I entered the classroom, the usual drone of the teacher''s voice filling the room, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Three students were already missing, and Kyle had mentioned this morning that he hadn''t heard from Ryan in four days.

    Even his mother had reached out to the local knights, but they''d come up with nothing. Missing kids, no clues. Whatever was happening, I was determined to find out tonight.

    I settled into my desk, trying to appear as indifferent as usual. The students around me were busy taking notes or staring blankly at the blackboard. As I slid my hand under the desk, my fingers brushed against something cold and metallic.

    " Hmm? "I froze.

    I knew exactly what that was. Without drawing attention, I smoothly slipped the object into my pocket, making sure that Alpha, who sat beside me, didn''t notice. I didn''t need her asking questions right now.

    The bell rang, signaling the end of class. I stood up and gathered my things, my usual cold and silent demeanor in place. As I walked out of the building, I overheard a group of boys and girls talking excitedly about their plans for the evening. They were headed to the sorority house. Perfect. My destination as well.

    As I made my way to the gate, Alpha appeared by my side, her expression anxious. "Austin, are you sure you want to go alone?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

    I gave her a reassuring smile, leaning down to kiss her softly on the lips. "I''ll be fine. There''s no need to worry, Alpha. I can handle this."

    Her worry didn''t fade entirely, but she nodded, clearly reluctant to let me go. "Please be careful," she said, her eyes softening.

    "I will," I replied, giving her one last long smooch before turning away. I know she''s just looking out for me, but I have to do this alone. My shadow mystics, all of them, worry too much about me.

    After grabbing a can of juice from a vendor nearby, I started the long walk to the sorority house. It took about 30 minutes, and as I approached, I could already hear the pulsing beat of music spilling from the mansion-like building.

    It didn''t look all that special from the outside, just a large house with expensive-looking cars parked in front. But the energy in the air was thick—this was no ordinary party.

    As I walked up the steps, I saw students milling about, rich kids dressed in high-end outfits, laughing, drinking, and smoking. The front door was wide open, and the heavy bass of the music thudded through the ground as I stepped inside.

    The scene hit me instantly—dim disco lights, people dancing in a frenzy, drinks in hand, and bodies pressed together in ways that left nothing to the imagination. Girls were dressed in barely-there outfits, some almost completely exposed. They drank and smoked alongside boys in a haze of alcohol, desire, and smoke. It was wild, chaotic, and decadent.

    Before I could take it all in, I heard someone calling my name. "Austin!"

    Two girls from my college, the ones who had invited me a few days ago, came running up to me. They wore bold, daring dresses, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

    "We''re so glad you came!" one of them said, grabbing my hand.

    "Obviously, how can I miss such a beautiful even invited by two beautiful girls." I said leaning in closer to her, sliding my hand on her ass.

    I smiled at her, my charm turned all the way up. "Sure, why not?" I replied, allowing her to lead me to the bar. I had to act like I was just another college guy looking for a good time.

    After looking around I saw that there were more halls around. I casually drinking stroll around to see and realizee that every room it''s own allure and looking at it all I could wasm

    "Dammm....People are at their peak."

    Then the one room which I entered, I was hit with a surreal vibe. Dim lighting highlighted the extravagance.

    "Woahhh some myserious yet wild vibes it has."

    Flashing lights gave the place an otherworldly, almost dreamlike feel.

    But it wasn''t just the space or the wild atmosphere that struck me. It was the people. Many of them wore glassy, reflective masks that covered half their faces, giving them a mysterious allure. Some looked human, but a few—scattered among the crowd—looked like they were wearing costumes. No, not costumes—something more.

    Some of the girls and boys had ears like cats and dogs. Furry, almost like Beta.

    I stopped in my tracks, blinking hard as I tried to make sense of what I was seeing. Was this a theme, or was it something more...?

    Looking around, I realized Beta would''ve fit right in here. The place was crawling with people who looked as though they belonged to some weird, animal-human hybrid club.

    "Maybe it wouldn''t have been such a bad idea to bring her along after all,"

    She''s strong, and who knows what kind of trouble I''m walking into.

    Just as that thought crossed my mind, I saw her—standing on top of a table, a glass in hand, her tail swirling like a whip as she laughed loudly, drawing the attention of everyone around her.

    "YOOOOOOO!!!! Everyone Let''s make it a wild night and kill all the bad people!!"

    "Yeahhhh!!!!" The crowd cheered, without realizing who she is what she is doing there.

    "Beta...?" My face twitched, my mouth hanging slightly open. The scene was ridiculous and how people are cheering for her.

    There she was, my so-called obedient companion, who I had specifically told to stay at home, now acting like the life of the party.

    "Ehhhhhh..." I expressed.@@@@