Chapter 5 The bullies

CARLA

Dragging up my suitcase through the wrecked and ruined staircases of my apartment was tiring, and I was panting like I had just finished a marathon.

My chapped kneecap was a little bruised and bleeding from the few times I fell on my way up here, and it was beginning to sting. But I couldn't pay much attention to it.

I had a few more staircases to climb before getting to my apartment. My legs were wobbly and my arms were hurting from dragging my heavy suitcase.

It would have been easier if we had an elevator, but the building was an almost demolished structure. The owner had a last-minute change of mind and decided to rent it out to students who couldn't afford a real, nice apartment. Students like me and my roommates, whom I guess should already be inside the apartment.

We split the bills between ourselves and we've been able to take care of the expenses over the years we've spent here.

I can't complain about the poor housing. It saved my ass and gave me a roof over my head. Surely, it was a hundred times better than not having somewhere to sleep at all.

With a deep breath, I continued dragging myself and my suitcase until I finally got to the door of my apartment.

I kicked it open and barged inside, falling to the ground and letting out a deep, tired breath.

The giggling from all sides just proved my guess – the girls were already here. And like every other time, I was the last person to return to school for the new session.

"Looks like someone ran out of breath." Tina teased, standing next to me and running her hand across my face.

"Do we help you up or would you rather lie there for the rest of the day?" Betty added with a chuckle and the others laughed.

"Yeah, she could be our new foot mat. What a lovely foot mat she'll make." Cindy joined in the tease.

I was laughing my heart out but it was only getting me to run out of breath. The girls were always like this whenever I made my late return to school. They always tease me about it.

"Girls, have a heart. Please." I sighed dramatically, struggling to sit up. "You know why I don't always return to school as early as you guys do."

Betty helped me to my feet and I went to sit on my bed. It was a small, worn-out foam that hardly passed for a bed, but it was better than nothing at all.

"Yeah, we do." Tina sighed, wearing a sad look. While we were all agemates, we had months difference, with Tina being the oldest and me being the youngest.

"We're all Omegas, but I think you experience more pain than we do. You go through more stress at your Pack because of their unending chores."

"No, Betty, not really. I mean, it is stressful, but I've grown to love it. Maybe it keeps me from returning here early, but I don't mind. And no one's forcing me to do them, I choose to." I explained with a smile, taking off the small jacket that I had worn over my dress.

"Okay, if you say so," Cindy muttered, joining me on my bed. The room went silent but I was more focused on settling in.

"Could you help me with my suitcase? I need to unpack." I said. Betty nodded and pulled it over to where I was sitting. "Thank you." I smiled at her and slowly began taking out my stuff.

"Uh– Carla?" Cindy called with a bit of apprehension in her voice. An apprehension I hadn't noticed because I was too busy trying to settle in.

"Yes?" I mumbled, not glancing at her. I took some clothes to the small closet that we all shared. I mean, we literally share almost everything in this room. And even though we get uncomfortable sometimes because of its crampiness, we still manage to put up with each other.

"Is he still bothering you?" The question was low but it had a reverberating force with it. I slowly stopped what I was doing and slumped back on my bed, as the question aroused a million, unsettling thoughts inside me.

"We all know the reason you delay returning also has to do with the horror you face at the hands of his friends. Are they still in your case? Is Alpha Dawson still being a jerk to you?"

"I'm afraid things just got more complicated than that." An echo of fear accompanied my words and my face contorted in mixed emotions.

"What do you mean?" Tina asked as she came to stand next to me. Betty joined her too, hovering next to me and they were all watching me with keen gazes, waiting for my logical explanation.

But I had no logical explanation for my words. I mean, I don't understand his actions either. It's been very weird lately, and it was beginning to freak me out.

First, I interrupted his fuck session with Joyce and the sight of his huge cock had left me wet and made me entertain a lot of lewd thoughts about him.

It was strange and I knew I had to stay far from him. Letting him mess with my mind and head would be very detrimental to me.

And then, when I met him two days ago next to his room, he was trying to explain why he fucked Joyce. It made no sense.

Why would he try to explain that to me? How was it any business of mine? And the fact that she came out of his room again proved that whatever explanations he was giving weren't real.

So why did he try to explain at all? What mind game was he playing? What if I can't figure it out and I end up falling for his games? I'm sure he's planning something with his friends. They must be thinking of ways to continue making my life hellish.

