I am Lu-ann Montenegro. A runt, as other werewolves insultingly call me as I am small. Small in height, small in weight and of course, small in body circumference.
For three years since my aunt Candy enrolled me in this high school, I have been usually the center of unwanted attention. The laughingstock of any student, individual or group, needing a diversion from the boring student school routine. I would be bullied, sometimes even before I enter my first period, at lunchtime whenever I decide to go to the school canteen, or just before going home. In other words, anytime that anyone of them students wanted to have fun at my expense, they have it, as long as I'm around.
This morning was not at all different. Who was I kidding? Being my birthday does not mean being my school - bullied girl rest day.
As I rush to the school gate with my usual, unnaturally fast walking pace, try to get to my locker and get my things before the bell rings. I jump over at least three big shoes worn by three big feet discreetly being pushed forward and did my best not to trip. That was actually a normal count for the try-to-trip Lu-ann routine, I swear was established delightfully for me by the soon - to - be King of Bullies slash Alphas. Though I can't really get angry with that because, on the upside, it developed my agility, which is quite handy for small werewolves like me.
Not even feeling a little bit breathless as I dodged hands and shoulders "unintentionally" extended on my path that would have made my lips or eyes turn to color blue or red, I reach my locker, quickly open it, grab the two books I would need for my first and second classes before closing it.
So intent on getting to my classroom immediately that I bumped on a hard but soft wall before I even noticed it was there. I shrieked as I fell down with my books, feeling the pain as my a** hits the floor. Immediately raising my eyes, I felt my insides feel weak with disappointment, feeling my hope for a peaceful morning at least, evaporate as I look at a grinning Damon Hunter.
He was the biggest bully I have ever met in my whole life. Big muscles, big body, big ego, big bullying imagination, and big height for his age. He was the future King Alpha of the Dark Midnight Pack, the loaded neighbor and ally of the pack where I belong, the Dark Moon Pack.
I usually avoided ever meeting him anywhere after the first three times on the first days of school and I automatically became his live free boring day school distraction material. I stopped eating in the school canteen, I avoided the hallway during rush hours and there would be a possibility he and his friends would be there.
I even made the restroom an off limits space for me when I once made the mistake of using the restroom with Sandy, one of his "playmates" - that's right, playmates with an "s" as he had more than one girl hanging around his arm at anytime. Sandy saw me coming from a cubicle and smirked gleefully, dropping her lipstick and looking at me with a fake shocked expression on her face.
"Pick it up." She ordered me angrily. And just to avoid friction with her, I went to pick it up.
Just then, I heard her scream at the top of her lungs. "Thief! Thief! You bitch! She stole my lipstick!" she kept shouting, pointing at me.
My jaw dropped in shock, and I just looked at her in horror, quickly realizing the mistake that I made in picking up her lipstick.
Immediately after that, at least five pairs of hands grabbed me and forced me to a cubicle, forcing my head on the toilet as somebody kept flushing.
That was the first time I tasted that kind of "special water", and I couldn't eat or even drink a glass full of water for a week after that. But it was okay because at that time, Aunt Candy and my stepfather gambled away all of their earnings that week and we didn't have much food in the house. We only had stale bread and water which my stomach even rejected. I swear, that's the best get thin in a week trick I could advice anyone who wanted to get thin fast. All of my clothes were loose on me after that week.
Back to the present, where I bump into a big soft wall called Damon and fall down the floor.
So, knowing I did not have to ask what he wanted, I waited in fear for Damon to surprise me with whatever gift they have gotten for me this birthday. Because every birthday, I get "special gifts" from their pack curtesy of Damon and group.
Feeling the instant fear I always felt whenever I caught sight of Damon, I fearfully waited, looking at his grinning face as he looked at something behind me. I followed his gaze and just as I see a pair of long, white and smooth legs behind me, I feel something landing or some - things land on my head. I looked down as more dropped on my chest, shoulders and legs.
I screamed in terror as I felt, more than I saw hundreds of cockroaches mixed with worms crawling all over my body. And yes, werewolves, especially females are sometimes scared of bugs too, just like humans.
Some cockroaches and worms fell to the floor as I quickly stood up, shaking off the dirt, worms and cockroaches clinging to my shirt, hair, jeans and shoes and every part of my body they could run to.
I was sure my scream was heard all throughout the school but I didn't care. Intent only on getting the bugs and dirt off my body that I did not even notice that a lot of the students were standing around me, either grinning or laughing.
Just then, Mr. Bart, our Math teacher passed by. "What is all this again Ms. Montenegro?" he asked sternly. Looking at me with irritated eyes as he looked at the dirt and what was left of the cockroaches and worms on the floor, and on my books which I have released when I fell down.
Shocked, I looked at Mr. Bart. Couldn't he see that I was a victim here? "Sir... I.. I..."
"Clean that up Ms. Montenegro. And please stop being a distraction to the other students." He continued walking to his classroom as the bell rang and all the students walked to their classrooms, leaving me standing with the cockroaches and worms.
Damon looked and smirked at me even more before getting inside Mr. Bart's classroom.
In a few minutes, I was left alone on the now silent hallway. Still shaken by the crawly things dumped at me, I picked up my books with a heavy heart, stopping myself from crying as I walked slowly back to my locker, touching my chest, willing the pain to stop.
After putting my books back and closing my locker, I intentionally breathe deeply, trying to loosen the invisible hands tightly gripping my heart painfully. Then I slowly walked to the janitor's cabinet situated in the middle of the hallway.
I took out a broom and a dustpan and went to where I was humiliated earlier to clean up the evidence. Feeling mucus coming out of my nose as blinked hard and prevent my tears from falling down.
After returning the broom and dustpan, I looked at the big clock located above the entrance door and sighed. I was already fifteen minutes late and it was Mr. Bart's class. I knew, if I went to his class late, even though he knew the reason, I would be even more humiliated by him in front of the whole class.
I again went to my locker and brought out my book for English, my second class and went to an empty classroom to wait for the second class. Fortunately, the empty classroom was where my English class was to take place and I didn't have to meet anyone else at the hallway. I will just have to sit and wait.
I was seating inside the still silent and empty classroom when I received a video message from Kaylee, the only bestfriend I had.
"Happy, happy birthday. Hap-py, hap-py birthday, hap-py hap-py birthday to you." she sang to me then blew me a kiss. She then explained that she recorded this video yesterday and was planning to send it to me at midnight but they were quite busy last night and was not able to do so. She apologized for not being with me today and wished me a very peaceful, happy birthday.
I knew they were busy last night as four rogues were captured inside our territory last night. A woman and three kids. The problem was, they were all bleeding from different parts of their body and Kaylee, being the Beta's daughter and training to be the pack nurse was asked to help out.
I wished Kaylee was here. She was my number one protector and I knew, Damon's gift wouldn't have reached me if she was here.