Bullied Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Chapter 56

Lily's

POV

Was last night real?

As I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, I could feel my cheeks getting red and yeah, that was enough reminder that yesterday had been real.

Ren had been here last night and I had slept in his arms.

I stretched out my hand and reached for the pyjamas I was wearing last nigh. I brought it up to my nose, inhaling his sweet scent of oud. I'm never washing these.

I wanted to kid myself and say that I didn't hear him when he gave an answer to the reason why we were not together but if I did, it meant admitting to myself that perhaps I was not the only one that had developed feelings that had gone beyond being platonic into something that was too deep to speak about.

Bia and Angelo had left before I opened my eyes and when Ren, Rhea and Chelsea were about to leave, Ren had carried me bridal style upstairs and tucked me into bed, placing a kiss on my cheek, so close to my lips that I was certain it was not an accident. God, I could not even get how his lips had felt against mine even for a brief moment out of my head.

Grinning to myself in the mirror again as I brushed out my hair, I decided to take extra time today to focus on how I looked before rushing out the door.

I had heard the front door open and close some minutes ago which meant that my mother had gotten back. She would probably be sleeping so I decided to leave a note for her on the fridge. Our relationship was still rocky at best but I didn't want to be mad at her forever and I knew that she didn't want the same either.

Bouncing happily to the bus station, the smile on my face was as bright as ever and even the person I sat beside must have noticed the aura around me because she smiled right back.

Coming down in front of the huge academy gates, I could not wait to see Ren and the girls and wondered if things were going to be different at school. Would they still want to be around me and be comfortable like they were in my house?

I was so deep in thought as I climbed on to the shuttles that would take us from the main gates to the actual school buildings that I didn't realize that people were looking at me strangely.

"Watch it, a*s kisser." Someone snapped when I tried to sit beside her and that tore my attention away from my phone that I had been on, scrolling through Ren's messages to see if he had sent anything this morning to see everyone in the shuttle giving me passive aggressive looks.

What was going on?

Somehow despite the empty seats in the shuttle, I was not allowed to sit and had to stand and that was when I heard one of the girls whisper to her friends.

"I heard the fight was because of her. They said Ren beat Aiden to a pulp because he did something to her."

"What's so special about her that royals are fighting over her? She's a traitor and the daughter of one. Perhaps this is one of her schemes." Another voice whispered, "tearing the royals apart must be a sick game her father brainwashed her into doing. It's the easiest way to tear Shadow Cove to pieces."

What?!

When I looked around, not one person was smiling at me.

"What are you looking at, you slut?" Someone I hadn't even made eye contact with hissed, outraged for no reason.

Not wanting any trouble, I looked away and focused out the window, holding on to dear life and hoping the bus drops me down safely at the entrance without my blood splattered all over it.

"I'm talking to you!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that if I go away, this problem that seemed desperate to materialize will go away too.

But the second I finished making that quiet wish, someone stomped towards me, tugging on my hair hard. I cried out in pain and finally looked at her, my heart racing with rage.

"Just because you're f*****g the royals doesn't make you better than anyone here."

"I'm just trying to get to school in one piece. You're the one who's saying these outlandish things about me. You almost sound hurt." I tilted my head, giving her a mocking pitying look. "Why? Are you the one who wants to f**k one of them? Is that what makes you angry that they're fighting over me?"

These words... These actions... They're not mine. I usually just ignore them and fight for my life in a difficult situation. I never say anything to aggravate them. But I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop the wave of dark excitement that bubbled in my stomach when the girl stumbled back.

Her eyes darkened with anger and I grinned deep within me.

Yes. Feel the same rage I feel.

"You b***h!"

I didn't see the slap coming until it was too late. My skin prickled from the force, my face snapping to the left. I swallowed a shaky breath, my cheek throbbing in pain. It felt like I just came back to my senses.

Walk away, I had to tell myself. Be the bigger person. Walk away.

Swallowing hard at the glares that were being sent my way, I stood beside the door and was relieved when the bus arrived in front of the entrance.

I had just rushed out of the bus when I stopped in my tracks, surprised to see Ren standing at the park, looking around.

When his eyes landed on me, he smiled and I stood frozen as he walked up to me.

I watched his golden brown eyes go cold with rage as he settled on my bruised cheek.

"Who did it?" He asked as his knuckles brushed the bruise. He placed a palm on the bruise, healing me from the pain. I noticed that although he looked as cold as a statue, his hand on my cheek was trembling slightly. He was barely keeping his self control. "Who dared to hurt you?"

"It's fine, Ren."

He froze, his eyes narrowed at me. "Somebody hurt you. It's not fine. They have to pay the consequence for hurting what's mine."

Y... Yours...

I held on to his arm, "just drop it. I'm fine now."

No it's not, a feminine voice slithered through my consciousness.

I froze. Who said that?!

I shook my head, trying to shake it off. I must be hearing things.

I tugged on Ren's hand, "come on, let's go. We'll be late for class." But he was already zeroing in on someone behind me.

He took my hand in his and started leading me... Right back to the girl that had slapped me. "She's the one, isn't she?" He said in a voice that belonged in the arctic.

"No!"

He lost some of his rage to smile softly at me. "Don't lie to me, sweetheart." And just like a switch, he was upon the girl again, glaring down at her in a way that sent her trembling, "Natasha Clarke." How did he know her name?

