TESSA’S POV
My body ached with anxiety, seeing the future Alpha and Beta of the pack and how they glared at these perverted werewolves who tried to harm me. Swallowing hard, I tried my best to stay alert; anticipating that what’s next would be a fight.
“Let her go,” Atlas said. His tone was more dangerous than the last time we talked. “How much longer are you going to keep doing this, Paul?”
Paul must be these bullies’ leader. He made a low growl and lowered his head when Atlas talked to him.
His friends let me go, and I could tell that they were afraid of these powerful werewolves who had just appeared. My entire body was still tense when I stepped back, afraid of what could happen next.
“They hurt another one.” Cohen tilted his head in the direction of the werewolf, who had already passed out. “The council has to know about this. They’ve been warned the last time.”
Atlas smirked at them. “Poor mutts. Don’t you know that your parents could lose their jobs in the warrior and medical department because of what you’ve done?” And then he glanced my way, and that sent shivers down my spine. “And you dare to harm the new girl.”
I stood on shaky legs and could not stop looking at the future Alpha. He looked so cruel with his eyes. He was like a kind that could actually kill like a criminal without any remorse.
Aunt Alice mentioned to me that the Alpha’s bloodline was powerful. They could kill you in the blink of an eye. Even just thinking about it made my heart rate increase more.
“P-Please spare our parents, future Alpha!” The werewolf named Paul cried. To my surprise, he knelt on the ground. Even his minions did the same thing, as if they were asking Atlas to let them live. “We’re wrong to do this stuff. We confess our mistake and promise not to do it ever again!”
“Tessa, come here,” Cohen stated, motioning me to walk and stay next to him.
I gasped as I nodded my head, and slowly walked to his side.
“Are you alright?” He immediately removed his coat and covered my upper part since my uniform was torn.
I could only nod at him. A whimper escaped my mouth. As much as I did not want to falter over my response, my expression was telling him the exact opposite; I wasn’t alright… I’ve had enough of the bullies of White Bridge High. I lived in an environment that did nothing but traumatize me, and this… this thing that Paul and his minions tried to do, made me remember all the bad things I’ve endured in the past.
I heard Atlas take a deep breath, and the next thing that happened made me cover my mouth with my palms. In a split second, he pinned Paul against the wall, his hand strangling him. The veins in Paul’s face were becoming visible, an indication that Atlas was strangling him so tight that any moment, if the future Alpha doesn’t let him go, he could die.
“You have no idea where your violence could get you, right?” Atlas stated darkly. My eyes widened when I noticed his eyes… they became golden, and scary!
“I… I’m… sorry…”
Atlas laughed a bit. “You’re sorry because you were caught in the act. But if we didn’t see you, I bet you already raped that weak girl. Hmm, you fucking cunt! Should I kill you instead?”
“Atlas, don’t,” Cohen warned him. “We’ll report them to the council.”
“I can do anything I want,” Atlas responded without any remorse in his tone, and strangled Paul’s neck tighter, making the poor werewolf whimper and unable to breathe. “I am the future Alpha. No one’s going to kill me just because I killed a fucking rapist.” He then looked my way. “Tell me, new girl. Should I kill him now? Or should I peel his skin with my own fangs first?”
My entire body shuddered at what he said. In an instant, he acted very animalistic, the kind that could make someone run for their life. He was that dangerous…
“Atlas,” Cohen called him for another warning. “Don’t.”
“P-Please, don’t…” My voice cracked as I said those words, and I shook my head while looking at Atlas. “C-Cohen is right. We can report them instead, please…”
He smirked and pushed Paul to the other side of the narrow alley. My heart literally jumped at his cruelty. They all ran afterward, afraid that Atlas would snap at them again and by then die in his hand.
Cohen turned to me with a worried look. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Y-Yeah…”
“This is your fault,” Atlas stated as he spun around to meet my eyes. “Why the fuck are you walking in this alley all by yourself?”
My mouth parted in disbelief. Was he just blaming me?
“I thought this alley was safe-”
“Such a stupid thought, don’t you think?” He scoffed at me.
I fisted my hands. Anger went through me in a flash. Sure, I may be stupid for thinking that I made the right decision to walk home alone and chose this thin alley as a shortcut, but didn’t he see that I didn’t like what happened?
“What a troublemaker,” Atlas added, and that made me feel even worse.
He stared down at me with a cold expression for a moment more, narrowed his eyes, and then walked past me, leaving me shocked because of his rude behavior.
“Tessa,” Cohen’s gentle voice called me. “I’m sorry about that. He’s always like that.”
“I… I didn’t expect this to happen,” I told Cohen as my tears pooled in my eyes. “Why is he blaming me? I never wanted this mess to happen!”
“I know and I’m sorry.” Cohen held both of my shoulders and crouched down a bit. “Forget what he said. I’ll walk you home.”
“T-Thank you,” I said, and sighed in relief.
There was something about Cohen that calmed me. Compared to the future Alpha, he was considerate; he thinks straight, isn’t rude to anyone, and isn’t letting his emotions take over him. He should become the future Alpha, not that freaking Atlas Edevane who thinks highly of himself!
I’m starting to hate him…