"Oh no, I'm going to be late!" I groaned, rushing out of the bathroom with my towel wrapped tightly around me.

With only a few minutes left, I scrambled to get dressed black mini jeans skirt and a fitted  white top, and white sneakers to match. I let my hair fall free, styling two neat braids from the sides near my ears. A gold hairband held everything together, keeping it from falling into my face.

After packing my school materials into my black bag, I stood before the mirror. My reflection looked exhausted, so I quickly applied a little makeup  foundation, powder, a hint of lipstick, and shaped my brows. My "simple look" as I liked to call it was just gloss, powder, and soft baby curls.

An hour later, I was finally downstairs. I packed my breakfast into a bag because there was no way I could eat that much food right now. Dad had already given me permission to take his truck.

"He's such a good man," I smiled, slipping on my knuckles rings.

I was still admiring the car when my mind flashed ..Cutie hadn't shown up, and I hadn't seen him since I woke up.

"Should I go upstairs to check on him? Or just rush to school?" I muttered. "I'm already late, and Linda's going to nag me to death."

I quickly texted Mom:

Me: "Hey Mom, please check on Cutie."

Grabbing my bag, I headed out and drove straight to Linda's house.

When I got there, I honked the horn. "Linda!" I called through the window. "Hurry up, we're late!"

Her voice came from inside. "I'm coming, Lily! Just give me a second!"

Moments later, Linda stepped out, brushing her hair behind her ear. She looked effortlessly pretty in her jeans and a white crop jacket.

"Wow, look at you," I said teasingly as she got in. "You really took your time."

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes as she fastened her seat belt. "And by the way, your car looks so damn good."

"Right? It's Dad's. Try not to fall in love with it," I said with a smirk as we pulled out of the driveway.

Linda laughed. "You're so full of yourself."

"I'm confident, not full," I replied, laughing too.

"Anyway," she said, "what about your stepsister, Kathryn?"

"She's the same noisy drama queen as always," I sighed. "She probably woke up yelling again this morning."

Linda laughed. "That girl could win an award for talking."

"Exactly," I said, shaking my head.

We cruised down the street, music filling the car as the city woke around us.

"Please, drive slower," Linda begged. "I don't want to die young. I still have goals to achieve."

"Like getting The BOLD to finally notice you? But which of the guys are you crushing on?" I teased.

She gasped. "Lily!"

"Relax," I laughed. "Your secret's safe with me."

"It better be," she said, trying to sound serious but failing to hide her smile.

When we reached the school gate, heads immediately turned as we drove through. The stares followed us all the way to the parking lot.

"Why are they staring like that?" I whispered.

"Because we look hot," Linda said with a wink.

We parked and stepped out, the attention making me blush a little. I tugged Linda's hand. "Let's go before they start drooling."

Inside the building, we stopped at our lockers to grab our materials.

"Why were you walking like you were enjoying all those stares?" Linda teased.

"What's wrong with that?" I said, grinning. "Maybe they've never seen two beauty queens before."

"You're impossible," she said, laughing.

When we got to the lecture hall, there were still a few empty seats, so we chose the second row. According to what I'd heard, this hall was for all levels for "Inspirational course", while the hall opposite was for other courses.

"Lily," Linda whispered, "what's your plan after class?"

"Nothing much," I replied.

"There's a party the level-three guys are throwing today for freshers. Are you coming?"

"I don't know," I said. "Maybe I'll go to the general fresher's party next week instead. Mom probably wouldn't let me go to this one unless it's school-organized."

"Come on," Linda urged. "It'll be fun to meet new people."

There was something in her tone that made me suspicious. "Linda," I said, narrowing my eyes, "if you tell me the real reason you want to go, maybe I'll consider it."

She smiled nervously. "What reason? I just want to have fun! Jeez, what are you thinking?"

"Nothing," I said, pretending to believe her.

She suddenly nudged me, motioning toward the door. Standing there were The DIVAS including Kathryn.

