The Alpha heir of the Moonclaw Pack, Lucian Blackwood, made a bet with his friends. He bet he could make me fall for him within a month. He was gentle, attentive, and incredibly generous. He acted like every girl’s dream boyfriend. Everyone in the academy envied me. They said I scored an Alpha heir and wouldn’t have to struggle for the rest of my life. After all, on the surface, I was just a weak werewolf who couldn’t even summon her own wolf. Everyone thought I only got into this elite academy because my father happened to be a minor Alpha. Behind my back, they were placing bets. They wanted to see how hard I would cry on the last day of the one-month deadline. But none of them knew the truth. I was actually the only daughter of the Alpha King. And my wolf was watching every single one of them from the shadows, picking out my future mate. My name is Elena Silverwood. According to my files at the Royal Wolf Academy, I came from a small, insignificant pack. To make things worse, my scent was so faint that I smelled like a weak, wolf-less human. On my very first day, my roommate, Nora Hart, dragged me into our dorm and locked the door. She looked terrified as she tried to teach me the survival rules of the academy. “Elena, you need to listen to me. There are two types of people here.” She lowered her voice, pointing out the window at a neon pink Porsche speeding away. “First, there are regular wolves like us, with no inheritance rights.” “Second, there are the pack heirs who drive luxury sports cars to class.” “Especially the circle led by Lucian Blackwood, the Alpha heir of the Moonclaw Pack. You must stay away from them at all costs!” Nora’s expression was dead serious. “They are literal demons!” “Lucian Blackwood is a notorious player. He changes girlfriends faster than he changes his shirts!” I paused, holding my mug halfway to my mouth, and looked at her. “What do you mean?” Seeing how calm I was, Nora got so anxious her voice started to shake. “I overheard him talking to his friends. He bet them he could make you his girlfriend within a month.” “And once he gets you, he’s going to Mark you and then Reject you. This isn’t the first time he’s done this!” Disgust and fear washed over Nora’s face. “He plays the devoted boyfriend until he Marks the girl. Then, he publicly Rejects her. He loves the power trip of destroying people!” We all knew that if a werewolf was Rejected, the emotional and spiritual damage was devastating. For weaker wolves, a Rejection could literally kill their inner wolf. Nora grabbed my arm tightly. “Last semester, a girl from the herbology department was Targeted by him. After he Rejected her, she lost her wolf and ended up in a mental asylum.” “So, Elena, you are beautiful. Too beautiful. Please, don’t let him catch your eye!” I patted Nora’s tense shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. I’m just here to study.” But as Nora looked into my eyes, she shivered for some reason she couldn’t explain. That same night, in an exclusive VIP lounge. Brittany Frost leaned in close to Lucian with a smirk. “Lucian, remember our bet? Elena Silverwood. One month. Do you dare?” Lucian Blackwood swirled his red wine, looking lazy and arrogant on the velvet sofa. He raised an eyebrow, staying silent. Brittany kept pushing. “What, are you scared? I heard she’s a hard nut to crack. If you can make her yours, Mark her, and Reject her in thirty days—now that would be a real show.” Hearing this, Lucian set his glass down and smirked. “Are you playing reverse psychology on me? Fine. I’m in.” “I’ll play with her for a month.”
