It's fucking awful.

I arrived home crying and I wasn't the only one.

Ben - the boy who I dragged away from Olivia kicking and screaming - also cried once he realized what he had done. I mean, he knows what he's done. He was there. But I've experienced some of what he went trough to know your mind gets a little foggy by the heat. He cried like a baby.

It wasn't pretty. And almost too relatable.

I took him home as I had to talk to his parents, help explain what had happened because the consequences will be dire. I also called Beta Cortez for a heads up, though he can't act on my word alone. Nor he should, of course.

By the time I got home, late for dinner, I was completely wrecked. My parents saw the state I arrived and I unraveled on my mom's arms. I cried as if it was me who got dragged away. Suddenly, all these feelings I had bottled up from my experience with the omega came to the surface and I lost it.

Even my siblings looked worried for me. When I saw Jess, I thought about how it could be her and I cried some more. I know she's not an omega. But she's a girl and heat is only a part of the equation.

My parents comforted me and got me a glass of water, telling me I did the right thing. I got there in time. But I don't know if I did. Maybe before too late, perhaps. But I don't know if just in time and I couldn't ask Ben that.

I cried myself to sleep worrying about it. About her, even though she's an omega. Still, I wouldn't wish this on anyone, specially a girl.

"He kept apologizing to me... over and over... and I'm like: it's not me who needs an apology!" - I was telling Ash and Simon in the next day at school yard. Simon already knew about it since he drove Elliot to school yesterday, but Ash heard it from me.

I'm still shaken up about it.

"Did you talk to Lockwood? How is she?" - I asked Simon, expectantly.

"I did, yes. He told me to leave yesterday because I couldn't help in the situation. But I called him later and he had phoned her parents and they took her to the hospital to..." - He trailed off, severely distraught.

"She's medicated and nursing her heat at home. I also know the school has been notified. I don't know what will happen next." - He continued, his tone was sorrowed.

Elliot arrived at school and went straight to Simon's arms. They hugged each other for a while until the bell rang.

"How are you?" - He asked the omega.

"I'm fine, but I'm worried for Liv. She has been such a force to all of us at school that I feel horrible I couldn't... be there for her." - As Elliot spoke this, he broke down in tears. Simon hugged him again.

"You couldn't possibly know this was going to happen! It's not your fault!" - Simon comforted him.

"Yeah, Elliot. You can't blame yourself for it. You couldn't have known her heat was gonna strike." - Ash told him in an empathetic tone.

"I'm scared for her, you know? I don't know what will happen... I'm afraid they're gonna say she brought this on herself for going to the bathroom alone with him." - He commented, making all of us gasp. Specially Ash.

"What?" - She yelled, beside herself.

"It's not an excuse. It's never an excuse! I don't care if they were naked in the woods. It's never an excuse!" - She barked at him, livid. Though she isn't angry at him, particularly. She knows girls get the worst end on cases such as this.

We went inside. And soon enough, the school is buzzing over what happened. Ben isn't here, but that's not surprising. He's on the wrestling team too. He's a friend of mine.

"Attention. The following students please report to the principal's office: Elliot Lockwood and Felix Hollingsworth."

The message was clear and both the omega and I looked at each other knowing what it was about. The teacher excused us both and on we were.

We gave testimony to a school committee about what happened yesterday, each of us offering his perspective. I told them exactly what happened, not leaving out anything. Including the teacher who almost cursed at me for leaving detention early. Though he was informed of what happened afterwards.

Elliot and I returned silently to class, just in time for wrestling practice.

Ben's notable absence from the team was speaking volumes, though at this point everyone knows she was with him. Coach didn't pair us today, just gave exercises.

"I just think it's unfair. It wasn't his fault!" - Andersen is the first to speak, once we got to the locker room.

"Oh, so you think it's my fault that Hollingsworth stripped me naked in the middle of the gym?" - Elliot asked him in a sarcastic tone, making me wince at the memory. Simon caressed him softly.

Marcus gulped at this, staring at the omega with a guilty conscience.

"No, Lockwood. Of course not. But you weren't kissing him when it happened." - He retorted.

Elliot glared at him, but he isn't lying. It irked me that my name got mentioned but the circumstances are completely different.

"So, all the girls that you kissed you had sex with? Is that it?" - Elliot countered, staring him down.

"No, but they weren't in heat when I kissed them." - Marcus rebuked, annoyed.

"Guys, it's no use arguing among ourselves! It's not gonna be up to our opinion!" - I interjected, causing them to stare at me.