Kathryn wore a mini black leather skirt with a silky crop top and a matching jacket that revealed her flat stomach. Her sky-blue sneakers and heavy makeup screamed attention. Beside her, Jessica wore a tight mini dress. They all strutted in confidently, soaking up the spotlight.

"Backbenchers," Linda muttered under her breath.

The class was almost full. We had about five minutes before the lecturer would arrive, but Linda kept glancing toward the door.

"Hey, Linda," I whispered, "did you forget your brain outside? Why are you staring at the entrance?"

"Nothing," she said quickly. "I'm just waiting for the lecturer."

"Sure you are," I teased. "Serious student indeed."

Then Linda froze. Her cheeks turned pink. I followed her gaze toward the doorway and that's when they walked in.

Three guys.The BOLD they murmured around.

The air in the hall shifted instantly. Every girl began adjusting her outfit,intentionally popping out their boobs for attention , while the guys just gawked like they'd never seen competition before.

"Oh, great," I muttered. "My gender is embarrassing me again."

Even the DIVAS weren't left out, each one subtly fixing her clothes and adjusting what doesn't need adjustment,Kathryn zip down her jacket reviewing only her bra to draw attention.

Kathryn stood up and confidently walked toward the first guy  the one in front. He wore all black: a fitted shirt, dark jeans, and black sneakers. His hair was dreaded neatly, while the other two had low cuts and matching black outfits.

The guy with the dreads walked right past Kathryn without even looking at her.

"Now that's impressive," I whispered under my breath.

Linda leaned closer. "That's them," she whispered.

Before I could ask who she meant, our lecturer walked in. The class instantly went silent.

I turned around again, only to lock eyes with the guy on dreadlocks. My heartbeat skipped. He looked away casually and took a seat in the middle row  just a few seats away from us.

"Honestly, Linda," I whispered, "I don't get why everyone finds that group of guys so attractive. They're overrated."

Linda smirked. "Lily, I'm tempted to say you're blind."but you are blind my love

We were done with Inspirational Class. It was a free period, so Linda and I decided to grab lunch.

The cafeteria was full as usual noise everywhere, laughter echoing, trays clattering, and a few people pretending not to look at who just walked in. The smell of foods filled the air.

We squeezed our way through the crowd and finally spotted an empty table by the window.

"Finally," Linda breathed, collapsing into a chair.

I ordered pasta with egg and yogurt. I was too hungry to even talk.

"Don't tell me you're ordering only your own plate of pasta," Linda shouted as I collected my order from the waitress.

"Is something wrong with your mouth, or should I replace it with Kathryn's?" I teased.

She frowned dramatically. "God forbid!" Then quickly made her own order  rice and chicken sauce.

"Lily," Linda said after a while, lowering her voice. "Did you see those guys? The almighty fine ones The Bold?"

I rolled my eyes. "What about them? They're just normal. There's nothing special about those ones."

Her mouth dropped open. "Just normal? Are you blind? You need drugs for your eyes, because something's definitely wrong with your sight."

I laughed. "You're crazy." I couldn't help smiling at the way she emphasized 'just normal'. I laughed harder and reached over to tickle her.

Then, suddenly, the noise in the cafeteria shifted. I looked up and saw three guys walking in tall, calm, confident. They didn't talk much, but everyone could feel their presence.

Linda's jaw dropped. "Speak of the devil. here they come"

They headed straight for the table right in front of us. I tried not to look, but Linda was practically vibrating beside me.

"Oh my God, Lily, they're sitting right there," she whispered like she'd seen ghosts.

"Relax," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "If you faint, I'll just leave you here."

She was still gushing when one of them the one with the clean haircut turned and winked in our direction.

Linda nearly screamed. "Oh my God, did you see that?"

"He probably had something in his eye," I said, pretending not to care.

"That's Zion!" she whispered quickly. "The one beside him is Army, and that one with the dreadlocks..." her voice dropped, "...that's Byrain Davis."

I looked up.

"He definitely looks like a nightmare," I whispered into Linda's ear. She turned to me with that wild look, like she could eat me alive.

