Stolen Fate: Bound to Seven Alphas

VERAH

Elyse.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind as the heavy rain pelted the roof. I leaned against the window, straining my eyes as I stared toward the parking lot.

If Elliott and Lance had found her, they should’ve been back by now. It had been nearly thirty minutes since they left, and the walk from the dorm to the school was only about ten minutes on foot.

Or maybe they hadn’t. I could still see Elliott’s car parked in the lot.

I let go of the curtain as a bright flash of lightning streaked across the sky.

"She’ll be fine," I murmured.

She had to be.

She was with the boys. Even though I still hated the fact that she kept getting close to Elliott when they were supposed to be broken up, I had to admit he was probably the best person to be by her side right now.

Him and Lance.

They were both House Alphas — incredibly strong and experienced. They had faced plenty of monsters together and earned serious respect within their houses.

So yeah... they would protect her.

"Help!"

I grimaced, clamping a hand over my ear as Mary’s scream pierced through the room for the fourth time.

She hadn’t stopped since the rain started. I supposed it had everything to do with Janice’s death. Ever since it happened, Mary had been completely out of it.

I didn’t blame her. I’d probably lose it too if my best friend, Elyse, died right in front of me.

Still, her voice was the last thing I wanted to hear. It was starting to drive me insane.

The louder the rain hammered against the roof, the higher Mary’s screams rose — like they were competing with each other.

My teeth clenched. I glared hard at the door as another piercing cry echoed down the hallway.

"Can you shut the fuck up?!" I grunted.

She was five rooms away. I doubted she could even hear me unless she was actively using her enhanced hearing.

She kept screaming anyway, like some demon was actually tearing her apart.

I tried to ignore it. I really did. But when she let out another ear-splitting wail, the headache became unbearable.

I shot up from the floor, stalked to the door, and yanked it open. I stepped into the hallway and froze.

My heart stopped.

Mary was on the ground in a pool of blood, along with three other students I didn’t recognize. Thick red streaks ran across the narrow hallway floor.

Towering over them was an enormous entity I had never seen before. Its body was massive and grotesque, but its face was disturbingly small. A single eye sat in the center of its head. Its teeth were the size of pebbles, sharp and dripping with crimson liquid.

This was the Hollow Hound?

It didn’t feel legendary.

It felt like pure death — something sent specifically to kill. And it looked more than happy to slaughter anyone in its path just for the thrill of it.

"You," it snarled, its single eye locking directly onto me.

I slapped a hand over my mouth, stifling the scream that threatened to rip out of me as the monster gripped one of the incapacitated students, ripped their heart out, and shoved it into its mouth. It munched loudly with a wicked, blood-stained smile.

Nausea surged up my throat. I forced it back down, clutching my stomach with my free hand as my gut twisted violently.

Mary turned her head, as if sensing me.

"Verah... help me!" she whimpered, tears streaming down her face.

"W-what...?" I stammered, stumbling backward, shaking my head.

How could she call out to me right now?! 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

My eyes widened in horror as the monster slowly turned, its single eye locking directly onto me.

Shit.

My legs froze in place. I should have stayed inside! But there was no way I could have known the monster had already gotten this far.

"Verah," Mary cried again, snapping me out of my shock.

I scowled in her direction. She was in the worst pain imaginable, barely clinging to life, and yet she had just gotten me caught.

It was selfish to think that way. I knew it. But I wanted to live. I didn’t want to die.

The monster took two heavy steps toward me, its eye slowly dragging up and down my body. I had changed out of my uniform into a blue crop top and black mid-thigh skirt.

Definitely not fighting attire.

But I was Verah Hart. I made the impossible work.

I dropped into a defensive stance. "Don’t you dare hold back on me, Stacey," I hissed at my wolf. "You know if I die, you die too."

Besides, this was the perfect time to put everything my father had taught me last winter into practice.

I took a step forward, then stopped abruptly.

Do not engage.

Headmaster Alaric’s voice cut through my mind like a warning bell. I gulped, staring at the monster as it continued its slow, heavy approach.

Seeing it up close, I finally understood why he had given that order. The aura rolling off this thing was suffocating — far too strong, far too evil. There was no way someone with just basic defensive and attacking skills like me could take it on.

Yet... what the hell was I supposed to do?

My heart hammered as I frantically thought of ways to escape without engaging.

"I can run back into my room," I whispered, reaching blindly behind me for the door.

My fingers finally found the handle. I gripped it tightly but didn’t open it.

What if the monster followed me inside? That would be worse than fighting it out here. At least out here I had a chance to run.

I shook my head, pushing away the dozens of gruesome scenarios flooding my mind. My nose wrinkled in disgust.

The monster suddenly stopped, as if it could read my thoughts.

"Where is she?" it growled.

"Where is who?!" I shouted back.

Please, not Elyse. Not my bestfriend. Anyone else but her!

"Willa," it snarled.

My brows furrowed in confusion. "Who the fuck is that?"