From that day on, my school life became very… entertaining. Everywhere I went, I “accidentally” ran into Lucian. In the cafeteria line, he would slide in behind me and swipe his black card. “Hey, classmate. It’s fate. Lunch is on me.” On the training field, he insisted on partnering with me. He would purposely lose to me and flash what he thought was a panty-dropping smile. I decided to visit the local coffee shop—the one my father secretly bought for me—to learn how to brew coffee just for fun. Thinking I was a poor student working a grueling part-time job, Lucian bought out the entire shop’s inventory for the day and distributed it to random students on the street, just so I could get off work early. “Don’t work so hard, Elena. Let me take care of you.” I had to use every ounce of my willpower not to roll my eyes. Within a single week, rumors spread like wildfire across the academy. Lucian Blackwood was madly pursuing a nobody. I became the target of envy for every girl on campus. Every time I returned to the dorm, Nora looked at me like I was walking straight into a trap. “Elena! I told you to stay away from him!” I held up my hands innocently. “I try, but he just keeps showing up.” “Do not fall for him!” Nora practically begged. “He’s just playing with you!” I nodded. “I know what I’m doing, Nora. Don’t worry.” Of course I knew. Every time Lucian put on his sweet, devoted boyfriend act, I could see Brittany and her friends hiding nearby, recording everything on their phones. Well, let them record. My face looks perfect from every angle anyway. A few days later, Brittany threw her birthday party at the Golden Age, an ultra-exclusive private club. Lucian texted me on Snapchat, asking me to be his date. I purposely replied: *That place is too expensive. I don’t have a dress.* Ten minutes later, he showed up at my dorm lobby holding a designer garment bag. Inside was a custom midnight-blue gown. It was worth six figures. “Wear this. Tonight, you are my princess.” The girls in the lobby gasped. “Oh my god, is that a custom gown? That dress costs more than our annual tuition!” “Elena Silverwood is so lucky!” I looked at the dress, pretending to be so moved that I was on the verge of tears. Honestly? The price of this dress was barely enough to buy a pair of my designer socks. I put on the dress and arrived at the club with Lucian. The Golden Age was actually my eighteenth birthday present from my father. It was one of the least expensive properties under my name. The moment we walked in, the club manager’s eyes lit up. He rushed toward us, preparing to bow. I shot him a cold glare. The sharp manager immediately understood, spun on his heel smoothly, and went to greet other guests as if nothing had happened. When the birthday girl, Brittany, saw me, she couldn’t hide the jealousy in her eyes. “Elena, you look so pretty tonight. Lucian sure has expensive taste.” She leaned in, whispering in my ear. “But be careful with that rental dress. If you ruin it, you won’t be able to pay for it even if you sell your kidney.” I just smiled and said nothing. During the party, Lucian was the perfect gentleman. He cut my steak, blocked people from offering me drinks, and gently adjusted my necklace. Every detail was straight out of a romance movie. He pulled me in front of his elite circle, announcing proudly, “Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Elena.” His friends cheered and congratulated us, but their eyes were filled with mockery and amusement. I played my part perfectly, acting like a shy, starstruck girl. Halfway through the party, I went to the restroom and overheard Brittany mind-linking her friends. Because of my bloodline, I could easily intercept their private mind links. *“Britt, did Lucian go too far this time? He bought her a custom gown. He isn’t actually falling for that charity case, is he?”* Brittany laughed coldly in the link. *“Are you kidding? I lent him that dress. It’s just a bet. If we don’t set the bait, how will the fish bite?”* Another girl chimed in with a giggle. *“You’re brilliant, Britt! Letting that poor girl think she’s made it to the top. When he Marks and Rejects her, the fall is going to destroy her!”* Brittany’s voice turned vicious. *“Just wait. The one-month mark is in a few days. I can’t wait to see her beg on her knees, crying with a broken bond in front of the whole school!”* They thought their mind link was perfectly secure. They had no idea I heard every single word.
After Brittany’s party, Lucian’s pursuit became even more intense. Every morning, he would wait outside my dorm with a gourmet breakfast. He even skipped his Alpha heir training just to sit with me in my boring combat theory classes. When other students mocked me for my weak physical strength, he immediately stood up and shielded me. On my “birthday”—a fake date I made up—he delivered a limited-edition designer watch to my dorm in front of Nora. Nora’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She dragged me to the balcony, her face pale with worry. “Elena, tell me the truth. Have you really fallen for him?” I ran my finger over the luxury watch and smiled gently. “Of course not.” “Then why are you accepting these insanely expensive gifts?!” Nora’s voice cracked. “A guy like him doesn’t give things away for free. You’ll have to pay it back with interest. How are you going to do that?” I patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry.” “He’s the one who’s going to pay.” The next day, Nora and I were eating in the cafeteria. Brittany and her squad walked past our table. As she passed me, she tilted her tray, spilling a bowl of boiling hot, spicy ramen straight toward me. Even though I dodged quickly, the hot broth splashed all over my arm. “Oh my god!” Nora screamed, grabbing napkins to wipe me down. Brittany looked down at me, a fake gasp escaping her lips. “Oops! My hand slipped.” She sneered at my T-shirt. “Well, that shirt looks like a $15 thrift store piece anyway. Here’s three hundred-dollar bills. Go buy yourself ten more.” My eye twitched. This blind bitch. The T-shirt I was wearing was a custom-made silk blend. It cost more than her entire outfit. I had spent twenty minutes searching my walk-in closet just to find the most “ordinary-looking” shirt, and she ruined it. She tossed three bills onto the table like she was throwing bones at a dog. My inner wolf bared her fangs. *Let me rip her throat out!* she snarled in my mind. I calmed my wolf down. *Not yet, girl. The test isn’t over.* Suddenly, a figure rushed over. Lucian shoved Brittany aside so hard she stumbled back several steps. He grabbed my arm, checking me with panic in his eyes. “Are you okay? Did you get burned? Is it bad?” He spun around and glared at Brittany. “Are you crazy, Brittany? Apologize to Elena right now!” Brittany’s eyes welled with tears. “Lucian, it was an accident!” “I said, apologize!” Frightened by his rage, Brittany mumbled a quick, “I’m sorry.” Before she could finish, Lucian swept me up in his arms and carried me toward the clinic under the gaze of the entire cafeteria. “I’m so sorry, Elena,” he whispered, his voice cracking with guilt. “I failed to protect you.” I buried my face in his chest, my shoulders shaking as if I were crying. “It’s not your fault… I’m just too weak. If only I had my wolf…” I sobbed, while secretly rolling my eyes. Lucian squeezed me tighter. “Elena, believe me. No one will ever bully you again.” Leaning against him, the mixture of his heavy cologne and the smell of spicy ramen on my arm was making me nauseous. If my dad found out I let myself get splashed for this drama, he would lose his mind. But thankfully, the testing phase was finally over.
