C7 I need your help

WILLIAM

I grunt so loud everyone hears. I've always been a sucker for school trips, but this summer I have no interest in going. Every year, the school organizes school trips during the summer. On resumption, I've always loved going because it creates more time for me to hang out with Arthur. We spend quality time together away from the prying eyes of the pack.

Somehow, this summer everything managed to go downside within a week. It's enough trouble I have to go through the heartbreak cycle, but now I'm stuck in rooms with him.

Are they screwing with me? Last night, I hoped to speak with him. I looked all around for him. I was prepared to plead, grovel, I'd do anything to stop him from brooding. But to my greatest shock, I saw him flirting with a girl of average height. She was blonde, green-eyed, four feet tall. She really is pretty for a human. I felt jealousy I've never felt all through my life last night.

I waited for two hours in his room last night after the party, but he was nowhere to be found. I'm damn sure he was somewhere screwing that blonde. After all, that's the Arthur I grew up with before he asked me out. I'm pissed. Just a week and he's back to his old behaviors. I look around the hall searching for him. His eyes lock with his. He seems to be searching for me too. He licks his lips and smirks before replacing his expression with a snobbish look.

"Dumb ass."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm sorry. I wasn't talking to…"

Something seems familiar. Yes, the blonde from last night. I stare at her with pure disgust. Who on Earth goes down with a guy for a one-night stand if not whores?

"Go on, end your apology."

She raises her brows, crossing her arms over her chest. I laugh inwardly. Who is this little girl trying to scare? I might be nothing other than an omega, but in school, I'm one of the popular kids.

"What's your name?"

"Laura."

"I'm sorry, Laura. I wasn't talking to you. It was meant for my friend over there."

I point over to Arthur, who seems to pay no attention to me nor the announcement.

"That guy is your friend?"

"Do you know him?" I ask, trying to hide the scornful undertone.

"Yes, actually. Twice. First time random, the second time quite embarrassing. But that friend of yours really has a big ego, I must say. He went on flaunting and chattering about his father owning the school majorly."

I narrow my eyes, trying to make a big deal out of nothing. She doesn't sound like a flirt to me. I mean, she's not even acting coy or trying to seduce me, the school's baseball captain.

"Wanna have lunch together?"

She bites on her lower lip like she's thinking of something.

"Yeah, sure."

I don't know why, but I think she isn't the whore I pictured her to be. She faces the podium, paying full attention to the announcement. I sigh at the thought of being stuck in a room with my ex. Why did we have to be paired in the same room? Once again, I look over to Arthur. He seems to be pretty intrigued in today's announcement.

ARTHUR

"Arthur and William, you are paired to share a room. You must take up your responsibilities and shoulder them during your trip."

I roll my eyes in my head. These people are going to be the end of me. I'm going through a breakup, and what? You think pairing me with him in the same room helps out?

"Shut it, Arthur. I'm trying to sleep here, and do not pin the blame on anyone. You didn't have the balls to come out as his lover before, so who'd know a thing about your breakup?"

I turn red at that insult. It's my wolf, Ruthar. He hardly speaks, but when he does, it's the weirdest things he spills out. I named him Ruthar as my name when spelt backward.

"You shut it. You literally chickened out that morning. You could've stayed strong and held onto him, but you made me turn and howl like a lost cub."

I hear him snort.

"I didn't chicken out. I've been tired of acting tough for you lately. You couldn't even handle William. You want to go for a whole pack as an alpha? I was embarrassed to be your wolf. Did you see Asher being the boss and calling the shots? Your parents are deliberating on making him alpha, and the only thing that comes to your mind is blaming me for ditching you. I'm cursed by being stuck as your wolf. I'd have a little pride left if you could just give up on being alpha already. You should be happy, though. Maybe you could work a little magic, make him remember the fun times you had together during the trip. But he would be a fool to take you back. You are such a loser."

