All Chapters of Alpha Cassius Darkest Claim: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

110 Chapters

It’s not progression

“Take your time deciding,” Anne said with a polite smile as she handed the receipt across the counter. “But I’d recommend reserving it if you’re still unsure. Pieces like that don’t stay long.”The older woman on the other side nodded thoughtfully, glancing once more at the painting they had spent nearly fifteen minutes discussing.“You explained it beautifully,” she admitted. “I’ll think about it, but I’m leaning toward buying.”“I’ll have it noted for you,” Anne replied, her tone warm without being overbearing.The woman thanked her once more before stepping out of the gallery, the soft chime of the door signaling her departure.Anne exhaled quietly as the space settled again.Afternoon light filtered through the tall glass panels, casting a gentle glow across the artworks. The gallery carried its usual calm, the kind that made every movement feel intentional, every sound softer than it should be.She adjusted a frame slightly, stepping back to assess it before moving toward another

I asked her out first

ANNELISE POV“Walk faster, you’re dragging,” Kelsey complained with a hiss as she pushed open the hostel gate ahead of us, her long stride making the rest of us look slower than we actually were.“I’m carrying my entire emotional weight and my dinner,” Jasmine replied, lifting the takeaway bag like evidence. “Respect that.”Yvette sipped from her coffee, completely unaffected. “Walking speed decreases after large meals due to energy redistribution for digestion.”“Or maybe we’re just tired,” I added with a small laugh.The night air had settled into something calm and breathable, the kind that made the campus feel softer than it did during the day. Streetlights lined the walkway, casting long shadows that stretched and disappeared as we moved.We were just nearing the entrance of the hostel when I noticed him… Derek.He stood a few steps away from the building, his attention fixed on his phone. One hand rested casually in his pocket, his posture relaxed like he had nowhere else to be.

Merited yes

“This is exactly why I don’t come here often,” Orson muttered under his breath as he pushed his chair back from the table.The sound scraped lightly against the floor.No one on the table reacted.Orson grabbed the car keys resting near the counter, his jaw tight enough to make the irritation on his face impossible to miss. He glanced at Anne once more, something unreadable flashing briefly across his expression before he looked away again.“I’ll see you guys later,” he said flatly, then walked out.A second later, the front door shut.Awkward silence followed immediately afterward, awkward enough for everyone at the table to suddenly find their plates very interesting.Derek’s mother cleared her throat softly. “Well,” she said with forced brightness, “that was dramatic.”Anne almost smiled despite herself.Derek rested his hand briefly against her thigh beneath the table, tapping lightly in apology before withdrawing it again.The gesture was subtle but strangely reassuring.Dinner r

Love to see it

“You’re wearing that?” Kelsey asked from across the room, her tone dramatic as she stood in front of the mirror adjusting the straps of her black bikini top for the third time in two minutes.Anne looked down at herself. “What’s wrong with it?”“Nothing,” Yvette answered from her bed without looking up from the coffee cup in her hand. “Kelsey just thinks every event requires near nudity.”“That’s because we are young and should show some… Sorry, a lot of skin,” Kelsey replied immediately, running a hand through her hair before turning back to the mirror. “And also because if I looked like Anne, I would literally become a public safety issue.”Anne rolled her eyes while Jasmine laughed from the floor.The four girls had taken over Kelsey and Yvette’s room almost an hour ago. Makeup products littered every available surface, clothes hung over chairs, music played softly from Kelsey’s speaker while they got ready in chaotic rotations around the mirror.Anne still wasn’t entirely convince

Derek and I

ANNELISE POVMy head felt like someone had split it open with a hammer, that was the first thing I registered before consciousness fully settled in, the second thing was the dryness in my mouth, and lastly was the fact that I was lying on the floor.I groaned quietly and pressed a hand against my forehead before forcing my eyes open. Sunlight filtered through the large glass windows somewhere above me.For a second, nothing made sense, the room was unfamiliar… Large, modern, dark furniture, scattered clothes, empty water bottles on the nightstand, faint scent of chlorine and alcohol lingering in the air. Then slowly the memories returned in broken flashes.Music, shots, laughter… Oh my God, Derek.My eyes widened, I pushed myself up quickly and immediately regretted it when dizziness hit me again. My dress was wrinkled beyond repair, one strap hanging off my shoulder while my bikini top underneath had shifted up enough to nearly expose my boobs completely.“Oh my God,” I muttered hoar

