The Bullied Hybrid's Return

## SELENE'S POV

The sports  hall looked different tonight. Someone draped the golden leaves from the ceiling and wrapped lights around the fake trees. With burgundy cloth covering the tables. It made it petty, in a way that made me feel worse about being here.

"You okay?" Mia whispered to my ear, squeezing my hand under the table.

"Yeah." I responded even though I knew I wasn't okay sitting here.

I watched the bodies of fellow students move on the dance floor to some song I didn't know. There were mostly werewolves. You could always tell by how they moved, it was a smooth one filled with confidence. Like they owned everything at this Crescent Moon Academy, and the fact is they did own everything.

"We can leave, if you don't feel comfortable," Mia said, watching me. "Right now if you want."she added 

That was Mia, Mia Lark. My best friend. The only person here who actually cared about me, she was human too, so she got it.

"You look too good to leave early." Her dark hair was pinned up nice and her dress caught the light. I was wearing an old navy dress from my mom's closet. Nothing special about the dr dd I wore, it was the kind you wear when you want to disappear. When you feel the ground should open and you are swallowed by it.

"Look who showed up!” Someone from the crowd screamed and others joined to celebrate.

My stomach dropped immediately and my eyes caught her.

It was her, Brielle Knox. She was standing right there with two girls behind her. Her 

Perfect blonde hair, red dress that probably cost more than my rent and that smile. That means a smile on her face, complimented everything.

My eyes met with hers as she approached us, I know she wants nothing else than to ridicule us, especially me.

"Brielle," Mia said carefully. "Just leave us alone."

"Leave you alone?" Brielle kept staring at me with a mean smile across her face. "I'm shocked Selene even came, after last week." She added.

My face got hot, last week someone shoved me into a locker. Split my lip open, Brielle was there and all she did was laugh.

"Back off," Mia said.

"Or what? Two humans pretending they belong here. Sad, really." Brielle threw back at her.

I should have stayed quiet, I should have just looked away. But I was tired, I was so tired of this.

"At least I don't put people down to feel important. I'm so different from you and that is why I'm totally different from you, can't you see that? Uhh?"

The words came out shaky but I said them, I have been dying in silence and if this would bring an end to it, fine!.

Everything felt quieter, people were looking now at us, she caused the scene just as she always does. Werewolf eyes glowing a little in the dark.

Brielle's smile disappeared immediately, I knew one thing for sure and that is: she felt embarrassed by those words. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, I don't repeat words” 

She stared at me for a second, probably wondering where I got the nerve to reply to her, then her hand went to the punch bowl on the table.

It happened fast, too fast than I expected.

A cold punch hit me hard, soaked through my hair, it ran down my face, and drenched my dress. The liquid stuck to my skin, next I could hear people gasping,  some were laughing.

Then the smell of that liquid.

Metal, sharp, it was like blood.

The werewolves smelled it, I saw their heads turned toward me and their nostrils flaring. All their eyes getting brighter, pupils going wide. They knew it wasn't blood. But the instinct was there anyway.

I'm the Prey while they are the predator.

"Oops," Brielle said sweetly. "My hand slipped but that serves you right having the guy to speak back to me." She smirked.

The room spun. I heard voices all blurred together. From laughter, music, whispers. I couldn't breathe properly, all I felt was the punch dripping and everyone staring and the shame burning through me.

"Selene." Mia grabbed my arm but I was running away from the hall already. I couldn't stand there and watch her humiliate me the more. She has always been like this. 

I ran past tables, past the people dancing, past the teachers who didn't care about the bullying even when my shoes slipped but I kept going. Through the doors. Into the cold. I just want to disappear and not to be seen.

The parking lot was empty, just some cars scattered around, I stumbled to the building and pressed against the brick wall. My body shook from cold and anger and shame.

Why did I come there? Why did I think tonight would be different? Even when it was clear Brielle would be there, now I had caused myself a bigger shame.

Crescent Moon Academy never wanted humans. We were here because some old treaty said so. But being allowed wasn't the same as belonging. Every day I got shoved, whispered about being bullied and no one stopped it.

Caden Wolfe sure didn't, even though he was the future Alpha. A golden boy, he just watched like everyone else's does 

I wiped my face but the punch stayed, it was red on my hands.

"Selene?"

I turned back, the voice wasn't Mia's voice.

I was shocked to my marrow, it was Caden standing there. His hands in his pockets. He is tall, dark hair, his sharp jaw, and amber eyes glowing in the dark. He looked powerful, untouchable and everything I wasn't.

"What do you want?" My voice cracked, I felt embarrassed and at the same time angry because Brielle was his popular girlfriend. She had always been the thorn and Caden never for once stopped her from bullying me.

He didn't answer at first, just looked at me.

"Brielle went too far," he said in a low voice.

"Tonight? She goes too far every day but you never stop her nor made attempt to"

"It's complicated Selene but you won't understand."

"No." I pushed off the wall. "You're the future Alpha right? You could stop her but maybe you don't care because I'm a mere human."

His jaw got tight, something flashed in his eyes.

"You don't understand," he said repeatedly.

"Then tell me what I don't understand”

He stepped closer, I forced myself not to move back. Werewolves were dangerous and Caden was an Alpha's son.

"Go home," he said quietly. "Before this gets worse."

"Worse? How could it get worse? Brielle coming to finish her embarrassment on me?"

His eyes locked on mine, the air between us felt heavy.

"You'd be surprised."

He turned and walked back to the gym, left me there in the dark, soaked, shaking and confused.

What did he mean? Whatever he meant, I wasn't going home, instead I would go confront him inside the hall.