"Stop it, Linda, you're scaring me," I teased, and she finally broke into a smile.

He sat quietly, saying nothing, his posture calm and sure. His dreadlocks were neat, his eyes dark and unreadable. He wasn't smiling, just watching like someone who saw more than he said.

Then our eyes met.

It wasn't some dramatic movie moment  just a quiet, deep glance that seemed to last longer than it should. My heartbeat skipped. I looked away quickly.

"Not me," I muttered. "I'm not joining the rest of you." #fangirls

Linda laughed, but I could feel my heart beating faster than before.

BYRAIN'S POV

I walked in with Zion and Army into the cafeteria like always. People started whispering, but I ignored them. My eyes had already found the only person I cared to see.

She sat near the window, smiling as she talked with her friend over a plate of food.

Lily.

She didn't know me but I have known her for the past 3years, I'd memorized that face. The way she moved when she spoke, the small laugh that showed her dimple, the way she bit her lip when she was thinking.

Zion was saying something, but I wasn't listening. I kept glancing in her direction, trying not to make it obvious.

Then she looked up. Our eyes met  just for a second.

She froze, then looked away quickly like nothing happened.

I smiled faintly, staring down at my tea.

Zion noticed. "Bro, what's funny?"

"Nothing," I said.

But it wasn't nothing. It was her.

The smell of strong perfume hit me before I even heard the voice.

"Byrain!"

I sighed quietly. Kathryn. Of course.

She walked up to our table with her girls trailing behind like shadows.

"You didn't come to the party last weekend," she said, flipping her hair, sounding all dramatic. "It was so boring without you guys!"

Annabel jumped in, loud enough for them to hear, "Seriously! You're supposed to be the life of every event!"

While they were talking, Mirabel was leaning into Zion, laughing at nothing, touching his shoulder like she owned the place. Jessica tried to do the same with Army, but he just shrugged her hand off without even looking at her.

I didn't answer. Zion smirked beside me.

Kathryn laughed, pretending not to notice my silence. "Anyway, I heard you're planning another one  the fresher's party. Everyone's already talking about it! Imagine The Bold hosting the biggest party on campus!"

I stirred my tea, saying nothing.

"It's next week, right?" she pressed. "You have to let me help  maybe I'll be the hostess."

Zion grinned. "That's if Byrain even wants a hostess."

Kathryn giggled. "Of course he does. He just doesn't like saying things in public."

I finally looked up. "It's next week," I said quietly and a bit louder for Lily and her friend to hear.

She blinked. "What?"

"The party," I repeated. "Next week"

"Oh," she laughed awkwardly. "Right. I knew that."

She kept talking, but her voice faded into the background. My eyes drifted back toward the window.

Lily and her friend were standing to leave. I watched her adjust her bag and walk out, her laughter soft and genuine. I'd grown used to watching her from afar this years, but today felt different. The way she moved, the curve of her body it pulled me in completely.

I could almost imagine my hands running over her, feeling her warmth, the softness of her skin...and how she would softly moan my name. My wolf stirred restlessly inside me, growling with hunger I could barely control.

I told Pany(wolf) to calm down, but he wouldn't listen. She's ours, he whispered. Ours and nobody else's.

She didn't look back  but I wished she did. Because the moment she walked away, it felt like she was taking a piece of me with her.

LILY POV

As soon as we stepped outside, Linda sighed dramatically.

"Lily, tell me you saw how Mirabel was touching Zion, like she owns him."

"Ahh, someone's jealous! I noticed you kept staring at Zion. Don't tell me that's the love I'm seeing," I teased, and she blushed furiously.

"But Kathryn really loves attention," Linda quickly added, changing the topic.

I laughed. "That girl loves attention more than food."

Linda smirked. "Anyway, did you hear what she said? They're hosting the fresher's party next week."

I nodded. "You're definitely going, right?"

She grinned. "And you're coming with me."

I shook my head. "No way. My mom would kill me if I went to a late-night party."

