2026

~Aria

I'm out of bed in the second.

The sound of the scream was one of pain, of panic. And right beside my room, through the wall.

Heart racing, I back up, wondering what to do. My mind can't seem to fathom fully what is going on; being delirious on sleep, the darkness curling around my mind. What do I do? Am I the hero that will save the day from something I'm under about?

I can't just sit here and not do anything...

I run out the room, stumbling into the hallway with my hands in front of me. Wherever the light switch is, I doubt I'm going to find it. Instead, I run my fingers along the wall, getting closer to the sound assaulting my ears. The moment my hand lands on the door handle, I exhale in relief.

When I open the door, I can hear rustling coming from what is probably the bed. A struggle, and the shrill scream of pain.

Luckily, the light switch is the same as in my room, so I flick it on, and let my eyes adjust to the light. Right in front of me, are two girls. Rose and the girl I remember as Kendall, seem to be fighting, until I see Rose's hands around her neck.

How I found the ability to pull Rose off her, I don't know.

She swung back in protest, hitting my straight in the nose. The feeling was a jarring pain that split through the front of my forehead to the back. As I held Rose's arms behind her back, Kendall rolled off the bed, holding her neck while she violently coughed.

"It's her fault," Rose growled, and for a second, I was convinced she would shift and kill me. Freedom Pack members are flighty, unpredictable creatures.

But strangling someone...I can hardly believe it.

She continues to fight, and I'm grateful she isn't as tall as me, so I don't find it too hard to keep her from attacking Kendall again. I want to question her about what she is going, however, I can't get the words out of my mouth.

I feel someone's hands on my shoulders, pulling me away from Rose.

Everything happened so fast.

Fynn, the boy who has been my guard for the past few weeks I've been here runs in, grabbing Rose while I fall backward against someone. Their sweet yet spicy scent alerts me immediately of who they are...Malik. Another female, who I assume is Kendall's assistant runs for the poor girl, who presses herself against the corner of the wall.

"What's happening?"

"Get her out of here!"

"Are you okay?"

So many words are being passed around the room I have barely enough time to register what is happening. Malik is pulling me out of the room; that is all I am sure of.

"Are you okay?" He repeats in my ear, once he lead me into the hallway.

I take a deep breath and nod. It is Kendall he should be worried about. The Discipline Pack member would have been killed if I had decided not to investigate. How could Rose, a seemingly normal girl do something like that? I want to hurt her myself for her actions.

"I'm fine," I whisper. "Rose was strangling her."

Malik looks grim. His hair is tousled from sleep, as he wears only loose pajama pants. If I wasn't so freaked out from what just happened, I may have taken time to admire the sight in front of me. Instead, all I can think about is how close I was to witnessing someone's life being taken. Right now, my heart my just beat out of my chest.

Malik runs his hands down my clothed arms, before he turns to walk back through the door. As soon as he walked in, Fynn and another guard who had shown up, dragged Rose out the door.

Her eyes were dark with malice.

The look on her face will surely give me nightmares for the next few months. I don't think I have ever seen someone so soulless since I watched Alpha Kaden's speech about some girl he was trying to find a couple years ago that I later found out was his mate. As the Alpha of Vengeance, I expected that much.

But if a Freedom Pack member? Clearly this has to do with Averi - the girl who had been sent home after her panic attack.

I sit down, my knees trembling as I slide down the wall.

When I glance into the room, Malik is helping Kendall up, who still holds her neck. Her bright red hair is the colour of her neck, and I cringe as I see a glance of finger marks there too. I want to console her, as tears streak down her face, but I don't want to interrupt her and Malik. He seems to have it under perfect control.

Suddenly the sound of pattering feet can be heard from the other end of the hallway. I can see a few curious girls there, and I shake my head at them.

Most of them would have heard what had happened, but not a single one of them had come to help. I'm grateful none of them had to see that - I'm surely scarred for life now.

All of a sudden, this competition not only became more terrifying. But also, more deadly.

***

The breakfast room was quiet the next morning.

I chewed on my dry toast, realising I forgot to put any spread on it. After getting no more sleep last night, I'm surprised I'm even conscious right now. I can tell Zariah wants to question me about what I saw, but she's keeping to herself out of respect. My ability to open my mouth for something other than food is non-existence.

"Apparently, it's because she was mad about Averi and her panic attack," I hear the irritating voice of Mareli across the room. She's whispering to Phoenix and Macie.

