M-A-R-K-E-D

**Jacqueline's POV**

"For today's weather forecast. Heavy rainfall. Be sure to have your umbrellas with you and always be safe." The daily news' caster reminded.

After what I've heard into the television across my room, I looked outside my window and saw nothing but rays of sunshine. I thought to myself, "Please, just for once. Be wrong about the forecast."

Then gray of clouds starting to form, darkening what was once clear and beautiful. "Oh, whom am I kidding? That's her job," I exclaimed, to myself.

I readied myself for my weekend job, when my aunt Lia, entered my room and said, "Here's the car key. You'll need this." She handed me the key into my hands and then left my room after giving me a soft smile.

"Uhm, aunt Lia? I don't need this." I said, following her way and ready to give back the key when she stopped me.

"You do. Trust me." She said, sure. So, I just shrugged it off and went back to my room, again.

I grabbed my bag and wore my jacket then whispered, "ouvrir amplasare intrare." When nothing happened, I repeated, "ouvrir amplasare intrare."

I said to myself, "Maybe, I'm just not focusing enough. I should..." then suddenly my attention was averted to a wall clock and saw, it was almost quarter to eight in the morning. "Damn! I'm going to be late!" I exclaimed.

I hurriedly went to the doorway, when aunt Lia appeared out of nowhere.

"I told you. You were going to need that." She said, chuckling while pointing at the car key that I'm now holding.

"Yeah, of course. You knew." I sarcastically commented at her.

"Be careful on your way." She gave me a light hug.

"Thanks," I uttered.

+++

"You're late, again!" Dylan scolded me as soon as I entered the employees' locker room. Our manager's out of town for a month. So, he's currently supervising the café for the meantime and his parents own this place.

"Sorry?" I said carefully. I can't say anything more. Humans tend to get berserk when the supernatural happens in front of their eyes. So much more when heard.

So, I am not going to explain that my magic isn't working, and that's the reason I got late.

"Again, with your apologies and no explanations?" Dylan unbelievably stated.

Head hanged low. I stood still in silence and barely looking him into his eyes.

"If you're still not going to give me any explanations, you're on waiting tables for a week." He said, in authority.

That wouldn't be so bad, at least I'm not getting fired.

"Okay waiting tables for me then," On a monotonous voice, I replied.

Dylan left, then comes Drew, my co-worker who's my fellow witch.

"You're on waiting tables? How about our lessons? Being a barista isn't easy you know. That's why I look up to you!" Drew continuously complained, very worried that he won't be able to brew a coffee properly without my help.

"Sheila can help you, don't worry. I'll ask her." I said, tapping his shoulder lightly, telling him that it'll be all fine.

Today's business was slow. Few people are coming in, when sometime later, Shane asked. "You know, you can say anything just to reason out with Dylan. But why do you always keep your mouth shut?" He whispered behind me.

I turned around. "I tried. Believe me. I just got tired and stopped. He won't even let me. And now..." I whispered then shrugged, replying to his question.

"Trust issues?" He asked while cleaning up a messy vacant table.

"Oh, don't even go there," I warned playfully.

He replied in his defense. "Hey! I'm just saying."

"To be honest. I really don't want him to be involved in my life, generally." I explained. "And that's the reason I broke up with him." I continued.

Yes, Dylan and I had a history. He's a nice guy, but I'm the one who had problems. I just keep messing it up, and I don't want to burden him by adjusting his life just for me. I'm a walking time bomb. I don't deserve him, and he doesn't deserve me, either. He deserves better. Better than me.

To make it more understandable, I'm a witch and he's a human.

"Drama." He stated then smiled like he's feeling my pain.

I returned a smile and said nothing.

"Customers are coming in." I heard Sheila call from the counter.

"That's our cue," I said, then went to my assigned table.

"One cafe au lait and a chocolate cake," I said while jotting down his order. "Was that all?" I asked confirming his orders.

"Yes, that would be all, for now." He said still not looking my way and waving me off like I'm somewhat a fly who just happened to pass by.

"Rude," I whispered to myself.

"I heard that." He said putting down his phone that he's been looking for the last ten minutes I'm talking to him and looked at me like I've done something to offend him.

"Good," I said smiling with a straight face.

Keeping his voice low, he asked with a stern face. "It's that how you talk to your new soon to become alpha?" I laughed to myself at that thought. Did I really just offended him?

