Hunted: My Alpha Hates Me

CLAIRE'S POV

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zane yelled, sprinting toward me. He grabbed my arm and yanked me away from Skylar. "Have you lost your mind?"

Fury bubbled inside me. I shoved him back, glaring. "She started it!" I snapped, pointing at Skylar. "She barged into my room and tried to kill me! How am I the problem?"

Zane's glare was intense as he looked down at me, but I was beyond caring. His lunatic girlfriend had just tried to take me out, and somehow, I was the villain.

"I knew you were bad luck the moment you showed up here and now, you just tried to kill me," Skylar said from behind me, her voice trembling with fake tears. "You're so evil."

I turned to her, disbelief flashing through me. Was she actually crying?

I scoffed. "I'm the victim here, Skylar, so you—"

"Shut up," Zane cut me off.

I spun back to him, my mouth falling open. "Do you seriously think I attacked her?" My chest heaved as my anger burned hotter. "She came in here, accusing me of—"

"I don't care," he snapped coldly. "We both know you're a walking plague," Zane finished, and the words hit harder than any slap. My wolf growled inside me showing her displeasure to his words.

Skylar stepped closer to him at that moment, and pressed against his side, her glare drilling into me like I was the threat. "We should kick her out of this dorm." She said. "File a complaint or whatever, anything to get her out of here!"

I exhaled shakily as I glared back at her, knowing she was lying through her teeth. "Does playing victim make it easier to live with yourself?" I asked, pressing my lips together and forcing my breathing to stay even.

But my hands clenched so tightly and shaking betrayed me.

"Are you about to cry?" Zane asked, tilting his head. I quickly wiped my tears that had stained my chin with the back of my hand. "You tried to hurt someone and you're crying?"

"I only tried to defend myself from her," I stated, looking up to meet his golden eyes. "But you already know the truth. You have just decided to ignore it because you don't like me."

"Wrong," Zane shot back. "You see…..I despise you, Claire. Not dislike. My body burns with hatred for you. And so does everyone else here."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, blinking to keep the tears at bay because of his words. They shouldn't have hurt because he had proved it to me in different ways. Still, hearing him pronounce his hatred for me again dug a hole in my heart.

"The next time you pull this kind of stunt, you'll have me to deal with." He threatened, his voice low.

Lowering my gaze to the ground, I didn't bother to defend myself again because all I would get in return were words hurtful enough to crush my soul.

With no response from me, Zane turned and headed toward the door with Skylar walking quickly after him.

The door slammed shut behind them after some seconds, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence of my room.

I looked around, my vision blurring as I fought back the tears. But I couldn't.

"Assholes," I whispered, my voice shaking as tears spilt freely down my face. Don't cry Claire, I told myself. But something about the way Zane looked at me because of Skylar broke me.

"Fucking assholes!" I screamed, kicking my wardrobe in anger. The pain that shot up my foot was nothing compared to the ache in my heart.

Clutching my chest, I slid down against the wardrobe, finally giving in to the tears as I buried my face in my palms.

"A walking plague." Zane's words echoed in my head.

"Everyone hates you."

"I despise you."

Frustrated and hurt, I kicked my legs against the ground as I sobbed uncontrollably, my fingers digging into my hair.

I'd felt pain before but this was not it. This was excruciating torment and I wasn't sure how long I could last.

I wrapped my hands around myself as there was no one to console me. Father wasn't here to tell me to be strong and mother wasn't sitting beside me and patting my hair, telling me everything would be alright.

I was alone. Alone in this place that was draining the life out of me.

"Mum," I choked out. "Where are you? Everyone hates me."

*******

FLASHBACK—FEW DAYS AGO (Claire's POV)

I sat in the back of the car, twisting my hands nervously as I stared up ahead. Father was driving, and Mother sat beside me, both of them quiet as we made our way to Carnemore.

