Jasmine's POV
Senior year has finally arrived, and today marks my eighteenth birthday.
This was supposed to be the chapter where everything changed, where I would finally feel the warmth of belonging and acceptance. Yet here I stand, feeling exactly the same as I always have.
The school corridor seemed to stretch endlessly before me.
Walking through it felt like my daily march of humiliation, just as it had been for years.
I fought desperately to silence the conflicting voices echoing in my mind, but controlling them remained an impossible task.
Judy and Atlas lived within me now - my wolf and my demon.
Judy whispered gentle encouragements, begging me to ignore the disgusted stares and focus on the chance that today might bring my destined mate. Atlas, on the other hand, had reached her breaking point. She hungered for violence and yearned to tear apart anyone who dared look in my direction.
"Monster."
"Cursed."
"Outcast."
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, my fingers gripping my bag strap so tightly they ached as I battled for control.
"Daughter of a traitor. Someone should put her out of her misery." The harsh words cut through the air followed by cruel laughter.
Rage flashed through me like lightning. Still, I kept moving forward without turning to face whoever had spoken.
Judy purred with approval.
Then disaster struck.
Her scent hit me before she came into view.
That overwhelming vanilla fragrance - a mixture of her wolf's natural scent and the expensive perfume she bathed in daily.
Sylvia.
Before I could step aside, her hands slammed into me, sending me careening into the metal lockers. My shoulder connected with brutal force, sending shockwaves of agony through my body as I crumpled to the cold floor.
Sylvia let out an exaggerated gasp. "Oops! Didn't notice that hideous creature lurking there." Her voice dripped with false innocence. The crowd that had gathered erupted in laughter, their cruel amusement slicing through me like razors.
The hallway filled with their mockery while Sylvia's followers cackled the loudest, like scavengers feasting on my suffering.
"Stop this nonsense, Judy. Forget about control. These children need to learn their place." Atlas's voice rumbled dangerously in my thoughts.
Since my transformation, Sylvia and her followers had made tormenting me their favorite pastime. They branded me a freak for housing both wolf and demon spirits within my body.
None of this was my choice. I had no power over what I had become, yet they treated me like some unholy creature that needed to be destroyed.
I had endured enough. The time had come to defend myself.
My anger began building slowly.
What started as a tiny flame quickly grew into a raging inferno. Heat coursed through my veins as if my blood had transformed into molten rock.
Crimson clouded my vision. Everything became a blur.
I pushed myself upright as dark mist began seeping from my skin, surrounding me with an energy that sent the hallway temperature plummeting to arctic levels.
Shadows crept outward from beneath my feet like whispered promises of death. My claws emerged while my eyes burned crimson.
The air sparked with raw power, and suddenly their laughter transformed into desperate gasps as students began dropping one by one, clutching their throats and fighting for breath.
I smiled. Atlas's satisfaction echoed through me. "Perfect. Now they understand what death tastes like."
My grin widened until a sharp sound snapped directly in front of my face, and instantly everything vanished.
It had all been nothing but an illusion.
I was still Jasmine, still sprawled on the floor, with Sylvia towering over me wearing an entertained expression. Frustration crashed over me. This was undoubtedly Atlas's cruel handiwork.
"Did you actually just smile?" Sylvia demanded. She shook her head with disgust. "Lost in your twisted fantasies again, weren't you?"
I forced myself to breathe steadily. Even though Atlas had only filled my mind with those vivid imaginings, I desperately wished they had been real. Perhaps not today, but someday I would demonstrate exactly who possessed the greater power.
"You are nothing like him," Judy murmured gently. "You are different from your birth father. Never forget that truth."
Her words provided no comfort whatsoever.
I balled my hands into fists, feeling the sharp sting as my claws pierced my palms.
Existing with two completely opposing voices in my head had never been simple. It felt like being torn in half, never knowing which part truly represented who I was.
Before my sixteenth birthday, no dark whispers had haunted my thoughts, but everything changed the moment I shifted.
At sixteen, I lost both my family and my identity.
I was so lost in my memories that I missed Sylvia's expression hardening into pure hatred.
"You think this is amusing." Sylvia snarled.
"You're still grinning like an idiot."
I had not meant to, but Atlas was practically glowing with wicked delight inside my mind.
Sylvia's hand shot forward, her claws fully extended as she aimed directly for my face. I braced myself for the inevitable pain, but instead heard a commanding voice boom through the corridor.
"Sylvia!"
Instantly, the atmosphere shifted, and complete silence fell over the hallway. I recognized that voice before opening my eyes.
Jayden.
The prince of our realm.
He approached with his two closest companions, Palmer and George, following behind. Jayden embodied perfection itself - standing six feet five inches tall with silken hair and oceanic blue eyes that could steal your breath away.
The crowd immediately cleared a path for him. Girls scrambled to fix their hair and smooth their clothing. Some could barely contain their excitement as they whispered and giggled.
Finally, he stood before us.
I swallowed hard.
"Incredible! He becomes more gorgeous every time!" both Atlas and Judy sighed in unison.
Deep within my heart, I harbored the desperate hope that he might be my destined mate.
Sylvia instantly rushed to his side, attaching herself to him like a parasite.
I suppressed an eye roll. She was obviously marking her territory as the Kent's chosen girlfriend.
Jayden's gaze fell on me still sitting on the floor, and his brow furrowed.
"What happened here?"
From his expression, I could tell he viewed me as nothing more than an acquaintance, nothing deeper.
Before I could respond, Sylvia interrupted. "Poor Jasmine stumbled over her own feet and took a tumble. I was simply trying to help her up." She delivered this lie with a sickeningly sweet smile.
I heard a few girls snort with disbelief at Sylvia's obvious deception, but nobody spoke up. No one was brave enough to defend me. I understood how desperately they all wanted me to disappear.
"Are you alright?" Jayden asked, though his voice carried no genuine warmth. It sounded more like an obligation than actual concern.
I managed a nod.
Jayden pressed his lips together slightly and slipped his hands into his pockets while still looking down at me.
"Happy birthday." He began. "You should attend my celebration tonight." He concluded.
A smile tugged at my lips. He had remembered that we shared the same birthday, and hope flickered in my eyes.
I nodded gratefully. "Thank you, and happy birthday to you as well." I whispered softly, but Jayden had already turned away. I had no idea whether he had heard me or not.
Their voices drifted back as they walked away, Sylvia and the others trailing behind.
"Why would you invite that creature?" Sylvia sneered.
Jayden shrugged dismissively. "I had no other option. I couldn't care less whether she shows up or not. I only extended the invitation because my parents insisted."
Those words hung in the air, leaving my heart completely shattered.