~ Lila ~
"Violet! HELP ME!" Lila shrieked as a ferocious-looking, yet absurdly adorable green Scottish Fold cat chased her like a demon possessed, her feet kicking up small clouds of dust.
This was not how she had planned to die.
Not heroically in battle — definitely not in the second great war.
Not in a tragic love story —like Elena and Kael
Not even from embarrassment at failing a test — sadly, no reference for this.
Boho! Of all the possible deaths, being mauled by a furious cardinal alpha in kitten form was not on her bingo card.
Well, what cruel fate had led her here?!
It was all thanks to Violet.
She should have known better. Even Daisy had warned that this was a terrible, horrible, catastrophic idea, but Violet, the shameless hustler, had roped them in with sweet words and unshakable confidence.
Because if there was one thing Violet Purple knew how to do, it was to milk people dry with a business pitch so convincing it could sell ice to a yeti.
And to be honest? Her logic had been sound.
Violet had recognized the demand in the market because thanks to the stupid — in her own language — hierarchy in the school, majority of the student population never got close to a cardinal alpha before graduation.
Not to mention touching, holding, or even standing near one was considered a privilege. Snapping a photo with one? It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But now, thanks to fate — or karma, depending on who you asked —Roman Draven has provided the perfect opportunity.
A cardinal alpha, forced into the form of an adorable kitten? It was a once in life time chance that Violet, the ruthless businesswoman couldn’t give up on.
So she had pitched it perfectly:
"For a totally reasonable fee, you can HOLD, PET, FONDLE and SNAP AN EXCLUSIVE photo with Roman the Kitten!"
It was the ultimate souvenir!
A photo they could cherish forever and flex to their future children. And children children. To even the tenth generation — if they cared enough.
At first, her roommates had thought Violet lost her mind, but when they saw how profitable it was , eveyone was definitely in. Except there was a little problem, they had zero preparation and resources.
There was no marketing. No set-up. Not to mention, it was only a few hours before Roman shifted back to his human form and had his revenge on them. The goddess have mercy on them.
They needed speed and efficiency before Roman became entirely useless to them.
But Violet wasn’t the Purple Storm for nothing and Lila saw firsthand the power of connections.
All Violet did was one word to the right students, elite and non elite, mostly the ones who approached her during the Fangball match and bam! Everything fell into place.
The photoshoot was then set up in the Green Space, the school’s iconic garden known for its beautiful flowers, scenic stone pathways, and breathtaking water features. In one word, the serene aesthetic was perfect for capturing a "magical" moment with Kitten Roman.
Within the hour, the place was transformed into a professional-grade photoshoot, with all tasks delegated:
Camera crew? Check.
Props and backdrops? Check.
Soft cushions and luxury blankets for Roman’s "royal cat throne"? Check.
A ridiculous yet adorable wardrobe of kitten outfits? Also check.
Except that was where the problems began.
Dressing Kitten Roman.
One unlucky fool was chosen for the task.
And that unfortunate soul was her. Lila.
Somehow, one of the elite girls had miraculously ordered a batch of custom kitten clothing online, and it arrived in record time.
And the great task began.
At first? Roman had been calm.
A little too calm for her liking especially while staring up at her with those beautiful green eyes.
Except she should have known it was a mistake.
Lila should have listened to her gut.
Because the moment Lila tried slipping a tiny tuxedo over Kitten Roman’s head...
All hell broke loose.
The kitten who had been perfectly docile transformed into an unholy menace.
With his fangs bared, claws unsheathed, and with a murderous yowl, Roman lunged at her.
And thus, the chase from earlier began.
"Violet! HELP!" Lila screamed again, bursting out of the makeshift dressing room and running for her dear life.
Kitten Roman bounded after her, his tiny but powerful paws skimming the ground like a small hunter in pursuit of prey. Damn it! He should have turned into a larger animal!
Nonetheless, he would catch the girl and use her as a scapegoat.
How DARE they treat him like a pet?!
He was Roman Draven!
A lover — well, not at the moment —, a cardinal alpha! A predator! Not a doll to be dressed up!
He should have known not to trust that conniving fox, Violet Purple. He totally underestimated her.
Just as Lila’s lungs were about to give out, a hand shot out of nowhere and snatched Kitten Roman from behind.
"There you are!" Violet said, exasperated.
She had only gone to the restroom for two minutes, and chaos had already broken loose.
She turned disapproving eyes onto the tiny green kitten struggling in her grasp.
"Bad kitty!" she scolded, tapping him lightly on the nose.
Kitten Roman’s green eyes darkened. How dare she?!
He let out a hiss of pure menace but Violet smirked.
"Someone’s mad, isn’t he?"
And, to prove just how angry he was, Kitten Roman swiped his tiny claws across her arm.
"Agh!" Violet gasped, clutching her now-scratched skin.
"Okay, fine, I deserved that one. But no more."
Kitten Roman narrowed his eyes and she glared back knowing he could perfectly understand her. After all, he was a grown man in a kitten’s body.
He stopped squirming and Violet was relived. She adjusted her hold on him, securing him against her chest, his soft fur pressed against the curve of her side.
And for once?
Kitten Roman didn’t fight it.
He settled against her, his tiny paws resting against her shoulder, his tail flicking contentedly.
And Violet was none the wiser.
She had no clue that Kitten Roman was currently experiencing the greatest moment of his life.
Because right now?
His face was pressed against Violet’s soft, comfortable... chest.
Oh.
Oh, yes.
Her chest was soft.
Her body so soft.
This was bliss.
Maybe... just maybe, he could tolerate being in this form for a while — if he could be pressed against more breasts .
Meanwhile, Lila was bent over, gasping for air, her hands on her knees.
She stabbed a finger in Kitten Roman’s direction.
"I swear he hates me."
To confirm her suspicions, Kitten Roman turned to her and snarled, flashing tiny, sharp teeth.
Lila screeched.
"See?! I said it!"
That was it.
She was done.
"I’m out. You dress him up yourself."
And with zero hesitation, she shoved the small kitten outfit into Violet’s hands and stormed off, making sure to put a safe distance between herself and the demon cat.
With Lila gone, Violet sighed and looked down at the kitten nestled comfortably against her.
Roman looked smug. Suspiciously smug.
Almost as if he was pleased that he had successfully chased Lila away.
Violet narrowed her eyes.
"Alright, mister," she murmured, tilting his tiny chin up so they were nose-to-nose.
"We need to talk."