Maya

The twins didn't accompany me to college, but their soon-to-be beta, Ricky, did. He wasn't particularly cruel or kind to me—just like any other onlooker. He was simply normal. Ricky had already completed his studies, which was why he didn't need to attend college. In contrast, the Sterling twins couldn’t, as they had undergone Alpha training for three years. Coincidentally, the day my mother became the Luna was the same day they returned from their training and the same day they first encountered me.

So, they just had another reason to hate me.

Thankfully, the college hours passed without seeing the faces of Max or Leo, and I could return home by bus, retreating to my room and avoiding eye contact, as I had become accustomed to.

However, as I stepped outside the college, my body tensed.

There they were…leaning against their jeep.

Maximus stood confidently beside the black beast with his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze fixed on me, jaw clenched. Leonardo stood right beside him, hands tucked into his jeans. Both of them wore leather jackets in different colors, and their unwavering presence sent a familiar shiver down my spine.

The sight of the burning cigarette in Leo’s hand added to my anxiety.

God! I didn't want to go through it again.

Tears threatened to fill my eyes, but then his voice broke the silence. "Are you planning to stand there all day, Puppet?"

I swallowed hard, gathering my courage as I walked over to them. My heart was already pounding in my chest, echoing in my ears.

"What did you say to your mother, Pigeon?" Maximus inquired, his gaze lowering to meet mine. They undeniably towered over me, and this disparity in height only intensified my vulnerability; I knew that when it came to power, it would take just a snap of their fingers to overpower me.

Last night! She'd seen the marks.

"What would I say—" My words trailed off as realization dawned upon me.

Last night….She had seen the marks.

Oh no. She must have taken it to Alpha Alaric and concocted a sob story to paint herself as the victim, all to put the twins in for another violation. Damn!

"What? Now you're making up some story?" Leonardo chuckled dryly as he leaned in closer to my face, blowing smoke directly in my direction. “Clever little thing, aren't you?"

"No, Leo... it's not what you two think. She came to my room last night, and—" I barely had a chance to finish my sentence before Maximus wrapped his hand around my waist and slammed me against the jeep. His hands gripped mine, locking them behind me with a crushing grip.

"So, both you and your mother are scheming to usurp us from the Alpha position?!" Maximus yelled, slamming his free hand against the jeep, creating a dent. “Is that your plan? Pretend to be a victim and seize an opportunity for yourself?!"

A whimper escaped my lips in pain. "Max, trust me, I—"

"Trust you?" He laughed. "The daughter of the damn lying mistress, bound to share the same deceitful nature? You're asking me to trust you, Maya? Did some college guy who cared to fuck you inject some sort of drug into your veins?"

"I didn't tell my mom anything, Max," I said, my eyes filled with tears, glancing at Leo as if he were any better. “My mother came to my room at night to inquire about the incident in the Alpha's office, and she saw it. I didn't even ask her to take it to the Alpha; I didn't want her to see it in the first place. I'm sorry; I didn't know she'd do something like this."

"God, I have to applaud your acting skills, Puppet. If we didn't know you so well, you might have successfully fooled us," Leonardo chuckled, lighting up another cigarette. I instinctively tried to inch away at the sight of it. Recognizing my discomfort, he leaned his side against the car, leaning in so that his breath hit my ear. “What? Does the sight of cigarettes scare you, Maya?”

I gulped, a bead of sweat forming on my forehead. They were terrifying. So fucking terrifying.

"Why do you guys hate me so much? I never even hated you, despite everything you two did." A sob finally escaped my lips, and I closed my eyes, pressing my head against the jeep. “What did I ever do to you? I never even thought of hurting you or getting close to you, so why? Why are you doing this to me?"

Suddenly, Maximus's hold wasn't as tight as before, and he pulled away moments later.

My eyes snapped open at their sudden change in demeanor, and I saw them exchange glances as if they were perplexed for some reason. Did they not have an answer? Perhaps not.

Or perhaps it was something else...

Leonardo wore a troubled expression, while Maximus had a familiar look on his face.

I stared at them, sniffling as I rubbed my bruised wrists, a hiccup escaping on its own. “Don’t just hate me for no reason. Please…I am not a bad person.”

"Fuck!" Maximus muttered, shoving me aside roughly and getting into the jeep. He slammed the door shut.

Leonardo gave me a strange look, his eyes darkening and pupils narrowing. He stepped away, muttering something under his breath. Then, he discarded the cigarette, got into the jeep, and within moments, they both drove off, leaving me bewildered and wondering what had just happened that made them leave like this.

As the dust settled behind them, a chilling thought gripped me: what if their hatred wasn't just a fleeting emotion but a deep-seated plan? What if the twins were plotting something far worse than I could ever imagine—something that would ensure they not only tormented me but also made me pay for every moment I’d ever defied them?

What if their next move was to make sure I would never escape this nightmare?