SEVEN: JENNIFER BROWN!

There was a long queue outside the girls' bathroom, the hallway buzzing with restless murmurs and… unmistakable moans.

"Hey! Get out of there!" a group of junior girls banged on the door.

"What's going on in there?" someone from the back of the line shouted. A few girls rolled their eyes and walked away in frustration.

On our way to class, the cluster of students gathered at the female restroom caught our attention.

Clary slowed beside me, frowning. "What's going on?" she asked a nearby junior, a petite girl with tousled blonde hair and a frayed denim pad bag.

The girl barely glanced up from her phone, her expression drained, as if she'd seen this exact drama unfold a dozen times before. "It's Jennie," she muttered. "She's hooking up with Sofie again."

A sharp scoff cut through the air. A redhead standing next to the blonde rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful. "I swear, does she think this place is a brothel or something?" she said, crossing her arms with the practiced disdain of someone who'd long since stopped being shocked.

Pink, who had been silent up until now, let out a sharp sigh that sliced through the murmurs like glass. "Great," she muttered under her breath. "Jennifer's back. And of course she needs to make a scene about it. Can't just re-enter quietly like a normal person."

My stomach twisted with discomfort. "Has anyone reported this to the school authorities?" I asked, my voice firmer than I expected.

The blonde girl and the redhead exchanged glances. Their silence said more than words. Eventually, the blonde sighed, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

"What's the point?" she murmured. "none of them will do anything about it. Jennifer Brown is one of the most feared student in Caveroop high, nobody wants to get involved with her"

Around us, a few other students nodded, expressions a mixture of irritation, defeat, and morbid curiosity.

"Yeah, the only person that has managed to get in her way was mr. Ray, and now she's back, I smell something terrible cooking up." The redhaired said.

"Well, someone's gotta do something about this," I said, louder than I meant to. My voice cut through the murmurs.

Pink's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, she stormed toward the bathroom entrance. A few senior girls, clearly fed up too joined her. Together, they banged on the door once before one of them jimmied the handle with a pen and forced it open.

The moment it creaked open, a wave of frustrated students surged forward. Girls who had been standing in line for what felt like forever rushed past us into the stalls, groaning with relief and muttering under their breath.

And then… silence.

Just beyond the row of mirrors, Jennie and Sofie stood in full view, seemingly unbothered. They were wrapped in each other like they had the room to themselves.

Sofie leaned against the sink, her hair tousled, eyes half-lidded. Jennie stood close, her chin raised with a proud defiance that dared anyone to call her out. Their clothes were scattered carelessly on the counter behind them.

Clary gasped. Someone behind me swore under their breath.

My stomach twisted. I wasn't sure if it was disgust, secondhand embarrassment, or just the sheer audacity of it all but I couldn't stand there a second longer.

Jennie yelled angrily without shame "Hey! Ever heard of knocking?"

Pink smirked,

"Ever heard of a brothel?"

Then she urged the junior student to go in and make use of the toilets, Jennie got angry, she picked up her clothes that were scattered on the floor and walked away followed by Sofie who went behind her.

Jennie was back at it again, louder, bolder, and even more disruptive than before.

Her reputation had long preceded her. She was infamous for barging into ongoing classes with no regard for timing or decorum, cracking inappropriate jokes just to get a reaction, throwing spitballs at the blackboard, or storming out mid-lesson if she got bored. Social gatherings especially those organized by the junior students weren't safe either. She'd show up uninvited, mock the presenters, and stir chaos just for the thrill of it.

But it wasn't just theatrics. Jennie had a cruel streak. She picked on the quiet kids, especially the freshmen flipping their lunch trays, pulling out chairs before they sat, spreading rumors so vicious they left some students in tears. Teachers were aware, of course, but discipline rarely stuck with her. No detention, suspension, or "talking to" ever made a dent. It was like she fed off the tension she caused, growing bolder every time someone tried to rein her in.

That Tuesday morning, everyone was gathered in the school's main hall for a mandatory counseling session, a rare meeting organized by the student wellness unit after a string of recent incidents. Rows of students filed in, buzzing with gossip and half-hearted complaints. The faculty lined the walls, trying to maintain order. Even the principal, Mrs. Adams stood stiffly at the front stage, her hands clasped behind her back like she was bracing for something.