"Well then, it's that how you talk and act to someone who's taking your order? Especially when she's a witch?" I equally returned.

"Are you really testing me? Right now?" He stood up and towered over me like I'm going to cower like an idiot for him. Not a chance.

Everyone now's looking at our direction like waiting who would crack first.

"Nah, just take your seat. I'm going to get your order in a minute. We wouldn't want our new soon to be alpha waiting, right?" I smiled just to taunt him a little. That should do the trick.

+++

We are now taking a drive to our school, and even though Gale's the one who's driving she can't help but keep engaging in a conversation with me. She must know how dangerous it is... But you know, Gale isn't Gale if she doesn't do stunts like this.

"Oh, my goodness! Jack, why would you do that?" My best friend Gale asked very concernedly and shocked at the same time that made the car swerved a little but managed to stay on track.

"Be careful!" I said in shock that I held my chest for a quick moment.

I told her all about what had just happened last Saturday afternoon on my duty in the café, on how Karmichael got into my nerves, and everything just got out of hand.

"It kind off grew on me when he waved me off like I'm some peasant to him," I explained to her.

"Yeah, that's the point. Besides his omegas, others are just peasants to him." She's getting all emotional.

"But it doesn't mean he needs to be obvious about it," I stated.

"He can't help it. He's the alpha..." Still trying to prove a point.

"Soon to be alpha." I interrupted. "Even he, himself, knew that he's not yet the alpha. He has no control over me..."

"Yet." Now, she's the one who interrupted my shallow rant.

"We really should get going. We don't want you to be seen by Karmichael, just yet. We're not still sure if you're forgiven or not." She said, stepping into the gas that made the car more accelerated than before.

"Why are you getting all worked out for? Not as if he'll remember and plot revenge on me. That is so childish to start with. I'm a witch, goodness. I'm not that scared of him." Another rant releases from my mouth as I'm getting dragged.

"But one-fourths of the pack's coven had a crush on him, and they're willing to be on his good side. Believe me."

"Okay, I haven't thought about that?" I said to her slightly, worried. Because, what was to worry about, it's not like they're going to kill me. Jail me? For what offense? Verbal abuse? Please, that's low even for him.

"Yes, you do that all the time. Always forgetting to overlook the bigger picture. Once he became the alpha, you're dead for good." She finally said exasperated, before she parked before getting off the car.

I followed her and went inside the campus grounds.

Welcome to the University of Crimson Willow, where humans, vampires, werewolves, and witches come together to learn and whatnot.

I can't actually call it co-existing together, as I said before we can't make ourselves known, especially to humans. It is either, they kill us or we kill them.

This school was built for us, supernatural creatures to learn kinds of stuff that suppose we didn't know about and of course to learn how to blend in well, with humans.

The University of Crimson Willow was divided into four sections and chambers.

First was Apollo's Chamber, which is the chamber of vampires. Headed by Professor Belinda Grim, and she's a vampire as you'll know. Apollo being the god of sun and light, our school choose him to be the symbol of vampirism, just because vampires' being slaves by the sun and light.

Their insignia, a bat. Really, doesn't make sense.

If we have Apollo, of course, we wouldn't forget his twin sister...

The second was the Artemis' Chamber, which is the chamber of werewolves. This town was and is, still full of werewolves. That's why they have the biggest part of this school, and humans wouldn't know about that, duh. Headed by Professor Sabine Snow, of course, a wolf would be headed by a wolf, itself. Artemis symbolizes the hunt and the moon. That explains a lot, right? Make more sense, at least.

Insignia, a wolf. For me, they are playing the favoritism cards here, because...

The third one was us witches, Tyche's Chamber. Goddess of fortune and chance. It's not because witches can read fortune and stuff, but because ancient Greeks thought that she was the reason for unexpected events that happened in their lives, whether good or evil. So, the school thought that she was the perfect representation for us witches, the balance. And I do believe that there was a more fitting symbol for us witches but this will do. Fortune and chance, who wouldn't want that? Our head Professor is Paxton Blackman. Great professor to be exact. He's one of the great witches here. He leads the school's coven, The Witches of Crimson Willow. Sadly, I'm not a part of it.

Insignia, a frog, and that where the bias part came in. I hate frogs, I really do. It's not because, if there are frogs, there are witches, right?

