Hailey's POV
"Oh. My. God. Hail, I cannot believe my dad bought me the outdated version of that designer handbag!" Tasha shrieked, practically hopping in place. "I swear, I was this close to dying of embarrassment!"
Beyanca barely looked up from her diamond chain, a sigh rolling off her perfect lips. "Tasha seriously will you stop whining over a ten-thousand-dollar handbag. Maybe worry about Alpha King Draven declaring severance with your clan instead?"
At the mention of Alpha Draven, Tasha froze like she'd been struck. Her face went pale, eyes wide. "Oh my god, B! Why would you remind me of that?!"
I slammed my hand on the desk, sharp enough to make them flinch. "Would you two stop bickering already?!" My voice dripped with cold authority—my Beta aura rising, subtle but deadly. Instantly, they went silent. They knew not to push me when my storm brewed.
"Hail! Hail!" a frantic voice called from the hallway.
Before I could react, the classroom door burst open. Sasha stumbled in, hair wild, eyes wide with panic. "Hail—you won't believe what I just saw. That… that wench actually dared to get close to Cole!"
Beyanca and Tasha snapped to attention, their jaws dropping. "WHAT?!" they shouted in perfect unison.
"You mean… Cole? Alpha Prince Cole?" Beyanca clarified disbelief and fury sparkling in her eyes.
Sasha nodded violently.
All eyes snapped to me. Expecting. Waiting.
A slow, dangerous smile spread across my lips. Sweet, cold, and utterly lethal. Heat and rage danced behind it.
She dared to touch what's mine? She dared to breathe near Cole?
The girls shivered at my expression. They knew that smile. They knew what came next.
"Should we… deal with her now?" Beyanca asked, her fist slamming into her palm. BOOM. A pulse of raw power erupted, sending papers, books, and half a chair flying. The entire room trembled—except for us.
Tasha squealed. Sasha grinned.
I raised a single hand, and silence fell like ice. "No."
My eyes darkened, narrowing into sharp points. I could already imagine the pathetic little goblin trembling beneath my gaze, begging for mercy, wishing she'd never been born into my world.
"Tonight," I said my voice smooth and deadly, "I'll teach her a lesson she'll never forget."
The hallway outside seemed to pause, as if the air itself held its breath in anticipation of the storm I was about to unleash.
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Meanwhile ---miller residence
The whole mansion simmered with anticipation as maids guards everyone awaited her arrival, finally the door bell rang and was answered instantly opened as if the person was standing there the whole day.
Orphella bowed deeply at the guest something she'd rarely do, elder ember she addressed the beautiful mid 30s lady in an elegant blue gown and coat, her hair packed in an elegant bun, she walked passed orphella with grace and no acknowledgement leaving orphella bowing.
She sat on the plush seats as orphella waited for her orders and sent someone to get her a dink.
Taking the tea cup ember elegantly twirled the spoon in the hot brew then took a sip, as she dropped the cup her ember eyes staied directly at orphella its pressure causing her to submit, where is the girl? She asked slowly lifting her gaze and sparing orphella further embarrassment.
Orphella was shaken by the question – what girl? She uttered in a small wisper, ember turned sharply, where is the human girl orphella miller I put under you care? I wont repeat myself.
She's out –she went to school orphella answered, ember raised a brow—school human school?
Orphella you don't understand what that child is do you –ember casually said making orphella gaze up to her then quickly dropped it to the floor. Hump ember sneaed at the reaction—that child is more powerful than you cn eve emagine. At your banquet the prince will be there, the alpha king and wolfpack will be here specifically for her- you better make sure she/s here.
Orphella wondered hw a human was a threat-and moe importantly the alpha king prince and high wolf pack would come etrive her themselves—what was Oliviana? And why did she becoe a threat?
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Miller Residence (Banquet Hall)
Olivia's POV
The Miller mansion sparkled with a level of elegance and luxury most people only ever dreamed about. Crystal chandeliers glowed like captured stars. Velvet curtains shimmered. Gold-lined pillars reflected the warm light like they were alive.
Respected guests drifted through the main hall, dressed head-to-toe in wealth and affluence. Their jewelry gleamed. Their perfumes lingered. Their smiles were painted and practiced.
These weren't normal people.
They were power—the kind that demanded attention with every glance, every breath, every calculated step.
And in the middle of all that… I stayed hidden in my tiny room upstairs, getting ready.
Even though I was "allowed" to attend the banquet, I wasn't attending as a guest.
I was attending as a servant.
To clean and remain unseen
I stared at myself in the broken mirror—the crack running through the center split my reflection in half, making it look like there was two of me: the girl I pretended to be, the one they forced on me… and the girl I truly was.
I carefully braided my hair to the side. A bun, like Mrs. Orphella wanted, was impossible. My hair was too thick, too wild—too me.
Then I slipped into the simple cleaning outfit laid out for me. The apron was old. The fabric scratched. It didn't matter. I still looked like too much of a distraction next to Hailey's flawless beauty.
So I fixed that.
I dipped my fingers into the dust on the old windowsill and smeared it across my cheeks, dulling my skin.
Then I grabbed the ugly, oversized spectacles—the ones that dimmed the strange mix of blue-and-purple in my eyes. My real eyes… the ones that always made people look twice.