So, I still had to reduce my contact with Kael. I couldn’t let things get any worse than this.
I’d read somewhere that humans could turn into werewolves from a single bite. Kael hadn’t bitten me, but we’d been close. Too close, maybe. Those possibilities lingered in my mind like I would never be able to clear them out again.
But I couldn’t have been a werewolf from birth. Surely I would’ve noticed something weird in the past ten years of my life, right? These changes only started after I met Kael.
A chill ran through me as I considered this. My body felt foreign suddenly, like I was wearing someone else’s skin.
How else could I explain my newfound strength? That guy from just now-I outran him. Me! The same girl who always finished last in PE. Now I felt like I could enter the Olympics and bring home gold.
And that terrified me.
I glanced over at Marek. “Hey, do you notice anything… different about me?”
Marek shook his head. “Nope.”
“You sure? Do I look like I’m turning into a werewolf?” My voice cracked a little.
He gave me a weird look. “You don’t, but you do smell really good. If you were one of us, I’d pick up on it immediately. Werewolves can sense each other.”
“See? I’m not a werewolf!” Kael’s words had gotten under my skin. Because of him, I’d been freaking out for weeks.
These reactions must be from spending too much time around him. I didn’t know exactly how werewolves turned humans, but I couldn’t risk more exposure to Kael.
What if continued contact would actually transform me? The thought alone made my head pound like someone was using my brain for drum practice.
Whatever. I needed to focus on the mess in front of me.
I posted my side of the story in the Facebook group, explaining that I was the victim and Vivienne had deliberately found some people to spy on me.
The comments came flooding in-mostly doubting me, calling me a liar. I scrolled through them calmly. I’d braced myself for this.
Then Vivienne responded: “She’s making this up. Liar! Why would I do something like this? Why would I ever care about her? Please. I’m the queen of this school. She’s not even worth a strand of my hair. Why would I waste my time having someone spy on her?”
Her little fan club jumped to her defense immediately, like trained puppies.
I’d expected this, and I was ready. Without hesitation, I dropped my trump card-the video of the boy confessing, along with his conversation with Vivienne.
Game. Set. Match.
The tide turned quickly. The trolls then split into two camps-those still loyal to Vivienne demanding an explanation, and those beginning to see through her facade.
I waited for her response, but instead-poof! The entire Facebook group vanished.
I stared at my screen, dumbfounded. Could she really do that? Whatever. Her cowardly move only confirmed her guilt.
My phone buzzed with Kael’s name on the screen.
“Seraphina, I’m sorry. I had no idea Vivienne would target you like this.”
“Not your fault,” I muttered.
“But it is because of me. She wouldn’t have gone after you otherwise. I’ll keep her in check from now on. She won’t bother you again.”
I wasn’t sure what “keeping her in check” meant, but Vivienne and Kael were close. Maybe she’d actually listen to him.
“Vivienne, tomorrow’s the weekend. Come work at Eagle Club! Nobody’ll mess with you there, I promise!”
“But I don’t want to,” I replied flatly, and then hung up and tossed my phone aside.
Working at Eagle Club seemed like a terrible idea. Lucian would be there. Sure, he’d learned to back off recently, but if I returned and he saw me, who knows what he might do?
Dealing with Kael was exhausting enough-adding Lucian and Vivienne to the mix seemed like torture.
My phone pinged with a text from an unknown number:
“Bitch, you got clever today, huh? Found some evidence? Think you can outplay me?”
It had to be Vivienne. Like a ghost that wouldn’t rest.
I typed back: “Game on, Vivienne. But we both know you’re already a loser in Kael’s eyes.”
I blocked her number, imagining her fuming all night.
I poured myself a glass of juice and thought about my part-time job options. Should I really consider Iron Fist Club? That would make me Kael’s enemy.
I couldn’t do that. Even if I needed space from him, I wasn’t about to help his rivals. Besides, Briar gave me the creeps. Something about him felt off.
I’d sleep on it.
My phone lit up with Rebecca’s message: “Seraphina, please come back to our club. I miss you.”
Sweet Rebecca. Like the big sister I never had. She always looked out for me at Eagle Club. When I left, the sadness in her eyes was genuine.
But I knew this message wasn’t really from her-Kael had put her up to it. Her position wasn’t high enough to make decisions like this.
“Sorry, Rebecca. Need to think about it,” I replied, hoping she’d understand my reluctance.
“Okay, I’ll wait for you.”
I collapsed onto the couch, completely drained. Somehow I’d done both nothing and everything today, and my body felt every bit of it.