Linda rolled her eyes. "We'll see about that. Besides... your sweet sister Kathryn is going, so why can't you? You could tell your mom that you and Kathryn are going together. If she says no, I bet your dad will definitely convince her to let you go."

"That's true. Anyway, let's see how it goes, but I'm not promising you anything yet."

We started walking down the hallway. I didn't say it out loud, but my mind wasn't on the party. It was still on Byrain  the way he looked at me, the calmness in his eyes.

I didn't want to think about him, but I couldn't stop. He had this strange, quiet aura that pulled me in, even though I didn't understand why.

"Lily, you're not going anywhere, there's nothing fun out there!" Mum shouted from the doorway, her voice sharp like a knife cutting through my chest.

I froze, my hands gripping the edge of my study table. "What? Mom everyone is going! Why am I the only one being stopped? Even Kathryn is going to the party. Why are you always different when it comes to me?"

She folded her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Lily, I said no. You are still new in this town, and you can't go out at night especially not to some party filled with strangers. I don't want to discuss this any further."

My heart thumped fast. "But Mom! Why are you treating me like a kid? I'll be eighteen this year. I'm not a baby anymore. I'm an adult, for crying out loud! Please, just treat me like one for once. I'm tired of being caged, tired of being told what I can and can't do. I know how to take care of myself, and I'm not going alone,I'm going with my friend Linda."

Her expression softened for a second, then hardened again. "Lily, it's late. Go to bed. I'm not discussing this anymore. Good night."

"Mom, please-"

Before I could finish, she turned around and slammed the door. The sound echoed in my chest. I could hear her footsteps fading down the hall, heavy and final.

Silence swallowed the room.

Cutie tilted her head from her bed by the window. She wagged her tail softly and padded toward me, sensing my mood. I bent down, scooped her into my arms, and held her close. Her fur was warm against my cheek, and I let the tears I'd been holding back finally fall.

"I'm tired of being treated this way, Cutie," I whispered. "I just want to live my life freely. I always do what Mom wants. I study, I clean, I keep to myself. But for once just once I want her to listen to me."

Cutie licked my fingers, and that tiny gesture broke something inside me. I wiped my tears quickly, but the ache stayed.

"There's nothing wrong with going to a party," I muttered to myself. "Everyone's going. And now Linda expects me to show up I even promised her. I can't just back out. She'll be disappointed."

I was lost in my thoughts when my phone buzzed on the bed. It was a WhatsApp notification from the Psychology Department group.

"How are you guys preparing for the party this weekend?" one of them wrote.

The message already had over forty likes. No replies, of course. Only the admins could talk in the group. And guess who were the admins? Kathryn, Jessica, Mirabel, and Annabel..the self-proclaimed queens of campus. They made themselves admins so they could talk however they wanted while everyone else just watched silently.

Then a voice note dropped. Kathryn's voice.

"Please, please, please during the party, I don't want anyone going near the BOLD. If I see you anywhere close to them, I'll cut off your legs."

Seconds later, Annabel's voice followed, snarky and sharp: "Not just the legs, I'll cut off your heads if you touch our men."

Laughter burst in the background..Mirabel's laughter, loud and fake.

I hissed and threw my phone on the bed. "Pathetic," I muttered.

Those girls loved attention, loved to dominate everyone, especially Kathryn. At home, she acts like a saint in front of my stepdad. But in school? She's a whole different person the bully, the gossip, the one who walks around like she owns the air we breathe.

We've been having small quarrels every day. Nothing big enough to explode, but enough to make me avoid her. She doesn't know yet, but the day her cup finally overflows, I'll pour her the hot content of her tea right back at her. I've been patient only because I don't want to cause problems between Mum and my stepdad. But patience has its limit.

My phone started ringing. It was Linda.

I sniffed and answered, trying to sound normal. "Hey baby girl."

"Hey, Lily. How are you doing? Hope you're not asleep because I'm pissed off right now," she said, her voice sharp but playful.

