The party should have ended already, but Elsie Lancaster and her loyal entourage weren’t ready to let go of their victory celebration just yet. Not when the humiliation of Violet Purple was still fresh and ripe for their merriment. This was Elsie’s moment, and she was going to bask in it for as long as she pleased.
"You should have seen the look on her face when she said, ’I reject all the houses,’" Sharon mimicked in an exaggerated, mocking tone, "I bet she thought we’d all drop to our knees and crown her Queen of the Rogues!"
She dissolved into laughter, clutching her stomach so hard as tears spilled from the corners of her eyes. The sound was infectious, and affected the girls who joined in the fun.
If there was anyone who despised Violet as much as Elsie, it was Sharon Andrews. The sting of being pushed out of the top twenty rankings and being humiliated by Violet in front of everyone when she first arrived at Lunaris Academy still burned.
Though she had clawed her way back into the elite, Violet had continued to rise, outshining, outperforming and overshadowing her at every turn. Sharon had waited patiently, biting her tongue, and biding her time. At last, the tables had turned. Violet Purple had fallen and she was ready to feast on her remains.
Surrounded by her usual clique of elite students, Elsie held court like a queen, savoring every moment of her triumph. Their drinks were refilled without a word by Grace, their self-appointed maidservant, who dared not challenge their rule.
And in the corner, nursing his own drink, was Roman Draven. He was silent, watching the girls as they celebrated and made their plans, a disinterested look on his face as he swirled the liquid in his glass.
Though he had changed out of his bloodied and tattered clothes, the injuries remained. The bruises stretched ugly and purple across his jaw and knuckles, reminding eveyone of the beating he had endured in Asher’s hands. The worst of the wounds were already fading, but it would take the rest of the day to fully heal.
"So," Annabelle mused, her voice dripping with intrigue, "what’s the plan for Violet Purple and her little band of misfits? I’m sure as Rogues, they deserve to be taught some lessons."
"Of course. For starters, Rogues shouldn’t have the same privileges as the rest of us." Elsie sipped from her glass, the words tasting sweet on her tongue. "Their access to training grounds and specialized classes meant for ranked students only should be limited."
There was a pause, just long enough for the words to sink in and the others to agree to the idea.
One of the girls named Angel with a rare voice of conscience, asked uneasily. "Are you sure we can do that? She’s still a student. Not a criminal."
Amanda Raynes scoffed. "Lunaris Academy was built on the foundation of the pack system. If she isn’t in a pack, she shouldn’t enjoy the same privileges. That’s how hierarchy works."
"They still have to train. You’re making them walking targets," Angel pointed out.
"If they wanted security, they should have picked a house." Sharon said. "Violet is a scholarship student, a freeloader, and a rogue. She contributes nothing to this school, just leeches off it. If it wasn’t for the Alpha King’s generosity and our families’ donations, she wouldn’t even be here."
Sharon’s eyes gleamed as she met theirs. "Violet Purple needs to learn to be grateful."
Amanda perked up. "I’ll mess with her schedule a bit. Take her off her classes, especially the advanced ones. I’ll have a little chat with Principal Jameson about my family’s willingness to contribute to that new academy project in exchange."
A ripple of agreement passed through the room, the girls nodding in approval.
"And what if Violet fights back?" another girl asked warily. "She’s stubborn. She won’t just lie down and take it."
Elsie was just about to respond when Sharon beat her to it.
"If they act up, we need a way to control them," Sharon suggested. "We should assign someone to keep an eye on them."
For a fraction of a second, Elsie’s eyes flashed at the sudden intrusion on her spotlight. Sharon was overstepping and speaking as if she held authority over this conversation. Unfortunately, Elsie didn’t like sharing power. She was the one who called the shots, not Sharon.
She said sweetly but with an unmistakable lethal edge. "I think it’s time you sat back and let me handle this, don’t you, Sharon?"
Sharon’s face flushed red and some of the girls snickered. She had thought she and Elsie were equals but she was wrong.
With Sharon successfully silenced and put in her place, Elsie exhaled, pleased. "Why waste time watching them when we can just make their lives miserable?"
There was a hum of approval before one of them asked.
"And what about Asher? You know he has a fascination with Violet. We wouldn’t want to piss him off."
Although the question was not directed at Roman, it ought to be answered by him since he knew Asher too well. However, the South House alpha had been silent throughout the conversation. Annoyance flickered across Elsie’s face as she turned to him.
"Well? You’ve been awfully quiet. What do you say, Roman? The Cardinal Alphas can’t interfere, right?"
"You’re right, my queen." His voice dripped with saccharine charm, though there was an edge beneath it. "Violet Purple is now your prey. If any Alpha were to help her, it would be a violation of the werewolf hierarchy and would cost them.
Breaking those rules are grounds for an Alpha to be challenged and possibly have his status revoked."
He concluded. "And we both know the Cardinal Alphas are very fond of their position."
That response seemed to thrill Elsie, and she practically preened at the confirmation. "Violet Purple has fallen from grace. We don’t even need to lift a finger, not when the students will gladly tear her apart for us."
The girls cheered, raising their glasses in a toast to Violet’s downfall.
Elsie’s gaze settled on Roman. "But let’s not forget the Alpha who made all of this possible."
Silence fell over the room as she approached him, eyes shining with satisfaction. "Roman Draven, one of my suitors."
Roman lifted his glass lazily. "No need to make a big deal out of it," he said with that same disarming smile, but Elsie was determined to claim him, here and now, in front of everyone.
Without hesitation, she strode toward him, grabbed his face, and kissed him full on the lips.
The girls celebrated the sight while Elsie reveled in her triumph. Finally, she had won. She had the status, the power and the alphas.
What she didn’t notice, however, was that the fire in Roman’s kiss had dimmed just a little.