Chapter 1 Chapter 1

After estimating my exam score, I suddenly heard Raymond Knox's familiar voice coming from outside the classroom. "Cora, the exam's over. Isn't it time for you to keep your end of our bet?" I looked over and saw Raymond, noticing how his grayish blue eyes stood out among the other werewolves. One of his eyebrows was arched, and he looked as poised as ever, like the high-ranking Alpha heir he was. Cora Knightley huffed. Apart from being our school's cheer captain, she was also Raymond's childhood sweetheart. "The bet isn't over yet," she said. "You'll only win if Adeline agrees to go to Mangy Hollow College with you. Only then will I agree to date you." A smirk tugged at Raymond's lips. "With her current grades, there's nowhere she can apply to except Mangy Hollow," he replied, his voice dripping with the confidence and possessiveness of an Alpha heir. "And besides, she obeys my every word. One word from me is enough to make her go to any school I want." A group of young Beta heirs and low-ranking Alpha heirs around him burst out laughing. These were the same werewolves who usually had respect for me, acting as if they saw me as Raymond's mate. Yet now, the disdain in their tone said otherwise. "Adeline sucks up to Raymond all the time," someone said. "She's fallen from first place to nearly the bottom just to be with him. If he tells her to apply to Mangy Hollow, she'd definitely agree right away!""Exactly," another werewolf chimed in. "Forget the university—even if Raymond told her to become a Rogue, she'd probably do it too!" Another round of laughter erupted. From the corner, I heard every single word they said. Raymond's words kept echoing in my mind—I couldn't believe this was the same man who'd been clinging to my body last night. He was so different from how he usually acted in bed. Whenever we were together, he was always luring me in with his strong, sculpted arms… Before I could even feel sad, Cora's worried voice interrupted my thoughts. "Raymond, what if Adeline finds out this was all just a bet between us? Do you think she'll get mad and try to get back at me?""You two come from completely different worlds. A lowly werewolf like her wouldn't dare to go against you," he said, comforting her. "Besides, with me around, there's nothing she can do to you." The other werewolves also echoed the same words, swearing their loyalty to Cora. In fact, I should probably thank her. Because if not for her bet with Raymond, someone as ordinary as me would never have had the chance to be with a rich and handsome werewolf like him. Since I was little, I'd known I was smarter than all the other werewolves around me. It took me only just one glance to understand what others struggled to learn. But I also knew that for a werewolf like me—who had an ordinary background and mediocre looks—it was dangerous to stand out too much. So I'd always made sure to stay in second place—just a tiny step behind Cora. There'd only been one exception. Right before that one exam, I saw Raymond and Cora kissing. Thanks to his mesmerizing looks, everyone in our school had a crush on him. I was no exception. The moment I saw them kiss, I was overwhelmed with jealousy. So out of spite, I answered every question on the test correctly. That was when I snatched first place away from Cora and even scored far better than she did. A few days later, a rugby ball slammed into me. Raymond came jogging over. As soon as he took off his protective gear, he gave me an apologetic look and said, "I'm sorry for accidentally hitting you with my ball. Let me take you to the infirmary." Silently, I watched him pull off his act in front of me. Of course, I knew that wasn't an accident. And I was well aware that he'd only gotten close to me for Cora's sake. He probably wanted to get back at me, though I didn't yet know how he'd do it. But no matter what, this was my only chance to get close to Raymond. I nodded and took his hand. From the very first moment I laid eyes on him, I wanted him all to myself. Even though I knew he had ulterior motives, I still believed that if I was sincere enough, I could win him over. Someday, he might actually love me.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Raymond had appeared during the darkest time of my life. Dad, who had never cared about us, was sent to prison for robbery. Meanwhile, Mom was working as a stripper at a bar. After a rich man kept her as his mistress, she swiftly abandoned us. Because of my plain looks and dull personality, I was bullied by my brothers and eventually kicked out of the house. So when I first saw Raymond, I was captivated. I couldn't look away from his striking looks, and the way he charged across the fields made me sigh at how energetic and strong he was. In that instant, I made a wish. I wanted to date someone like him. I wanted him, but I knew I couldn't have him. I was painfully aware that someone as ordinary as me would never catch the eye of someone as dazzling as him. Yet now, Cora had handed him to me herself. To me, it felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. I