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Chapter Six

I sat huddled in the secluded corner of the library, The library just like the little space beneath the bleachers had always been my sanctuary, a place where I could lose myself in books and escape from the harsh realities of my life. It was in this secluded corner of the library, hidden behind towering bookshelves, that I found solace.

The past few days were a blur of avoiding the twins at school and doing my best to stay out of sight. The encounter with Elijah haunted me, his disdainful words echoing in my mind. Despite everything, a small, irrational part of me still yearned for his attention, even if it was only to reject me.

Today like always I sat down in my little space, I made sure to leave early and arrive late to all my classes and it has been working out pretty well for me even though I was remindedof that time in their room. I opened a math text book and took out my exercise book to solve some problems while I wait for lunch to end.

Surrounded by the comforting scent of old books and the soft rustling of pages being turned, I allowed myself to relax.

No one would ever find me here.

Just then I heard footsteps approaching, who could come here? Was it the librarian? Or did my twin tormentors find me. The grip on my pen tightened as I watched to see who would appear my heart raced as the person got closer. And then

Isaiah appeared. He approached me cautiously, with a snug smirk on his face.

“Found you!”, he smiled filling me with dread.”so this is where you have been hiding”, he chuckled and took a seat next to me. “I've been wondering were you were and it was getting in my nerves”, he said his face low ,getting a breath away from my face.

“Leave me alone”, I said and began frantically packing my books.

" hold on Stormi," he said holding onto my arm."I know what happened with the Vandabelt twins."he whispered placing his hand on my thigh making my heart race.

My heart sank, my hands gripping the edges of my book. "What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to sound indifferent. And shake his hand off.

He leaned closer, his eyes searching mine. "How much?" he asked, his hand going up the inside of my dress and up my thigh.

The implication of his words hit me like a slap. Fury boiled within me, and before I could think, my hand connected with his cheek, the sound echoing in the quiet library. Isaiah's face twisted in anger, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"You have no right," I hissed, getting up from my chair.

"Stormi, —"he warned.

“I hate you all! Why don't you just leave me alone!”,I screamed and ran off my heart pounding. I needed to get away.

As I made my way to where my bicycle was parked, my thoughts raced. I slung my bag on yo my shoulder and peddled out of the gate ignoring the guardthat tried to stop me as it was lunch time. Why did everyone hate me so much, I know the laws weren't friendly when it comes to outsiders especiallyme whom no one showed up to claim even after two years up until now. I was so caught up in my own turmoil that I didn't notice the black Mercedes behind me untilit was too late, it stopped in front of me stopping me in my path. Olivia and Kathleen stepped their expressions cold and cruel.

"Look who it is," Olivia sneered. "The little runt."

Before I could react, they were on me, draggingme off the bike fists and feet flying. Pain exploded across my body, and I curled into a ball, trying to protect myself as best I could. Their taunts and laughter echoed in my ears, mixing with the sound of my own ragged breathing.

“I told you to stay away from the twins!”, Olivia screamed.

“Please “, I begged sobbing. But they continued to rain blows on me.

“Take this as a warning “, Olivia said grabbing me by my short hair before landing one last blow onto my nose sending pain shooting throughout my face.

When they finally left, I was a bruised and battered mess, lying by the side of the road. I struggled to my feet, grabbing my scattered belongings and pushing my bike, my entire body aching with each step. I kept sluggishly wiping the blood running down my nose with the back of my hand but I knew it did little and only made my face a bloodied mess. I couldn't wait to leave this place, I hated this place as much as I hated the people here. I didn't choose my life, it was my fault that my parents did want me and left me out here in these mountains to die.

As I trudged along limping and wincing, a jeep pulled up beside me.i recognized it as Elijah’s I heard the window go down as it continued to drive besides me.

"Look what we have here," Elijah said, his voice dripping with disdain. "The little peeping tom."

I didn't have the strength to respond, keeping my eyes fixed on the ground. But when I heard the door of the jeep open and looked up, I saw the change in their expressions. They had finally noticed my bruised and bloodied state.

"Oh my god, Stormi," Isaiah said, his voice filled with genuine concern. "What happened?"

“Please no more, leave me alone “, I sobbed and took a step back. Isaiah caught me and I flinched.

“Who did this to you?”,Elijah asked.

It was the last thing I heard before my vision blurred and the world went dark.

When I woke, I was in an unfamiliar room. The scent of cedarwood and something distinctly masculine filled the air. My eyes fluttered open, taking in the rich furnishings and dark wood. It took a moment for me to realize I was in Elijah's room. Panic surged through me, and I tried to sit up, but the pain in my head made me wince. It felt like something was boring its way out of my skull.

I stumbled out of the bed, my legs shaky, and made my way to the door. My heart pounded with every step as I descended the stairs, each one sending sharp jolts of pain through my body. As I reached the bottom, I stumbled, falling down the last few steps.

"Stormi!" Mariah's voice was the first I heard, filled with panic and concern. She rushed to my side, helping me to my feet. "Oh my god, are you okay?"

My head was spinning, but I managed to nod. "I'm... I'm fine," I stammered, even though I clearly wasn't.

