CHAPTER 2

ARIA'S POV 

 With one swift motion, Kael's finger nails circled my throat lifting me up from the chair. In an even more unlikely speed for a human, he slammed me against a wall, his grip on me tightening, cutting off air supply from my lungs. 

I wriggled in his grip trying to free myself from his strangled hold.

“listen girl, you will know your place from now on. Do you understand?“

I couldn't breathe. 

“Charity cases like you are the last thing that we need in this school. I don't know why they keep letting people like you in even though we have made it clear that this is not a school for trash.“ He spat with so much venom. He hated scholarship kids. Why did he hate the under privileged so much?

"Get your dirty hands off me now.“ I spat out.

"That's enough, Kael."

Kael stopped. He turned to the sudden distraction and I used that moment to free myself from his hold. I saw a frown settle on his already angry face.

I turned to look at the intruder, tall, handsome, with silver eyes. He had a one sided dimple that gave him a boyish look as he grinned. The other students sighed and murmured, I could see some of them passing me disgusting looks. 

"Don't get involved in this Daddy boy, this has nothing to do with you.“ Kael snapped, the hair on his neck standing. 

"Really? You think that it doesn't have anything to do with me?“ He smirked, looking Kael up and down with utter contempt. "You're making a scene, your highness. Watching the future king of the mutts lose his absolute mind over a tiny human girl is amusing, sure, but it’s getting a bit pathetic, don't you think?"

"Stay out of this Lucien. You were not here when the little thing took my seat and insulted me to my face.“

“Your handsome face innit?“ Lucien chuckled. “You really cannot stand it when someone else stands up against you can you? You say trash to everybody's face but you do not appreciate the favour being reciprocated, why is that?“

 “Get out Lucien.“ Kael snarled returning his focus to me. He walked forward to close the space between us but Lucien walked in between us.

“Leaver her alone Kael. You can't ruin a girl's first day at school experience with your obsession over a seat. Come on, you are better than that.“ It seemed to me as though Lucien was the only reasonable one here. I hated Kael's guts already, I know that I should have stood up from the chair and avoided all of this but still.

“How about she being expelled on her first day of school? How is that for a better pity story?“

“You will do no such thing Kael.“ Lucien turned and flashed me a quick smile. “My family has as much voice and power in making decisions here as your family do.“

“How about i start with making you drink the blood of each and everyone in your wretched family?“

The whole class gasped. It was more than an ordinary quarrel over a seat for a scholarship student. It seemed as though the two of them had had a long standing rift and I was just another excuse for them to take out their hate on each other.

I looked at Kael's furious expression and then Lucien’s calm, and mocking one. A sudden wave of fury hit me in the chest and my head snapped.

I drag my worn out bag from the desk in one swift motion and slammed the back into Lucien’s chest. He stumbled backwards, a flash of surprise flashing through his sliver eyes. Great, finally a break from his smugness.

"Hey!" I shouted, stepping directly between the two of them, glaring at both of them in turn. "Are you two completely blind, or just incredibly stupid?"

The hall went even quieter. It was as if they were witnessing the event of the century. Something that had never been done before.

"What did you just do?" Lucien muttered, touching his chest where my bag had struck him, staring at me like I had just grown a second head.

"Oh sweetheart, that was a wake-up call.“ I snapped, pointing a finger at his face. "I don't need your help, Dracula. And I certainly don't need you using me as an excuse to piss off your boyfriend here.“

"My... what?" Lucien’s flawless composure cracked, a dark flush of irritation hitting his pale cheeks.

"You heard me," I turned to Kael swiftly. “And you, listen very well. I came here to learn not because of you. You can't be fighting over a common seat with a girl like you are a child at a playground. Gosh, did you ever pass through adolescent? Because I am doubting that you actually did. You act and think like a child.“

I picked up my bag from the floor. “You both are very pathetic. Disgustingly pathetic.“

"Silence!"

A sharp stern voice boomed from the doorway. Principal Seraphine Nightfall. The good friend of my grandmother that I had met earlier and who had given me directions on how to get to class after dismissing me with a wave of a hand.

"Miss Ashwood!" the professor barked. “Disrupting the peace of my school, initiating a fight and causing physical altercations all on your first day at school aren't you?“ Who reported to her? The person made it seem as though I was the one completely at fault here.

“You are going to report for your detention at the underground library. Mr Kael will show you the way. Am I clear?“

"Perfectly well.“ I slung my bag on my shoulder and marched out of the class not bothering to wait for the said Mr Kael. Getting detention on your first day of school is actually the worst thing that could happen. I already hated the school but I hate Kael even more.

I had noticed something strange. While Professor Seraphine had been barking orders at me, Kael had used that moment to sniff the air around me. Lifting his nose like a dog would do.

I have read in books that werewolves do have a strong scent of smell and could track the scent of other supernaturals. Maybe he was trying to get mine, but I am not a supernatural. This was all a mistake.

 He had inhaled my scent and his face contorted in a sort of frown. He didn't get a scent on me.

Humans carried a distinct, fragile scent of blood and sweat. I smelled completely blank. A total, impossible anomaly.

Kael had muttered under his breath as I picked up my bag to walk out of the class “Who the hell are you?“