Claimed by the Cold Alpha; Moonfang Royal Academy

Chapter one 

Zaria POV

“Stop!” I shouted as I quickened my steps toward the group of girls. They were standing in a circle, laughing and pushing someone in the middle. I didn’t need anyone to explain what was happening. I already knew. Bullying. I hated it so much.

The moment my voice rang out, everything went quiet. It was like the whole place froze. Every head turned toward me. Their eyes were filled with curiosity, confusion, and some with annoyance.

“Who is she?” one girl whispered.

“I’ve never seen her before,” another said.

“New student?”

I ignored all of them and kept walking. My eyes were fixed on the girl they were bullying. Her head was down, her shoulders shaking. Two girls were holding her arms tightly, like she was nothing.

“Let her go,” I said when I got closer.

My voice was calm but firm. I wasn’t asking. I was telling them.

One of the girls in front folded her arms and laughed loudly. “Excuse me? Who do you think you are?”

Another voice joined. “Did she just tell Princess Selena what to do?”

More murmurs spread through the crowd.

“She must be crazy.”

“She has some nerve.”

I didn’t respond to them. I didn’t even look at them. My attention stayed on the girl they were hurting.

“Let her go,” I repeated.

This time, slower.

Someone behind them scoffed. “She must be a new scholarship student. Look at her clothes.”

“Yeah, she looks so cheap.”

“So tattered.”

I clenched my jaw but stayed quiet. Their words didn’t matter. What mattered was stopping this.

The girl they called Selena stepped forward. She looked perfect in every way—her hair, her uniform, her posture. She carried herself like she owned the whole place.

She walked closer to me, her eyes sharp and full of pride. “Who the hell are you?” she asked.

I looked straight at her without blinking. “I’m someone you don’t want to know.”

Before she could react, I walked past her and reached for the girl.

I was about to pull her away when suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back hard.

Before I could even react slapped landed on my, my head turned from the force. My cheek burned instantly, without thinking, I raised my hand and slapped her back twice 

Gasps filled the air.

“Oh the moon goddess, she dare slapped her!” I heard someone said.

“She hit Selena! She’s finished!” another one said. 

The shock on Selena’s face was clear. She didn’t expect that. No one had probably ever dared to touch her before.

“Who do you think you are?” I snapped. “You think you can just hit me?”

The whispers around us grew louder.

“She just slapped the Alpha Lycan’s daughter!”

“She’s dead!”

“She won’t survive this!”

“A scholarship student dared to fight back?”

The noise was getting too much. It was annoying.

“Shut the fuck up!” I shouted.

Silence fell immediately. No one said another word.

I stepped forward again, grabbed the bullied girl’s hand, and pulled her toward me. “Come on,” I said.

She followed me without resistance, her head still lowered.

We walked through the crowd. No one dared to stop us. They all moved aside, watching us like we were some kind of show.

I didn’t look back, we kept walking until the noise faded and we reached a quieter part of the school. There were a few benches under a tree. No one was there.

I sat her down gently. “Sit.” She obeyed quickly, still shaking.

I looked at her properly. Her uniform was dusty and slightly torn. Her hands were trembling.

I brushed some dirt off her shoulder. “Why do you let them bully you like that?” I asked.

She didn’t answer. She just shook her head.

“Hey,” I said, a little softer now. “You’re safe. Talk to me.”

She slowly raised her head and looked at me. Her eyes were filled with fear.

“Who are you?” she asked quietly.

“My name is Zaria,” I replied.

She stared at me for a moment, then looked down again. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

I frowned. “Sorry? For what?”

“For getting you involved,” she said. “They’ll come after you now.”

I let out a small laugh. “I’m not scared of them.”

She looked up quickly. “Do you know who she is?”

“Yes,” I said. “A bully.”

She shook her head. “No… she’s the daughter of the Alpha King.”

I stayed calm. That explained everything—the attitude, the confidence, the way everyone reacted.

“And the others?” I asked.

“Kate is the Beta’s daughter. Pretty is one of the elders’ daughters. And Mera… she’s from another strong pack and she's the daughter of the peck Alpha,” she explained.

I nodded slowly. So that was the reason behind their power. Their families.

“That’s why everyone respects them,” she continued. “Especially scholarship students. If we offend them, they can have us expelled.”

I leaned back slightly and crossed my arms. “So you just accept it? You let them treat you like that because you’re scared?”

She didn’t respond immediately. I could see the conflict in her eyes.

“I don’t have a choice,” she finally said. “This school is my only chance. If I get expelled, I have nowhere else to go.”

I studied her face. She wasn’t weak. She was just afraid.

“There’s always a choice,” I said.

She shook her head again. “Not for people like me.”

“People like us,” I corrected.

She paused and looked at me.

“Are you also a scholarship student?” she asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes,” I said simply.

She suddenly let out a small shout. “Ah!”

I blinked. “What?”

She quickly covered her mouth. “Sorry… it’s just… you don’t act like one.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Most scholarship students try to stay quiet. They don’t get into trouble. They don’t talk back,” she explained.

I smirked slightly. “Well, I’m not like them.”

She stared at me, like she was trying to understand me.

“But what are you going to do now?” she asked. “After what happened…”

I stood up and stretched slightly.

“If they come for me, I’ll deal with them,” I said.