Chapter 002

HANNAH

The moment I stepped through the gates of my school, I felt too exposed and too conspicuous. I wanted badly to put yesterday's events behind me, but just a few minutes in school, and I knew it would not happen.

People stood in groups, whispering to each other while staring or shooting glances at me. Those who felt no need to hide the fact that they were talking about me kept pointing at me as they spoke. I held myself straighter and looked over their shoulders as I walked.

The whispers, the pointing, the stares... I had already gotten used to them. I was the pariah here, the traitor's daughter. I knew it, and I didn't really care as long as I wasn't pushed around the way I had been the previous day. The only thing I was really concerned about was staying out of Asher's way.

Asher. The thought of him sent a searing pain through my chest, and I clutched my backpack tightly. Last night, I had not slept a wink. Asher had known exactly how to punish me. He had been intimate with another girl. I couldn't tell if it had been Julia or someone else, but he had made sure he punished me by having sex with her all night. The pain I and my wolf felt had been so horrible it made me shudder to think about it.

I had almost reached my locker when I heard peals of derisive laughter, laughter that sounded a lot like what I had heard from Arlene and the others yesterday. I didn't have to look far for the speakers. They were three girls, talking animatedly, with their backs to me.

"...She lied, of course," the short one said with a toss of her head. "He can never be her mate, even in her wildest dreams. I'm not surprised that she's a filthy little liar. I mean, what can one expect from a traitor's daughter?"

The second girl barked laughter. "Her dreams must be wild indeed to think she can ever be anything to the Asher. The girl is not even good enough to be Asher's maid."

The third girl opened her mouth to respond but looked over her friend's shoulder and spotted me. "Ah. There she is."

Fear froze my muscles, and then panic took over the moment I knew I was the one they were talking about. My mouth fell open, and my mind whirled as I realized several things.

People knew that Asher was my mate.

Asher had warned me never to let a soul know about it.

I was in big trouble if he found out, and I was sure he already had.

Fear gripped me, and I thought of my options. Asher would no doubt think I had spread the rumour. He would hurt me. He was that cruel. I was sure of it. The only thing I could do was to ditch school before he found me. The trio of girls were saying something to me I wasn't listening to.

I took a step back, turned and ran smack into Asher. His look of hate and anger sent chills down my spine.

"Going somewhere?" he said in a strangled sort of voice. Not a sound made it past my lips. "Follow me."

My vocal cords unlocked enough for me to say, "I swear, I didn't tell anyone."

But he was already moving away, and I had no choice but to follow. My knees were almost literally knocking together. I was scared, so scared of what he would do to me. But it turned out I actually had no idea of how vile Asher could be.

Asher marched past the cafeteria, outside the building, and towards the woods behind the school. He went deeper into the woods. It was lonely and silent in there, and it made me think of everything that could go wrong. I could get hurt, and no one would hear me scream.

"Asher," I said, choking on a sob. "Please, believe me, I didn't tell anyone."

He stopped abruptly. I caught a flash of red, out of place among the greens and browns of the woods. It was Julia, dressed in a bright red sweater that must have cost the earth. She tossed back her glossy blonde hair, popped her bubblegum and gave me a once-over as she moved to Asher's side. I barely had time to take her in before I felt a sharp, stinging pain on my cheek.

"What did I say about opening your filthy mouth!" Asher yelled, flexing the hand he had slapped me with.

"I didn't say anything," I cried, holding my cheek. "I didn't tell anyone we are mates. I went home immediately after school, and last night... I was so weak that I didn't speak to anyone."

"LIAR!" Julia barked out. "You spread the rumours. I have proof."

"W-what?"

Julia jerked her head toward some trees, and a girl came out, smirking.

"This is my proof." Julia pointed at the girl. "Tell her what you told me."

The girl shrugged. "I already told you everything. Hannah told me yesterday that she and Asher were mates. She told me he would regret not accepting her as his mate. According to her, Asher is the one missing out.”

Asher's face reddened with every word out of the girl's mouth until he looked almost apoplectic with rage.

"She's lying. She's lying. I have never spoken to her in my life. I haven't even seen her before." I cried, but it was no use.

"Lying bitch," the girl muttered and spat on the floor.

"Asher, I didn't-"

"Shut up!" he bellowed. He turned to the girl. "You. Go."

She nodded and ran off after pausing to give me an ugly look. Asher snapped his fingers, and two boys seemed to materialize from the woods. They grabbed my hands so tightly I couldn't move.

"This bitch doesn't know how to keep her mouth shut," Asher told them. A cruel smile lit up his face. "She needs to be taught a lesson. Fill her mouth with your dicks. Maybe then, she'll learn to shut her mouth."

Not thinking I had heard correctly, I went limp with shock. The boys snorted laughter.

"My pleasure, Asher," said the bigger one with a leer.

Then, there was a playful scuffle as they tried to determine who would go first. Seeing that they actually meant to go through with it, I screamed and began to struggle.

"Shut up!" one of them yelled.

I managed to yank one hand free. I attempted to bite the hand of the other, who tried to clamp his hand over my mouth.

"Hold her down," Julia screamed.

My hair was yanked backwards. I was forced to the ground, still screaming and struggling. Asher darted forward and pressed his hands savagely against my chest, pinning me to the floor while the other boy, who was cackling madly and panting in excitement, began to take off his trousers. Julia came closer to watch.

The sight of them planning to see me experience the worst sort of humiliation suddenly made something in me snap. I managed to pull out a pen from my front pocket. Gripping it tightly, I brought my hand upward and stabbed Asher in the shoulder. He let out a howl of agony as the point sank into his flesh and immediately let go of me. In a second, I was on my feet, racing through the woods, unheeding the twigs and brambles that scratched me.

"Go after her, you morons!" I heard Asher yell as I ran as fast as I could.

I ran even faster, headed in the direction of my house.

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Wide-eyed, I stared at the clock in my room exactly the way I had been staring at it for the last two hours. In the darkest corner of my room, I cowered, shivering. I couldn't stop thinking about what would have happened to me if I hadn't been able to escape the woods.

Almost as soon as I had made it home, I had decided I wouldn't ever go back to school. Until Asher forgot about me, I would find a job as a waitress or a bartender. Schooling wasn't worth what they had planned for me.

There were footsteps outside my door. I froze when a knock followed.

A second later, my mother's voice sailed into the room. "Hannah. Lunch is ready. Come and eat."

"Coming, mum," I said, but she was already moving away.

Not having had breakfast, I was starved. I managed to pull myself up and strolled downstairs. Just as I was about to eat, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," my mum called. Something in me told me it wasn't good.

I heard the door open. I heard raised voices. Three hefty men barged into the living room, my mother in tow, shouting and demanding an explanation. From the uniform the men wore, I knew they were from the Alpha. The men's eyes immediately fell on me, even though I had been doing my best to blend with the home decor.

"Are you Hannah Baker?" one of them asked gruffly.

I hesitated, then nodded.

"The Alpha wants to see you. You're coming with us."

"Now, wait just a minute." My mother managed to squeeze past two of the men, so she stood in front of me. "What happened? Why does the Alpha want to see you?"

They ignored her and dashed toward me. The hands of the men closed on both my arms.

“Don’t you dare take my daughter!” My mother cried. “Let her go!”

But I was dragged out of the house while she screamed, demanding an explanation.

And though I was scared out of my wits, I managed to say, "Don't worry, mum. I'll be fine."

I was dragged into the car they came with. With a guard sitting on either side of me, they drove off.