ZAC'S POV

"Sure you have everything you need?" Hillary asked, popping his head into my room.

I was pissed. This wasn't in the cards for me for the end of the year. All of a sudden, my mother buys a house in Louiseville and wants her boys to move in with her.

My room was almost spare, save for the furniture. Our mother had made sure everything was packed in boxes and shipped half way across the country. All I had to do was pack the clothes I wanted to have with me until the U-haul with the rest of our things would arrive.

I cocked my head back to look at my brother, my eyes bored. "I need this house but you don't have any idea how I can pack it up, yeah?" I asked.

Hillary smiled, folding his hands across his chest. "You're just mad that you won't be able to host your stupid end of semester parties anymore," he replied.

That had to be my main reason why I hated this whole arrangement. The party was supposed to be here in two days but that's all out the window. It briefly hurt my ego but I was going to do something bigger when we got back to school.

Still, I wasn't going to let my brother hold something over me.

I stepped forward, pulling my luggage and shoving it into him, hard. "Correction, I won't be able to host my end of semester parties here anymore. I'll just have to find somewhere much better. And rip out your tongue while I'm at it." I grabbed his collar, forcing my eyes to glow blue; the sign of my authority as a predator wolf.

Hillary smirked, happy to have pushed my buttons. He held up both hands in surrender. "Fiesty as ever, little brother," he replied.

"Call me a little again and I'll remind you why I'm student President," a smile grazed my lips as I saw him frown. I lifted the corner of my lips just enough for my growing canine to peak out.

Hillary was a year older than me but he'd lost the elections to me, if you can call it that. He barely held wind against me. He also lost his final chance to be President. He's already in sixth year at the Academy.

I must have hit a sore spot because Hillary hit his final move. He furrowed my hair, messing it up. I growled at him and slapped his arm away. "You're such a child," I replied, leaving the room.

My phone beeped and I paused, seeing a text from my father: You're only going to be gone for Christmas. When you return to the academy, we continue training.

My body instantly reacted, muscles tightening. My back suddenly felt like it was on fire even though I wasn't in pain anymore. My father had scarred me more than my body could heal.

"Is that Dad?" Hillary asked, noticing my reaction to the text.

"No," I lied about to pocket my phone when I got another notification. REALELEANOR is live now. She was posting directly through Bateview Academy social media platform. Here, anything goes. Not even the principal or the teachers have a say on here. Everyone, except me.

I clicked on the notification and immediately, I saw the plus size student that has been the target of most of my bored antics. She filled my screen, two of Eleanor's friends holding her down in a stall. Her grey eyes are wide, black hair falling around her face. She looked scared and she was obviously still in school.

Eleanor poured milk over her, laughing as it happened. For some reason, the scene sent a feeling roaring through my body. It felt uncomfortable and unsettling. Why was I, Zac Ackerman, affected by this video?

Hillary looked over my shoulder at the video. "Isn't that the omega that can't manifest her wolf? What was her name again? Darla? Diane?"

"Daphne," I replied, slipping my phone back into my pocket and taking a step forward.

"Aren't you going to do something about them? It's literally the last day of the semester. Can't the girl have some peace?"

I shrugged, reaching the head of the stairs. "It's not my concern. Tell that to Eleanor."

"Hey, you better wait for me. We have the same flight!" Hillary yelled after me and I heard him walking off to his room.

It was really not my business what Eleanor and her girls decided to do with their time. And I really didn't care about the omega. In an academy where your family, money, status and position as a wolf matter, Daphne was basically useless to me.

I only used her to set an example of what happens if you fall down the social hierarchy.

"Master Zachary," the butler said, taking my luggage from me and leading me to where the car was parked. We passed by the large Christmas tree set up close to the stairs and I was reminded of the season; the gifts, the happiness, the families reuniting together and filling the airports.

It was my worst holiday.

Thomas loaded it into the back of the car and handed me the keys. "Are you well?"

I grunted out a reply as I got in.

Understanding that I was not in the mood to talk, Thomas bowed, "Save travels, Master Zachary."

I said nothing. Thomas knew everything about me, down to the scars on my fingers. And yet, I couldn't bring myself to talk to him because one person was invading my thoughts rent free. I sped out of the Ackerman estate, swerving into the road.

I glanced at the rearview mirror to make sure I wasn't followed. However, I noticed the familiar dark green of my brother's Audi speeding up to catch up to me. I smirked and stepped on the gas.

This used to be a little game of ours, racing through the highway and seeing who got there first. Still, this particular face kept popping up in my mind and I got distracted, Hillary speeding past me.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. She answered after two rings. "Hey, Doll."

DAPHNE'S POV

"Daph!" my sister wrapped her hands around my neck and kissed my cheek. "I've missed you so much. Uni is terrible being apart from you."

