V


    Someone was shooting at us!


    My heart nearly stopped. In that moment, only one thought shed through my mind-I didn’t care if I died, but I couldn’t let anything happen to these children.


    When the first shot rang out, no one realized what was happening yet. By the second shot, the children began screaming, and Principal Helena shrieked in terror: “RUN! Everyone, run!!”


    “Don’t run around!!” I yelled over the chaos. “Everyone get down! Crawl to the nearest cover! Don’t panic!”


    But children don’t stay calm in danger like adults do. Almost none of them listened to me. They were all screaming, crying, and running in every direction.


    I grabbed the 5 children closest to me, including the boy named Milo, and shielded them with my body.


    Just as I tried to protect them, a bullet grazed my leg.


    A hot, sharp pain shot through me. Shit!


    Milo burst into tears under me. He cried, “Are we going to die?”


    Gritting my teeth against the pain, I stroked his hair with trembling hands: “No…no…don’t worry. I’m here to protect you. Just trust me, okay?”


    It wasplete chaos everywhere. Adults were running, children crying. The shooter seemed to be frustrated by his failed attempts and started firing in every direction.


    Damn it. There were still several children on the ground nearby without anyone’s protection!


    I looked around frantically.


    And where the hell was Glen anyway? He’s supposed to stay close and protect me. Why wasn’t he here at a time like this?!


    Fuck. I couldn’t wait for his help anymore. I had to figure out a way to protect these children on my own.


    If… if I could just wake my wolf and shift, I could shield all the children here under my body.


    I needed my wolf.


    “Avery… Avery…”


    I called my wolf’s name silently in my heart, praying with everything I had that she would respond.


    “Come on, girl. Please… I really, really need you this time…”


    But there was only silence.


    She’s still asleep.


    I took a deep breath, my fingers digging into the gritty soil beneath me. The children under me were all sobbing. Crazy gunshots continued relentlessly. And somewhere nearby, a child was screaming. I was too afraid to look if any child had been hurt.


    “…Please, I’m begging you. Please Moon Goddess. Just help me this once. I’m willing…willing to pay any price!”


    Then, whether it was my imagination or not, I felt a warmth spreading inside me.


    11:33 Thu, 28 Aug A


    Then the warmth grew stronger. Theard my wolf start howling, shaking the chains that bound her.


    She was responding to me. She was REALLY RESPONDING!!!


    “Avery!” I cried out her name, tears of relief streaming down my face.


    In the next moment, I shifted.


    My body grew enormous,rge enough to shield every child. Bullets flew toward me but they all nced off my thick fur harmlessly.


    “Come here!” I shouted to all the children nearby. “Run over! Hide under me!”


    They scrambled up, crying and stumbling toward me. Small hands clutched at my fur as more and more children ducked under my protection.


    My wolf was tall enough that I could see over the fence into the bushes where the shooter was hiding. After two more shots, a figure darted out from the bushes and vanished in an instant.


    I let out a furious roar.


    Damn it! If I weren’t protecting these children, I’d chase that bastard down and tear his fucking head off. What kind of monster shoots at 7 year old


    children?


    “Wow, her wolf is huge!” I heard Milo’s excited voice from below. “Bigger than any she-wolf I’ve ever seen! Her fur is snow-white, and she got golden ear tips and paw fur!”


    Wait, since when were my ears and paws golden?


    And my wolf was never what anyone would call “big.”


    I tried to look down at myself. But the moment I did, a wave of intense dizziness and exhaustion hit me.


    Then everything went ck.


    “Miss Collins… Miss Collins?”


    I faintly heard someone calling my name.


    Fighting the head-splitting headache, I opened my eyes to see Principal Helena crouching beside me.


    “Oh thank goodness, you’re awake!” She was beyond joy, her voice choked with relief. “Oh god oh god, I almost thought you were…”


    With her help, I slowly sat up. “The children? Is anyone hurt?”


    “No children were injured. A few teachers were shot, but not in critical areas.” She squeezed my hand tightly. “It’s all thanks to you, Miss Collins. If you hadn’t protected those children, I don’t know what would happen then.”


    “Don’t mention it. It was the right thing to do,” I murmured softly.


    I looked around and realized we were in an auditorium. The room was filled with injured people lying around everywhere and crying children beingforted by teachers.


    Glen had just stepped through the auditorium doors. When he saw me, he immediately walked over. “Miss, are you alright?”


    “Where the hell were you?” I couldn’t hide my anger. “Your job is to stay close to me. But you were nowhere to be found when I needed you most! Do you have any idea how close we came to disaster?”


    His stony face remained expressionless. “I was inspecting the school’s security and briefing the guards. I didn’t anticipate an ambush.”


    “Well, aren’t you supposed to read potential threats? What happened this time?” I snapped.


    He bowed his head. “It was an oversight. I apologize and take full responsibility, I will report this to Alpha Grayson. You may punish me as you see fit


    My anger stuck in my throat.


    He didn’t seem to have done it on purpose, and I didn’t want him severely punished. But still… something felt off. How could an experienced bodyguard like him let this happen? He should’ve been at my side at the first gunshot.


    “Forget it.”


    After a moment, I said, frowning. “Let me exin to Graysonter. But I’m sure he’ll be furious, so you’d better be prepared.”


    Glen nodded silently. Then I struggled to my feet, trying to check on the traumatized children.


    And that’s when a sharp scream erupted from the auditorium entrance:


    “-Oh my god! My baby!!”


    “The parents. They just got notified,” Helena whispered into my ears.


    A dozen adults rushed into the auditorium. One couple, crying the loudest, made a beeline for Milo and swept the little boy into a tight embrace.


    “Milo, Milo, my baby boy! Are you hurt? You must’ve been so scared,” his mother frantically checked him over.


    “I’m fine, Mom. Don’t worry,” Milo patted her shoulder.


    “What the hell happened?!” his father roared, looking like an enraged lion. “Where’s the fucking principal? I need to see the person in char el Ex me why my precious son went through something like this!”


    Principal Helena swallowed nervously and stepped forward: “This was truly an unfortunate ident. We’re still investigating the cause-


    “STILL INVESTIGATING?” his father snarled, grabbing Helena by her cor. “I need an answer now! Why are you still standing here? Do your fucking job!”


    “Please sir…please calm down…”


    “We don’t need any investigation!” Milo’s mother suddenly whirled around, her eyes locking onto me.


    Then she put her son down and charged at me, pointing a trembling finger in my face and screaming:


    “I know it-it’s all this woman’s fault! She’s the one who brought that shooter into my son’s school!”


    Gasps echoed around us. I quickly tried to exin: “Please calm down. We don’t know who the shooter was yet-


    “Who else could it be? Must be one of your haters! Because practically everyone in this pack fucking hates you! My child got hurt because of you! You should


    go


    down to hell!”


    She screamed hysterically, then raised her hand. I tried to block her, but my arm was still injured from the gunshot. And she pped me hard across my


    face.