Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Amber

The hallway was a ghost town. My back slid against the wall until I hit the floor, my knees shaking.

Nat dropped beside me, grabbing my cracked phone. Her thumbs flew across her screen before shoving it in my face.

What the actual hell just happened? Ryker Wilder? Defending you? Am I hallucinating?

I snatched the phone, my fingers flying. He’s playing mind games. He wants me to drop my guard so he can humiliate the Mavericks later. He’s a psycho.

Nat took her phone back, her eyebrows practically reaching her hairline. Idk Amber. He looked ready to murder Prisca. The whole school saw. This is bad.

I don't care, I typed back, my jaw locked. 

We managed to walk back to our class but the vibes were straight-up rancid.

I didn't need to hear anything to know Prisca had spent the last few minutes cooking up a storm. 

The moment Nat and I walked into the cafeteria, the entire room shifted. Heads snapped in our direction. People were scoffing, nudging each other, and pointing directly at my face.

Usually, I wouldn't mind…I've lived my life not minding how people looked at me, as long as I couldn't hear whatever it is they were saying.

Nat yanked my arm, pulling me toward a corner table. She looked panicked. She unlocked her phone, opened the school’s anonymous forum, and slid the screen over to me.

There was a massive thread pinned at the top. The headline was in bold caps:

WOLFLESS FREAK SEDUCED THE ELITE CAPTAIN TO STEAL THE FACE OF BELGRAVE SPORTS. APPARENTLY THE MUTE CAN USE HER BODY IF SHE CAN’T USE HER VOICE.

My chest tightened. The comments below it were just a barrage of clown emojis and pure hatred.

"Look at her," a girl at the next table mouthed loudly, her lips twisted in a sneer. "Disgusting."

Nat slammed her hand on the table, her face flushing red. "Don't look at them, Amber. They’re just Prisca’s sheep." She mouthed deliberately.

I grabbed Nat’s phone, typing rapidly. They think I slept with Ryker for a sports campaign? Are they out of their minds? I hate him!

"We know that," Nat mouthed back, her eyes full of worry. "But Prisca is humiliated. She’s making sure you pay for it. You need to stay away from the Elite building."

I’m not hiding, I signaled back, my fingers stiff with rage. I did nothing wrong.

She sighed, frustration pulling her brows together. Why would I hide? How could anyone ever believe I'd have anything with that prick?

We left the cafeteria, but the hallway was a gauntlet. Every single wolf we passed looked at me like I was dirt. 

The girls from the cheer squad were standing by the lockers, crossing their arms and laughing as I walked past. One of them intentionally stepped into my path, forcing me to swerve.

"Watch it, slut," her lips formed the words with absolute malice.

I kept my head high, but my hands were shaking inside my hoodie pockets. The isolation might also affect Nat, she really stay away from me. I should tell her but I know how stubborn she is.

When we reached the main building, the crowd was even bigger. And right in the center of the campus, leaning against the stone pillar, was Ryker. He was surrounded by Gideon and three other Elite hockey players, completely oblivious to the chaos around him.

The moment the crowd saw me approaching, the tension skyrocketed.

Suddenly, a plastic cup filled with cold, stale coffee flew through the air. It hit the ground right in front of my sneakers, splashing dark liquid all over my white boots.

I froze.

The surrounding students instantly erupted into silent laughter, their faces contorted in mocking joy. Someone behind me pushed my shoulder, making me stumble forward.

Nat spun around, shoving a guy back. "Back the hell off! Touch her again and see what happens!"

The guy just laughed in her face, mouthing, "Or what? The mute will cry?"

My eyes immediately locked onto Ryker. He had noticed the commotion. He straightened up, his dark eyes cutting through the crowd until they landed directly on me.

The entire school went still. Everyone was waiting. They wanted to see if the Elite captain was actually going to claim the wolfless misfit. If he defended me now, the rumors were true.

I stood there, my boots soaked in coffee, my heart hammering against my ribs. Just a single nod. Just a tiny gesture to show he wasn't part of this joke.

Ryker took a step forward. He looked at the coffee on my shoes, then looked up into my eyes. His face was completely deadpan. No anger, no sympathy. Just absolute, freezing indifference.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away, turning back to Gideon like I wasn't even there.

"See?" a guy near me mouthed, laughing loudly. "He doesn't even know her. She’s just a desperate groupie."

Ryker didn't blink. He just started walking, his Elite buddies following right behind him as they casually strolled past me, leaving me standing in the middle of a mocking crowd.

His total silence didn't clear his name. It just validated every single lie Prisca had spread. He didn't save me earlier. He just set me up to be torn apart by these wolves.

Nat grabbed my hand, her eyes shining with tears of frustration. "Amber, let’s go. Come on."

I didn't move for a second. I just watched his tall frame disappear down the corridor.

The humiliation from Prisca was nothing compared to the white-hot rage burning in my chest right now. Ryker, that asshole… he won't let this childish game go right?