The atmosphere was thick with anticipation. I sat near the middle row with Clary and Pink. Just as the session was about to begin, the door swing opened and Jennifer walked in like the boss with Sofie trailing behind her.

Her unforeseen entrance caught the attention of everyone present, including the speakers.

We all paused and turned to look at her. People began mumbling to one another, and the school press already had their cameras ready to capture the scene.

"Where's that motherfucker!" She yelled smiling widely as she walked down looking at the crowd like a hungry wolf wanting to devour its prey.

"He thinks he can bring me down! Well bad news, I'm here again"

Seeing what was going on, Mrs. Adams, the principal called her attention saying

"Young lady, this is a learning environment,you better have a seat or I'll put you in detention, you've caused enough trouble this semester!"

Jennie laughed, her blue eyes sparkling under the harsh florence light, and said rudely,

"I don't give a fuck, all I want is that motherfucker on his knees begging for my mercy"

He wore a crisp, casual blue shirt, its sleeves rolled up to the elbows, revealing toned forearms. A loosely knotted black tie hung from his neck, swaying slightly as he walked. Draped over his shoulders was a sleek black trouser, its fabric matte, almost like shadow stitched into form giving him a sharp, silhouette. His polished black shoes echoed softly against the floor as he approached. With his hands folded neatly behind his back and his gaze locked ahead, he stopped a few meters from Jennie, the air between them charged with unspoken tension.

Upon seeing him, she smiled wickedly. Her blue eyes narrowed like a predator spotting prey. She leaned forward slightly, and said in a low, mocking voice, "There you are! I've waited too long for this, I'll rip you out, bit by bit, you better start asking for mercy"

I got so interested that I sat upright and just like everyone else, we were waiting to see his reply but he just shook his head and signed

"Would you stop making a fool out of your self and sit down"

Gasps rippled through the crowd as more students pulled out their phones, their screens lighting up like a swarm of tiny spotlights aimed at the unfolding scene. Whispers turned into excited murmurs, and the soft clicks of record buttons filled the air. Jennie's jaw tightened, her nostrils flaring as her blue eyes darted from one raised phone to another. The humiliation burned hotter than fire in her chest.

Then she snapped. Her voice rang out, sharp and furious, slicing through the noise like a whip.

"Who do you think you're calling a fool?!" she screamed, her tone laced with venom.

Not affected by her anger, he turned to leave. She snarled, her nails slowly grew longer and without thinking, she charged at Raymond.

"I'll kill you!" Jennie screamed, her voice cracking with rage as she lunged forward, fury blazing in her eyes.

But she never got the chance to reach him.

With a swift flick of his fingers, a surge of invisible force burst from his palm. Jennie's body lifted off the ground as if yanked by unseen strings, her feet dangling, her arms flailing midair. Gasps erupted across the hall, some students stumbling backward, phones trembling in their hands.

With a cold, effortless motion, he hurled her across the room.

Jennie crashed into the front of the hall with a bone-rattling thud, the echo bouncing off the walls. She lay groaning, hair disheveled, pride shattered, as silence gripped the room like a vice.

Then Raymond, having captured the attention of everyone in the room, stepped forward with calm authority. His voice was low but carried effortlessly through the hushed silence, each word deliberate and sharp as a blade.

"You know the one thing that makes you foolish, is the fact that you never learn." And he exited the place.

Everyone began to mumble between themselves some were laughing silently, Jennie lifted her head up a little in annoyance and wanted to comment to what he said before Mrs. Adams stood in front of her, her hands balanced on her hips and said with all seriousness

"Congratulations young lady, you just earned yourself two weeks detention."

Jennie hit her left fist on the ground and shouted

"Fuck!"

...

The incident that day was the talk of the school, it was posted on the schools news website and gist group, she became an object of mockery among the junior students as some used the videos for contents, stickers, GIFs and many more, she even became a trending challenge on their tiktok pages.

I sat in a quiet corner of the library, my back pressed against the worn oak chair, eyes glued to my phone screen. The soft hum of the overhead lights and the occasional whisper of pages turning surrounded me like a cocoon. I wasn't really studying, just scrolling through posts about what had gone down earlier today. And of course, the internet didn't disappoint.

