“Tessa, don’t let it bother you. These people are just gossiping – they don’t know anything,” Ysabel said earnestly.
“Go back. Don’t hang around me,” Tessa replied curtly.
“Why not? I really like you!” Ysabel wasn’t deterred by Tessa’s cold demeanor.
Tessa found herself unable to dislike Ysabel, who seemed harmless and genuine. She shrugged and let the girl tag along.
“Tessa, will you teach me how to fight?” Ysabel asked with wide, hopeful eyes. “I don’t have a wolf either, but I want to be as cool as you!”
“No.”
“Why not?” Ysabel pouted. “Do you not like me?”
“No.”
“Why not? Am I not cute enough?” Ysabel teased, flashing a playful smile.
When Tessa didn’t respond, Ysabel continued undeterred. “It’s okay. You’ll like me once you get to know me better.”
Meanwhile, in the classroom, Queenie watched the pair with disdain.
“Queenie, look! Ysabel is hanging out with Tessa,” a classmate pointed out.
“Hmph, that Ysabel. She needs a lesson to learn who’s in charge of this class,” Queenie said coldly. “I’ll make sure everyone isolates and bullies Tessa until she’s forced to leave Navoris.”
“Got it. Anyone who hangs out with Tessa can’t be any good,” another girl chimed in. Many resented Ysabel’s beauty and academic success, which were wasted on someone without a prestigious family background – or a wolf.
When the bell rang, Ysabel followed Tessa back into the classroom. Tessa sat in the last row, while Ysabel, being shorter, was seated in the third row. As Ysabel walked to her seat, someone stuck out a foot, tripping her.
Ysabel stumbled forward, but before she hit the ground, Tessa turned swiftly and caught her.
“Who did that?” Tessa’s sharp gaze swept the room, silencing everyone instantly.
Ysabel, still shaken, glanced around nervously. She knew many in the class disliked Tessa, but she hadn’t expected them to target her so soon.
“Tessa, I’m fine,” Ysabel said quickly, hoping to prevent a confrontation.
The girl who had tripped her, Yara Zane, hesitated but then stood up, trying to look defiant. “She tripped herself. What does it have to do with me? What, are you going to fight me?”
Tessa helped Ysabel stand before walking toward Yara with slow, deliberate steps.
“Apologize,” she demanded, her voice icy and commanding.
“Sorry,” Yara muttered insincerely.
Tessa’s patience snapped.
Without hesitation, she stepped down hard on Yara’s foot.
Yara cried out as pain shot through her foot, leaving it completely numb.
“You – !” Yara’s eyes filled with tears.
“Oh, my mistake,” Tessa said nonchalantly before turning and returning to her seat.
Ysabel, watching this unfold, admired Tessa even more. She’d never seen anyone this effortlessly cool before.
The other girls, witnessing Tessa’s ruthless response, quickly fell silent, not daring to speak up.
Queenie clenched her fists in frustration. Tessa wasn’t like this before. She was weak and easy to bully.
But now, even without her wolf awakened, Tessa was intimidating. And that scared Queenie in a way she couldn’t explain.
“Yara, go tell the teacher after class. This is Navoris High – fighting isn’t tolerated. The teacher will make sure Tessa gets kicked out,” Queenie whispered, plotting.
As soon as class ended, Yara limped to Mr. Hamilton’s office, crying, and called her mother.
“Mr. Hamilton, look at my daughter’s foot!” Mrs. Zane exclaimed, gesturing to Yara’s visibly swollen foot. “She’s always been such a well-behaved child, and we entrusted her to this school. Now look at her – she can’t even walk properly! You need to give us an explanation.”
The Zane family, being the beta family of the Thunder Pack, wielded significant influence in Navoris. Few dared to cross them.
Mr. Hamilton frowned. “Mrs. Zane, please don’t worry. I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding. They’re just teenagers, after all.”
“Misunderstanding?” Mrs. Zane bristled. “Yara, tell your teacher who did this.”
“It was the new transfer student, Tessa,” Yara sniffled, tears streaming down her face. “I heard she’s always been a troublemaker. She used to fight all the time, lived with Rogues, and even had an abortion. I don’t want to be in the same class as someone like her!”
Mr. Hamilton’s expression darkened as he listened. “Yara, where are you hearing these things? It’s not right to spread baseless rumors about your classmates.”
Regardless, he was aware of how harmful such accusations could be to a young girl’s reputation.
“Mr. Hamilton, are you defending Tessa?” Mrs. Zane’s voice rose in anger. “If you don’t resolve this, I’ll take it up with Mr. Lambert.”
At that moment, Tessa entered the office, immediately understanding the situation as she saw Yara.
“Tessa,” Mr. Hamilton asked cautiously, “did you step on Yara’s foot?”
“Yes,” Tessa replied bluntly.
Mr. Hamilton frowned. “Why? Did you two have a disagreement? It’s normal for girls to have small conflicts.”
“No disagreement,” Tessa said calmly. “I just found her annoying.”
Mr. Hamilton sighed. “Mrs. Zane, I – “
“Mr. Hamilton, you heard her!” Mrs. Zane interrupted furiously. “How can a school like Navoris High tolerate a student like this? She’s arrogant and disrespectful!”
Tessa’s gaze turned cold. “Do you even know what kind of person your daughter is?”
“You – !” Mrs. Zane’s face flushed with anger. “Mr. Hamilton, if you can’t handle this, bring in the dean. This has gone too far!”
Seeing no other choice, Mr. Hamilton called the dean, Mr. Quade.
When Mr. Quade arrived, Mrs. Zane wasted no time. “Mr. Quade, I demand action! Look at my daughter’s foot! If this isn’t resolved, I’ll take it to the police. This was an intentional assault.”
Mr. Quade glanced at the furious Mrs. Zane and then at the silent Tessa.
“Mr. Hamilton, what’s going on? This student just transferred here, and it’s only her first day. How has this escalated so quickly?”
“Mr. Quade, it’s just a minor disagreement between girls. I don’t think it needs to be blown out of proportion.”
“Blown out of proportion?!” Mrs. Zane snapped. “Mr. Hamilton, watch your words!”
“Well,” Mr. Quade said after examining Yara’s injury, “if Tessa is at fault, she should be sent home. Call her guardian to come pick her up.”
Meanwhile, Ysabel, noticing Tessa being taken away, immediately pulled out her phone and called Landon.
“Uncle! Come to my school now – someone is bullying me!”
Landon was in the middle of a meeting when Ysabel called.
“Call your dad,” he said curtly.
“Uncle, if my dad finds out, he’ll kill me! Please, just come!” Ysabel’s voice cracked with panic. She felt responsible – Tessa had only stepped on Yara’s foot because of her.
Landon knew how much his grandfather doted on Ysabel. Sighing, he set his work aside and headed to Navoris High with Nathaniel.
At school, the dean, Mr. Quade, had instructed Tessa to call her guardian.
Ysabel knocked on the office door and entered without hesitation.
“Mr. Quade, this wasn’t Tessa’s fault. Yara was bullying me,” Ysabel said firmly.
Mr. Quade frowned. “And what do you know? My Yara has always been an outstanding and well-behaved student. Tessa, on the other hand, has a notorious reputation. Do you really think I’d believe you?”
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply