Arianna’s POV "You slut!"

The slap was so fast that I didn’t see it coming; I felt the sting as my father’s hand connected with my cheek, sending my head to the side.

For a second, everything went silent. My ears rang, and my skin burned.

I stared up at him, frozen, my palm slowly lifting to touch the place he’d struck. "Dad...?"

"Don’t speak," he growled in a low voice. "Don’t you dare open that filthy mouth and drag this family’s name into the dirt again."

Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall. It wasn’t the first time this was happening, getting accused wrongly with no one to defend me.

My voice cracked as I whispered, "I didn’t do anything...Colewas the one who..."

"Oh, please," Gina cut in, strutting into the room with that perfectly fake expression of hurt and betrayal. "He told me everything. You texted him, said you were sick and needed help."

I blinked. What?

"And because I’m not a complete monster," she added with a dramatic sniff, "I decided to bring you warm milk. And what do I walk in on? You, throwing yourself at him like some desperate, seductive little..."

"That’s not what happened!" I shouted as my chest heaved. "He came into my room and..."

Gina scoffed, cutting me off before I finished." Who the hell are you kidding? You asked him to see you, and yet you remained in a towel. Arianna, how shameless can you be? Do you think we are foolish not to see through your lies?. You must have tried to compel him, you are a vampire after all"

She has thrown that vampire card on my face again to make them believe her, false testimony I could see my father clench his hands with a look of distaste on his face

"N, no, no. Y-you’ve got it wrong. I never texted him. I didn’t even know he was... he sat down, he..." It was of no use explaining, but I did anyway.

"You always have an excuse, don’t you?" Mom’s voice sliced in from behind me, venom-laced and cold.

My heart clenched. I recalled how much she loved and protected me in the past, but now...

"Just like every other time. You think we’re all too stupid to see what you’re really like? You were clearly laying onColewhen we came in. Try explaining that."

I swallowed. It was true but that had been because he yanked my hand and I lost my footing, sending me flying on top of him and at that perfect moment, Gina pushed the door and waltzed in.

"Mum..."

She lifted her palm. "And to think I actually interceded for you, begging your father that what Victoria said about you sleeping with Gamma Reed’s

son yesterday was a lie, and you’re doing it again today?"

I turned around, heart pounding so loud I couldn’t hear. She was standing there, arms crossed, like I was something she’d scraped off the bottom of her shoe.

I looked toCole, my last chance, my last hope.

He just stood there, leaning against the wall with that smug little smile like all of this was beneath him... as if he were entitled to watch me burn.

"Cole," I said, pleading, "...please tell them. Tell them the truth." He gave a lazy shrug, brushing a hand through his stupid, perfect hair.

"Look, I dunno. I truly cared that you were under the weather. But y-you just... misread the situation."

"Misread?"

My voice cracked.

I took a step back, the betrayal crashing over me so hard I thought I might drown in it.

"Stop lying. I would never do that to you, Gina," I tried defending myself, turning toward her, "I know he is yours, so how could I even think of doing that?"

"Oh my god, you’re so pathetic," Gina sneered. "Always the victim. Always spinning your little sob stories like it’s going to make someone care."

Her words pierced through me like needles. What was I thinking that after all these years, if I tried harder, then probably then, Gina would show some sisterly affection towards me.

"I’m telling the truth." My head was spinning, drowning in my own misery. "Enough!" my dad barked, storming towards me.

Instinctively, I flinched when I saw the rage burning in his eyes. "I thought the basement would teach you some lessons, but it seemed like I was being too nice."

My eyes went wide in shock as my chest tightened so much I couldn’t breathe. Before I could react, his hand clamped around my wrist like a vice.

"Dad, please... stop, no. I don’t want to go down there. Please."

The basement was literally my nightmare. After being locked down there on so many accounts for a false accusation, one would expect such trauma.

One time it was because Gina lied to them that I wanted to drain her blood. That was after my sixteenth birthday when I just transformed.

My father hated me so much because I reminded him of the vampire who killed his mother. I’ve spent my whole life trying to show my dad that I’m not the same as the vampire who killed his mother but my life only got worse by each passing day.

Why did they choose me of all children to be adopted? I had dreamed of the day they would treat me as their daughter but I’ve long lost hope, I only wished they would at least see me better than a slave.

He paused briefly. "Like I said, too good for you. You’ll suffer worse."

His hold tightened, I felt my bones might snap any second. "Stop... you’re hurting me!" I screamed.

"You’ve embarrassed this family long enough," he spat, dragging me forward. "You want to keep acting like some depraved little leech, with a cunt hungry for any dick? Then fine. But you’re not doing it under my roof."

"Let go of me!" I fought him, heels digging into the floor as he pulled me out of my room and down the hallway. "You don’t know the truth! I swear I never did that.Coleplease. Tell him the truth... Mum... Gina, please."

He shoved open the front door and yanked me out into the night, letting the cold air prick my skin as the porch light hummed faintly behind us. My heart pounded in my chest like it was trying to escape.

"Get the silver-laced whip," he said flatly. "And flog her hundred strokes." And just like that, I stopped breathing.

I stared at him, wide-eyed, the words refusing to register. He wasn’t serious.

He couldn’t be serious. He knew that I can’t easily heal from silver, yet he has chosen the silver whip this time.

He surely is and has been letting out the grief of losing his mother at a young age to a vampire on me. And I hated myself so many times for being the creature that I’m.

The door creaked again, and Gina stepped out behind us, the moonlight catching the fake worry in her eyes. "Dad, don’t be too hard on her," she said with mock compassion. "I’m hurt, but I wouldn’t want her dead."

And then, just to twist the knife deeper,Coleemerged. "Alpha Falcon, please, take it easy. I mean..." He ran a hand through his hair again. "Can you really blame her? Fifty strokes would be okay to remind her of her morals."

I wished he never spoke up, because what was the point, what he just said dealt the last straw and that was it.

That was the moment something inside me shattered.

I stopped struggling. Stopped crying. I just... stood there.

But in all of this, I pitiedCole. If only he knew how selfishly ambitious Gina is, and that he was just a pawn in her game.

I looked my father in the eye and said nothing as the whip cracked through the air.

The first strike felt like fire ripping down my back, but I didn’t scream. I wouldn’t give them that satisfaction.

I lost count after the twelfth. Maybe the twentieth.

At some point, I couldn’t see anymore. My vision blurred, the world fading to black at the edges.

And as I crumpled to the grass, blood in my mouth, pain in every breath, I made myself a promise in the dark.

No more.

Arianna’s POV

The grass beneath me felt cold and wet as I slowly opened my eyes to the surroundings. The smell of soil, blood, and silver was thick in my nose.

I didn’t move at first; in fact, I couldn’t. My body screamed with pain, and I could vividly remember what had happened earlier that night.

I blinked up at the stars, disoriented for a second. A soft breeze swept over the lawn, chilling the open lashes on my back. I pushed myself off the floor, the pain almost crippling me for some seconds.

I slowly dragged myself to my room while biting down hard on my cheek to keep myself from screaming.

’No more,’ I muttered to myself. It was midnight, and they had dumped me in the middle of the lawn after savaging my body with the silver whip.

My room, my sanctuary, a dark place I went to escape my misery. I stood in the dark for a moment, leaning against the wall, listening to the silence.

My breaths were shallow and slow, the burns reminding me that I was a vampire raised by werewolves.

I crossed to the old dresser in the corner of the room, each step pulling on torn muscles. My fingers trembled as I reached the drawer button, the second one on the left.

I pulled on it, only to find out that it was stuck just like always. I yanked it open with force, and there it was, the folder I had in mind.

It had yellow edges, and it was worn around the corners. This was my last secret.

I had stared at this folder countless nights. Wishing, hoping. Never brave enough to act on it, but tonight, I didn’t feel like a coward anymore.

My hand tightened around the papers as I took in a deep breath.

I gathered my belongings from around the room. Taking my last glance around the room and in the mirror, taking a last glimpse of who I once was before erasing it all, walked towards the door and shut it quietly behind me.

***********************************

Dense black forests and wetlands surrounded the Ashwood Academy . The walls of the academy were built high and painted white, with pillars surrounding it, blending Gothic, Norse, and modern architectural elements.

Inside the academy are arched corridors and ancestral crests. Surrounding the hall are modular eco-buildings with smart-glass walls.

Much to my dismay, the school’s architectural setup was modern and grander than I had imagined.

I thought the school hallways would be dimly lit with silver lanterns, with Ivy creeping over its walls like veins.

I expected something more Gothic and Ancient, but the air here seemed more welcoming than I thought until my eyes met a silver object, more like a towering sculpture of The Argent Sentinel.

It was a 12-foot-tall, monolithic statue crafted from pure lunar-forged silver. The aura from the sculpture repels vampires instinctively.

I stared at the statue for a while, a sudden sense of fear crawling up my spine. Something about this sculpture felt off to me, but whatever it was, I couldn’t place a finger on it.

It was almost time for classes, so I had to hurry to the locker room at the west wing, locate my locker and head to the classroom on time.

The lockers were neatly arranged in rows and columns, with each student’s name attached to each locker.

I got to the locker with my name, ’Arya Wolfsburn’, on it. I had replaced my name, ’Arianna Falcon’, with ’Arya’ to hide my true identity.

However, that is not the only thing I changed; my hair and eye color weren’t left out either. My hair was no longer burgundy but now silver-blue, and my eyes were sea green instead of amber.

Peering inside my locker, I found that the inner walls were painted my favorite color, red. I chuckled, actually flattered by the attention they paid to the details I filled in the form.

I gathered my books and, as I turned towards the classroom, I bumped into something hard, sending my books flying in different directions.

Wait, that was a human?. I thoughtfully asked myself as I slowly looked up at the towering figure that I had bumped into.

"Watch your step, blind freak." He said with a look of disdain written all over his face.

’Wow! What a scumbag, was that how they behaved here?’ I muttered to myself with my eyes flipped to the side as I watched his retreating figure.

I got down to gather my book. "My name is kyle." I heard a voice as a hand reached out to help me gather my books that were littered all over the floor, must be the scumbag’s friend, I hadn’t noticed earlier. I looked up to his emerald gaze.

"What’s yours?" He asked with a low smirk on his lips. "Arya", I answered with my signature icy tone.

"You still read Harry Potter, what generation are you?" He gestured to one of my books in an amused tone. I could see an amused, quirky smile curling up at the corner of his lips.

"What is the meaning of that?" I fired back at him. "Keep your irrelevant opinions and questions to yourself", releasing the anger I felt towards his friend. I felt so much better.

I walked into the class, luckily, before it was time for the first lesson. I was met with stares, both friendly and uncomfortable, as I walked in the direction of my seat. Of course, I should have expected it as a new intake.

Just like the lockers, each seat had a tablet with their name scribbled on it, making it easily accessible for me.

I found my seat and took it, glancing around and trying to get my books arranged on the desk.

"New here, huh?" I heard a voice on my left side say. I turned to my left just to catch him looking forward.

He had such a mean and composed demeanour. "Are you asking me?" I asked the guy with the name Jace Belmont sitting beside me.

"Who else is new here? And I wasn’t asking a question; I was just remarking. He replied to me in such a cold tone. ’Was this really how the guys here actually behaved, or was it just the people with the problem?’ I mentally screamed.

The rude guy from earlier that day sat across Jace on the left, and I managed to see the name on his desk: ’Daven Spade.’

And I saw Kyle switch chairs with the sturdy nerd right behind me, and I just found it so weird that I was in a class of scumbags.

"Alright, everyone listen up,, the prof said as he strode into the class. "We have a new student in our midst, so I would like her to introduce herself."

I stood up and walked to the middle of the classroom, "My name is Arya Wolfsburn, I..." I started to introduce myself before a redheaded girl interrupted me.

"What a ridiculous name,, she said, and her friends started laughing. ’Oh well, I guess everyone is stupid here, I might as well start calling them out.

"You mean like your ridiculous name ’juliet’," I said, taking a glance at her table.

Silence washed over the classroom, and I could see those dudes smirk and something more sinister appear in their eyes.

"Enough, I’m Professor Garrin Ulfrich, and I won’t be expecting chaos in my class this section." He said, directing his glare at the class before looking at me. "See me after class, Miss Wolfsburn".

Arianna’s POV;

On my first day of school, I had to meet my teacher after class. What a great way to start.

I slunk back to my seat, my gaze burning holes into the back of red-haired juliet and her squad of wannabe drama queens.

They giggled like they ran the place, maybe they did, but not for long if I had anything to say about it. I’d barely walked into this school and already, I was ready to walk right back out.

Professor Garrin’s voice hummed on in the background, words floating around the classroom.

My mind refused to absorb anything. Instead, I stared through the window beside me, out at the cloudy horizon and the oak trees that surrounded the school grounds.

I could feel the tension growing in my chest, a familiar tightness that told me I wasn’t just annoyed, I was close to boiling over.

The lunch bell finally rang, sharp and loud, yanking me out of my spiral. It sounded like freedom, and I immediately reached for my bag, more than ready to bolt. But just as I took my first step, Professor Garrin’s voice caught me mid-stride.

"Miss Wolfsburn, please stay behind for a moment."

I bit back a groan and forced myself to turn around with as much politeness as I could muster, which, admittedly, wasn’t a lot.

I grudgingly followed him as the classroom emptied.

"Arya Wolfsburn," he began, looking over his round spectacles. "You are new here, and I wouldn’t want you getting into frequent trouble. Starting a fight on your first day at school isn’t a nice first impression."

His tone wasn’t exactly reprimanding; it was more like he was sizing me up. Like he’d seen dozens of students like me and was deciding which category to file me under.

"I heard you right, Professor Ulfrich," I said. "I’ll try to avoid any more trouble."

He gave me a slight nod, but I could tell he didn’t believe me. Maybe he was right not to.

The hallways were buzzing with chatter as I made my way to the cafeteria. Everyone was already clumped into their social cliques, laughing, gossiping, pretending not to look at the new girl. I could feel their eyes on me, measuring, speculating.

I scanned the room and found an empty table near the window, bathed in golden light. That would be my spot from now on, my quiet corner.

As I weaved through the maze of students, food trays, and swinging backpacks, I caught the unmistakable sound of juliet’s voice.

"Look, Tessa, the clueless newbie has finally arrived," she said, flipping her crimson ponytail over her shoulder like she was starring in her personal reality show.

I didn’t even need to look at her to know they were all watching me. I could feel their collective gaze sticking to my back like leeches.

"I’m going to teach her a lesson she won’t forget," she whispered to Victoria, who sat to her left. Their laughter followed, sharp and poisonous.

If only they knew. My vampire senses caught every word, every heartbeat, every flicker of emotion. I could’ve recited the gossip in perfect mimicry if I cared enough to entertain them.

As I walked past their table, juliet made her move, a very predictable and pathetic one. She stuck out her leg, expecting me to stumble and fall, tray and dignity crashing to the ground.

But instead, I moved with swift precision, pivoted, and caught her off balance.

With a yelp, she toppled backwards onto the floor. Gasps erupted across the cafeteria.

"Oops," I said softly, stepping around her. "Good riddance to bad rubbish."

She looked up at me, stunned and furious, her face turning the exact shade of her hair.

I bent low until my eyes met hers. "Next time," I said calmly, "watch who you come for."

I walked away before she could recover, the chaos behind me like music to my ears.

Just as I reached my table and sank into my seat, thinking I’d earned a moment of peace, I felt a familiar presence. A scent, my stomach twisted before I even looked up.

"Dane Ray." The name in my mind was like a curse.

He stood there, tray in hand, looking like a memory I had locked away and thrown into the sea. The last time I saw him, it was through tears and betrayal.

Why here? Why now?

I packed up my things, I had lost my appetite, so I decided to abandon the food.

I think I heard him mention his name, but I was far gone.

I ran past the tables, past the confused stares and raised brows, straight out of the cafeteria. I didn’t care where I was going; I just needed air, space, and silence from all the chaos of today.

His face haunted me like a shadow. The memories clawed their way back in. He had believed my sister’s lies. Called me a slut, never once asked for my side of the story. Never once did they look into my eyes to see the truth.

I hated him. I hated that I still remembered how he made me feel. I hated that I once dared to love him or trust him, but what did I get in return .

I needed to find the dorms really fast, I felt exhausted from today’s events. Using the student guide, I navigated the twisting hallways and buildings.

The dormitory was impressive, ultra-modern, glass walls reflecting the sunset, towering over the other buildings like a silent guardian. It looked like something out of a futuristic boarding school.

The girls’ wing was to the east. I scanned my ID and entered the building. My flat was on the third floor, and when I opened the door, I stopped cold.

It was beautiful. A small lounge with cozy sofas and a coffee table greeted me. The dining area looked like something out of a magazine, and a tall bookshelf in the corner already sparked ideas about what novels to stuff it with.

I checked the names on the doors on the left side of the corridor. I’m guessing they are doors to the rooms. magdalena Xander, ayeesha Dawn, my flatmates. Hopefully, they weren’t nightmares in disguise.

My room was the last on the right.

I stepped inside and exhaled. It was perfect. Warm wooden floors, a large bed with soft grey sheets, a writing desk by the window, and soft white curtains that danced in the breeze.

I dropped my bag and collapsed onto the bed. But I couldn’t stop thinking. Couldn’t shake off the feeling. The look in his eyes when he saw me was it hate, or was it something else?.

I needed to sleep, just a moment of peace from all the chaos.

I closed my eyes to sleep and was soon awakened by distant echoes of laughter in the hallway.