I smirk. He's spewing nonsense again. I won't try to have him back. He'd come to me himself. But I do have some crazy plans sketched. I'd make him beg. I look around the hall, searching for William. Our eyes meet, and he seems to be searching for me too. I smirk and bite my lower lip, looking at him. Fuck! He's hot. I feel helpless. I'm totally into him. Nothing has changed. He averts his eyes from mine. I look back at the podium, staring, but deep within, I'm swamped with dirty thoughts.

LAURA

I swallow hard, gulping the juice like a homeless starved kid.

"Easy, girl."

I look up at him, smiling. "Thanks for lunch."

A buzz sound goes off. My phone rings.

"I'm sorry. I have to take this."

He nods as a signal for me to proceed. I move away from the table to receive the call. I end the call in a hurry.

"William, I need to go. I need to go home early, you know, like prepare for the trip."

"Very well then. See you around?"

I nod, walking away from the canteen back to the school grounds. My phone rings again, and I pick up instantly and place it to my ear

.

"Why the fuck did you hang up?"

I halt in my steps to sigh. This crazy ass bitch.

"Kaitlin, don't raise your voice at me. Stop speaking like you're older."

"I'm older. You have to be around for training, and you need a lot of that judging by how weak you are."

I hold off my anger. She's going to have a piece of me when I'm back from the school trip.

"Who the fuck does this bitch think she's talking to?"

"I can't. I'm going on a trip tomorrow."

I wait for her to come up with a cheeky line or an insult.

"If you want to avoid training that much, you can. I told Snow you are basically useless and a real weakling. A weakling doesn't belong among us. You don't belong."

"I'm exhausted, Kaitlin. I had to go through death, being reborn as a hunter, the enlightening about my origin, the introduction as a new hunter, the initiation. Now I'm going on a school trip tomorrow. I'd be glad if you'd stop bickering like a kid. You saved me one time, so what? It doesn't count much as a save. You saved me then killed me. I have no reason to be nice to you. Keep up with your bossy attitude, and I'll have to retaliate."

"Your choice, Laura. You can be an enemy or a friend, but trust me, you'd need me when the time comes. Things don't look as easy as you think on our side."

She hangs up. I snort. She thinks she's the smart one. I would've done better that night. I just wasn't prepared.

I walk to the door. Mum's going to be mad. Why did I trust Snow when she said she handled it? What on Earth did she tell mum? I open the door slowly and silently just to meet mum walking towards the door. I panic. It was my first time staying out, but does she notice anything odd about me? Can she sense I'm not the Laura she raised?

"Young lady."

I cut in, not wanting her to scold me.

"I'm sorry, mum. It happened. I didn't plan it out to be that way. I had no intentions to. I was forced. I'm still me, mum. I'm the Laura you raised. Nothing's different."

I stop on sight of her confused expression. She raises her eyes, stretching out her hand to feel my temperature. I leap away from her in fear.

"She knows I'm dead, right?" I ask myself inwardly. Why else would she try to check my temperature? She probably wants to confirm my cold temperature.

"Laura, are you sick?"

I knew it. She's onto me. I need to think fast, real quick.

"Depends on what you call being sick."

"I think you are fine, but why are you acting weird? And did you say you were forced into it? That's not a nice thing to say about donation programs. Besides, a friend of yours is here to see you, and where did you get such a cute one?"

I gaze at her in shock. This is how Snow handled it? The lies were so overwhelming. And what will mum do when she finds out I'm not involved in any donation programs? And I'm pretty sure she said something about a cute friend, or not. I could have heard things wrong.

"Go on in. I'll be out for grocery shopping. It'll take about an hour. Bruce is off for his piano lessons. Just don't do anything your dad would blame me for."

She winks at me and walks away. My heart beats rapidly in fear.

"What friends was mum talking about? I have no friends, and this town isn't what it is judging by all that happened last night."

I brace up, not wanting to be weak. It could be Kaitlin. Appearing scared won't help with her bickerings. I walk into the house, taking slow strides. I see a young person from behind. Just like in cue, he turns to me.

"Hi, Laura. I'm Asher, and I need your help."