Just then, the door creaked open and Zack walked in. His usual calm stride carried him between the shelves until he spotted me. A small grin tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Hey," he said, voice low and familiar.

"Hi, Zack." I smiled back, instinctively straightening up as he pulled out the chair next to mine and sat down.

He peeked at my phone and chuckled softly.

"Aren't you supposed to be studying?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I know," I admitted with a grin. "But I can't get today's scene out of my head."

I turned my screen toward him. A video was already going viral, Jennie mid-air, her shriek frozen in a dramatic screenshot.

"Look," I said, barely holding in my laugh. "She's all over the net, and she's not even ashamed. Read these comments."

He skimmed the screen and smirked.

"That's Jennifer for you. Drama runs in her blood."

I leaned back slightly, thinking, then asked more seriously,

"Did you notice something... off about her today?"

Zack's smirk faded. His eyes shifted, studying my face for a moment before nodding slightly for me to go on.

"I saw her nails… growing. Like, actually growing" I said, voice barely above a whisper. I dropped my gaze to the table, my fingers lightly tracing the grain in the wood. "How is that even possible?"

Zack exhaled slowly, his posture relaxing into the back of the chair.

"Well… there are rumors," he said after a beat. "Some people think she's the Alpha wolf."

He glanced at me sideways. "But honestly, I've never seen any real proof. Could just be gossip."

"Still…" I mumbled, "it didn't look natural."

His tone softened.

"What about you? How are you holding up? After Nemus?"

That question hit harder than I expected. I blinked, surprised he even remembered.

"I'm… better," I said slowly. "Although it still gives me nightmares sometimes. The way he looked at me… I can't forget it."

I gave a nervous laugh, trying to shake the chill creeping up my spine. "What if he comes back?"

Zack sat up straighter, the playfulness gone from his face.

"He won't," he said firmly. "Thanks to Raymond's spell, he can't enter the school grounds. You're safe here. We all are."

His certainty made me breathe easier, even if just for a moment.

"That's a relief," I sighed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

Zack glanced at his watch, then stood up, pushing in his chair.

"I'll let you actually study now," he said with a grin, then paused.

"And hey, just a reminder. The big game's on Saturday. Don't miss it."

He winked and turned to leave, his footsteps quiet against the library floor.

I watched him go, warmth blooming in my chest.

Zack was the only one who truly seemed to care. He checked in, he noticed things. He didn't act like his brother who, after saving my life, treated me like I was just another problem off his list.

I smiled to myself, heart light.

Zack's the one girls should be falling for, I thought. Not his arrogant, distant brother.

That night, I sat on my bed with my laptop on my lap, researching about werewolves.

There were so many articles, but none of them revealed the identity of the alpha.

Pink came out of the bathroom after a long bath. She wore her pink robe and used a small towel to dry her wet hair, which danced around her face.

"What ya doing?" She asked as she stood in front of the big mirror.

"Did you notice that Jennie can make her nails grow" I said then she turned to look at me pausing what she was doing "so basically, it's possible for her to transform with or without the full moon"

Then Pink turned away trying to avoid eye contact as she continues what she was doing.

"Could she be the alpha" I asked with my eyes fixed on the screen of my laptop "I mean, she's all over the net for suspicious behaviour"

"No she's not" Pink snapped, her voice cutting through the atmosphere like a blade "that's just what people believe"

"It can't be just a make believe, I mean, the evidence is clear." I said then stared at her closely as she avoids contacts "but why do you think it's a lie?"

"I can feel it in my gut"

I smirked,

"You'll have to do better than that you know"

"Okay fine," She signed and went to sit on the white chair near the reading table "Jennie's not the alpha wolf because if she were, then I would be too"

I gasped, what the heck!

I got so curious that I put my laptop aside to listen to the story but she felt reluctant to tell.

"What happened between you and Jennifer, why do you hate her so much and why would she want to make you one of her kind" I asked without pausing.

Pink looked away, closing her eyes and making a fist, then I remembered what Eska told me;

Having Jennie around reminds her of a trauma, it's best not to ask...