My older sister had dyed her hair blond with highlights. She looked stunning with her freckles and tanned skin. Standing next to her, I looked even paler and duller in comparison to the goddess called my sister. Still, I was happy to see her.

"Daisy," I smiled just breathing in her scent. She'd arrived a little later than me but, all that mattered was, my family was together again.

"How has the academy been? I'm so jealous. You get to attend the fancy wolf school," Daisy started to say. She was always the chirpier one of the two of us.

I couldn't tell her that I had spent three hours stinking up the whole bathroom before the janitor did his rounds and found me. I also didn't tell her I spent five hours trying to wash off the smell.

She wrinkled her nose. "Why do you smell like fish?"

Thankfully, before I could reply, my father burst through the door, his hands weighed down by grocery bags. "My girls!" he said, putting the bags down and barreling into us. He grabbed either of us in both hands and twirled us right there, grunting with the effort.

I giggled as he put us down and hugged us. "I missed you," I said, inhaling that familiar scent of popcorn and caramel that clung to his clothes.

"I know that you girls just got back but we're short staff because of the season and all the travelling, we need a little help at the theatre," he pulled his lips into a thin line, feeling bad for asking so soon.

Daisy and I exchanged a look. We'd been thinking about the theatre all through the semester. My parents ran the local theatre, although it was anything but local. It had the best movies, beautiful and a steady stream of customers. That place was home. I had memories as far back as three, hiding under the counter while my mom made popcorn and chatted with customers.

Still, we weren't going to let our father know that we were excited to be back. "Well, you see, Dad," Daisy began, "It's Christmas and kids like us got out, watch fireworks and fall in love."

"Not my Daphne. She loves her parent's too much to leave us," Dad pulled me into his side, holding me.

"I always knew she was your favourite," Daphne feigned annoyance.

I chuckled, "We'll help out, Dad. Whatever you need."

"Great. We received tons of new Christmas movies and I'll need two young, intelligent girls to go through all of them and eat all the popcorn and drink all the slushies they want," Dad stroked his chin. "I wonder where I can find them now that everyone's caught up in festivities."

Daisy immediately started guiding me towards the door. "Look no further, Dad. Daphne and I will handle the movies. You just stay here and rest up. We'll go help Mom."

Dad thanked us, wrapping his red scarf around my neck. He tightened it, making sure that it was secure. "Are you okay, cupcake?" he asked.

He rubbed my shoulder tenderly and for a moment, I wanted to melt into his love and tell him everything. But, he had worked hard to get me into Bateview Academy. It had been his dream to go and it would absolutely crush him if he finds out that I was being bullied.

"I'm okay," I lied, forcing a smile on my face.

Daisy was already shoving her feet into her boots and putting on her coats. "Come on, Daphne, let's go!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming," I chuckled, hurrying after her. We linked arms together, walking as we always did to the theatre.

Daisy told me all about her university. She spoke about her roommate and all the parties she'd been through, the lectures and the library and then she talked about this Beta who she was interested in. They'd gone on a date once and thing seemed to be picking up well.

I listened carefully, smiling as she spoke. I was happy that at least one of us was having fun in another state, in a new school. No one had to know what I'd gone through. Back here in Louiseville, I was the sweet Daphne Curtis who stayed out of trouble and was always at the theatre.

It took us about ten minutes and we made it there.

Daisy and I exchanged a look and giggled, rushing to the front door. The doorman and part security, Benson, grinned. He's been working here for as long as I could remember.

He grinned, holding the door open. "The Curtis girls are back in Louiseville."

I waved at him as we rushed in. My mom was behind the counter, going through the books while one of the newer girls was making popcorn and working the slushie machine.

"Mom," Daisy said, lifting the counter top and going to hug our mother. I joined in, inhaling her scent.

"My babies, you're back," she looked tired but her face lit up. "It finally feels like Christmas."

We talked for a few minutes before Daisy went over to set up the next movie. I went to the ticket booth.

There was a long line in front of the closed ticket booth. I took a seat, turned on the small heater on the counter, cracked my knuckles and opened the small square space at the bottom of the glass window facing the crowd.

"Form an orderly line, please," I instructed as I began to sell the tickets. I smiled, seeing couples in matching hats, coats or scarves. Even families. Christmas was my favourite season. The people, the love, the kindness and this theatre. It was all so perfect.

"I'd like a ticket for the next movie, please," a voice said, through the glass

"That would be five ninety-nine," I said, arranging the notes and coins in cash register.

The guy slipped a ten dollar note through the space at the bottom of the glass window. I took it, fishing out his change and ripping a ticket free. I looked up, "Thank you. Enjoy your –"

The rest of the words died in my throat as I recognized who it is. My heart raced in my chest and my hands started to shake. It was impossible. When I left Bateview for Christmas, I believed that I would be safe.

