ARTEMIS’ POVThe sight of this bastard touching Seraphina, touching something of mine, sets me off and I didn’t realize when I’d acted on my own. Now, he dares to taunt me with such a brazen look on his face.Someone as two-faced as him is only able to look me squarely in the eyes because of the pity my family has had for him and the rank my own father had bestowed. He’s as deceptive as they come, and yet no one can see it. I know his true colors better than anyone else, even if he tries to paint the whole school white with his disgusting righteous act, I know Lucian. The real Lucian.My irritation boils over and my fist clenches, going straight to smack him square in the face rightfully. I don’t care about the possible consequences from Father once he finds out I struck my own Beta. His beloved replacement for me.I’m just about to wipe that annoying grin off his face, and maybe break a tooth while I’m at it, when Sera jumps right in front of me with both her hands stretched out and

SERAPHINA’S POVMy mind still lingers on Olivia even while I leave her for the office.I can’t help but worry, feeling guilty for leaving her alone when she clearly shouldn’t have been left by herself even though she insisted it.Her reaction seemed too strong just for finding out I am nominated, which leads me to think there’s something else that she doesn’t want to say.Arriving at the office, there’s already a small crowd waiting just outside and ready to be addressed. I assume that they’re nominated candidates just like I am and go closer to join them, just in time for the door to open and who I assume is the secretary steps out.“Good afternoon, I’m sure you all know why you’ve been summoned here.”A hearty mumbling from the small crowd confirms her statement before she sighs, continuing and reading each word from a note in her hands.“You’ve each been nominated by your fellow students as possible candidates for special seats in the Black Wolf Student Council and will be asked to

SERAPHINA’S POV“Olive!” I cry out with relief, never being so happy to see her in my life.She drops the lamp in her hands quickly, rushing to pull this sack of bones and meat off me. In a few seconds, she’s successful in rolling him off and I can sit up again.I waste no time hugging her, and she does the same thing too, engulfing me in a tight embrace.I don’t know what to feel right now. I’ve been assaulted countless times, but I can’t seem to shake off the fact that if she wasn’t outside, something terrible could have happened to me.The thought pushes me to hold her tighter, and I finally notice how badly her body trembles in mine as well.The hands clutching me tightly with warmth and comfort shake and tremble, and it’s not from the cold. I hear her breaths coming in shaky while she breathes deeply.I pull away to look at her, noticing the tears gathering in her eyes now.“Are you okay? Why were you outside?” I whisper to her.There’s no response on her end, only silence and s

ARTEMIS’ POV:The usual vibrant lunchtime atmosphere around the table has grown dull and cold. Jasper and Ace remain unnaturally silent, not daring to utter a single word. With Kamila's arrival, the tension seems to have heightened even further.But she behaves herself this time, simply sitting between Seraphina and I, wrapping her arm around mine silently until our food gets delivered to us by lower grade students.We dig into lunch, but my eyes remain fixated on Sera, passing glances at her from where I am.She tosses her food around with a fork while a frown remains etched between her eyebrows.Is she still mad at me from yesterday? All because I told her not to speak to Lucian?The more she reacts this way toward me, the more it irks me, wondering just what kind of relationship they have for her to be so affected.I bent over backward to give her the space she needed, and what do I get in return? A cold attitude the moment we cross paths again.I treat her in ways I wouldn’t with

SERAPHINA’S POV“It was at a party with some of my…other friends – well, we’re not friends anymore but back then, we were. Judith made us all go together and an hour in, we were separated. I didn’t know anyone there, so I went outside for some cold air and that where I met them – Morgan and his friends. I’d already heard the rumors of how he was sadistic, how he’d always force girls into doing…depraving things for his sick entertainment, and he just…watches. He never touches them though, but his friends…” She pauses, taking deep labored breaths now.I can already sense the dark turn her story is about to take, but I say nothing, not wanting to interrupt her. I try to offer her a small sense of comfort by gently patting on her back as she speaks.“T-They cornered me, all half drunk and slurring on their words, but they wanted to have some fun, and I declined, already terrified. T-They forced me to do all sorts of things while they videoed. I begged them to delete it but for weeks, they