Anastasia

I woke up on the floor, Garett's word flashing in my mind. I can't help but smile as I get up and have a shower. The dry blood from my cuts stains the water as it washes away.

"Ow, what the hell." I say as I drew my attention to the cuts. I can feel a stinging sensation as water runs over them. Confused, I look down and see the deepest wound is still open. The blood clotting must have slowed down the bleeding. The wound should have healed by now. I get out of the shower and go looking for the first aid box. I need a bandage to cover the cut.

Confused, I wonder what is causing my healing to be slow, but what this could mean makes me happy.

Once bandaged and dressed in a pair of black tights and a gray sweatshirt, I put my boots on before grabbing the switchblade I left on the floor last night. Rinsing it and ensuring it is clean before closing it and slipping it into my boot.

The walk to school was a long one. I kept my head low as I walked, not paying attention to my surroundings.

Before I reach the school, a hand shoots out and grabs my wrist, their nails digging into my bandaged cut. I groan, looking up I see Harley. She has her hand on my wrist, pulling me into the alley, away from anyone. Megan is leaning against the wall on the left, her foot against it as she holds a knife in her hand, using it to clean out under her nails.

Tanisha is also there. A brown hair and tan skin guy kissing her. I grimace at the image burned into my brain. They look like they are trying to eat each other's face off. The man's form is blocking Tanisha's view of me, which I am thankful for until Harley turns to me, a devilish grin on her face.

"Tan, our plaything is here," her words cause Tanisha to pull away from the man, a smile on her face as she stares at me.

"Connor, baby, I'll see you in class?" she says to the man. Connor's brown eyes stare at me as he walks past with curiosity. I look over my shoulder, making sure he is gone. That's when I feel someone grab my hair, pulling me towards them until I am face to face with Tanisha, her dark, emotionless eyes staring into mine.

"Gee, Anastasia, first Derek and now my mate?" she growls at me. "You really don't have any shame, do you?" she continues, her hand tightening her grip on my hair as she pulls, causing me to grimace. Her words send tremors through my body as Medeia's rumours catch up to me.

"Such a slut," Megan adds. She is walking towards us now, her eyes checking her hands over until she is right in front of me. She stares at me before punching me in the stomach. The feeling caused me to gasp, as the punch forced the air out of my lungs, My body hunches over as my arms come up to cover my stomach.

"I swear she would fuck anything that breathes," Harley says, letting out a laugh. The others join in with her, showcasing their agreement with the statement.

"It's most likely because no one would ever want to touch her." Harley continues.

"It's because she is trash, who would even want to see that." Tanisha continues her lips pulling into a smirk as they degrade me.

"You should really stop being so desperate, it's not a good look." Megan says, her tone casual as if she were given advice to a friend to help her.

She raises her hand and slaps me, my head stinging as Tanisha continues to pull my hair more.

"I mean, what the hell were you thinking?" Tanisha starts, "That Derek, the Alpha's Beta, would sleep with the ugly little wolf, like you? Even if you had a higher rank, he wouldn't touch you with a stick. Trust me, Medeia would ensure it," Tanisha says, spitting out the words, pushing me to the ground.

I fall on my ass, my hands scraping against the pavement, tearing at my skin. The impact of my hands hitting the pavement sends a jolt of pain up my arm as I feel the warm liquid of my bandaged cut oozing out and being pressed against my skin. I focus on the feeling, it soothes me as I focus on how I caused that pain, not Medeia's lackeys.

"She obviously wasn't," Megan says.

"Who would even want to look at you?" Harley adds, pacing in front of me. Spitting on the ground right in front of me.

"Honestly, you are just a worthless little whore," Megan says from behind me, causing me to jump.

"I think we need to knock some sense into her." One of them comments but I don't focus on who it is, instead I try to prepare for what is about to happen.

Harley laughs when she sees the fear on my face. She pounces as soon as I look at her, her foot connecting with my chest as I get pushed down. My fragile ribs cracking again as she kicks me while I'm down. Her kicks make me regret not finishing the job last night.

