, the door closing behind me with a foreboding click. The house was spacious and elegantly decorated, but it felt oppressive, the air heavy with their presence.

“Why do you always dress like a dude?” Alex taunted, pulling on the collar of my shirt.

“And a poor one at that,” Austin added.

“Because I’m poor,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Is that back talk I hear?” Austin asked, raising his eyebrow in questioning.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, walking to the living room and taking my books out of my bag. “Let’s get this over with. I already started and will be done in less than an hour, and I can be gone,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

“Not so fast. Who said anything about you leaving?” Austin said, grabbing both my shoulders and leading me to the stairs while Alex grabbed my books. “We are doing it from our room,” Austin said.

I stood and shook my head. Who knows what they would do to me? What if they pushed me down the stairs or threw me out a window?

“What are you afraid of? Keep it moving,” Alex warned, and my legs involuntarily began moving. The twins’ room was enormous; it looked like they had merged two bedrooms by breaking down the wall that separated them. Each side of the room had a bathroom and a walk-in closet.

“Why don’t you sit down and make yourself comfortable first?” Austin led me to the sofa in the room.

I sat on the edge of a plush sofa, my backpack clutched tightly in my lap. They lounged casually, their bare chests making it hard for me to focus on anything else.

“Where are your books?” I asked, hoping to steer the conversation back to the assignment.

“Want to do the assignment now that you’ve looked at us enough?” Alex asked, making my heart race.

Austin chuckled. “Don’t worry, we’ve got everything we need right here.” He pulled out a textbook and a notebook, tossing them onto the coffee table. “But first, we need to set some ground rules.”