"Lila!" Violet shouted, her voice nearly lost in the unrelenting downpour. Rain blurred her vision, and though she’d been holding onto Lila’s hand moments ago, a sudden rush of debris carried by the wind had wrenched them apart.
"I’m here, Princess!" Lila called back, and in an instant, she was by Violet’s side. "Just don’t let go, no matter what."
And yeah, Lila didn’t need to say it twice.
Violet silently vowed never to let go of her hand again.
The rain pelted them mercilessly, and in that moment she made a mental note: If she ever dated again, she’d make damn sure the guy didn’t have lightning powers to control the weather, because this was pure torture.
When the doors of the dining hall finally came into view, Violet nearly collapsed onto her knees in relief. Right then and there, she could have knelt down and praised the lord for deliverance from Alaric’s angry rainstorm.
But instead of heading straight inside like any sane person would, to her surprise, Lila suddenly tugged her toward the side of the building, away from view.
Confused, Violet asked. "What are you doing?" She glanced around, but unsurprisingly, there wasn’t a single person lingering outside in this miserable storm.
But Lila merely grinned. "You can’t make an entrance looking like a drowned rat, can you?"
Before Violet could get a word out, Lila reached out and touched the sodden fabric of her clothing. A strange sensation washed over her, like a deep warmth sinking into her skin. Then, before her wide eyes, Violet watched as every drop of water rose from her clothes, suspended in midair like vapor. Then it fell at their feet in a wet splash.
Violet gasped. "That was... cool."
"You flatter me, Princess," Lila responded, dipping her head politely.
A question hit Violet and she hesitated before asking, "If I’m Fae like you, when are you going to teach me to do the things you do? You even said I could do greater."
Lila had been draining the last of the moisture from Violet’s hair, but at her words, she stilled, just for a fraction of a second. It was subtle, but Violet didn’t miss how her expression briefly tensed, as though something weighed on her mind.
Yet Lila smoothed it over in a second, adding, "Soon, Princess. Soon enough."
"Fine... if you say so," Violet replied, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Lily was hiding something. Violet was sure of it. But this wasn’t the place or time to press for answers.
"All done." Lila stepped back, gesturing for Violet to check herself.
Indeed, Violet was as dry as if she’d never stepped into the rain at all. She watched as Lila performed the same trick on herself, drying every last drop from her own clothes and hair.
"Won’t it look suspicious that we’re not soaked through?" Violet asked, remembering the pourdown just beyond the wall.
Lila shrugged. "You’re about to stir up a whole commotion just by walking in there. Trust me, they’ll be more interested in how the Rogue Queen is received than in why you’re not dripping wet."
When Violet thought about it, it actually made sense.
"Besides," Lila went on, ""the second we step out into the rain again, the water will fall on us. But we’ll be inside so fast, we won’t look like miserable, drenched rats."
Violet couldn’t help but be impressed. No matter the situation, Lila always had a way to ensure her comfort and safety. Must be nice to have someone like that on your side.
Then Lila’s expression turned thoughtful. "If anything, what I am worried about is how we’re going to get back with the food. Not all of it can be sealed, and even with packages, the rain will find a way to ruin it."
"Don’t worry," Violet assured her, "we’ll surely figure something out."
"If you say so." Lila flashed a sudden, eager grin. "Alright, princess, let’s go. On the count of three."
Violet tensed, muscles coiling in preparation.
"One... Two... Three!"
Lila grabbed her hand, and they dashed through the rain, sprinting toward the entrance. Just as Lila predicted, the distance was short enough that by the time they reached the doors, they weren’t completely drenched.
But just as Violet reached for the handle, something caught her eye. A familiar green car was packed just across the road and it undoubtedly belonged to Roman Draven.
Of course he was here. The asshole who’d nudged her into this ill-advised path. A hot wave of anger flowed through her veins, a fury so sudden and consuming Violet was almost tempted to storm into that hall and give him a piece of her mind.
But she forced it back by sheer grace. That was exactly the kind of reaction the students—and probably Roman—expected from her, and she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. They wanted them to be angry, desperate, and probably regret rejecting the pack houses, but that would not happen. Atleast, not on her watch.
Violet and Lila pushed open the doors to the dining hall, and contrary to their hopes of a near-empty hall, they found it packed to the brim. It seemed everyone had the same idea that hot food and company was the perfect refuge from this cold, rain-soaked day.
The air was buzzing with chatter and conversation, at least until the first student spotted Violet Purple. He then quickly nudge his neighbor, who looked at her and froze in surprise. The next person noticed, the whole interaction spreading like wildfire
To be precise, it happened like a Domino effect: one by one, the student’s heads turned, their words dying mid-sentence, and the entire place falling silent at the sight of her.
For a few seconds, Violet just stood there, returning their collective gaze. Then she glanced upwards to the elite seating area, scanning for any sign of the cardinal Alphas.
There was no sign of Asher, Griffin, not even Alaric — the one she wished to see the most. Instead, there was only Roman seated cozily with Elsie. The two looked like they were on a date, ignoring the fact that this was still a school cafeteria.
Elsie’s striking blue eyes locked with Violet’s golden ones, and hostility crackled in the space between them. The thought that Roman and Elsie had likely been sharing a laugh at her expense made her temper spike.
The mother fucking snake!
This time around, Violet shot Roman a pointed glare, her two heated orbs promising retribution if she ever were to get her hands on him.
Violet did not wait for his response, she tore her gaze away and continued forward, determined to get what she came for. Whispers quickly replaced the hush in the hall, dozens of eyes trailing her every move — with some staring daggers at her.
But Violet was not intimidated. With her chin held high, she walked straight to where the line formed. Except, to her surprise, the students already waiting in line backed off the moment she and Lila approached. As if Violet carried a plague they wanted to avoid.
Violet and Lila exchanged a look, their mouth twitching as they fought hard to hold back their laughter. What the fuck was wrong with these people?!
Did they seriously think leaving them to stand alone was some form of punishment. God! They couldn’t have been more wrong.
To Violet, this was a blessing in disguise after all, it simply meant no wait time and a quicker trip back to the shack. Their lovely shack.
And it turned out, that was only the beginning.
Violet grabbed a couple of disposable takeout containers from the stack on the tray stand and stepped toward the serving counter. At once, she noticed how the staff members began to leave one by one, letting the spoons slip from their fingers.
One of them even glanced up at Elsie’s table, as if asking permission, or, rather confirmation. Of course, the bitch had a firm hand in enforcing this treatment.
So this was what being a rogue looked like. There was no official service, no need to wait in line, and apparently no one to stop her from serving herself. For the first time, Violet felt going rogue was the best decision.
With bit of satisfaction brewing in her chest and lips curved into a smug smile, Violet started piling her container with all kinds of food: steaming chicken stew, thick tomato soup, crusty bread rolls, sautéed vegetables, and more.
Meanwhile, Lila—who had been daydreaming of croissants—practically pounced on a basket full of them, snatching the warm pastries like a starved wolf. She tore into one, letting out a moan of delight as the buttery flakes melted on her tongue. Yes, there was nothing lady like about them at that moment.
Violet and Lila acted like total gluttons, stuffing enough food to last them the day...or possibly the weekend. Their pockets bulged with wrapped pastries, and each set of containers held more than an ordinary meal. Violet, especially, had no intention of coming back here tonight or at dawn, who knew what petty tricks Elsie’s lackeys might pull next. If they had to stock up, so be it.
They were almost done gathering their stash when a sharp, venomous voice cut through the low murmur of the crowd.
"Who the fuck let Rogues in here?"
Yep, the moment they had been waiting for was here.