Megan is on me in seconds after Harley hesitates. She kicks me in the stomach, and the girls laugh at my distress. Enjoying beating me over Medeia's lies, hoping to make me regret what I had supposedly down, even if it was nothing.

Tanisha grabs my sweatshirt, pulling me up. She gives me a sweet smile before pulling her fist back and connecting it with my nose. My eyes water as I feel the blood pouring down my face for the third time in the span of two days.

"Do not go near Derek again," Tanisha says, threatening me.

Her fist connects with my face again, my teeth coming down on my lip from the impact, causing it to bleed more. She drops me onto the floor, dusting her hands off as Megan and Harley continue kicking me.

"Hey, what the fuck are you guys doing?" a new voice says from a distance. The voice causes me to flinch, cursing at him, having found me like this.

"Nothing, Jacob," Tanisha says. She walks past him, her shoulder bumping into his as she does. Megan and Harley are quick to follow, their heads hanging low as Jacob stares them down.

He watches them walk away before looking at me. I look up at him, the sun behind him, highlighting his broad frame as he comes closer to me, his hand reaching out to help me up, and I reluctantly take it.

"You didn't have to do that. I was fine," I say to him, my eyes still on the floor.

I don't want to look at him because of what had happened and the guilt of it being my fault. I wanted to speak to him, but I wasn't ready to face him just yet.

He just sighs, his hands on my shoulders as he looks me over. I know it is just his protective nature, but the action still causes me to blush.

"Sure, Ana, it really looked like you had it under control. You always seem to have everything under control," he replies ,sarcasm underlying his words ensuring that they have some bite to it. His words hurt me as I stare up at him and really look at him for the first time in a very long time.

His eyes seem darker, heavy bags under them. He clearly has not been sleeping, as the sensation of pain and hurt is still rolling off of him. His usually carefully styled hair is messy, and his clothes wrinkled, his body lacks its usual poise as his shoulders are slouched and his head is kept low.

I shrug his hands off my shoulders, stepping back from him. Bad idea. My head swirls, black spots blurring my vision. I sway, struggling to keep my balance.

"You look like shit," he says, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment at his words.

Hurt courses through me, but not from Medeia's lackeys. "When was the last time you ate? Slept? Actually, didn't have a swollen face?" he asks, concerned. But his concern for me doesn't cover the anger in his eyes, but how could I blame him for what I had done to Gisele?

"Leave Jacob, I am fine," I say, spitting the words out, hoping he will leave from the venom in my words, he doesn't move instead his face morphs, the hurt he feels from my words causing him to look like a wounded puppy.

"Sure, you are Ana," he replies, rolling his eyes as he walks towards me, each step he takes fueled by determination.

I back up, my feet stumbling over each other as I try to get away from him.

"You can't even stand and yet you want me to believe you, when you say you are fine," he says, holding his hands up, trying to show he means no harm.

Panic must have flashed across my face as my eyes searched looking for an escape from him but knowing he will win and get his way like always. He continues to come towards me.

"Please, just let me take you to the doctor," he pleads, causing me to shake my head in protest.

I'm worried about what the doctor will find and tell him. My hand comes up to hold my head as a fresh wave of dizziness hits me.

"No, just leave me." I say, my eyes closed as I try to fight of the dizziness.

By the time I feel okay to open my eyes and look at him, he is in front of me. His hands are already back on me, turning me sideways as he bends down slightly, his arm behind my knees, the other on my back as he stands up, holding me in a bridal carry.

I blush, my head swirling from the sudden movement. My arms across my chest, a pout on my lips showcasing my irritation at him.

"Jacob, put me down, I am fi-" the word dies in my throat as the blackness takes over, welcoming me into its warm embrace. The last thing I remember is the feeling of being carried, Jacob's feet hitting the ground and swears flying out of his mouth.