"And if we don't?"
The elite's smirk sharpened. His eyes darkened, and his claws slid out from his fingers in a slow, deliberate movement.
"Then we rip out your hearts."
Elise let out a shaky breath. Callum took half a step back. Neither of them spoke, but the fear radiating off them was very evident
Felix, on the other hand, looked ready to fight.
His muscles tensed, his stance shifting ever so slightly. I knew that look, he was about to do something reckless.
I grabbed his wrist.
"Don't," I whispered, low enough that only he could hear.
He shot me a furious glare, but I tightened my grip. It wasn't worth it. We were outnumbered, outmatched. Ten of them. Four of us. These weren't just students, ther are Elites, they were stronger, faster, and deadlier. And the way they grinned when they threatened us… they weren't bluffing.
Felix's jaw clenched. He knew I was right.
I turned back to the Elites, hating myself for what I was about to do.
Slowly, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my Lunars.
One by one, my friends did the same. Felix was the last to move, his hand trembling with barely contained rage as he handed over his money.
The leader collected our Lunars and clicked his tongue. "Smart choice. Too bad it still won't help you survive here."
Another elite chuckled, stuffing the money into his pocket. "Pathetic. You obviously won't last long."
The others laughed, shaking their heads as they turned to leave. "See you around, ferals," the leader called over his shoulder. "Or not."
And then, just like that, they were gone, taking everything we had with them.
For a moment, none of us spoke. We all just glanced at each other and began to walk back to our dorm
The walk back to the dorm was silent.
Not the kind of silence that brought peace, but the kind that settled like a suffocating weight in the air. No one spoke. No one even looked at each other. Elise wiped at her face every few seconds, as if trying to keep herself from breaking down. Callum walked with his head down, while Felix's fists stayed clenched at his sides, his shoulders tight with barely contained rage.
When we finally stepped into the common area of our dorm, the door clicking shut behind us, it was like something inside Elise snapped.
"This is a nightmare," she burst out, voice shaking. "What the hell are we supposed to do now? That was all our money!"
Felix dropped onto the nearest couch, running both hands through his hair. "First day in this goddamn place and we're already broke. We don't get any more Lunars until next month. That's weeks from now. We're screwed."
Elise sank down beside him, her breaths coming out uneven. "We don't have food, we don't have supplies, we have nothing."
I exhaled and leaned against the wall. "Not nothing," I said.
Felix looked up, eyes flashing with frustration. "What the hell does that mean?"
I crossed my arms. "I didn't take all my Lunars with me. I only carried a small amount. The rest is still in my room."
Callum blinked. "Wait… you didn't bring everything?"
I shook my head.
A second later, he let out a breath. "Neither did I. I still have some left too."
Elise's expression crumpled. "Oh, great. So you two still have money. What about us?"
Felix scowled. "I brought everything with me. I didn't think we'd get robbed the first damn night."
Elise let out a broken laugh. "Same. I don't have anything left."
I pushed off the wall. "Then we'll share. Callum, go grab a few of your Lunars while I get mine. We're going back out to get what we need."
Felix scoffed. "Oh yeah? And what if those bastards are still out there waiting to take the rest of it?"
I glanced down at the purple collar on my shirt.
"They won't if we don't look like easy prey," I said. "Callum, see if you can grab something, a blanket, a scarf, anything to cover these damn collars."
Callum nodded and hurried toward the dorm rooms. I turned back to Felix and Elise.
"We'll figure this out," I said. "But if we're going to survive this place, we have to work together. We have to have each other's backs."
Felix let out a slow breath, rubbing a hand down his face. Elise wiped at her eyes again.
No one argued.
Because at this point, we had no other choice.
I went to get my Lunars and I grabbed a blanket to cover my collars. By the time I returned, Calling was all ready too, a scarf over his collar keeping the purple color hidden
We left the dorm and without Felix as our terrible guide this time, it didn't take us too long to find the mall.
The shopping mall was massive, larger than anything I have ever seen in my life. Bright lights shone down on endless aisles stocked with everything a werewolf could possibly need. The entire place reeked of wealth, and the air buzzed with the chatter of students dressed in expensive casuals, their collars a sea of red, blue, and green.
Callum and I, on the other hand, stood out like sore thumbs despite the scarves we had draped over our shoulders to hide the purple that marked us as ferals. We moved quickly, not wanting to draw attention.
First, we picked out a few casual shirts, simple and plain, nothing flashy. Our priority was essentials. Soap, toothbrushes, some medical supplies, things we would need to survive this hell.
When we reached the food section, my stomach twisted at the prices.
"No wonder they steal from us," I muttered under her breath, staring at the cost of a single pre-packed meal. If we bought ready-made food, we'd burn through our Lunars in no time.
Callum sighed. "We can't afford this."
I scanned the aisles until my eyes landed on the raw food section. Bags of rice, beans, dried meat, things that could last longer if rationed properly.
"We cook for ourselves," I said and Callum agreed.
We gathered what we needed, carefully calculating every Lunar spent. It wasn't a small amount, but we would have spent more if we had wasted our money on overpriced meals.
With our bags full, we made our way toward the exit.
Then I collided into something..... or rather, someone.
My body went still. My breath locked in my throat.
The scent of pine and crisp winter air hit me first, sharp and intoxicating, sending a shiver down my spine. Then I looked up.
And my world froze.
Him.
The Lycan Prince.
Kieran Valerius Hunter.
He was impossibly tall, towering over me like a dark god carved from stone. His long, black hair cascaded down his back, sleek and untamed. His face was sharp—strong jaw, high cheekbones, and piercing fiery eyes that gleamed under the mall's bright lights. His features were perfect, almost unreal, like he had been sculpted by the gods themselves.
He was dressed in black—fitted clothes that only emphasized the raw power in his form. His aura was suffocating, an unshakable presence that demanded submission.
I couldn't move. Couldn't speak.
My whole body went numb as the supplies I was holding slipped from my hand scattering all over the place.