“Who owns that car?”
“Which one?” Lila followed her gaze. “Oh, that’s Griffin Hale’s car.”
That explained the familiarity. Violet remembered seeing a smaller model of it in his room.
Lila went on to say, “From what I heard, they say Griffin loves his car above any other thing. He even calls them his baby. One time while he was still together with Amanda Raynes, they had a fight and she kicked his car. It was safe to say she nearly lost her head that day.”
“Is that so?” A mischievous idea began to form in Violet’s mind.
Oblivious to the thoughts stirring in her friend, Lila asked, “Why do you ask?”
“Nothing,” Violet responded with a nonchalant smile, looping her arm through Lila’s. “Let’s head in, shall we?”
Together, they stepped into the Silvered Hall, leaving the talks of Griffin’s car behind them.
But the moment Violet and Lila entered, the room seemed to freeze in time. Conversations stopped mid-sentence, the clattering of trays and dishes ceased, and a silence as heavy as a storm cloud descended upon the space.
Violet felt the weight of countless eyes on her, their scrutiny sharp and unrelenting. Lila, beside her, halted abruptly, her earlier confidence draining in an instant. She tugged at Violet’s sleeve, whispering nervously, “Maybe we should-“
“No,” Violet said firmly, cutting her off. “We’re not turning back.”
If they wanted to stare, she would give them a reason to. She refused to show weakness, not now, not after everything.
As they moved further into the hall, she could hear the whispers start up again, gentle at first, then growing louder, like a swarm of bees buzzing in the background. But Violet wasn’t fazed. She let her gaze sweep across the room, daring anyone to meet her eyes. Most looked away, intimidated by her brazen defiance.
Then her attention shifted to the elite floor, and there she was, Elsie Lancaster.
The reigning queen of Lunaris Academy sat at her table, surrounded by her usual entourage of sycophants. Her expression was carefully neutral, but her eyes told a different story. They burned with an intensity that could only be described as hatred, a firestorm of anger and jealousy hidden beneath her icy facade.
Violet stopped for a fraction of a second, locking eyes with Elsie. The air between them seemed to crackle with fire and brimstone , a war waging in their gazes.
Beside her, Lila tugged at her arm, whispering. “Violet, stop. Everyone’s watching.”
“Let them watch,” Violet replied coolly, dragging Lila along despite her protests. She kept her head high, her movements unbothered. They wanted to see if she would break, to see if the Oracle’s article had gotten to her. But Violet was determined to show them otherwise.
With unwavering confidence, Violet strode toward the food counter and she grabbed a tray, and served herself. Lila followed closely behind, her nervous glances darting around the room.
Unlike before, Violet didn’t turn toward the lower floor where the non-elite students gathered. Instead, she set her sights on the upper floor, the elite section. If they claimed she was an elite, then perhaps it was time to act like one. And if it happened to provoke Elsie Lancaster in the process, all the better.
Lila hesitated as they reached the stairs, glancing over her shoulder at the lower floor. “Maybe we should just sit downstairs today?” she suggested.
The tension in the hall was suffocating enough and Lila didn’t want to come anywhere close to an angry Elsie.
“No,” Violet said sharply, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Great. It was the war of the queens today.
Lila had no choice but to quickly keep up with Violet.
The moment Violet ascended the stairs, the conversations in the hall reached a crescendo. It was as though Violet had just crossed some forbidden boundary, and everyone was eager to see what would happen next.
And she didn’t disappoint.
She spotted an empty table near the center and headed toward it. Lila trailed behind her, looking more like a frightened rabbit than an elite. Not that she was one. Yet.
As they approached the table, Violet’s morale shattered instantly. Her steps faltered, and she nearly lost her footing. Her eyes widened as she realized why, because sitting a few tables away were the four cardinal alphas.
Alaric, Griffin, Roman, and of course, Asher.
They were all there, their imposing figures impossible to miss. Alaric was flipping through a book, his intelligent eyes glancing up briefly. Griffin leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his gaze curious. Roman wore his signature smirk, as if he knew a secret no one else did. And Asher… Asher was the worst of all. He sat with his usual calm arrogance, his eyes lazily following Violet’s movements.
For a moment, Violet froze. The boldness she had so carefully built seemed to shake under their combined scrutiny. But she quickly steeled herself, straightening her posture and lifting her chin.
She pushed forward, and managed to reach the empty table and placed her tray down, ignoring the pounding of her heart. Lila as well followed, her movements stiff and awkward.
This was going to be an uncomfortable breakfast.
“How are you able to eat in this condition?” Lila asked, her fork hovering uncertainty over her plate.
She spent more of her time peering out at the elites that surrounded them. She couldn’t help but wonder what was going through Violet’s mind when she chose this spot. They were like small fishes surrounded by sharks and it was frightening.
“You mean, why shouldn’t I eat in this condition?” Violet retorted, as she continued to eat without a care.
Lila gave her an incredulous look, her brows furrowed as if trying to decipher an alien. “You do know you’re insane, right?”
“Maybe,” Violet replied with a casual shrug, shoveling another bite into her mouth. “But at least I’m not weak. And to deal with people like them…” She subtly nodded toward the table where the cardinal alphas sat in all their dominating glory. “You can’t show weakness. The moment they sense it, they’ll pounce on you like vultures on a carcass.”
Lila swallowed nervously, her appetite entirely gone. She couldn’t help but glance toward the alphas’ table. Even amidst the din of the hall, they stood out like kings on their thrones, drawing attention without putting effort. The aura around them was thicker, charged with a subtle authority that made the rest of the room feel insignificant.
Thankfully, the dining hall had gradually returned to its usual buzz of chatter as if nothing happened. Although she could still sense their gazes, it wasn’t as intense as before. Especially the cardinal alphas who discussed animatedly amongst themselves.
Violet in question observed their table and it looked less like something offered by a school cafeteria and more like the dining table of a five-star restaurant.
A pristine, luxurious tablecloth adored their table, they had shining gold plates and cutlery, and glasses that seemed far too delicate for casual use. Yep, these guys were in a league of their own.
The food was the real showstopper. Platters of delicacies, steaming and fragrant, were spread out like a feast meant for royalty. Each dish looked meticulously crafted, the kind you’d only see in magazines or at exclusive high-end events.
Violet’s nose caught a whiff of something buttery and rich, her stomach growling involuntarily despite the meal she was eating.
She couldn’t help but wonder if this really was made by the same cook who prepared the cafeteria meals? Or did the alphas have private chefs hidden somewhere, crafting these decadent dishes exclusively for them?
Sure, the food she ate here was leagues better than the garbage her old school served, but whatever the alphas were eating was in a category of its own. And then there was the wine too. Yes, wine. On a school morning.
What kind of school was this, where students casually sipped wine before classes? It was absurd. Yet, at their table, the cardinal alphas embraced the extravagance as if it were their birthright.
And perhaps it was.
“You’re right,” Lila said, surprising Violet, who raised a curious brow. “It can’t be anything good when they’re all gathered like that.”
“What do you mean by that?” Violet asked, her interest piqued. She took another mouthful of food, waiting for an explanation.
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