BEASTLY INFERNO: 1

2016 | 21st Century

The sun peeked through the blinds, its harsh rays threatening to burn my eyelash off. I groaned, rolling over in a desperate attempt to avoid the sunlight, smiling in victory when I managed to evade its glare. But that small moment of peace was short-lived as my door swung open.

"NEROLI ANDERSON! Get your butt up! Our last paper of the exam is about to start in T-minus forty minutes!"

I blinked rapidly, my eyes snapping open. The dizziness of being jerked awake hit me like a punch to the face, but I pushed through it, my body immediately reacting to the urgency in her voice. I turned to look at the door and saw my best friend, Ellie, standing there, her hands on her hips.

My eyes widened, and I quickly turned to the wall clock above the door.

"Shit! I overslept!"

I scrambled out of bed, trying to compose myself despite the dizziness that swam in my head. I glanced over at my roommate's bed and saw it was empty, confirming that I had indeed missed my alarm.

Ellie followed my gaze and shook her head, a frown forming on her face. "That bitch didn't even wake you after everything you've done for her. I swear, girl, one of these days I'm going to put hands on her."

I couldn't help but laugh as I pulled off my pajamas. "I swear, she's always like that."

While I was pulling on my clothes, Ellie threw me a roll of toilet paper to wipe my face, always the one to make sure I looked presentable, even when I was running late. I dashed to the bathroom, multitasking like a pro: brushing my teeth, quickly detangling my Afro, and taking the fastest shower of my life.

By the time I emerged, Ellie had already spread out my uniform on the bed. I couldn't help but smile gratefully at her. She had a way of taking care of things when I was too scattered to keep up.

I hurried to put on my underwear, then slipped into my uniform. After applying some necessary hair treatment, I combed through my hair, deciding to tie it into a sleek bun. After spritzing on some body spray, I gave Ellie a quick glance. She smiled, giving me the thumbs-up.

"Let's go."

We rushed to class, making it there just as the bell rang.

"Good luck," we said to each other in unison, our words synchronized as we shared a brief laugh.

The teacher walked in, her eyes scanning the room critically before she cleared her throat.

"Alright, class, you know the drill. You have one hour to answer these questions and shade in your answers with a pencil—nothing more, nothing less."

The next hour passed in a blur, each second dragging by as we filled in our exam sheets. Finally, the relief of finishing washed over me.

"We're done, finally!" I let out a long breath, turning to Ellie. "This week has been hell. I'm just glad it's over, you know?"

Ellie nodded, her eyes gleaming with the same relief. We walked back to my room, where I began packing up my things.

"I can't wait for you to meet my folks," I said, a smile spreading across my face. "You'll love them, I'm sure."

Ellie grinned. "I'm glad you invited me over. Since my parents can't make it this time, it'll be fun to spend the holiday together."

After packing my things, we headed to her dorm room to grab her bags before heading to the parking lot.

"Our driver's on his way," Ellie said, a wide grin on her face. "I can't wait to go home, relax, and get out of this stuffy uniform."

Before I could respond, a voice called out.

"Anderson! Bolton!"

We both turned to see a middle-aged, potbellied man—the sports coach—walking toward us.

"My two favorite girls," he said with a smile, clapping us both on the shoulder. "I look forward to seeing you after the holiday."

We smiled and thanked him in unison as he walked away.

A sleek black SUV pulled up next, and a man emerged, walking toward us. He was dressed in a crisp suit, his posture formal and confident.

"Hello, Miss. I'm so glad you're finally home. The Al—"

Ellie immediately cut him off, stepping forward to hug him.

"Oh! It's good to see you, Dave," she said, pulling away with a smile. "Meet my human friend, Neroli."

Dave's eyes widened, his lips curving into a slight smile as he nodded at me. He began loading our bags into the car as I stood still, a bit confused by Ellie's term "human," but I brushed it off.

We got into the car, and the journey to Ellie's house began.

When we finally arrived, I couldn't help but stare in awe at the large, beautiful house before me.

Ellie walked toward me, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Ellie, you didn't tell me your place was situated in the forest. This place is practically a town! Seriously, it's so cool!"

She smiled sheepishly. "Our community likes it like that. The peace and quiet are serene, and we all live in harmony. It's nice, isn't it?"

I nodded, still amazed. We walked inside, and I was immediately greeted with warmth.

"My little gummy bear is home!" Ellie's dad, Nicholas, called out, grinning as he caught her in a hug. I smiled as I watched them, the love between them palpable.

A woman walked over to me, a friendly smile on her face. "You must be Neroli. Ellie's told me so much about you! I'm Rita, and this is my husband, Nicholas."

I smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you all, and thanks for letting me stay here."

Rita shook her head, her eyes soft. "Nonsense, you're Ellie's friend. That makes you family."

"Okay, we'll leave you two to hang out," Nicholas said. "You know where the kitchen is, and dinner is usually at seven. But today's special, so you two can eat in Ellie's room. Alright?"

We both nodded, and they left us to our own devices.

"Let's go to my room," Ellie said, grinning. "Our bags are upstairs."

Her room was huge, easily fitting five people. I couldn't help but be impressed by how cozy it was.

"Are you hungry?" Ellie asked, looking at me. "We both skipped breakfast, so let's grab something to eat and then I'll show you around the town."

We went downstairs, and Ellie quickly whipped something up in the kitchen. After eating, we spent the afternoon touring the town. I met some of Ellie's friends, who were incredibly nice. The town was thriving, but something felt a little off. People seemed to be preparing for something, like they were expecting a royal guest.

As the sun began to set, Ellie checked the time and stiffened. "Let's go home. It's getting late."

We headed back into the house, and Ellie immediately shut the curtains in her room, leaving the room dim.

I found it odd but didn't think too much of it. I took a quick shower, avoiding getting my hair wet, and then dabbed myself dry with a towel. When I stepped out, I slipped into my nightdress and put on a satin bonnet to protect my hair.

Ellie grinned. "Dayum, your bed is soft!"

I laughed but stopped when I noticed the serious look on her face. "Can you keep a secret?"

I turned to her, intrigued. "Of course."

Ellie took a deep breath, her cheeks flushing with excitement. "Well, I have a huge crush on a guy. He's coming today for the meeting, and he's so handsome, Neroli. I really hope he notices me."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're really serious about this?"

She nodded frantically.

"I hope it works out for you, you creepy stalker," I teased, laughing as she threw a pillow at me.

We heard a laugh echo from downstairs, and Ellie smiled. "They're here. Come on, let's go outside."

"Are you crazy?" I whispered. "Your mom said to stay upstairs!"

She pouted her lips. "Just from the balcony, please?"

I relented, laughing at her persistence. "Fine, but only from the balcony."

We sneaked to the balcony and peered through the railing. The sight downstairs stunned me—a large group of powerful-looking men, speaking in strange terms like "pack" and "Luna." Ellie, however, was focused on one man in particular. Her gaze softened as she stared at him.

I was about to follow her gaze when I heard a thunderous voice from below:

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?!"

The air around us seemed to tense, and I couldn't help but feel a chill run down my spine.

Note: In this story, only the males can sense their mates.