CHAPTER 29: _ BE CRUEL TO HER

Darien bolts up the moment the bell rings, his chair screeching against the floor like it too shares his urgency. The lectures have dragged like a cursed fog over his brain all day, and now that he’s free, his body reacts like a wolf unchained. His heart thunders in anticipation. He can still hear the drumbeat that echoes Heidi’s name even though he refuses to say it.

The nylon bag crinkles in his hand as he strides out of the classroom, the damn uniform still in his grip.

Kairos chuckles in his head like a devil seated on a throne of mockery.

"You got her a uniform," Kairos sings. "You, the great Darien Bellamy. Such gallantry. I’m surprised you didn’t iron it too."

Argh, can Kairos just let him be for now? Heidi this, Heidi that. He’s really not in the mood for her right now!

Is he?

"I will shred you," Darien groans under his breath, not realizing he said it out loud until a passing student jumps a little and scurries off.

But he doesn’t care. His legs are already halfway to the East Wing where the private study lies. Well, that’s his and his brothers’ sanctuary. Where the air doesn’t reek of high school stupidity and hormones, where he might be able to clear his head. Except... it won’t be clear for long because Heidi will show up and he’ll once again be fighting the battle to keep his sinful desires in check.

"Darien!" a voice calls from behind.

He slows, jaw tightening.

"Darien, wait up!"

And there they are. The chaos twins.

Grayson and Morgan, smirking like the universe has never told them no, jog up to him, casual in their stride like they hadn’t literally tackled Heidi – their mate, in the hallways today.

Darien’s nostrils flare before he can hide the reaction. His jaw clenches tighter. "Get lost," he snaps, turning away.

"Who bit you?" Grayson teases, elbowing Morgan.

"Probably that omega he’s fated to," Morgan adds, winking.

"You mean, that we ALL are fated to?" Grayson sighs, a hand on his waist.

Argh. He’s lived the entire class haunted by Heidi and now after the class is over, she’s the first thing his stupid brothers linked to him?!

"Don’t you two have some juniors to go corrupt or something?" Darien bites, walking faster.

They follow anyway.

"Touchy," Grayson says. "What’s with the attitude? You pissed at us or something?"

Kairos snorts in Darien’s mind. "Because of what they did to her."

"No. Just don’t have time for your idiotic games today." Darien growls.

"Harsh," Morgan mutters. "Good thing we’re here with a solution to all our problems."

That halts Darien’s steps. He glares at them, one brow raised. "What are you talking about?"

Grayson throws an arm around Morgan’s shoulders, looking too pleased with himself. "About Heidi."

Darien stiffens at the sound of her name. Her... again.

Morgan nods. "It hit us during potions class—don’t ask why. But listen, the full moon ceremony is tomorrow, right? And Heidi hasn’t awakened her wolf yet. That means the Moon Goddess hasn’t fully sealed the bond."

Grayson jumps in, excited. "So we still have time to make her think we don’t want it."

Darien blinks. "What?"

"If we act like we want her, even a little, the Moon Goddess might think we’re into the bond."

"But if we treat her like dirt," Grayson adds helpfully, "the Moon Goddess will see we’re not interested and yank the bond away."

"It’s a long shot," Morgan shrugs, "but it’s all we’ve got until the Awakening Ceremony tomorrow."

What sort of plan is that? He’s never heard of a lamer method of spending time with her disguised as a plan.

"You’re serious?" Darien asks, brows knitted.

"As a heart attack," Grayson winks.

Darien sighs deeply. It sounds cruel. But it also sounds like control and safety. Like maybe he could stop waking up in cold sweats thinking of Heidi’s mouth on his. Or the way her eyes had trembled when she looked at him.

Kairos shifts uncomfortably in his mind. "They’re not wrong. But you don’t want that, do you?"

"I don’t know if it’ll work," Darien says finally, ignoring Kairos.

"We’ve got to try something," Morgan shrugs. "Can’t just roll over and let fate tie us to her. No offense to her or anything."

"Offense taken," Kairos growls.

Darien frowns again. "And if it doesn’t work?"

Grayson sighs. "Then we’re screwed and bonded to an omega for life."

The idea turns Darien’s stomach. But not in the way it should. There’s something about it that unsettles him, not because he just doesn’t want to be bonded to Heidi—but because he doesn’t think she can survive the cruelty of four Alphas.

Well, that’s her cup of tea. She should have thought about it before showing her face here, getting fated to people above her status and in positions she can only dream of attaining in her dreams.

"Fine," he mutters. "Whatever works."

They continue toward the study.

The hallway leading to the elite wing is lined with admiring girls with wide eyes flicking to the trio like they’re a parade of royalty. The whispers trail behind them.

"Is that Grayson? He looked right at me–"

"Morgan is such a dream..."

"Oh my goddess, it’s Darien—he looks so pissed, I love it."

Darien’s jaw ticks. He scans the crowd instinctively. He doesn’t see her, but part of him—stupidly... wants to. Wants to catch sight of her unruly butterscotch hair, those defiant eyes, maybe even that lip she keeps worrying with her teeth.

He tells himself he’s relieved. He doesn’t believe it. And strangely, he notices Grayson and Morgan doing the same. Their gazes subtly flick through the sea of students, scanning, searching. But their mouths keep moving.

Kairos hums. "So much for pretending we don’t care."

"Anyway," Morgan says, "we keep the act up. Treat her like garbage. Detest her. Just until tomorrow. I mean, we can continue if we love it. But then, we’re home free."

Darien nods. "Right. Hate her."

Totally easy.

Not.