Phoenix shrugs. Her sleek brown hair tied up today, which is new. "What a freak."

I have no idea what will happen to Rose, but it can't be good. Most likely, she will be shipped off to the Discipline Pack, where she will be put on trial in front of a hungry jury of people who will have her sent to jail for attempted murder. The Alpha of Freedom will get a say, however, I'm sure Grayson will want justice.

Despite what she had done being crazy and sickening, I felt a little remorse for her. She isn't in the right headspace. Freedom Pack members shouldn't be kept in like this.

Both Kendall and Rose are out.

13 left.

Cecily suddenly walked in. Everyone glanced up, ceasing the eating of their breakfast. Quickly, I down my juice before I give her my full attention.

Her face is ashen, as she looks over us with discontentment. Apparently she never thought something like this would ever happen, and honestly, I don't blame her. Did Grey know this was going to happen? Surely he would have thrust me into this competition either way.

"Unfortunately, we have had to say goodbye to two of our competitors after an atrocious incident late last night," she affirms.

I haven't been seen since it had happened. For the most part, I had expected to be questioned, but I assume they are too busy with Rose and Kendall to even think twice about me. Not like I had saved her life or anything like that...I don't mind though. There is no way I want to be associated with this.

"In consequence of what has happened, we will be tightening security. Your personal guards will be posted outside your doors all night, and you will be expected to be accompanied by them at all times you are not with Alpha Malik."

My heart drops. How am I supposed to complete this mission?

Also, did this mean no more library meetings?

Everyone else in the room doesn't seem too happy about this either. Murmurs of distaste fill the room until Cecily clears her throat.

"I have also noticed the lack of gloves being worn around my son. This is my last warning before consequences will ensue," she says firmly, shaking her head until a piece of her perfect updo comes out to fall against her cheek.

I glance down at my bare hands. Admittedly, I haven't worn them at all, yet Malik had.

"Thank you all. If any of you are having issues, then please talk to our allocated therapist, who will be able to assist. Until then, could Maren Eve of the Loyalty Pack please prepare by three PM. Alpha Malik has prepared an outing."

Already? Maren, the beautiful girl who has an uncanny resemblance to the other Loyalty Pack member blushes, tucking a light piece of hair behind her ear.

A date with Malik excludes everything about that past.

Obviously.

I was about to walk up to my room to grab the gloves I had been given since the start, when Zariah intercepted me with Brynn by her side. She's looked frazzled behind the thick rimmed glasses she hardly wore, her dark hair thrown up dramatically.

Brynn isn't fazed. When is she?"

"What happened that night? How did you get out of Malik's room?" She questions, her eyebrows furrowing.

I widen my eyes as a warning, and don't speak until we are all in my room, Fynn safely on the other side of my door. Hopefully, he can't hear anything on the other side, otherwise all of us will probably be in trouble.

"I hid in the shower," I tell her, watching Brynn fall backward onto my bed. "For over an hour."

Zariah cringes. "On the bright side, I did get away with his diary. Turns out, he has an little encyclopaedia of everyone in this competition. Even with their drawn picture."

"Find anything out?"

"Tons," Zariah exaggerates, holding her hands out at large. Brynn plays absently with my duvet while she listens to the mission she was left out of. "You never told me about your parents..."

My heart stops.

"Entrepreneurial business owners. That's strange for Love Pack members," she imparts, giving me a sideways look. I frown at her.

"Huh?"

She grabs the diary, taking no care in flipping the pages open to reveal endless pictures of all the girls. Then there is me. He had every detail correct. The faint freckles. The mussed parts of short hair at the base of my head that stuck out slightly when my hair was tied back. The faint scar on my collarbone from slipping on ice. Even my slightly uneven jawline that I thought I only noticed.

Everything.

Underneath was a story about me that made no sense. It isn't me. This biography is about a successful, confident girl with impressive parents. Had Grey's associate made this up? If so, then I have no choice but to go along with it.

"Oh...Yeah, that's me."

Lying to Zariah sucks. For a moment, I don't think she is going to believe me, until she says, "impressive."

I exhale lightly. At the same time this mission is going well, it may also be ruined by this new guard rule. Perhaps Fynn will be easy to talk around to letting me have some space, if I say it triggers my anxiety. After what happened to Averi, he will surely believe me.

Sorry Malik. TroubleMaker won't be going anywhere soon.

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midikacrane

Midika

~Midika 💜🐼