But, monsters never leave their prey alone. They hunted them down to the ends of the earth.

My monster had come to find me. Zachary Ackerman was here.

ZAC'S POV

I slammed the door of the taxi shut and got my luggage out. Hillary joined me, standing to look at the house. It was a storey building, the walls a sky blue and the window panes white. It looked like one of those houses you would see in the movies with happy families.

"We must be at the correct address, right?" Hillary asked, voicing my thoughts. He checked his phone and confirmed it.

"It's...," I searched for the right word. "Small."

That was the nicest thing I could say about it. It was smaller than our own place in my father's estate. My mother could afford something better. I'm not sure how to explain her choices.

"It's like a matchbox," Hillary added. We could agree on this.

"Boys!" my mother squealed, rushing out of the house to hug us. She pressed kisses into our cheeks. "My newest Student President is finally here."

"Mom, what is this? What did you see here?" Hillary said after hugging her.

"Well, for one, I can tell that it is a sorry ass of a town," I said, shaking off the snow on my boots and looking around the neighbourhood.

"Zac, always so mean. It's not that bad," my mother said, coming to stand between us to look at the house.

"If beneath your standard, in the middle of nowhere and quiet and sad is the vibe that you're going for then yes, it's not that bad,"

"I wanted something that feels warm and like a home. This town," she sighed, standing between Hillary and I, and giving our arms a squeeze, "it just feels like Christmas. Something magical is going to happen."

"Yeah, like me leaving," I turned, walking down the sidewalk.

"Where are you going?" mom asked in that voice I hated. Whenever she saw me, she liked to baby me. She felt guilty that my father pushed me hard and there was nothing she could do about it. I had a feeling that this move was about Hillary and I.

Still, I wasn't kind enough to make her feel good about her choices.

"To see if he can find someone new to torment probably," Hillary replied. I heard him wheel our luggage towards the house.

I flipped him the finger, grateful that I had a coat on. It was colder than I expected. Hillary was right though. I was walking around to see who I could torment. But the truth was, I wanted to see if I could notice the power play here. Someone always made the rules, even in small towns like this. I wanted to be able to control it.

I must have walked for twenty minutes, passing my many diners and a sheriff's office. I wondered how long it would take me to spot other wolves.

"Thank you. Enjoy your movie," a lady said.

I stopped in my tracks, looking around. The voice sounded very familiar. I don't hear it often but I could recognize it. My eyes found the theatre across the road. There was a short line of people at the ticket booth. I couldn't see anyone I knew but my body started to move before I realized.

I joined the line, sticking my hands into the pocket of my coat and regretting that I didn't put gloves on. When it was my turn, I stepped forward, fishing a note from my pocket to hand it to the person there.

"That would be five ninety-nine," she said, absent mindedly.

I froze for a moment as the voice washed over me. It was her – Daphne Curtis. She sat behind a glass, those curly brown hair tucked behind her ears and a red scarf around her neck. It made her eyes look larger and prettier than it usually was.

I shook my head. What the hell? Did I just think the plus size omega was pretty?

I quickly gave her the note and as she handed me the change, she looked up. "Thank you. Enjoy-"

She froze, whatever she wanted to say dying in her mouth. Her hands began to shake, holding onto the change and ticket. I didn't know what to say to her because she suddenly looked trapped. She looked like she would run if I uttered one wrong word.

I reached forward and took the ticket. "Thank you," I turned quickly and walked towards the entrance.

I didn't know what I was thinking when I walked up to that ticket booth. I didn't come there to bother her or to remind her of her place. I just heard her voice from across the road and came there with zero thoughts.

My heart was racing uncontrollably. I made a mental note to visit the doctor. Something was undeniably wrong with me.

The doorman checked my ticket and smiled kindly at me, letting me in. I didn't know what I was doing but, for some reason, I didn't just want to leave. I felt the need to apologize. I was Student President, why should I care if the omega was scared to see me?

As I took a seat one row from the exit, I wondered what she was doing in Lousieville. Was she visiting family? Was this where she lived? And why was she working in the ticketing booth?

I was so curious and it irked me. A few minutes later, the lights went out and the movie came up on screen. I had no idea what was showing but it didn't look that bad. It was a romantic comedy, the usual where the girl or the guy returned to their hometown and reunited with an ex or best friend and fell in love.

Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as I thought. I caught myself laughing more times than I expected.

When I looked back, I noticed two people standing at the back, whispering to themselves. I would have ignored it but then, I noticed that red scarf around her neck when the screen turned brighter.

Daphne. And she was with a guy.

I watched her carefully, realizing just how different things were now. This was Christmas. I was in a new place, in a new house and in a theatre: three things I rarely ever did. I guess I could do things differently. And surprisingly, what I wanted to change had something to do with the brown head, plump sized, beautiful Daphne Curtis.