pretended to not notice everything, gladly accepting all of Raymond's attention and affection. He began running into me at the library. At first, it was just casual conversation, but later, he'd outright drag me away from the library. I spent more and more time with him and less time studying, but my grades never dropped. I stayed at the top of my class. Eventually, Raymond couldn't hold back anymore and confessed to me in front of everyone. "Adeline, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?" Thrilled, I threw myself into his arms, deliberately ignoring the undisguised look of disgust in his eyes. I simply closed my eyes, greedily savoring the scent of his hormones. He was finally mine. But I knew he'd only belong to me for a little while. Maybe he just saw me as a convenient sidechick—an easy target for humiliation. Or maybe he'd publicly dump me in a few days to embarrass me and help Cora vent her anger. No matter what Raymond wanted from me, I was willing to play along—as long as I could have him. But I never expected that he and Cora would be so guileless. All that effort he'd spent getting close to me and pretending to date me was only to drag my grades down. That time, I was watching his rugby game. I didn't understand why they kept fighting over a ball just to toss it away again. But since Raymond wanted me there, I sat in the stands with my headphones on, studying while he played. It wasn't until he came off the field, fuming as he tore my headphones away. "I don't like it when you study while you're with me!" Not wanting to upset him, I immediately turned off my phone. "Okay. I won't do it anymore." He frowned at me—but anger only made him look even hotter. "I don't like you studying," he finally ground out. "There's too big a gap between us, and it upsets me." I was momentarily stunned. "Then what do you want?" He suddenly leaned in close, cupping my face in his hands. Pressing his forehead against mine, he pleaded sweetly, "Stop studying. Just relish the joy of ultimate freedom and recklessness with me, will you?" Waves of exhilaration washed over me. So that was all he wanted.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

I wrapped my arms around Raymond's neck, brushing my lips against his chin. "Raymond, will you kiss me?" He disliked me, so naturally, he hated my touch. I'd tried asking him for a kiss before, but he'd pushed me away in disgust. "Don't do this," he'd said. "I don't like kissing." I felt wronged. I clearly saw him kissing Cora back then. It wasn't because he disliked kissing—he just didn't like kissing me. Back then, I didn't dare act out of line, afraid that he'd call off this game in advance. So when his warm lips brushed against mine hesitantly, I deepened the kiss on my own. After that, I stopped studying and shamelessly spent all my time hanging around him. When Cora once again became top of the class, she shot me a smug look. But I couldn't be bothered with her provocation. "Raymond must be thrilled," I thought. Sure enough, he was absolutely delighted that day. He pulled me into his arms, twirling me around. When he set me back down, he pretended to complain. "You still did too well on the test this time. It makes me look like an idiot." I quickly promised him that I would never study again. At the same time, I slipped a hotel keycard into his hand. "Today's my 18th birthday. Will you celebrate with me?" That night, I let myself go completely. Raymond's thrusts into me never ceased, overwhelming me with waves of desire. I was addicted to this young, powerful body of his, and he too couldn't help but want more of me. Even after our first time, I barely had time to catch my breath before he pinned me against the bed again. He clung to me the whole night, draining me dry. The next day, even Raymond, who was usually unmatched on the field, showed signs of fatigue during his first play. From that point on, I'd realized that for men, physical intimacy and love were inseparable. Raymond was young and impulsive. He was insatiable in bed, but even off the bed, he started showing me subtle signs of affection that he himself didn't seem to notice. Cora soon picked up on the change between us. After another wild night with him, she cornered me in the bathroom. "You're such a shameless woman," she spat through gritted teeth, glaring at the hickeys on my neck. "Is sleeping with Raymond what you do all day?" I adjusted my collar. "What else should I do if I don't have fun with my boyfriend? Study?" That immediately shut Cora up. But I could see the hatred burning in her eyes. I knew she was about to get back at me soon. When I went to find Raymond after class, I saw Cora in his lap. She wrapped her arms around him, her voice dripping with a desperation she probably didn't even notice. "Raymond, don't forget about our bet. Ruin it for Adeline, and I'll be with you." She leaned in to kiss Raymond, but he instinctively jerked his head aside. Bewilderment crossed his face. Even he was confused by his own actions.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

