"My body would never choose you," I said.
"She's a virgin!" someone shouted.
The crowd exploded.
"Whoooa!"
Davon lifted one finger—
Silence.
Instant.
"So… I could be your last?" he said, stepping closer, lowering his voice.
He leaned in, breathing in the scent of my hair.
I rolled my eyes and turned to face him.
"You will never be my first, middle, or last," I said coldly.
Before he could respond—
I drove my knee straight into him.
Hard.
He dropped instantly to his knees, gripping himself.
"This is for all the guys here," I said, smirking as I turned and walked away.
The crowd burst into laughter.
Zack rushed over to help him.
Zeke grabbed my hand, pulling me away from the chaos.
We didn't stop walking.
Behind us—
Laughter.
Then—
A roar.
Loud.
Violent.
And then…
Nothing.
Complete silence.
Not even a cricket.
"Zeke… did you hear that?"
"That dog's got a loud howl," he said casually.
"A dog?" I questioned.
"What else would it be?" he said, half-smiling. "It's not like werewolves are real."
I laughed lightly. "True."
"I got attacked by a big dog last night," I added. "They're getting really big."
Zeke stopped.
Completely.
"Did it bite you?" he asked sharply.
"No," I said, confused.
He relaxed slightly. "Good."
"It dug its claws into my chest though," I said, remembering.
Zeke's eyes dropped to my chest.
"There's nothing there," he said.
I looked down.
Nothing.
No wound.
No stitches.
Nothing.
Zeke's expression shifted.
Something dark passed through his eyes.
"You, okay?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said quickly, turning away. "Let's keep moving."
"I have a question," I said softly.
He looked at me.
"I've never done this before… like ever."
I hesitated.
Then said it anyway.
"Do you want to be my boyfriend?"
Something in him… tightened.
Like he knew something I didn't.
But he smiled anyway.
"Yes."
He took my hand.
And didn't let go.
I didn't hear it.
But Zeke did.
A low, vicious growl from the trees.
His grip on my hand tightened.
He glanced toward the darkness—
Then we kept walking.
He helped me climb back up to my window, steady and careful.
"Thank you," I said, leaning forward and kissing his cheek.
He paused.
Then returned it.
"See you at school tomorrow."
I smiled, biting my lip slightly as I slipped inside.
"Goodnight."
I shut the window and fell onto my bed, heart racing.
For the first time…
I felt something real.
Outside—
Zeke walked away from the house.
But he wasn't alone.
He could hear it.
Something following him.
The wind picked up.
He turned—
Too late.
A massive beast slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.
Snarling.
Furious.
"Is that how you treat your sister's boyfriend?" Zeke growled.
The beast stepped back—
Shifting.
Davon stood there.
Zack nearby.
Watching.
Davon grabbed Zeke and slammed him into a tree.
"You will break up with her," he demanded.
Zeke smirked through the pain.
"Maybe you shouldn't have been a dick, Davon."
"She's mine," Davon snapped.
"Just because you dug into her doesn't mean you get to keep her," Zeke shot back.
His eyes flicked toward Zack.
"How could you let him do this? To her?"
Zack didn't respond right away.
Then—
"I didn't," he said. "I'm full blood. Her time was coming anyway. Davon just… helped trigger it."
Zeke froze.
"You handed her to him?" he said, anger rising. "To the Big Beast?"
"She deserves the strongest," Zack said coldly.
Zeke laughed bitterly.
"So, you give her to the one who'll break her instead of someone who actually wants her?"
Davon's fist slammed into Zeke's stomach.
Hard.
"He already killed my sister once," Zeke choked out.
Silence.
Then—
"He tried to take her too."
Davon moved again—
But another wolf dropped from the trees, landing on Zack, teeth inches from his throat.
Everything froze.
Davon stepped forward slowly, voice dropping lower—
Dangerous.
"You're forgetting whose territory you're in."
Major and his pack surrounded them.
"Touch my cousin again," Major said, stepping forward, "and it's war."
Davon smiled.
Cold.
"You'd never win." Davon said coldly.
"She's Zeke's."
"We'll see how far that mark takes him," Davon replied, turning away with Zack.
Major laughed, stepping closer to Zeke.
"I was ready," he said. "I went up against the Bad One himself."
"Just because you're both Alphas doesn't mean you'd win," Zeke said calmly.
"Yeah," Major shrugged, "but he's never been beaten."
"That's because no one's smart enough to beat him," Zeke replied.
Major smirked. "You thinking of trying?"
Zeke didn't answer.
Instead—
"I have a girlfriend."
Major froze.
Then lit up.
"Finally! It's been way too long. Look at you!"
Zeke rolled his eyes. "Now I'm ignoring you."
Major threw an arm around him anyway as they walked off laughing.