"No, I'm awake," I said, forcing a laugh. "And I already know what you're about to say,you don't even have to start. It obviously about the WhatsApp message the DIVAS sent"

Linda laughed loudly. "What did you take tonight? You sound too excited for someone whose mum just locked her up."

"I'm drunk, Linda. I took frustration vodka and I'm high on it right now. I think it's 90% bitterness and 10% tears."

Linda burst into laughter. "Oh my God, you're crazy. Is there even such a thing as frustration vodka?"

"There is tonight," I said, chuckling softly, then sighing. "It's Mom. She refused to let me go to the party. I tried convincing her told her Kathryn is going but she didn't care. I'm not a child anymore, Linda. I know how to differentiate rights from wrongs. I just want her to trust me for once. I even told her if it gets late, I could come crash at your place, but she wouldn't listen. She just said no. I'm exhausted."

"Calm down, Lily," Linda said gently. "Have you tried talking to your dad? He might convince her."

"That's not an option," I said quickly. "Mum's already decided. And I overheard Kathryn and my stepdad talking on the staircase earlier he said she's not allowed to go either. But we both know that girl will still sneak out. Kathryn missing a party? Never. Especially one where the BOLD will be there."

Linda groaned dramatically. "Oh please, you don't need to say that twice. Kathryn is the queen of parties. She'd rather die than miss one, especially with those BOLD guys attending. I'm sure she's already planning her escape route."

I nodded even though she couldn't see me. "Exactly. And I also Mum said Dad would be traveling for a business trip this week, so he won't even be around during the weekend. That means Kathryn can sneak in and out freely without getting caught."

Linda was quiet for a moment. Then her tone changed  playful, but calculated. "Lily... I have a plan. A very smart plan. And if we play it right, you'll be at that party before anyone knows it."

My heart skipped. "Spill it, girl! Don't keep me hanging like that."

She laughed softly. "Calm down, impatient soul. We'll talk tomorrow at school. I want to see your face when I tell you. You're going to love this."

"Ugh, you're so wicked," I said, smiling for the first time that night. "You better not be bluffing."

"Would I ever bluff with my best girl? Trust me, Lily. You're going to that party cause we both know I can't go alone,I'm scared when I do things alone. Even if I have to sneak you out myself I will make sure we go together."

We both laughed, but somewhere deep inside, I knew she meant everything she said and things were about to get messy.

As I hung up and lay on my bed, the sound of the night filled the silence. After a moment, I got up and walked to the balcony, hoping the cool air would clear my head. The moonlight spread across the yard, soft and pale, making the trees look almost silver. The air was calm, a little chilly, and for a second, it actually helped me breathe easier.

I leaned on the rail and stared out at the quiet street. Everything seemed peaceful the kind of peace that feels fake, like something's waiting to break it.I just wanted a moment to feel free.

Then I saw it...A WOLF

At first, I thought I imagined it  a shadow moving near the edge of the yard. I blinked and looked again, squinting into the dark. That's when I saw it clearly  a shape, low and still, with eyes shining faintly under the streetlight.

My heart skipped. It looked like a wolf.

No..not just any wolf. The same one I'd seen a few weeks ago.

For a second, we just stared at each other. I didn't even breathe. Then, before I could say or do anything, it turned and ran off into the darkness, disappearing between the trees.

I stood there frozen, gripping the balcony rail so tight my knuckles turned white. My heart was pounding in my ears. That couldn't be real... right?

Just then, I heard a soft howl behind me. Low and strange not quite loud, but it made the hairs on my skin stand. I turned quickly, my pulse racing.

Cutie was standing right behind me, her little body stiff, her eyes fixed on the same spot where the wolf had just disappeared.

"Cutie?" I whispered.

She didn't move. Her ears were straight up, her tail low, and her breathing shallow. For a second, I could swear it was her that made that sound... but that wasn't a dog's sound. Not at all.

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

I stepped back into my room slowly, my eyes still on her. She followed me inside, still tense, and I quickly shut the balcony door, locking it tight.

My heart wouldn't stop racing.