The Last of the Golden Wolves Breed

"She really thought she was all that?"

The words hit Yuna before she even saw who said them. She pushed through the main doors of Sterlinggate University, her backpack slung over one shoulder, and immediately felt the weight of a hundred stares. Students clustered in groups along the hallway, their phones out, their eyes flicking between their screens and her face.

Yuna's stomach dropped. Something was wrong.

Giggles erupted from a group of girls near the water fountain. Two guys standing by the notice board nudged each other, smirking as she walked past. The whispers followed her like a shadow, growing louder with each step.

"Did you see the video?"

"I can't believe she actually fell for it."

"Christopher's such a savage."

Yuna's hands trembled as she gripped the strap of her bag tighter. Her chest felt tight, like someone had wrapped a rope around her ribs and was pulling it taut. She kept her eyes down, focusing on the polished floor tiles, counting her steps. Anything to avoid the mocking faces.

She reached her locker and fumbled with the combination lock. Her fingers shook so badly it took three tries to get it open.

"Yuna! Yuna!"

Camille's voice cut through the noise. Her best friend sprinted down the hallway, her blonde hair flying behind her, her face pale with worry. She skidded to a stop in front of Yuna, breathless.

"Have you seen this?" Camille shoved her phone into Yuna's face.

The video was already playing. Christopher sat in the table tennis court, surrounded by his friends, all of them laughing. The camera was shaky, probably held by one of them, but the audio was crystal clear.

"I told you she was gonna fall for it," Christopher said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Such a cheap girl. Three months and she's still clinging to that ugly bracelet like it's made of gold."

His friends roared with laughter. One of them slapped Christopher on the back.

"Bro, you actually did it. I didn't think you could pull it off."

"Please," Christopher scoffed. "It was too easy. She's so desperate for attention, she would've believed anything."

The video cut off, but the damage was done. Yuna stared at the screen, her vision blurring. The comments section below the Instagram post was flooded with reactions.

"Yuna got played so hard lol"

"This is what happens when you're that naive"

"Christopher is a legend"

Yuna's throat closed up. She couldn't breathe. The hallway spun around her, the voices blending into a single roar of mockery.

"Yuna, say something," Camille pleaded, gripping her arm. "Are you okay?"

Before Yuna could answer, the crowd shifted. Christopher and his friends appeared at the end of the hallway, strutting toward them like they owned the place. Christopher had his phone in his hand, still grinning at whatever was on the screen.

Something inside Yuna snapped.

She shoved her locker shut and marched straight toward him. Camille called after her, but Yuna didn't stop. The students around them sensed the confrontation and pulled out their phones, forming a loose circle.

"Chris," Yuna said, her voice shaking. "Is it true?"

Christopher looked up from his phone, his grin widening. His friends snickered behind him.

"Is what true?" he asked innocently.

"The video. The bet. All of it."

One of his friends laughed outright. "You seriously asking if the video's real? What, you think we cloned him or something?"

The others joined in, their laughter sharp and cruel. Christopher just shrugged, completely unbothered.

"Come on, Yuna. Don't make this harder than it has to be. It was just a game."

"A game?" Yuna's voice cracked. "You told me you loved me."

Christopher rolled his eyes. "And you believed it. That's on you."

The hallway erupted in laughter. Someone in the crowd shouted, "Ohhh, savage!"