ARTEMIS' POV
The 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 shielding him from me.
"Artemis, stop!"
Instantly, I halt my fist right before it smashes her fragile form. What the fuck?
"Are you crazy?" I growl out now, tense and alert. "Are you always this suicidal and careless? Careless enough to stand in front of an Alpha wolf who's about to throw a punch?"
A second more and she would have been sent flying from the force of my blow, and for what? This moron behind her?
My irritation doubles. Don't tell me he's got Sera too.
"You were about to hit him for the wrong reason." She glares back harder, unbothered and without even flinching. "I might be suicidal, but you need to put a leash on your impulsive temper."
I stare back at her, dumbfounded and speechless
Why is she staring at me like I'm the bad guy here? For once, I'm trying to do the right thing, and that's smashing Lucian into the nearest wall, so he doesn't even dare look twice at Sera ever again.
She turns to him next, the stoic expression on her face never fading for a second.
"You." She starts off surprisingly cold. "Leave."
"Sera..."
"Like I said, I don't want to be your friend or anything to you. That ship has sailed. We remain strangers and from today hence forth, I'd appreciate that you don't try to approach me for any other reason unless you have no choice to." She addresses him formally.
I'm stunned momentarily, and all that initial anger washes away quickly. Why do I feel relieved? She doesn't seem to like me that much, but not once has she referred me with so much formality that it feels hostile.
He lingers for a moment, his eyes meeting mine before he resigns to defeat with a rueful sigh.
"I'm sorry, Sera. Really." He says finally and just before he turns away.
I scoff at his measly apology and that meek act he puts up for her and everyone else. It gets on my damn nerves all the bloody time.
"Good riddance." I say while we both silently watch his retreating back, expecting her to agree with me.
Instead, she turns to me again but with a scowl directed my way.
"What is wrong with you?" She starts off, suddenly whisper-yelling.
I raise a brow, confused by her sudden shift in moods. How is this my fault?
"What is wrong with me? What's wrong with you? I could have hit you, you know. How could you willingly throw yourself between a fight like that? Is self-preservation not in your vocabulary?" I start of now, getting mad again.
She rolls her eyes, folding her arms below her chest.
"Why do you care? It's not like I haven't gotten hit before." She passes it off as nothing, and I get pissed off, grabbing her arm and forcing her to look at me now.
"I care because you are mine. We had an agreement, remember? You belong to me, and that also means you don't have my permission to get hurt. If there's just one single graze on your skin from you being careless, I won't hesitate to punish you. Do you understand?"
She looks up at me silently, beautiful emerald eyes wide for a moment, before she blinks again and pries her hand away from me.
"Hey, chill. I was joking. Besides, I knew you weren't going to hit me. Plus, I didn't need your help. Lucian wasn't harassing me."
I scoff with a bit of annoyance the second the name falls so easily from her lips.
So, they're on a first name basis.
Come to think of it, he referred to her as Sera, instead Of Seraphina. And they seemed to have been in some kind of heated discussion before I walked in.
My initial level of irritation suddenly flares up again, and I wish I had smacked him across the face before she stepped in, just to let off a bit of steam welling up inside me.
"You two seemed close." I say sarcastically.
She looks away without a response and very briefly, I see a hint of sadness in her eyes - its small but I see it. There's an immediate reaction from within my chest.
I can't pinpoint the tightening feeling, but I really want to punch the wall right now.
"There's another rule I didn't mention earlier."
She looks up at me now with a raised brow.
"What? Another rule?"
"Yeah. On no circumstance are you allowed to engage Lucian in any form of conversation. Don't even smile, or glare, or look at him."
She huffs, taking a step back to look at me.
"You can't dictate who I talk to."
"Surprise, I just did."
"You can't just add rules as you see fit, Artemis. This isn't fair!" She complains continuously, upsetting me further.
Her refusal to comply stings and does nothing but make me more rooted in my decision. My amusement fades, and I'm completely serious.
"I mean it, Seraphina. If you talk to him again, I will punish you as I see fit."
She stares back at me hatefully, like I'm a monster, the worst kind. The look in her eyes hurts my chest more than I'd ever admit, almost as bad as it hurt seeing her talk to that bastard.
