Knowing they were surrounded by werewolves with super hearing, Lila leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “The alphas prefer staying with their packs during meals. It’s a tradition. Eating with their pack fosters unity and presents a strong, cohesive front. But for the alphas to be sitting together like this… it means something is up.”
“Even Asher stays with his pack?” Violet asked.
“Not really. Kind of.” Lila scratched her head, wondering if she should say it, “unlike the other Cardinal alphas, Asher isn’t really close with his pack members. Even when with them, he prefers solitude. His pack members are more like little soldiers to do his bidding than actual pack family. “
Violet paused mid-chew, her frown deepening. Werewolves were known to be tactile, social creatures who thrived on physical connection, especially within their packs. The idea of a wolf so disconnected from its pack seemed unnatural, almost wrong.
“That’s strange,” she murmured, a lot of thoughts running through her mind. “The pack is supposed to be like family. What went wrong with him?”
Lila shook her head, her face clouded with unease. “Who knows? But the point is, the alphas only come together like this when they need to show unity, to make a statement. It’s never just casual. It’s when they’re making decisions, big ones. And trust me, Violet Purple, those decisions are never going to favor you. Not when you’re already on their radar.”
A foreboding feeling settled over their table and Violet paused, her spoon halfway to her mouth. The ominous undertone in Lila’s voice sent a chill down her spine, but she refused to let it show.
Just as she was about to brush it off, Violet’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to the alphas’ table where her gaze connected with Asher’s. And it was the dark, knowing smile curling on his lips that made her heart skip a beat. It wasn’t just a smile; it was a promise of trouble, a silent declaration that whatever storm was brewing, he would ensure she was at the center of it.
The food in Violet’s mouth turned to ash, and her appetite vanished entirely. She swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry.
And the smug bastard was indeed out to make her life miserable.
Asher rose to his feet with the confidence of someone who knew he owned the room. Then, with deliberate flair, he tapped his spoon against the wine tumbler in his hand. The sharp, rhythmic clinking echoed through the hall, silencing the chatter as all heads turned toward him.
Unlike the judgmental and mocking looks they had given Violet earlier, the crowd gazed at Asher with awe and reverence, as if they were in the presence of a god. The gods help her, It was nauseating.
Asher said smoothly. “Can I have your attention, please?”
Asher paused, ensuring every single eye remained on him before he continued. “There will be a bonfire party on Friday night.”
The announcement was met with thunderous cheers and whoops of excitement, the entire hall erupting in joy. Clearly, these Lunaris students loved their parties as much as they loved their bullying. Violet, however, had already decided she wasn’t going. She had no interest in mingling with this crowd, especially under Asher’s watchful eye.
But as if he could read her mind-no, he didn’t need to read her mind; he just knew how her mind worked-Asher’s voice cut through the celebrations.
“Attendance is mandatory for all houses. There will be no absences. Anyone who skips will face serious consequences from their respective alphas.”
And it was unfortunate he was her Alpha. Fuck her life.
His piercing gaze found hers across the room, and Violet’s blood boiled. He didn’t need to say her name; the message was clear. You will be there, Violet Purple.
Violet’s jaw clenched, her eyes narrowing in fury as she locked stares with him. But Asher, being Asher, didn’t flinch. If anything, his smirk deepened, infuriatingly calm and self-assured.
“And that would be all for now,” he concluded, his voice as smooth as silk. He raised his glass in a mock toast. “See you all on Friday night!”
The students roared with approval, their cheers echoing through the hall as Asher sat back down and casually drained his wine in one swift gulp. But his eyes never left hers. Even amidst the renewed chatter and excitement over the announcement, he watched her smugly.
Violet’s glare could have melted steel, but it didn’t faze Asher. Instead, his smirk widened, as if he were enjoying every second of her silent rebellion.
Before Violet could process what was happening, someone got in the way, breaking the contact. Asher’s smirking gaze was forced to shift, and before Violet could blink, Elsie Lyka Lancaster had slinked onto his lap.