My throat was burning because I had been trying not to cry since we departed from home. I didn't want Father to think I was weak and Mother would even be more devastated seeing my tears.

But as I struggled, Mother wrapped her hands around mine, and I glanced at her. She seemed to be holding back her own tears, and that made me lose it.

"Mum, I'm scared," I admitted, my voice coming out as a whisper. "I'm so scared."

She pulled me into her arms, allowing me to rest my head on her shoulder as she gently caressed my hair. "I know you're scared, honey. I'm scared too," she said softly.

"I don't want to leave you," I whispered. "I don't want to go to this school."

Mother sighed and then swallowed, perhaps still trying to hide her tears from me. "We've talked about it, Claire. This is the only option we have. I know it'll be difficult, but it will be over before you know it."

"When?" I asked, pushing back and searching her face for answers. I wanted to see any slight hope in her eyes, something that would tell me I wouldn't have to stay at Carnemore for long. "When can I come home?"

But Mother looked sad and she glanced away, folding her hands tightly. She always did that whenever she was scared and trying to hold herself together, like when Kyle my brother was hospitalized.

Seeing that, my heart shattered into thousands of pieces, knowing she was just like me. Mother was full of nothing but fear and had no assurance that things would be fine.

"It will be over soon." She repeated, staring out into space.

Before I could speak, Father's voice came, "We are here."

I lifted my head and saw the imposing gate of Carnemore Academy. We were really here.

Goosebumps masked my skin instantly and my heart started to pound more than ever. It felt like a fortress and I already thought of it as my new prison.

Father cleared his throat and quietly got out of the car. He popped the trunk open to get my bag and his voice came again. "Come out, Claire. You cannot sit here all day."

"Come on," Mother whispered and I shuddered, very reluctant to get out of the car.

Mother and I finally stepped out, and I clutched my bag tighter, fear gripping me.

As we reached the gate, Father buzzed for security. A middle-aged man who looked like a Lycan but I wasn't sure because I was scared, opened a small window.

He gave us a hard stare, slight irritation showing on his face as he saw Father and after a while, he said, "Only the girl."

Mother and I exchanged glances, and I instinctively hid behind her, feeling small and scared. I couldn't go in there alone. She had to come with me, check if my mattress had bugs or if the drinking water was okay for me. Something at all.

Mother had to come.

"I—I'm sorry, but we have to speak to the headmistress," Father told the man. "You see, my daughter is a special student and…"

"Special student, alright," the man cut in, clearly amused. "But our orders are orders. We are not to let any hunters into this school. So, either the girl comes in alone, or you take her back."

Hunters? Father was no longer a hunter. Why couldn't they understand that and leave our family alone?

I hid further behind Mother's back, gripping her dress tighter. They could take me back if she wouldn't go in with me. That was an option.

Instead, Father sighed and then turned to me looking defeated. "Come on," he said softly, urging me forward.

I shook my head, opening my mouth to say something but the words wouldn't come out. My only reaction was the tightening of my fingers even more around Mother's dress.

Slowly, she turned to face me, tears streaming down her face. Then she grabbed my hands in hers, staring at me delicately.

"Listen to me, Claire Tara Hunter, you're strong and special. You're strong because you have both your human and werewolf parts. You're special because you're my daughter."

I nodded although I was screaming inside, and trying to hold on to the last bit of control I had left as tears dropped to my clothes.

"Carnemore is just like any other school," She continued, forcing a smile despite her tears. "You'll thrive if you work hard and I know you will. Just remember that I'll pray to the moon goddess every day to keep you safe."

"But what if they hate me here?" I choked out, trembling. "It's not like South Vale where I have friends."

Mother chuckled and wiped her face. "They will hate you, my dear daughter. They will." She told me, her voice cracking and eyes saddening even more. "But you'll do what I've always taught you—stand strong, keep your head high and never let their hatred tun you into something you're not."

"Oh, mum.." I cried, falling into her arms.