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 held it to black mail me into doing more things for them."
Her eyes leak with tears again that flood through. She breaks into a sob now, throwing her face into her palms, crying in full throttle once more.
This time, I pull her into a tight hug, feeling my own heart break into pieces as she narrates her ordeal with Morgan and his guys - those sick sadistic bastards.
"I'm so sorry you went through that." I whisper coarsely, trying not to cry as well.
I can only imagine what it must have felt like being all alone with no one to help.
"I was too weak to do anything because I'm an Omega, I had no voice to complain and no one stood by me then. The only one who could fight for me was the same person putting me through hell."
"Your friends were assholes, that's what. It had nothing to do with you being weak. None of it was your fault." I reassure her, holding her tightly. "You have me now, remember? I won't let anything bad like that happen to you without grabbing my own pound of flesh from that bastard. I promise."
She breaks into more tears, wailing away all of her sadness and trauma, and I never let her go for a moment, being the shoulder she can cry on.
It takes minutes before it slowly stops, and she pulls away, wiping at her nose and looking at me with worry.
"He's more dangerous than Artemis, Sera. Sure, Artemis is a prick that teases people for the fun of it and all, but Morgan is different. He doesn't play pranks; he tortures his victims and he gets away with all of it because his father is influential and pays the school a lot of money to cover it up. The worse thing they've ever done is suspend him for a few weeks." She says, desperately holding my hands and pleading with her eyes.
I get where this is going; she wants me to drop out of the election for my own safety because I'm up against Morgan.
I can't say he won't dare to do anything because he already has, the threat I witnessed was enough to scare even me for a while - to the point that I watch my back every once in a while.
But I can't not anymore.
"Olivia, you don't expect me to back down after hearing your story. Him and his maggot friends have probably done that, and maybe worse to other girls, and you want me to just let him win? Give him the power he needs to hurt more omegas? Hell no." I state firmly.
She sighs, looking up at me with a small and tired smile now.
"I expected that. I knew there was no way you'd back down from a fight like this, but I was hopeful." She says, looking away from me.
Her fear is valid, and honestly, I find myself terrified for the first time. My opponent lets out a very terrifying aura that causes me to shake in place.
But I won't be who I am if I gave up so easily.
"Hey." I pull her to face me again. "You know me, right? You know that somehow, I always find a way to survive - so, trust me. Please."
She looks reluctant and tired, but she nods her head slowly.
"Do I have a choice?" She forces another smile that forms at the corner of her lips
I chuckle, pressing my forehead against hers and intertwining my fingers in hers as well, feeling this moment between the two of us.
Her faith in me lets me have a little more faith in myself and maybe, just maybe, I can win this election and save her from ever having to deal with him again.
***
It's 9:02pm.
Just 2 minutes pass the appointed time of this supposed sleepover with Artemis.
I hope he doesn't use this as an excuse to try some crazy shit with me tonight.
I've already proofed myself from any possible shenanigans he can pull today, adjusting the many layers of clothing I'm wearing before knocking at his room door.
Two knocks, and I can hear the sounds of his feet against the floor, moving to the door.
It pulls open and Artemis peaks through, leaning against the door frame, wearing a loose-fitting, purely white singlet that exposes the length of his toned biceps and triceps, with baggy shorts hanging from his waist.
I'm immediately hit by the refreshing earthy soap of whatever bathing products he uses, coupled with his natural scent that forms this tempting combination all together.
Clearly, he's fresh from the showers.
"Hey."
He looks at me expectantly with a smile that drops the seconds his eyes rake all over me.
"Is it me, or have you added a few pounds since I last saw you in the afternoon?"
I join him to look down at my layered body- 10 different clothing, all acting as a barrier between me and him, because there's no way I'm trusting him tonight.
"It's you." I comment, simply walking past him into his room.
Immediately I walk in, I notice the differences around the room since the last time I've been here.