"M- my prince," she stammered, her entire body trembling.

"You're a scholarship student under my parents' foundation, are you not?"

"Yes, my Prince."

"Physical assault?" he tsked, looking at the healing bruise on my cheek. "Your time here must have made you proud. Your humble beginnings should make you at least a little bit sympathetic to Lily, should it not?"

"I acted out of turn. It won't happen ag-"

"Should. It. Not?"

"Yes. Yes, my prince."

"This is not a good look on the foundation. It's clear the Hawthorne family is wasting its resources on you."

"1-"

"Your scholarship is annulled from this moment henceforth. You're never to step foot in this academy again. If you're caught within these grounds in the next thirty minutes, you will be treated like any other trespasser and punished as such." My eyes widened.

This was worse than social suicide. Her entire future, at least in Shadow Cove would be completely ruined. No school would want to admit the academy's reject.

The girl who I now knew was Natasha started crying and begging with all her might but Ren was already putting his hand on the small of my back and gently urging me away.

I looked up at him, awed at his power and authority. How he had handled this with such grace.

"You have the power to take away scholarships?"

"I'm in charge of giving them in the first place. Anybody with great skill and potential is an asset to us."

This was news to me.

"Did you give me mine?"

"Yours was a different case. My parents handled yours."

"What if she wasn't a scholarship student? How would you have dealt with it?"

"Every person in this school is affiliated with the Hawthorne family in one way or another. It's not hard to get to them." He looked at me now, a worried etch in his brows, "Why are you asking all these questions? Do you think I took it too far? Are you mad at me?" He was rambling now. "Her grades were already slipping so I was going to do it sooner or later, she just gave me a reason to make it more dramatic-"

I bit my lips to stop myself from giggling. I've never seen Ren so flustered. It was a sight that reminded me how human he really was.

"Ren!" I called his attention, stopping his rambling. I shook my head, a big smile on my face. "I'm not mad at you. Thank you for making her pay for what she did to me."

She was one less bully to worry about. Why will I be mad about that?

He smiled back at me, his face lighting back up.

We walked into the building where I had my first class and all the warmth and joy I felt outside immediately got sucked out of me.

I started walking beside him, inching closer to him, still very conscious of everyone looking at us even though I was elated that he was here.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked me and I looked at him, ready to answer when I realized from my side vision that people were staring at us, wicked gazes resting on me.

"I did." I replied but my answer was high pitched and the smile on his face dimmed before he looked around and realized what was making me nervous.

"Hey, look at me, Lily. It's alright. Do you hear me?"

"Huh?"

"Look at me, Lily. Nothing else matters right now besides us. They don't matter, alright?" He whispered when I finally looked away from those that were watching us to stare into his eyes, feeling my heart skip as he took one step forward and held my hand. I saw his eyes glow slightly and just as they dimmed, I could feel the nerve wracking anxiety that I felt slowly dissolve away.

H- he was healing me. I realized that he had once said he had a wide range of neuro abilities. He had heated me up last night, could rid thoughts and emotions, heal me with a touch of his hands and even stop my anxiety.

Having abilities that were as diverse as Ren's surprised me each and every time he used it and as he led me into the hallway, his hand still linked through mine, I noticed that eyes kept watching us but his hold on me was like an anchor, keeping me calm and tethered to the floor.

"We are here."I said when I got to the door that led to my classroom, immediately feeling the loss of Ren's warmth as I removed my hand from his and smiled before quickly rushing into the class.

"Whoa, whoa, freak. Watch where you are going." A boy that bumped into me growled and I frowned, about to tell him that he was the one that had bumped into me but from the smirk on his face, it was obvious that he knew and didn't care.

"What? Did you have something that you wanted to say to me?" He growled, but before I could reply, I saw that the frown on his face change into fear as he looked at something behind me and when I turned, I saw that Ren had entered the classroom and walked to stand behind me, his face an epitome of calm but expression cold enough that it was intimidating even if it was not directed at me.

"R-ren! I mean, Hawthorne! I- I mean, my p- princ-"

"You're not bothering her, are you?"

"I- I would never do such a thing."

"It's not like your father's company's relationship with ours has to suffer because of your stupidity." He looked at me, tugging me to his side. "Lily is close to me. I'd appreciate it if you treat her with the same amount of respect as you treat me." Swallowing nervously, the boy nodded and quickly walked away and I raised my eyebrows in confusion at Ren as he followed me to the end of the front row where my seat was.

"I thought you left. Why are you here?" I asked as I sat down and he shrugged, looking beside me to where my partner was currently watching us with unhidden interest.

Ren tapped the table twice with his knuckles and just like that, the boy beside me stood and walked to replace another seat and I watched in awe as Ren took the seat beside me, his movement so fluid that it reminded me of who he was. A royal. A powerful person.

I hated how my cheeks suddenly flushed hot at how sexy he was and as I cleared my throat and fanned my face. The teacher walked in and started a roll call.

When she noticed Ren, she smiled even though we all knew he was not supposed to be in this class.

"I know that you're not supposed to be here, Hawthorne but since you're a very good student, I won't ask what's going on."

"Thank you, Miss Finn. It's a pleasure to be here." he said goodnaturedly and I watched the exchange between them, shocked again at how easy his confidence seemed to come to him. Safe to say that I really enjoyed Miss Finn's class with Ren right by my side.