Zane's POV
The meeting was finally over and my mom dismissed everyone except me.
"I want you to choose one of the girls to be your pet," she said, and in that moment I wished she wasn't my mother because she was just too cruel.
"Mom, they are humans," I snapped.
"Which makes them beneath us," she replied calmly. "We are the leaders. We are meant to rule over them. Every Wilder owns a pet they feed from. But if the two girls are not to your liking, I can simply dispose of them."
She said it like she was talking about trash.
"I'll think about it, Mom. Don't do anything yet," I said quickly and left the room before she could respond.
My thoughts were a complete mess. I couldn't even think straight. Even though Lilian's attitude could be annoying and sometimes outright rotten, she didn't deserve to be a blood bag. And Avelyn… Avelyn was an angel. I couldn't stand the thought of hurting her.
But if I did nothing, my mom would do something far worse.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I collided with someone in the hallway.
Lilian.
She didn't even wait or look back, and honestly I didn't care. I just wanted this heavy burden off my chest without destroying the two girls in the process.
When I got to class, Avelyn was already looking at me, worry written all over her face. I couldn't help myself. I pulled her into a hug before I could stop myself.
I couldn't believe my heart reacted that way.
She didn't push me away, and that somehow made it worse. I sensed my mom's presence entering the classroom and immediately stepped back.
And that's when it hit me.
I think I might have subconsciously chosen my pet.
After my mom announced the hunt taking place over the weekend, the classroom started buzzing with murmurs. Most of them were questioning why Avelyn and Lilian were excluded, while a few were already excited for their first hunt.
I saw Lilian stand up from her seat and walk over to Avelyn's desk.
She was apologising.
I frowned. I still couldn't understand why she had embarrassed Avelyn in the first place. At first, I thought it was because of me. But if that were true, she wouldn't have apologised right after seeing me hug Avelyn.
Something wasn't adding up.
Then Bianca spoke.
And just like that, my doubts were confirmed.
Lilian was compelled.
She kept on talking and talking, saying things the humans shouldn't know and I was forced to compel them to forget. My heart filled with guilt but I tried masking it away with a smile.
Class ended for the day and everyone returned to their dorms.
Nothing unusual happened for the following days and finally, the day of the hunt arrived.
While everyone was getting ready for the hunt, Lilian and Avelyn was packing up to go home.
My mom came knocking on my door. I stay alone, perks of being the owner's son.
"Hey Mom, you're here," I said as she stepped into the room.
"Oh yeah, I'm here to ask you something," she replied.
"Ask away," I said.
"You picked a pet yet?" she asked.
Damn. This again.
I shook my head.
"Too bad," she said calmly. "Then the two girls will have to be set up as preys."
"Preys?" I questioned.
"Yes," she replied. "For the hunt. I was thinking of making one of the girls a prey and gifting her to whoever chooses her as their pet."
"No, Mom. You can't do that," I objected immediately.
"Since when do I take orders from you?" she mocked.
"I'll do anything you ask of me," I said desperately. "But please don't set the girls up as preys."
"It's too late now, baby," she said, ruffling my hair before walking out of the room.
I slumped onto the bed, completely defeated.
What can I do? I can't let them be set up. That would be too cruel.
Asking them to run away isn't an option either. My mom would find them no matter what.
I grabbed my phone and called Karl, Cole, and Mirabel, asking them to meet me in my room.
Cole was the first to arrive, followed by Karl. A few moments later, Mirabel walked in too.
"Guys, there's something urgent I need to talk to you about," I said, sweat visible on my forehead.
"What's up, man? Why are you sweating?" Cole asked.
From the looks on Karl and Mirabel's faces, they were wondering the same thing.
"It's the hunt," I said in one breath. "Avelyn and Lilian are the preys."
"What?" Mirabel exclaimed, clearly flabbergasted.
"What will happen to them?" Cole asked, his concern focused entirely on Avelyn.
"They'll be gifted to whoever finds them," I replied.
"Then we work together and catch them first," Karl said calmly. "That way they'll be ours."
"They're not things to be gifted," Mirabel snapped, glaring at him.
"It's better than them getting caught by others," Karl replied. "Just imagine what would be done to them."
"I'm getting Blondie," Cole said firmly. "I won't let her be treated like a gift."
"Then we work together," I said.
They all nodded.
The bell rang, signalling that we were to gather in the school hall for announcements. The four of us walked out together and headed straight there.
On the podium stood my mom alongside one of the teachers. My mom stepped forward, positioning herself in front of the microphone.
"I believe we are all thrilled to be here today," she said.
"Yes!" the students chorused.
"For many of you, your first hunts usually involve animals," she continued. "But why do things the old way when we have the perfect preys for you all?"
My breath caught in my throat. I already knew what was coming.
"Here are Lilian and Avelyn," she announced.
My heart dropped.
The two girls walked up to the podium like robots, their expressions blank, clearly not in their right minds.
"They are the preys," my mom said with a smirk. "Whoever catches them is free to do whatever they deem fit."
The hall erupted into murmurs.
"Isn't this too good to be true?" Bianca mocked as she walked closer to us.
"They'll be given a twenty minute head start to hide," my mom announced as she led Lilian and Avelyn away from the podium.
"Let's get the party started," Bianca said, her smile twisted and unsettling.