The beta bloodline

Anne could still feel the kiss on her lips by the time she reached the hostel hallway.The sensation lingered in a way that irritated her because it kept replaying without permission. The warmth of Derek’s hand against her waist, the calm confidence in the way he had leaned toward her, the softness that somehow existed beneath all his teasing.It had not been a bad kiss… That was the problem.If it had been awkward or disappointing, she could have dismissed it immediately and moved on without thinking twice. Instead, she had spent the entire walk down the hallway replaying it against her will.The hallway was unusually quiet when she reached her room.Anne pushed the door open slowly before stepping inside, her room was empty, Jasmine’s bed was untouched, her blanket still messy from earlier that morning.Anne exhaled quietly in relief.At least she wouldn’t have to explain the oversized male clothes immediately.She dropped her bag on the bed and stared at the room for a second longe

I really like you

The soft scrape of brushes against canvas mixed with low music and clinking glasses filled the studio, yet the table Anne and Derek sat at seemed trapped inside its own strange silence.Warm amber lights glowed above them, casting gold over the unfinished paintings arranged across the room. Couples laughed quietly at nearby tables, some painting each other badly on purpose and laughing harder afterward. The scent of acrylic paint, wine, and vanilla candles hung heavily in the air.Anne stared at her canvas with narrowed concentration, dragging her brush through pale blue paint even though she had already used too much of it. The small lake she had attempted to paint now looked more like spilled ink spreading through paper.“You’re murdering that water,” Derek uttered.Anne looked up immediately. “It’s abstract.”“It’s a crime scene.”She almost smiled.Derek noticed the hesitation in her smile. He leaned back in his chair, watching her closely over the rim of his wine glass. He had be

Sweetness, I miss you

The hallway outside the department office buzzed with voices, footsteps, and the sound of students arguing over grades they clearly believed they deserved better on. Anne pushed through the glass doors clutching her phone tightly in her hand, the sunlight hitting her face immediately, but nothing compared to the grin she was trying and failing to contain.Kelsey noticed first. “Oh, she passed!” she announced dramatically from where she leaned against the railing.Yvette looked up from the iced coffee in her hand. “Not just passed. That is the smile of somebody who’s about to become academically insufferable.”Anne laughed as she walked toward them. “I got an A.”Kelsey grabbed both her shoulders at once. “I knew it. I literally knew it.”“I’m serious, Anne,” Yvette said. “If you start acting intellectually superior now, I will humble you publicly.”Anne rolled her eyes through her laughter. “You people are exhausting.”“No,” Kelsey corrected, running a hand through her hair. “You’re w

Who’s John Moore

Saturday arrived wrapped in cool wind and pale sunlight pouring through the large glass windows of the art gallery. Outside, the streets buzzed lazily with weekend movement, but inside the gallery everything felt calmer, quieter, softened by instrumental music drifting from hidden speakers and the faint scent of varnish and fresh flowers.Anne stood behind the front desk flipping through inventory records while Teri adjusted the collar of his coat near the entrance.“You sure you’ll manage two days without me?” he asked dramatically.Anne looked up with amusement. “I already do most of the work.”Teri pointed at her immediately. “That attitude is exactly why I trust you.”She laughed softly.“I’ll answer calls if anything comes up,” he continued, grabbing his car keys. “And don’t let anybody bully you on pricing. Last week some woman almost convinced you a Monet replica should cost forty dollars.”“She was persuasive.” Anne defended with a fake sad pout.“She was cheap.” Teri argued b

A letter and a cheque

Anne’s fingers trembled around the envelope as Kelsey and Jasmine guided her toward the chair behind the front desk of the gallery. The room suddenly felt too stuffy, the air too heavy for her lungs. Her heartbeat pounded against her ribs so violently she could hear it in her ears.John Moore…The name would not stop echoing in her head.She stared at the cream colored envelope in her hand like it carried poison.The girls remained quiet around her, watching carefully without forcing questions out of her. Even Kelsey, who usually spoke before thinking, stayed still for once in her life.Yvette quickly grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge beside the counter and crouched in front of Anne.“Drink some water first,” Yvette said softly.Anne blinked at her before taking the bottle with shaky hands. Her throat burned painfully after crying, but even swallowing felt difficult.“He remembered me,” Anne whispered after a long silence.Her voice sounded hollow even to herself. “He act

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