The dim lights have been replaced with tiny Christmas lights with a soft golden hue that gives the room an almost magical aura. The bed has been shifted back, and a stack of thick blankets are splayed out on the floor, right in front of a white sheet and a projector.
I feel as if I've walked into something I shouldn't have.
"Are you expecting someone?"
"Yeah; you of course." He responds.
I turn to look at him with a raised brow, wondering why he would put so much effort in rearranging his room, all just for whatever punishment he has in mind.
Unless there's actually something more horrifying awaiting me.
But when I look at him, he holds up what looks like a cute little red nighty in his hands, and a mischievous smile plays on his lips.
"I figured you'd pull something as crazy as wearing everything thing in your wardrobe, so I came prepared." He says boastfully, like he finally has me figured out.
"You see, I had a hunch that you view me as a philandering predator."
"Which you are." I point out plainly.
"That's not the point right now."
I look at the outfit again and back at him.
"I'm not wearing that."
"You don't have a choice right now, and when you did, you chose option 1."
"Can I possibly change my-"
"No."
I sigh in defeat, stepping forward and grabbing it off his hands. The material of it feels even more flimsy and thin now that I feel it in my hands.
"I'll leave you to change." He says in a sing-song tone before stepping out of the room.
I really am fucked, and he has me exactly where he wants me. Here I thought I could escape him, but I can't.
I take off every single one of my clothes one by one, which takes longer than expected, before changing into what he picked out for me.
The strap hands are as thin as a string, holding up the top to my body, and the V-neck cut rides low enough to show a good amount of cleavage.
The matching shorts is way too short, cutting a few centimeters below my butt.
It screams scandalous, exposing way too much skin, but surprisingly, it's my perfect size - which makes me feel even more concerned for my safety.
My main issue with it, however, is how much of my curves it shows, and my above average bust almost spills from the sides. My biggest insecurity is my bust size that draws more attention than I like, and it enunciates it more than anything else.
I rethink every decision I made by coming here, wanting to quickly change into something else before the door flings open again, and Artemis walks in with stashes of snacks and a large box of pizza.
"I got everything that can last us for a few-" He pauses mid-sentence, looking up at me and freezing on the spot.
His facial expression quickly turns serious, and his eyes rake over me very slowly, over and over again, taking in every square inch of me into his eyes and making me feel more aware of my own body.
The things in his hands fall to the ground, but he doesn't seem to care, walking all over them while he suddenly, slowly, makes his way over to me.
I take a step back cautiously while he draws closer with this serious look on his face and eyes. The feeling of being seen by him in this state is indescribable, but I feel heat pulling in my cheeks and suddenly, I can't look him in the eye again.
The silence between us grows all the more uncomfortable.
"W-What is it?" I ask when he stops in front of me, saying or doing nothing.
I still feel his stare igniting goose-bumps on my skin.
"You're making me feel weird." I mutter now, trying to hide a bit of myself from his unrelenting gaze - but he holds my hand suddenly.
"Don't." He says now in a coarse voice that sounds almost like a whisper while pulling my hand away. "Don't hide from me."
Heat spreads through my body from where his hand holds mine, and the uncomfortable feeling becomes all the more unbearable.
Minutes ago, I could look in his eyes and glare at him but now, I can't bring myself to meet them again. His fingers pull my chin up, forcing my gaze on him again.
"You look pretty." He says with the softest smile.
All the insecurities I feel about my body portions washes away for a brief second while I look into the blue pools in his eyes. They seem so sincere and honest, so deep and beautiful.
I let myself be gullible for just a moment, believing that I do look pretty in his eyes.
But reality sinks in again, and I pull my face away, taking another step away from him and clearing my throat.
"I've worn your silly outfit. Now, what's the punishment going to be?" I change the topic quickly before anything else can happen.
He inhales and exhales deeply in silence before walking back to where the snacks he brought in had fallen, picking up a movie in his hands and showing it to me with a wicked smile.
"We're going to watch a horror movie."