The move was intentional on her part. Elsie straddled Asher like it was her throne and he was her willing subject. With an air of ownership, she grabbed his face and kissed him, a bold, unapologetic kiss that left no room for doubt about her intentions.
This wasn’t a kiss born out of love. No, it was a declaration, loud and clear for all to see. It was Elsie’s way of saying, He belongs to me.
She didn’t care about what Violet Purple had done or what games she played. The cardinal alphas were hers-her toys, her conquests, her pieces in the grand game she ruled.
Violet felt her stomach churn. She hated the sight of it, hated how Elsie’s blonde hair shimmered under the lights as she tilted her head to deepen the kiss, hated the way Asher didn’t push her off but instead let it happen. And most of all, she wished she could wring the bitch’s pretty neck until she became a thousand broken pieces.
“Violet!”
The sudden voice snapped her back to reality. She turned to see Lila’s concerned face, her brows knit with worry. It was only then that Violet looked down and realized what she had done.
Her hand was bleeding. Tiny shards of glass from her crushed tumbler dug into her palm, water pooling around the remains on the table. She had destroyed the glass without even realizing it.
Violet stared at her bloodied hand in confusion, then at the scene of Elsie and Asher, her expression darkening. Since when did she start caring about what Asher did with his whore?
This wasn’t her. She didn’t care about Asher. He could kiss whoever he wanted, and yet…
Violet clenched her jaw, ignoring the sharp sting in her hand as she turned away from the spectacle. She needed to get out of here.
When Violet stood, Lila rose with her, ever the faithful friend. The blood from Violet’s hand dripped onto the ground, staining the tiled floor.
“Wait, let’s clean the wound first-” Lila said, her voice frantic as she tried to grab Violet’s hand. But Violet pulled away, her face set with a determination that bordered on defiance.
Maybe Daisy was right; maybe she did have a flair for the dramatic. Because right now, Violet wanted them all to watch. And they did watch. Every pair of eyes in the Silvered Hall, including those belonging to Roman, Alaric, and Griffin.
“Let’s go then,” Lila said hesitantly, her smile forced as she tried to guide Violet toward the exit. But Violet had other plans. Instead of following her friend, she strode confidently toward the cardinal alphas’ table.
Lila froze in place, the blood draining from her face as she watched Violet make her bold move. What in the world was she doing?
At the table, Elsie saw her coming and sat up straighter on Asher’s lap, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips. She was the queen peacock, perched high, ready to bask in Violet’s reaction. She thought she had won.
But Violet had no intention of giving her the satisfaction. Ignoring Elsie completely, she picked up Asher’s napkin from the table. She slowly used the white cloth to clean her bloodied hands. The stark red stains on the napkin felt symbolic, a small act of rebellion that made everyone in the room hold their breath.
Then, without so much as a glance at Elsie, Violet leaned in close to Asher. Her lips barely moved as she whispered into his ear, her words dripping with venom.
“Mark my words, this will be the last time I’ll bleed for you.”
Asher’s eyes widened slightly, an unknown emotion flickering in his gaze, cracking his otherwise stoic demeanor. His gaze followed her as she straightened and turned away, her head held high.
Elsie, still perched on Asher’s lap, glared at Violet, clearly unsettled by the strange exchange between them. And for the first time, she did not feel so confident anymore.
Violet didn’t look back as she walked away, Lila following after her while the others were left speechless.
“Hello Adele, “
Adele turned from her desk, her sharp gaze landing on Violet, then drifting down to her bleeding hand. She sighed heavily, muttering under her breath, “You have got to be kidding me.”
Violet attempted a dry joke. “I know, surprise, surprise, right?”
But Adele wasn’t in the mood. Abandoning the thick book she’d been reading, she stood and approached Violet, her face a picture of exasperation. “You and Alaric,” Adele began, shaking her head, “I don’t know which of you is worse at this point. You must really love me so much you can’t wait to visit me every day.”
Violet smirked, not one to let sarcasm slide past her. “Yes, I miss you so much my balls are beginning to ache.”
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