I don't want her staring at me like that. I don't...like it.
For once, I long for a moment when those fiery green eyes would look at me without the usual weight of disdain and repulsion. Would I find something new in them, something even more breathtaking? Would their radiance supersede my expectations?
This time, I have Lucian to blame. He's relentless in his attempts to take away everything I have, and once again, I curse the day that bastard walked into my life. He's so good at his little games, so convincing that many times I've wondered if I imagined that day when I saw his true vile and repulsive colors.
I know Sera is just another thing he'd love to claim, to steal, but I won't let him get away this time. So, no matter how harsh her stare is, I take it because I know its not as bad as letting that guy take her.
"You have no choice but to obey."
She gives me one last look before storming away, half running and half walking across the hall way until she's out of my lane of vision.
I sigh, suddenly feeling so exhausted and running my hand through my hair, rubbing my chest that strangely feels tight and heavy.
"How did that make you feel?"
I look up now and spot Kamila, standing a good foot away, leaning against the wall. I didn't notice when she had come or how long she's been standing there, but her question confuses me.
"What?"
"Commanding the human like that. How did that make you feel?" She asks the question again with a sick grin playing on her lips. She casually draws closer to me.
I stare at her plainly, my mood already sullied by my interaction with Seraphina and seeing the bastard's face.
"We're not doing this again."
She nods her head in a knowing way, already expecting the statement from me.
"So much for hating the human, huh?" Kamila lets out a little chuckle, still keeping that terrifying smile on her face. "I could just feel the burning hatred from miles away - especially with the way you always have so much time to spare when she's in danger, or when she's talking to someone you don't like. You even have the precious time to form an archaic slavery kink with her. Is that still hatred, Arty?"
"What are you driving at, Kamila?"
She laughs. "You even gave her your necklace. Well, that's new. You fancy her, don't you?"
"Stop." I shake my head slowly
"You want to add her to your list of conquests." She pokes me further, ignoring my warning
"Kamila, stop."
"You want to FUCK HER."
"STOP IT!" I yell in her face now, feeling my rage spill over but even that doesn't stop her incessant ranting.
"How could you? You have a mate, a pure-blood, high-ranked she-wolf, devoted to you. The perfect partner to rule your kingdom, but you'd still waste your time with a thing that's not even worthy enough to lick the ground we walk on. You'd still sully yourself, my dignity, for her?" She screams at me hysterically, like she's finally lost her shit.
It takes me back to yesterday, and I can just feel a migraine coming. I'm tired of having to stand here and answer to her and her useless speculations. I'm tired of her growing obsession with Seraphina. How doesn't she realize that she's the one being obsessive?
"I'll say this for the last time, Kamila; what I do with her and to her is none of your fucking business. I suggest you focus on other things like building your social influence or learning on pack politics, and leave her out of it."
Now, she scoffs lightly and lets out a slow, bitter smile. Something terrifying comes alive in her eyes.
"I see. Sorry, Alpha, I seemed to have forgotten my place. I'm better left running political matters than overthinking on who or what new creature my mate fucks." Before I can input, she continues. "Speaking of which, did you know that Sera was nominated for the Black Wolf Council?"
I...did not know that. I'd known that the new nominations were going to be put up soon, but I usually don't concern myself with these things. Lucian, always the overachiever, looks into most of it.
Albeit my surprise, it's the tone to Kamila's voice that really has my attention.
"I guess her hardheaded suicide mission is finally getting her somewhere."
"Is it?" She plays around the word, letting it sink in while my eyes narrow at her.
I take a step forward. "I'm more interested in knowing why you care about what she's doing."
"Relax, Arty. You always think the worst of me. If the human thinks she has a chance in the student council, then good for her. I'll be rooting."
"I don't buy it, and before you even think of doing anything drastic, don't."
"I love it when you sound so threatening; it's hot." Her voice drops to a seductive tease as she draws closer, then she laughs it off. "Fine, I'll be a good little girl and sit in the corner this time."
"Kamila, I'm serious. I won't be so forgiving next time."
"You have my pinky promise." She grins.