As I looked up, I saw a gathering of people in the large living room. Elijah was there, along with his father, the Alpha. Isaiah and his father stood nearby, their expressions grave. The Vandabelt twins were present too, along with their parents, and Olivia and Kathleen, the two girls who had beaten me up sat together hanging their heads in shame. My adoptive mother, Mariah, was the only familiar face who seemed genuinely concerned.

"What is going on?" I whispered, leaning heavily on Mariah.

“Don't worry my love I will seek justice for you”, she looked at me with tears streaming down her eyes before turning to everyone else “the pack is supposed to protect! She became one of us the moment you allowed me to keep her! You don't have to love her but the least you can do is tolerate her!”,she yelled. I was scared she would get in trouble with how to she was taking to the high ranking wolves here.

“Lets go mommy, please I want to leave I don't want to stay here anymore I don't care about graduating lets go please”, I pleaded and struggled to get in my feet.

“You're right we should leave already “, Mariah said and helped me up to my feet.

“She is not in a good state let Mrs Vandavelt check her out”, The Alpha said. The twins’ mother was the pack doctor.

“Yes please Mariah”, Isaiah pleaded walking towards us to give me a hand but u cliched away.

“You have done enough! I'll take care of my daughter I have always had!”,Mariah said as we walked towards the door.

“You know she hasn'thad her wold yet she heals slow let her get checked out firstI'm not askingI'm telling you," Elijah said, his voice steady but stern.

Before he could continue, a sharp pain shot through my body, worse than anything I had felt before. I doubled over, clutching my sides. "What's happening to me? It hurts, ithurts Mariah" I gasped, the pain making my vision blur.

"She’s shifting," Mrs Vandabelt said, her tone softening with understanding.

The pain intensified, and I cried out, falling to the floor. Mariah held onto me, her face etched with worry. I could feel my bones shifting, my skin stretching. It felt like my body was being torn apart and rebuilt at the same time.

"Stay strong, Stormi," Mariah whispered, tears streaming down her face. "You're going to get through this."

And then u heard it ringing louder like a gonging bell in my head the same stupid riddle that gives me sleepless nights.

*Whispers from the ancient Willow's boughs,

In a cavern's shadow where history allows.

By the moonlit lake, reflections guide,

Symbols hidden in ripples, where secrets abide.

Guardians of the night, statues stand tall,

Midnight echoes in the pack's sacred hall.

Within the ancient forest, the howls reveal,

A path to follow, a destiny to unseal.

At the mountaintop ruins where stars align,

Celestial convergence, a gateway to find.

Decipher these riddles, a cosmic quest,

To the Moonlit Nexus, where the Keystone rests.

The pain was unbearable, a relentless wave crashing over me, each surge worse than the last. I could feel my body contorting, my bones reshaping themselves as my wolf struggled to emerge. Every fiber of my being was on fire, but somewhere deep within me, and the loud riddle made it worse.

“Make it stop”, I groaned in pain.

As the transformation reached its peak, a sudden, blinding light filled my vision. I felt my consciousness slipping away, consumed by the wild energy coursing through me. When the light finally faded, I was no longer on the floor but standing on all fours. My senses sharpened, every sound and scent amplified to an almost overwhelming degree.

I looked down and saw silver fur covering my limbs. My heart pounded as I realized I had completed my shift. I was a wolf, standing in the middle of the Alpha's living room. My reflection in a nearby mirror showed a sleek, silver wolf with piercing blue eyes, the same eyes I had always seen in the mirror.

“Hey Stormi”, I heard a voice say.

“Hello?”, I responded.

“I'm shimmer your wolf “, the voice said. I finally shifted I finally got my wolf.

Gasps filled the room as everyone took in my new form. Elijah's father, the Alpha, stepped forward, his eyes wide with amazement. "A silver wolf," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "Incredible."

As I stood there, trying to come to terms with this new reality, I heard a chorus of voices behind me. Turning my head, I saw Elijah, Isaiah, and the Vandabelt twins, their eyes glowing a bright, unearthly yellow. They looked at me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. I felt it too.

"Mate," they all said in unison, their voices blending together in a harmony that resonated deep within me.

My heart skipped a beat, confusion and fear warring within me. Mate? How could this be? I had always been the outcast, the runt. And now, these powerful, popular boys were claiming me as their mate?

Elijah took a step forward, his eyes never leaving mine. "Stormi," he said, his voice soft but commanding. "You're our mate."

My mind raced, struggling to process everything. The pain of the shift, the revelation of my wolf form, and now this unexpected declaration. It was too much. I took a step back, my ears flattening against my head, a low growl escaping my throat. How can this be possible, there have been stories of wolves having two mates especially in the cases of twins they usually share mates since they share one soul. But four? And my enemies at that? The people that have made my life a living hell since I could remember? There must have been a mistake.

Elijah's father stepped forward, holding up a hand to stop the boys from advancing any further. "Give her space," he commanded. "She's just completed her first shift and needs time to adjust. A silver wolf that has four mates? I've never heard of it”,

Mariah, who had been watching with a mix of shock and concern, approached cautiously. "Stormi," she whispered, her voice soothing. "It's going to be okay. Just breathe."

But it was all too much for me and as soon as the Luna walked in through the door I took that chance and ran out of the open door.

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