Chapter nine

Laura POV


The news of Frank's rejection and my involvement still buzzed through the school like a fresh scandal. As I walked onto the premises, all eyes were on me, and another wave of gossip and snickers erupted.



My mind raced with fear and anxiety. 'Calm down, Laura,' I told myself, “they'll get used to the new, confident you.” Valerie, trying to stifle a laugh, clamped her hand over her mouth to avoid escalating the situation further.


“Valerie, it's not funny; stop laughing!” I snapped, quickening my pace as I walked. I adjusted my handbag on my shoulder pad, but before I could take another step, something suddenly tripped me up, sending me tumbling to the ground. I scraped my knees against the hard, stony surface, the pain shooting through my legs.



As I struggled to get up, my palms stinging from the scrape, I didn't see what had caused my fall. A small, shiny object lying on the ground, sank deep into my palm.


"Hey, Laura, are you okay?" Valerie asked, her laughter finally subsiding as she rushed to help me up.


“Yeah, I'm fine," I said, dusting myself off. I raised my head to gaze at Valerie but was astonished to see Clara instead, her face twisted in a fierce and anguished expression. Clara's eyes blazed with an intensity that made me take a step back. “Clara, what's wrong?” I asked, my voice cautious.


“You think you're fine?” Clara spat, her voice low and venomous. “You think you can just walk around here, after what you did?”



Valerie stepped forward, her hands on Clara's arms. “Clara, stop. She hasn't done anything to you. Leave her alone.”


But Clara shook off Valerie's grip, her eyes never leaving mine. “You have no idea what you've done, Laura. You have no idea what you've started.”


"Clara, she'll be better off if you stay away from her," Frank's voice echoed from the gate entrance, carrying across the wide premises. I turned to face him, and my gaze also fell on the gathering crowd of gossipers and students, already recording and snapping photos of the scene with their phones.



The buzzing of my own phone inside my bag grew louder, no doubt with messages pouring in from our school group chats.


Clara's eyes flashed with anger, but Frank's gaze was calm and resolute. "You need to stay away from Laura. For your own good, Clara Michael."

The crowd murmured in agreement, their eyes fixed on me with a mix of curiosity and accusation. I felt Valerie's hand on my arm, a silent show of support. But I knew I had to face this alone. "What's going on, Frank? What's happening?"



As Valerie helped me up from the ground, Clara's hand shot out, slapping me hard across the face. The force of the blow sent me stumbling backward, my head spinning like the world was revolving around me. The sting of her hand felt like a burn, and I raised my own hand to my cheek, feeling the warmth spread.



"You're nothing but a low-class Omega," Clara sneered, her eyes blazing with contempt.


I struggled to regain my balance, my ears ringing from the slap. Valerie rushed to my side, her eyes flashing with anger. "Clara, that's enough!" she warned, her voice firm.


"That's enough, Clara," Frank said, his grip on her wrist tightening. Clara winced in pain, trying to wrestle free, but Frank's hold only grew firmer.

"Laura may be an Omega," Frank continued, his voice dripping with malice, "but you, my dear Clara, you are even a weaker and lower-ranking Omega. You're no better than her."

The crowd erupted into laughter, the sound waves crashing over me like a cold wave. I felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins, my heart racing with anger and humiliation. But I refused to back down, my eyes locked on the two ridiculous werewolves.

"You may think you're superior, Frank," Clara said, her voice steady, "but at least I don't hide behind my family's name. I stand on my own, no matter what my rank is."


The laughter died down, the crowd watching with bated breath as the tension between us escalated. Frank's eyes narrowed, his grip on Clara's wrist tightening further. "We'll see about that, Clara," he sneered. Stay clear away from my mate.



"Laura, your mate bond is so strong that Frank can't even feel your rejection," Valerie whispered, her words piercing my ears like a sharp needle. "Can't you see it?"



I felt like I'd been pinned to the ground, unable to move or escape the truth in her words. But I refused to accept it. "He is not my mate," I spat out the words, trying to sound convincing.



Valerie's eyes locked onto mine, her gaze piercing. "Deny it all you want, Laura, but the bond between you and Frank is undeniable. And it's only getting stronger."


I shook my head, trying to clear the fog from my mind. No, it couldn't be true. I didn't want it to be true. But the words echoed in my mind, refusing to be silenced.



A sense of unease settled over the compound, and then a vehicle pulled into the middle of the school grounds. The vehicle was equipped with two large speakers and a flashy purple antenna on top. I grasped Valerie's hand, feeling a mix of fear and determination well up inside me.

The sudden arrival of the vehicle had everyone's attention. "What's happening?" students whispered to each other, the question echoing through the crowd like a rhyme.



The vehicle's doors slid open, and a group of people dressed in black uniforms stepped out. They quickly set up the speakers, and a loud voice enveloped from the mic.



"This announcement goes out to all students in this college," Frank's voice boomed through the speakers. "I, Alpha Frank, will not tolerate any form of bullying against Laura. She is my bonded mate, and I will protect her with every fiber of my being."



I felt a lump form in my throat as I turned away, my eyes welling up with tears. The words stung, a mix of emotions swirling inside me