Chapter 16 Monster
REID
“Father, save me!”
I thrash in the water, my lungs burning. The current drags me under, salt stinging my eyes, forcing me deeper. I gasp for air but choke instead. Waves crash over me.
“Help me!”
My father stands at the shore, hands behind his back, watching with that same cold, carved expression. Unmoving. Unbothered.
I claw through the water toward him, but it drags me farther out. My chest tightens. I can’t breathe. Darkness starts to creep in.
“You must learn to be tough,” his voice echoes above me, as I sink. “No Alpha King is weak.”
Then, the world shifts.
Suddenly, I’m in my room. Still drowning, but now in my own body. My breath comes in sharp, shallow bursts.
Voices ring through my head.
Kill.
Destroy.
Do it.
My mother kneels beside me, eyes full of fear yet gentle. She reaches out to help, softly calling my name.
I lose control.
My claws slip out with a vicious snap, and before I can stop it, my hand slashes across her throat.
Her blood hits my face.
I scream inside. I try to wake myself. I know this isn’t real. I’ve relived this nightmare too many times. Even here, trapped in my subconscious, I know exactly what comes next.
Still, I can’t escape it.
I fall through endless black, pain looping through me. Something shakes me, then again. Or rather, someone. A voice comes, distant.
“Wake up. Reid, wake up!”
I panic.
“Leave me alone!” I shout. I don’t know if I’ve actually spoken or if it’s still part of the dream. All I know is, if anyone gets too close right now, I’ll hurt them.
“Reid, are you okay?” The voice continues. I can hear it clearer now.
It’s Nova.
But I’m still not fully awake. Sweat drenches me. Those distorted whispers return.
Kill her.
Tear her apart.
Finish it.
My fangs press against my gums. My claws push to extend. I fight it. But fighting this thing inside me is like wrestling a shadow with teeth.
“Wake up!” Nova pleads, her voice louder now.
This time, consciousness slams back into my body at the same moment the darkness does.
My eyes fly open.
Nova’s face hovers above me, worried.
My body moves before I can stop it.
I launch upward, grabbing her by the throat. In one brutal move, I get off the bed, and slam her against the wall. My grip tightens around her neck.
My breathing is harsh. My chest rises and falls heavily.
Her eyes widen with shock, and fear. She claws at my wrist, but my hold may as well be iron.
“Re… Re—id…” she wheezes, her voice strained. Her fingers trembles as she fights for air.
A few seconds pass.
Then reality punches me.
I release her instantly and stumble back. She collapses to the floor, coughing, shaking. I stare at my hands in horror.
What the fuck have I done?
Nova looks up at me, eyes wet and terrified. She forces herself to her feet unsteadily.
“I… I’m sorry,” I say, stepping toward her.
She flinches back like I might burn. And I don’t blame her for that.
Her voice cracks. “It’s true what they say about you.” She shuffles backward toward the door. “You’re a monster.”
Then she bolts.
The door swings open, hits the wall. Her footsteps echo down the corridor in rapid beats until silence swallows them.
\~~~~~~
THE NEXT MORNING
“Thanks for the ride.” Lyra steps off my bike as we pull into the university grounds. She removes the helmet without needing my help this time.
She hands it to me. “I should probably talk to Father about getting me a car. The only problem is I don’t want him asking why I’m no longer riding with Dean and Roxanna…”
Then, she stops talking.
She leans forward to get a proper look at my face. I keep my gaze low like I’ve done all morning, avoiding her eyes entirely. A faint frown creases her pretty features.
“Did you sleep at all last night?” she asks, lips puckered in that innocent curiosity only she can pull off. “You look like you haven’t closed your eyes in days.”
If only she knew.
“I’m fine,” I mutter, still not looking at her as I climb off the bike. I hang the helmet back in place and start walking toward the building. Lyra follows stubbornly, tilting and angling her head to try and catch my eyes. We venture into the hallway, passing the sea of students.
“Don’t tell me you were up all night doing gods-know-what with that girlfriend of yours? Speaking of which, why didn’t I see her at breakfast this morning…?”
“I didn’t know you were keeping tabs on my private life, Lys.” My tone stays flat, gaze forward, pace steady. She keeps up with my pace.
“I’m not. I’m just curious—”
I stop suddenly. She halts too, nearly bumping into me before stepping beside me.
I exhale long and deep.
If she had any idea how fogged up my head is right now, she wouldn’t be poking at me. Like I mentioned earlier, I usually don’t mind our constant banters. I even enjoy them. But not today. Today, I need silence.
So I decide to put an end to this.
I finally really look at her for the first time all morning. My jaw tightens as her hazel-green eyes meet mine, bright with innocent concern.
Fuck. She’s so beautiful. Effortlessly. Annoyingly. The kind of beautiful that could ruin a male if he lets it.
Still, I force the words out. “Listen. First of all, Nova’s not my girlfriend. Secondly, she left the house in the middle of the night, that’s why you didn’t see her at breakfast. And lastly, I was up doing research all night, which is why I look like shit. Happy now?”
But her frown deepens instead. She doesn’t look even remotely satisfied. She presses her lips together again, thinking.
“Why would she leave that late though? Did you two fight?”
I sigh harshly and resume walking. This time, I plan to ignore her.
Only, I don’t get the chance.
A girl with fire blazing in her eyes storms past me with a small posse trailing behind. She stops right in front of Lyra.
Before I can fully register her intent, she throws a cup of hot coffee straight at Lyra and smacks her hard across the face.
“You fucking slut!” she screams, her voice vibrating with rage. “How dare you try to take what’s mine?!”