The one-month deadline had arrived. I received a text from Lucian. *Meet me at Lakeview Park tonight at 7 PM. I have something really important to tell you.* I replied: *Okay. I have a surprise gift for you too.* Nora saw my reply and started pacing the room frantically. “Elena, are you out of your mind?! Why are you going? What if he tries to force a Mark on you? You won’t be able to fight him off!” “I know,” I said calmly. “That’s why I prepared a very special gift for him.” A gift he would remember for the rest of his miserable life. That evening, I walked into Lakeview Park. Lucian was standing by the water. He looked like a prince from a fairytale, but beneath his charming smile, I could see the greedy excitement he was trying to hide. In the dark shadows of the woods, Brittany and the other heirs were already holding up their phones, recording. “Elena.” He stepped closer, his voice soft as if coaxing a scared puppy. “Did you enjoy this past month with me?” I nodded, giving him a shy, innocent smile. “Good.” He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from my shoulder. “Actually, the reason I called you out here today is…” He paused, his eyes locked onto my neck. A flicker of raw hunger flashed in his eyes. “I want to Mark you.” He said it so smoothly, as if it were the most romantic proposal in the world. I froze for a second, then lowered my head, keeping my voice hesitant. “Are you… serious?” “Of course,” he murmured, taking another step forward and grabbing my wrists. “You know how much I care about you. Elena, I love you. Let me Mark you, okay?” He leaned down, his fangs extending, heading straight for my scent gland. But before his teeth could touch my skin, I shoved him back with sudden, brutal force. “Lucian Blackwood,” I said, my voice dropping all pretense. It was ice-cold. “Do you really think I don’t know what you’re doing?” “You wanted to Mark me, and then Reject me, right?” His face stiffened. “I knew about your bet with Brittany from day one. Woo me in a month, Mark me, and Reject me in public. That’s your little game, isn’t it?” Lucian stared at me for a few seconds. Then, he laughed. It wasn’t a laugh of anger, but of amusement. He didn’t even care that he was caught. “Impressive,” he said, tilting his head. “When did you find out?” “From the very beginning.” “And you still played along for a whole month?” He smirked. “You’ve got guts, Elena.” “I just wanted to see how disgusting you could truly be.” He shrugged, showing absolutely no remorse. “Well, what a waste.” He looked me up and down with a sleazy grin. “I really wanted to taste what a wolf-less human felt like. Great body, pretty face. It’s a shame I didn’t get to sleep with you.” From the shadows, Brittany and her friends couldn’t hold back anymore. They walked out of the woods, phones still recording. Since the “Marking” plan failed, they decided to jump straight to the humiliation part. I smiled, unclamping the luxury watch from my wrist. Then, right in front of them, I tossed it into the air. The watch drew a perfect arc in the sky and splashed straight into the deep lake. Brittany shrieked. “My watch! Elena, you crazy bitch!” “Lucian, you were right. A watch of this quality really doesn’t suit me,” I said smoothly. “I’ve never seen such a cheap ‘limited edition’ watch in my life.” “As for this dress…” I turned to Brittany, my eyes scanning her. “Take a closer look. Is this really the rental dress your mother lent Lucian?” One of Brittany’s friends squinted and whispered in terror, “Britt… that’s not your dress. That looks like the custom starlight gown designed exclusively for the Alpha King’s daughter!” Brittany smacked her arm. “Are you insane?! How could a wolf-less orphan like her wear something like that?” I ignored them. I turned back to Lucian, giving him one last look. “Lucian, I’m tired of playing with you guys.” “The trial period is over. As a candidate for my arranged marriage…” “You are disqualified.”
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