She might have felt uncomfortable about the questions so I said calmly

"It's okay, you don't have to reply if it makes you uncomfortable"

Then Pink sighed, slowly unclenching her fist. Her shoulders dropped as tension left her body. Strands of wet hair clung to her cheeks and neck, dripping onto her uniform as she looked up at me through damp lashes. Her eyes, usually sharp and unreadable, shimmered with something softer, worn-out, maybe even vulnerable.

Then she said, "We used to be best friends, really close. We did almost everything together and even grew fond of each other," she paused to swallow, then continued. "But she became obsessed with me. She started stalking me, kept a lot of weird photos of me, and even had a small room in her house filled with pictures of my daily activities. When I found out, I freaked out and decided to cut ties with her for the time being. That's when I met Clary and Eska." She paused for a few seconds and looked at me. I was quietly and wholeheartedly listening to the story.

"When we began to bond, she became jealous and started sending anonymous mail. She took my nudes and used them to blackmail me. After some times, I confronted her. She was furious, and we had a fierce argument where I told her I was done. She didn't take it lightly. One night, she broke into my room and tried to sleep with me, but Clary, who knew of her plan, came to my aid." She paused and swallowed hard.

Still curious, I asked

"How did Clary learned of her plan?"

"She had a vision" Pink replied, when she saw my expression then smiled a little and said "Clary is witch, she took after her mother, Cela, a white white"

With that, I did not bother to ask again, I urged her to continue her story.

"Seeing that her plan was thwarted, Jennie transformed into a wolf; that night happened to be a full moon." She paused, poured herself a glass of water, took a sip, then continued.

"She and Clary fought. Jennie almost killed her before Raymond intervened. He used the opportunity to send Jennie away temporarily, but before she left, she whispered in my ear that if she were the alpha wolf, she would be the one to turn me."

I signed, that's a lot to take in, I can see why they can't stand each other.

Compared to Pinks story and the incident at the hall earlier today, I still believe Jennie to be the alpha because she has displayed a unique behaviour but I still need more proof.

...

The full moon had long faded, leaving the sky a murky slate of gray. Inside an old, rusted garage on the outskirts of town, the scent of oil, blood, and wet earth hung heavy in the air. Two girls knelt on the muddy ground, their hands bound behind them, faces covered with coarse black sacks. Their clothes were soaked from the cold ground, breaths visible in the chill.

A creak echoed through the hollow space as boots approached.

With a sharp motion, the coverings were yanked from their heads.

Jennifer Brown and Sofie Max blinked rapidly, squinting under the dim, flickering light overhead. Mud streaked their cheeks, but their expressions remained fierce.

"Nemus!" Jennie snarled, her eyes flaring with defiance.

The figure stepped forward, his olive toned skin glistening faintly. A sly, crooked smile curved his lips.

"Hello, Jennifer Brown. Sofie Max." His voice oozed mockery. "It's good to see you again."

Sofie smirked, even in captivity.

"Took you long enough."

Nemus chuckled. "Hmm… aren't you two curious why I brought you here?"

"What is it that you want, motherfucker?" Jennie hissed, spitting mud near his boot.

He ignored her venom, waving a hand toward his enforcers.

"Stand them up."

The guards grunted as they pulled both girls to their feet, their bodies tense but still unbroken.

"I want to make a proposal," Nemus said, clasping his hands behind his back.

Jennie narrowed her eyes.

"What kind of proposal?" she asked, though her tone made it clear she didn't care.

"I want you to break Raymond's wand."

At that, Jennie threw her head back and laughed, a sharp, cold sound that echoed off the garage walls.

"You want to get back into Caveroop High, don't you?" she sneered. "Why the hell would I help you?"

Nemus's smile widened, cruel and knowing.

"Because we're after the same thing… revenge."

Jennie scoffed.

"I think I know how to handle that on my own." She turned, ready to walk away despite her restraints.

But Nemus rose from the metal chair with an eerie stillness and said clearly,

"Help me… and I'll help you find the Alpha."

Jennie froze.

"I'll give you its name. Its weakness. You kill it and you become the next Alpha."

The silence stretched.

Slowly, Jennie turned back around, the muddy floor squelching beneath her boots. Her expression shifted from doubt to something far more dangerous. A grin played at her lips—mischievous, hungry.

"Okay," she said softly. "What's the plan?"