Raymond was a natural playboy. Even when he was pursuing Cora, he was still hooking up with other girls, showing no signs of restraint. Aside from being an Alpha heir, his status as the captain of the rugby team made him irresistible to many girls. On the day he confessed to me, I'd told him that I'd agree to be his girlfriend—only if he'd stop hanging out with other women. He agreed, but that promise slipped his mind the moment he left. Hot women were still seen riding in his sports car every single day. I had no choice but to endure it, afraid that saying one word too many would make him despise me. It wasn't until I learned his ulterior motive that I finally had leverage over him. I stopped demanding Raymond to keep his distance from other women. Whenever he hung out with other women, I wouldn't make a scene. I would simply go back to the library to study. And then, in the next set of exams, my scores would shoot up the ranks. If he thought winning me over would make me fall behind, he was wrong. He'd completely underestimated the strength of a genius. Whether I ranked first or not was never up to him—it was always my choice. I'd only given up first place to please him. After this happened several times, Raymond finally noticed I'd been upset. To keep me from studying, he began deliberately avoiding all the women around him—even Cora, the one he absolutely adored. As long as I was the only one around Raymond, my grades steadily dropped. Now, the best time of his life was all mine to take. However, Cora eventually lost it. "Raymond, why do you keep avoiding me? It's one thing to pretend in front of Adeline, but now she's not even here. Why are you still pushing me away? "Have you forgotten our bet? Don't tell me you actually fell for that ugly woman!" "Can't you see I'm only doing this for our bet?" Raymond said, trying to placate her. "Every time I get close to another girl, she runs off to study. Do you think I enjoy looking at her ugly face every day?" "And where were you those few days after the exams?" Cora questioned. "What were you and that shameless woman doing together in the hotel for so long?" Of course, we were doing what any other adult werewolf would do. After the exams were over, Raymond became oddly clingy. We stayed holed up in a hotel room for several days, having sex nonstop. We tried every single position, leaving traces of our bodily fluids across the whole room. I knew he'd acted this way because the bet was nearing its end. Soon, we'd be going our separate ways. I was willing to pretend to be oblivious, to give our relationship the perfect ending. But I'd severely underestimated the stamina of a werewolf with a noble bloodline. In those last few days, I'd stopped him several times only to be pulled back into bed. Once he was in the shower, I quickly slipped out of the hotel. Now, as Cora grilled Raymond, he fell silent. He couldn't tell her the full truth. But she clearly knew what happened between us. Wiping her tears away, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. This time, he didn't pull away. I watched as their lips locked in a fervent kiss, silently counting down in my head. Raymond had always been an aggressive kisser. He liked trapping his partner in his arms, forcing their jaws slack then driving his tongue in deep. He wouldn't stop until it felt like he'd drained the last bit of air from their lungs. When they finally broke apart, panting, I opened the door.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

Cora and Raymond looked flustered, but I kept my composure. "What are you two doing here? Aren't we supposed to be checking our college admission emails today?" Today was the day universities were sending out their acceptance letters. Normally, everyone would check their emails at home on their own accounts. But this year, the school principal had suddenly announced that all students had to gather at school to check them together. I knew this was Cora's idea. She was the principal's daughter, after all. On one hand, she was confident that she'd get into Lycanshire University, a prestigious college for high-ranking werewolves. She wanted people to witness her success. On the other hand, she couldn't wait to see me—the nerd who'd always been one step ahead of her—fail miserably. She and Raymond had planned my downfall, but just like how a murderer always returned to their crime scene, she wanted to be there in person to watch how I'd react after seeing her succeed. Having been caught sneaking around with Cora, Raymond looked anxious. But when he realized I was only asking a simple question, he figured I didn't see them kissing. He let out a silent breath of relief, but then I suddenly asked, "Raymond, why is your face all red? Were you exercising earlier?" He froze. Just as he was about to fumble for an excuse, a flurry of footsteps echoed outside the door. Mr. Knightley entered the classroom with a group of reporters in tow. The livestream equipment was quickly set up, and as I took in the chaotic scene in front of me, I quickly understood exactly what he was