And the last chamber, Hestia's Chamber, the chamber of humans. Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, home, architecture, family, the state and etcetera, what humans do. The goddess who loves domestic life even though never been married. What a strong-willed goddess we have. Perfect for humans' symbolism. I believe? Headed by Professor Darius Duke, he's a witch.

If vampires were headed by a vampire, werewolves were headed by a werewolf, and witches were headed by a witch, shouldn't be humans headed by a human? The school knew that humans needed protection too, so some of the faculty of the human's chamber were managed by some witches, don't worry most of the staffs there are humans as well.

Insignia, a swine, not the pig kind. A swan kind. I believe that was because Hestia's sacred animal was swine. I took my history lessons very well.

Our Headmaster Alastair Roseberg, do really love his Greek gods and goddesses.

We supernatural creatures, also learn what humans are learning. However, we have other classes to attend ourselves that was more appropriate to our own capabilities.

There are tests conducted every year for the newcomers, for them to tell which section you belong.

This will be all performed in a closed room, with all the head professors present.

First, all the jewelry will be confiscated for a short time, whether you're wearing it or not.

Second, they'll begin the tests.

For vampires, they'll slightly open the room's window for the sunlight to enter, because of the light ring's absence, of course, the vampires will burn, just a little bit, to know if they're the real thing. They do this test because some vampires are getting smarter and trickier, they can resist the vervain potions nowadays.

For wolves, because of the closed room, the witches who are present in the room will make illusions of a full moon then wolves without the moon ring will turn uncontrollably.

And for the witches, we're being tossed in a rapidly moving river to tell whether if we'll float or sink. Nah, I'm just kidding, we're not barbaric. The witches will do the talismans locator spell, and because witches admitted here are still beginners, it's not going to be hard for them to locate some talismans. They will do the spell discreetly. Witches without talismans are tested by other's spells like familiar locator spell, truth-teller spell, and so on.

But of course, there are some special admissions considered, like Karmichael Addamsons, everyone knew he's the alpha's son, so no need for him to do some tests.

Some new vampires don't actually need to be tested, because some of them are victims and collateral damages from other nearby towns. Just two choices were given for them, stay and be on the university or go and don't ever come back to this town. Mostly vampires that live here are on dormitories managed also by this school. As you know, vampires are not born, they are turned.

And about me, because my aunt seriously forbid me to take off this ring, and I don't really know why she asked the University for a Spell Test. I conducted a spell to prove to them that I am a witch and showed them my glowing ring as my talisman. And that is how I got admitted to this university.

+++

**Karmichael's POV**

"Dude, you mean to say, Jacqueline humiliated you in front of everyone?" Chris asked unconvinced. Chris is one of my friends here at the university. He can be an ass to some point, but hey, he's a loyal friend to me.

"That's what I'm trying to say," I answered his question casually but boiling in anger inside.

I can't believe that Jacqueline can talk to me like that. That witch! That would be the last time she can talk to me like that. I'll make sure to put her in her right place if she again talks to me casually.

"Do you want to get even? I can make some arrangements." Chris offered, an evil glint in his eyes. There he goes again with his devilish side peeking out.

"I have something in mind, actually. It'll have to wait." I answered. "I'm just waiting for the right moment to strike." I smiled wickedly at that thought.

"Fine, as you wish." He said dramatically. Childish as ever.

"Don't worry, it wouldn't take much time to wait." I looked at him meaningfully.

Muddled up. He rose his right eyebrow, thinking.

"The two of you, would you just cut it out?" Damien said, my other considered friend, appearing out of nowhere. Taking his seat beside Chris.

I looked at him innocently, "What, we're not doing anything wrong." I answered, smirking. "Yet."

"Kiel!" Damien yelled in annoyance.

Chris, shocked at his seat, he somehow managed to talk it out with Damien, and "We're not doing anything." He said. "We're just talking about how Jacqueline disrespected Kiel, here."

"And he wants revenge, right?" Damien said, then he took out his phone and do what he has to do, casually. Irritation was still visible in his tone and action.

"And don't even think I'm not serious about getting it," I warned him, looking at his way even he's not bothered to return the act itself.

"Just don't get Gale to be involved in this." He reminded, before raising himself from his seat.

"As you wish." As I said those words, he left. Leaving Chris and I exchanging looks and smirking at that thought.

"You'll never know what will hit you, Jacqueline Cunningham," I whispered in my thoughts as I smiled mischievously.

>>>