The thought of that gave me sleepless nights and left me very worried. That was the main reason I delayed returning here. If I had a choice, I wouldn't want to return to school this session.

But Luna Giselle had insisted that I return and I was left with no choice but to be back here.

"Did Alpha Dawson do something weird to you?" Betty asked curiously, as she patted my shoulder, ridding me of my deep thoughts.

"N–no, he didn't."

"Did something happen between you two?"

"No. I just saw him a few times in the Pack and that's all."

"So how did things get more complicated?"

"Uh–never mind that. Hey, help me put this in the bathroom, please?" I stretched out my towel to Tina and she reluctantly took it and headed for the bathroom.

I flashed a half smile at Betty and Cindy, hoping it would kill their curiosity and they would stop asking me questions.

"Alpha Smith is here," Tina announced just at the same time, his cologne filled the room and his footsteps interrupted the brief silence.

"Hey, friend." He beamed at me, hugging me and rocking my body like I was a kid. He let me go and nodded at the girls.

They muttered their greetings to him with bows and returned to their corners, giving us the smallest privacy they could spare in our little room.

"How have you been, Smith?" It's been days since I last saw him. And yeah, I did miss him badly.

"Awful. You weren't next to me." He said, dropping his voice in a mesmerizing whisper. The girls began to snicker and I couldn't help the blush that filled my cheeks.

"Stop that." I playfully punched his stomach. "Now tell me, for real, how have you been?"

He shrugged. "Good."

"Anything exciting happened these past few days?" I asked, bending again to finish putting all my stuff where it belonged.

"None. Uh, can we take a walk, Carla?" He asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets and straightening his tall frame. The tiny, almost insignificant crease on his face showed he was uncomfortable with the audience. "If you don't mind?" He added.

"Sure." I nodded. He grabbed my hand and led me out of the apartment.

I heard the girls making their usual silent cheer whenever I was with Smith and it got me chuckling, but we were already out of the apartment. Thank goodness!

They were such silly romantics who wouldn't quit pining and hoping that me and Smith became an official couple. It was impossible – Smith was an Alpha and I was just an Omega. Our worlds were too different and there was no way to merge them.

Also, he would be meeting his mate soon 'cause he had already clocked twenty. There was no way that it would be me. I could never be his mate. It has to be another girl. Someone classy and sophisticated. Someone worthy of him.

And lastly, I did love Smith, but just as a good friend, and he felt the same way. So there could never be any sort of romance between us.

I've tried a million times to explain this to the girls but they just wouldn't believe me. So I decided to drop the explanations and let them believe whatever they deemed fit.

Smith grinned as we walked through the iron gate of the school. My apartment was just a few blocks away, so it was easy for us to get here.

"Did you miss this place?" He asked, glancing around.

"A little." I smiled nervously. "Why are we here? The school session officially starts tomorrow. We have no reason to be here today."

"I know. I just thought we could stroll the grounds. See what the schedule for this year looks like." I didn't say a word, so he continued. "C'mon, it's better hanging out here than staying back at your apartment and being subjected to the stares of your roommates."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about that. They were just being silly."

"I know. That's why I try to ignore them. "

The hallways had a handful of students who were lingering around. My frightened gaze searched around, just to be convinced that those bullies weren't here.

"Carla, what happened to your knee?" Smith pulled us to a halt, then he bent to get a closer look at my bruised knee. "Who did this to you?"

"No one. I fell down the stairs in my apartment." I explained, wincing a bit as he ran a finger around it.

"You should get it treated or it's gonna leave a scar." He said and took out a little band-aid from his pocket, carefully placing it on the bruise. "When you finally turn twenty, you'll meet your wolf and it'll help you heal your wounds. You won't be needing medical help anymore."

"I hope so."

He continued running his fingers around the bruise, and it gave me a tingling, relaxing feeling.

But then I heard their loud, boyish laughter, and my nerves chilled. There they were, heading towards us.

Oh, My God.

"What the hell are these jerks doing here?" Smith sounded irritated as he stood, shielding me with his body.

I was trembling with each step they took. How badly I wished the ground would open up and take me inside. It would be a better fate than having to deal with Alpha Dawson and his friends.

Glancing at them, I hadn't expected my gaze to meet Dawson's. But it did, and he was staring heatedly at me.

It increased my fear and brought about a sudden wetness between my legs. But why? I had no idea.