We proceeded to the shower area and I could hear some whispers within the boys.

"I didn't even know Ben liked Liv, she was literally just telling us yesterday how she was inspired by..." - Elliot trailed off. I didn't know if his face was wet from the hot water or if he's crying.

"He does like her. He got her to tutor him because he had a giant crush on her. He's just too shy to ask her out. They only started taking the next step. He's not a rapist, I swear!" - Andersen defended him to Elliot while we showered.

"I'm not saying he is, Marcus. I don't think he's a bad guy. I think it's a bad situation." - Elliot argued with grief in his voice.

At the cafeteria, it's all students talked about. At length. Everybody had an opinion about it.

It became so exhausting I didn't even want to speak.

In the days that followed, Ben was asked to give his statement to the committee. He was accompanied by his parents, but they couldn't speak on his behalf. Only him.

They also had a video conference for Olivia to give her account of what happened, since she couldn't leave her house because of the heat. But her parents were also present at the time, though only she spoke.

After I got home, I talked to my dad during dinner but he said neither he or Beta Cortez can act until the school refers the case to them. Either that or the victim herself. So for now, we wait.

"When I tell you to keep away from omegas, I'm not just saying." - Dad commented during dinner.

"It's not her fault she went in heat during her date. It's not like she planned it!" - Mom rebuked, sounding pissed at dad.

"I'm not saying it is. Calm down, my love." - Dad argued in a low tone, baffled at mom's reaction.

"Don't tell me to calm down! I'm sick of this bullshit culture of blaming the victim! Omegas are just as much werewolves as the rest of us. And none of them asked to be born an omega. Telling your children to stay away from them just because of heat is segregation. And I won't be part of it!" - Mom spat at him. This is the most furious I've seen my mom in a long while.

"I know our children aren't omegas and they can't suffer what this girl has. But think of your daughter. It could be her." - Mom continued, making Jessica frown in worry. So did Zach and me.

Dad's looking at mom in shock. I'm guessing this has been a long time coming.

"I never told you this kids, but I had an omega friend in high school. He was the sweetest creature you'll ever meet. He was nice, smart, he even tutored me sometimes in geometry. Until one time..."

Mom started to cry, her voice was breaking and we all can see where this is going. Specially dad, who probably knows the story.

"He wasn't doing anything major. He was in gym class. But he... huh... he stayed behind with the wrestling team because he was an equipment manager. He liked to help out. Then one day, his heat came..."

Zach, Jessica and myself start tearing up as our mom's sobbing.

"He was alone in the gym, it shouldn't be a big deal. Except some of the boys from the team were near, I guess. He got..."

Mom breaks down in tears and her children cry along. There isn't a dry eye at the table. None of us could eat anymore.

"Anyway, the boys argued it wasn't their fault. It's his heat that took over them. You know how it goes. Long story short, none of them were held accountable for what happened to him. Not even when he got pregnant. Then he was rejected by his mate, of course. He was left alone, pregnant, rejected by everyone at school who somehow thought it was his fault for getting assaulted, even my own parents forbade me to visit him. I should've fought them at the time... I swear, he couldn't hurt a fly."

"One day, the school announced that Tyler had committed suicide and I felt so guilty for not being able to be there for him when he needed the most. Then, his mate couldn't handle the guilt and he killed himself too 3 months after Tyler."

Mom was wrecked. All of us were. Dad hugged her and apologized.

"But what always stuck with me is that how can 3 boys argue that heat took over them and made them take advantage of him? Couldn't they have helped each other stay away from him instead? 3 grown seniors! I mean... what the fuck! And somehow omegas get a bad rep, like it's their fault they get heat and the rest of us don't." - Mom concluded her rant. I could tell she's deeply disturbed. I guess she has bottled up some stuff too.

All of us hug and kiss mom. Then, we go to bed.

Though it's incredibly painful for me, I can understand my mom's point. I mean three wrestling boys against one heat struck omega? Jesus! Not even Lockwood would face those odds. Though, to be fair, no omega would. You don't reject anyone when you're in heat, which is why it's so dangerous in the first place.

It's such a seductive argument to blame the victim, as if somehow it's her fault for daring to kiss Ben alone. As if the rest of the student body had never done that once or twice. Hell, even my 15 years old brother has kissed someone inside a restroom. Not that he talks about it with me, but I can hear really well.

