Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX — Public War

Alexa’s POV

By the next morning…

Everyone knows.

I don’t even need to ask how.

News spreads fast in the Crescent Moon Pack.

But gossip?

It spreads faster.

The moment I step into school, I feel it.

Eyes.

Whispers.

Judgment.

But this time…

It’s different.

“They argued.”

“She talked back to Joan.”

“In front of Xavier.”

“No way—”

I keep walking, my grip tightening on my bag.

My heart is racing, but I force my expression to stay calm.

Steady.

Unaffected.

Fake it until it becomes real.

That’s the plan.

“Alexa!”

I turn just in time for Chloe to grab my arm and pull me toward the lockers.

“What did you do?” she whisper-yells, eyes wide.

“I went to the training grounds.”

“Obviously,” she says. “But what did you do?”

I hesitate.

“I told Joan I was better than her.”

Chloe freezes.

Then—

“Oh my God.”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t.”

“I did.”

She stares at me like I’ve just declared war.

“You didn’t just poke the bear, Alexa,” she says slowly. “You slapped it.”

I let out a nervous laugh.

“Too late now.”

Chloe runs a hand over her face.

“You realize she’s going to destroy you today, right?”

“I figured.”

“And you still came to school?”

I shrug.

“What was I supposed to do? Hide?”

Chloe looks at me for a long moment.

Then—

A slow smile spreads across her face.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“If we’re doing this,” she says, slamming her locker shut, “we’re doing it properly.”

I blink.

“What does that mean?”

“It means,” she says, linking her arm with mine, “you don’t walk into battle alone.”

Something warm settles in my chest.

“Chloe…”

“Don’t thank me yet,” she mutters. “Wait until Joan shows up.”

First period passes without incident.

Too quiet.

Too calm.

Which only makes things worse.

Because it means one thing.

She’s planning something.

By lunch…

The storm hits.

The cafeteria is louder than usual, buzzing with anticipation.

Like everyone knows something is about to happen.

I should leave.

I don’t.

Because if I run now—

I lose.

And I’m done losing.

Chloe walks beside me as we head toward the food line.

“Stay close,” she murmurs.

“I’m not scared.”

“You should be a little scared.”

Fair.

We grab our trays and move toward the line.

And then—

“Alexa.”

The voice cuts through the noise like a blade.

Joan.

Of course.

I turn slowly.

She stands in the center of the cafeteria.

Surrounded.

Supported.

Smiling.

But it’s not a nice smile.

It’s a calculated one.

“Well,” she says loudly, “if it isn’t the Alpha’s daughter.”

The room goes quiet.

Again.

I feel Chloe tense beside me.

“Don’t engage,” she whispers.

Too late.

Joan steps closer.

“You’ve been getting a lot of attention lately.”

“I didn’t ask for it.”

“No,” she agrees. “You forced it.”

A few students snicker.

Joan circles me slowly.

Like she’s inspecting me.

Judging.

“You embarrassed me yesterday.”

“I told the truth.”

Her smile sharpens.

“And now you’re going to pay for it.”

My heart skips.

But I don’t move.

“Joan—” Chloe steps forward.

“Stay out of this, Beta princess,” Joan snaps.

Chloe doesn’t back down.

But I step forward first.

“No,” I say. “Let her try.”

Chloe turns to me like I’ve lost my mind.

Maybe I have.

Joan’s eyes light up.

“Oh, I will.”

She snaps her fingers.

And suddenly—

Everything happens at once.

A girl from her group “accidentally” bumps into me—

Hard.

My tray flies from my hands.

Food crashes to the floor.

Gasps echo.

Before I can react—

Cold liquid splashes over my back.

I freeze.

Milk.

Again.

Laughter erupts.

Louder this time.

Crueler.

Someone behind me dumps something else—

Juice.

Sticky.

Cold.

Humiliating.

My clothes cling to my skin.

My hair drips.

And the worst part?

Everyone is watching.

No one is stopping it.

“Oops,” Joan says sweetly.

Rage burns in my chest.

Hot.

Wild.

Unfamiliar.

My hands tremble.

Not from fear.

From something else.

Something stronger.

“Do it again,” I say.

Silence.

Joan blinks.

“What?”

“I said,” I lift my head slowly, meeting her eyes, “do it again.”

Chloe grabs my arm.

“Alexa—”

“No,” I shake her off. “Let her.”

Something shifts.

The room feels… different.

Like the air just got heavier.

Joan narrows her eyes.

“You think this makes you strong?”

“No,” I say quietly. “But it makes you predictable.”

That hits.

I see it in her face.

For the first time—

She hesitates.

And that?

That’s enough.

I step closer.

Covered in food.

Humiliated.

But standing.

“You think embarrassing me makes you powerful,” I continue. “But all it does is prove you have nothing else.”

The cafeteria goes completely silent.

Joan’s face darkens.

“You don’t get to talk to me like that.”

“Then stop giving me reasons to.”

For a split second—

Something dangerous flashes in her eyes.

She raises her hand—

Like she’s going to hit me.

The room tenses.

But before she can—

A voice cuts through everything.

“Enough.”

Deep.

Cold.

Commanding.

Xavier.

The crowd parts instantly.

He walks in slowly.

Controlled.

Dangerous.

His eyes land on me first.

And something in his expression shifts.

Not anger.

Not amusement.

Something darker.

Something protective.

Then his gaze moves to Joan.

“What is this?”

Joan straightens.

“She disrespected me.”

“And this is your response?”

“She started it.”

Xavier’s jaw tightens.

“Did she?”

Joan falters.

Just slightly.

Xavier steps closer.

His presence alone silences the entire room.

“This ends now.”

“But—”

“Now.”

The command is absolute.

Joan clenches her jaw.

But she steps back.

Because even she knows—

She can’t challenge him here.

Not like this.

The cafeteria slowly returns to life.

But the tension lingers.

Xavier turns to me again.

Up close now.

His gaze sweeps over me.

Taking in everything.

The mess.

The humiliation.

And something in his expression darkens further.

“You’re coming with me.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

“I said I’m—”

“Alexa.”

My name.

Low.

Warning.

I freeze.

Then—

Reluctantly—

I follow him.

He leads me out of the cafeteria and into an empty hallway.

Silence surrounds us.

Heavy.

Charged.

“You’re reckless,” he says.

I scoff.

“I didn’t ask for your help.”

“You needed it.”

“I had it under control.”

He steps closer.

Too close.

“You call that control?”

I lift my chin.

“At least I didn’t walk away.”

His eyes flash.

“That’s not strength.”

“It’s more than what you do.”

Silence.

Sharp.

Tense.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks.

“It means,” I say, my voice steady despite everything, “you hide behind control because you’re afraid of losing it.”

That lands.

Hard.

His jaw tightens.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know enough.”

We’re close now.

Too close.

The air between us feels… charged.

Like something is building.

Dangerous.

Unavoidable.

“You should stay away from Joan,” he says quietly.

“You should stop telling me what to do.”

“You’re making enemies you can’t handle.”

“Maybe I’m done being scared of them.”

His gaze drops slightly.

Then returns to mine.

“And me?” he asks.

My breath catches.

“What about you?”

“Aren’t you scared of me?”

Silence.

The question hangs between us.

Heavy.

Real.

I look straight into his eyes.

And for the first time—

I answer honestly.

“No.”

Something shifts.

Deep.

Unspoken.

Dangerous.

Because that’s the moment—

Everything between us changes.