planning. Lycanshire University would only accept one top student from each pack. Clearly, Mr. Knightley wanted to broadcast his daughter's glorious moment live to all the werewolves in the pack. After all, in our small pack, getting into Lycanshire University was a major achievement worth flaunting. Mr. Knightley's sudden arrival cut off our awkward conversation. When it was finally time to check the emails, every journalist's camera was focused on Cora's computer. "It's said that Cora's grades are good enough for Lycanshire University," one reporter said as they waited. "Do you think you'll be accepted?" Cora smiled and replied confidently, "Of course. But just in case, I also applied to the university ranked second as a backup." At last, a new email popped up on her screen. Under everyone's attention, Cora clicked on it, anticipation tugging on her nerves. But it wasn't from Lycanshire University. It was from the second-ranked university instead.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Cora was devastated, but she had to keep her composure in front of the cameras. Even if she only got accepted into the second-ranked university, it was already a top achievement for most werewolves. Some of the live stream audience snickered at her confidence earlier, but most of them congratulated her. "It's Northmoor University! I'd say it's just as impressive as Lycanshire University.""That's the daughter of the principal of the only high school in the Arrowhead pack! To think she scored such good grades in a poor pack like ours." Thanks to their praise, Cora's disappointment quickly washed away. Her earlier arrogance returned as she remarked, "I must be the top of our grade. It seems like no one in our pack got accepted into Lycanshire University this year." Raymond swept her into his arms to congratulate her, completely ignoring the fact that I was just right beside them. Still in his embrace, Cora suddenly looked at me and asked, "Adeline, which university did you apply to?" The moment our gazes met, I saw the malice glinting in her eyes, belying the gentle smile she plastered on her face. "You all probably don't know this, but actually, there was a time when I wasn't the top of our class," she said. "It was Adeline.""In fact, she remained number one for almost six months," she added in a purposeful drawl. Someone in the live stream immediately urged, "Then go check her emails. Did she get into Lycanshire University?" Seeing how everyone was curious about my grades, Cora feigned a look of pity and said, "But it's a shame that she's been so infatuated with her boyfriend that she hasn't been focusing on her studies. Her grades dropped to rock bottom. It's impossible for her to get into Lycanshire University now!" Then she turned to me and said, "You must've applied to Mangy Hollow Community College, haven't you? That's not bad. It's just that things are quite unstable over there. Rogues appear all the time, so you have to be careful!" Cora seemed as though she was concerned about my safety, but her voice was clearly dripping with malicious intent. She probably hoped I'd die in the hands of a Rogue. Meanwhile, the comment section was flooded with insults and scorn directed at me. "I can't believe how dumb she is. How could she sabotage herself for the sake of love?""I think she deserves it. She'll regret it once she ends up in Mangy Hollow Community College!" Reading the comments, Cora chuckled and urged, "Adeline, everyone's wondering which school you got into. Hurry up and check your emails now!" Raymond, on the other hand, had just checked his emails. Sure enough, he was accepted into Mangy Hollow Community College. But being an Alpha heir meant he could still thrive in Mangy Hollow. No one would dare to cross him—unlike me, an ordinary werewolf who was nothing but an easy target for bullying. He turned toward me and asked, "Adeline, you also applied to Mangy Hollow, right?" I didn't feel like lying, so I shook my head. Raymond immediately frowned. "Why didn't you listen to me?" he snarled. "Where else could you possibly get accepted aside from Mangy Hollow?" Cora's expression darkened. "Adeline, if you hadn't applied to Mangy Hollow Community College, where did you apply instead?" she asked, forcing a smile. "You didn't apply to Lycanshire University, did you?" She covered her mouth, trying to stifle her giggles. "Sorry, I was just joking. You wouldn't be that full of yourself, right?" Raymond also snorted. "Would someone like her actually have the nerve to apply to Lycanshire University? Even you didn't get accepted. With her current grades, there's no way she could get in!" Since Cora intentionally brought it up, all the cameras were trained on me. Everyone, including the thousands of viewers on the live stream, were focused on my emails. Noticing my lack of response, Raymond urged, "Adeline, hurry up and check your emails. Everyone's waiting for you!" Cora couldn't wait to watch me get humiliated. "Adeline, are you nervous? Let me help you instead!" She suddenly shoved me aside, snatched the mouse, and keyed in my ID.