I guess all of us are do for a lesson in empathy. Exactly like my mom just taught us. I love her so much. She's such a Luna. I only hope Ash can follow in her footsteps when the time is right.

The days passed by quickly and soon enough, we're nearing the winter break and my birthday.

There is gonna be a huge party at the pack house for me.

But that's a subject for later on. Now, we have to face the gag that is about to happen.

"Attention students. The school board has conducted a thorough investigation into what happened last week between two pupils. It concluded that it was indeed an impossible situation where all the parts involved shared some of the blame. Therefore, both Mr. Blackburn and Ms. Pullman are to serve detention for a month. Good day."

Elliot rushed to Olivia's side as she heard this. We're all shocked at the announcement.

We hear students complaining loudly throughout the school right now. In fact, no one is quiet.

Except for the actual victim, who's sobbing on her friend's arms.

Several girls from our class went to Olivia's side, offering their sympathy. Including Ash, of course. They all cheered her on. But the true testament of empathy is coming in seconds.

Ben Blackburn, who is a senior like us, arrives in class moments after the principal announced the conclusion of the investigation. He is booed, called a rapist and cursed by so many he cries in shame and pain.

It's bad.

"Guys, enough!" - I shouted enough for everyone to stop what they're doing and pay attention to me.

"Ben knows what he did was wrong. He doesn't need you all ganging up on him. HE is not the one saying Olivia is to blame. He knows he fucked up. He knows she is innocent. And if you asked him instead of attacking, he'd tell this himself. So stop directing your hate towards him and go after the people responsible for making Olivia, the real victim, face detention." - I lectured.

It's the spark that ignited the flame.

The entire classroom - minus Olivia, Simon, Elliot, Ben and me - erupts in anger and goes out the door protesting, demanding that the victim is treated as such. And as the students took the halls by storm, others would join them along the way.

The school office was overrun by two hundred students protesting loud and furiously.

The police and my dad was called. That's how bad things were. And I can't say I disagree with them. I mean, blaming the victim? Really? What is this? The 80's or 90's?

Haven't this people ever heard of #MeToo?

I get that it's tough to call on Ben's guilt. I'm not arguing that case one way or another. But making Olivia face detention is a fucking travesty. They practically rubber stamped his innocence.

"Thank you, Alpha!" - Ben said to me when it was only the 5 of us left inside the classroom.

"No need to thank me. I just don't think it's fair to blame you for this on top of everything else." - I replied, looking at him with empathy.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Liv." - He directed his attention to her, who winced at his presence. Though her expression was not of hate or repulse. But of fear.

"Don't! Don't talk to her, don't look at her, don't come near her or I'll kill you!" - A deranged Elliot threatened him, making Ben cower in fear. Olivia's shaking, so he hugged her.

Ben turned around and left the classroom. Moments later, I left too as there's no point in us staying here alone. All of us went to check on the riots, though we went separately. I mean, I did. Simon wouldn't leave Elliot who wouldn't leave Olivia's side.

Some time later, my dad arrived with Beta Cortez and some warriors. The police was already in the premise but since this is a werewolf town, the Alpha is the boss. He alone outranks the sheriff, even the mayor.

"Good morning, students. I wanna start by saying how proud I am of each and every one of you for standing up for your colleague." - Dad started, addressing a sea of angry students in the school patio.

"As you know, unfortunately I didn't go to college. When I graduated high school, I had a pack to run. That's why when it comes to school, I leave the decisions for people who actually went to college, you know, educators." - He continued, serenely.

"That's why I was surprised to hear that the people in charge, people who went to college, decided to blame the victim of a sexual assault." - His voice raised a little.

All the students booed Principal Andrews, who was not far from my dad.

"As a father of a daughter, I can't even imagine what Ms. Pullman is going through. Please know that our pack is behind you, 100%." - He declared, looking in the crowd for Olivia, though he doesn't know what she looks like (not that the students knew that).

"I command that Ms. Pullman's detention be lifted immediately. She is a victim and should be treated as such." - Dad stated, making everyone cheer him.

"Mr. Blackburn, I see you." - Dad continued, making Ben shake in fear within the crowd. - "I command that Mr. Blackburn serves 100 hours of community service, giving back to the pack to atone for his sins." - Dad declared, getting cheers all around.

"Thank you everyone. Please return to your classes. The day is far from over." - Dad concluded, causing the students to mumble in discontentment. I giggled at this. But who seriously thought he'd suspend classes? Right... Not this Alpha, no. There's no riot capable of making him give teenagers a day off.