SERAPHINA'S POV
Unfazed by the ominous look in Morgan's eyes, Artemis boldly takes another step closer to the fucker.
"The game's over, Morgan. You five can't take me. Once I leave, I'm reporting all of this to the school board. Expect an expulsion letter in your dorm-and one sent to your family, too," he announces. The authority in his voice sends shivers down my spine.
Morgan laughs, openly mocking both Artemis and me. He clearly doesn't grasp the gravity of his situation.
"You actually believe it'll go down like that? That's hilarious. Now let me tell you how this is really going to work," he smirks, signaling to someone behind him with a flick of his fingers.
Artemis and I watch him silently, trying to gauge his next move.
Just then, a fifth guy walks in, holding someone I immediately recognize as they force her to look up at us.
Frozen in horror, I can't take my eyes off her fear-stricken face.
"Juliet!" I scream, lunging toward her without a second thought. Artemis pulls me back, preventing me from reaching her.
"I'm sorry," she apologizes, tears filling her eyes. Her mascara runs down her cheeks, evidence of the tears she's already shed.
Anger surges within me, remembering how many people have suffered because of him.
"It's not your fault," I tell her, my eyes locked onto Morgan, my voice tinged with fury. "You're not the one who should be apologizing."
Morgan smiles, winking at me.
"Now that I have your attention," he pauses for dramatic effect and steps closer to Juliet, "let me outline how this will go. You will halt all investigations about us in school, and your little human friend will forfeit her position as Omega representative to me. You'll also ignore any future allegations made against us, granting us complete immunity."
"No!" I shout, pushing past Artemis. "You expect us to give you free rein over the school, even after everything you've done?"
"It's either that, or your friend becomes confetti, sweetheart," he shrugs, feigning nonchalance. "And if Artemis even twitches, all it takes is one swipe of my claw, and it's over for Juliet."
Morgan violently yanks Juliet by her hair, forcing her to her knees in front of him. Her piercing scream cuts through the tense air, her tears flowing even more freely.
"No!" My voice erupts in a blend of fury and helplessness.
Morgan chuckles and taps his wrist, as if watching an invisible clock.
"Tick-tock."
In that moment, I lock eyes with Artemis.
It's a stare heavy with unspoken dialogue. His eyes, normally so filled with authority, plead with me now. They urge caution, a tactical withdrawal instead of impulsive heroics.
The message is clear: This a dangerous gamble, a battle that we run a high risk of losing. We must opt for the lesser evil, even if it hurts us.
"We have no choice but to comply, Sera," he murmurs, jaws clenched, equally embittered.
"What?" I'm incredulous. "Do you realize what this means? He'll control the school, marginalize the Omegas-destroy everything we've been fighting for!"
"I'm aware," he replies, infuriatingly calm. "But the alternative is risking Juliet's life. And while I might not care, we both know you do."
I despise the truth in his words. With Juliet's life as the bargaining chip, we're cornered. Better to retreat now and plot our countermove when she's safe.
"Fine," I finally yell back at Morgan, each word leaving a sour taste in my mouth. "We agree to your terms. I'll step down, and you'll have your damned immunity. Just don't hurt Juliet."
His grin stretches wide across his face, knowing he's won this round.
Revenge-my mind screams it like a battle cry, fueling the fire that's been smoldering in my chest. It's intensity is choking, and I almost combust by the sheer amount of it.
Here I am, giving in to his demands when what I should be doing is making him taste the pain he's inflicted on Olivia and me, even folds.
Gritting my teeth, I ball my fists.
"You've made the wise choice, Sera," he coos, making my stomach churn in disgust.
Jerking Juliet to her feet, he pushes her forward and trails closely behind her.
Taking this as my cue, I step forward, preparing to catch her in my arms the moment she's within reach.
For a split second, I think I have the upper hand.
Clearly, I'm mistaken.
Driven by desperate hope, I take another step, unwittingly triggering the trap they'd laid for me. The five henchmen, perfectly positioned for their next move, spring into action at a speed I can't even register.
"Sera!" Artemis shouts, reaching out for me, but they swarm him, slashing their claws across him in a blur of motion.
In the chaos, Morgan shoves Juliet aside, sending her sprawling.
Seizing the opportunity, he yanks me toward him with brutal force, effectively swapping Juliet for me in this twisted game he's playing.
I struggle against Morgan's grip, desperately clawing for freedom.
My fight halts when he produces a gleaming dagger and holds it to my throat, leaving me no choice but to freeze.
"Watch," he whispers in my ear, directing my gaze toward the feral battle.
Artemis faces off against five wolves.
They initially overpower him due to their element of surprise, but the tide turns quickly. With a final toss, he incapacitates the last wolf, though not without sustaining injuries.
Panting, he finally glances my way.
His eyes meet the scene-me, held captive, blade to my throat. His expression mutates from shock to unhinged rage, a certain sinister glow to his eyes, all directed at Morgan.
Morgan bursts into laughter, clearly delighting in his own cruelty.
"Haha, that was so fun," he chortles, pressing me even closer, the dagger breaking my skin.
"What is the meaning of this? We had a deal, you bastard!" Artemis growls.
He smirks. "It's your own fault for trusting me. Did you think I'd simply accept your word that you'd drop all investigations? Just because I told you to?"
Artemis doesn't reply. Instead, his silence speaks volumes.
For the first time, I realize he never had any intention of honoring the deal with Morgan. That sly fox, Artemis, was always planning to double-cross him, to pounce the moment Juliet was out of harm's way.
Too bad Morgan is equally cunning.
Artemis clenches his teeth and fists so tightly I fear they might break. His face contorts in a way that's terrifying, saturated with raw, unfiltered rage.
Yet Morgan seems unfazed-or at least, he's good at hiding it. He takes a single step back, pulling me with him, as if ready for Artemis's next move.
"You're stupid for thinking I bought any of that. This little shit is staying right here until you make good on your promises-and until after the elections," Morgan sneers, straightening my back with force.
My heart pounds against my ribcage, each thud blending fear with adrenaline.
I'm paralyzed by the realization that if Morgan walks out of here, it's game over. And despite Artemis' raw power, he's handicapped so long as I'm Morgan's human shield.
Guilt churns in my stomach, acid biting my insides.
If I hadn't impulsively chased Morgan's goons, we wouldn't be in this mess.
If I'd exercised even an ounce of caution or listened to Artemis' warnings, perhaps things would be different.
Maybe Artemis was right; I am self-centered. I never consider how my impulsive actions might affect everyone else - always diving head-first into the fire.
My heart aches with the weight of my mistakes, and for once, I'm done being the liability.
"Artemis," my voice wavers as I call his name, forcing his eyes to shift from Morgan to meet mine.
For a split second, they soften, and I realize he's regretting our earlier argument as much as I am.
"You were right," I admit, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from breaking down.
"Now's not the time for regrets, Sera," he replies, his voice tinged with a sadness I hadn't expected. "I promised to protect you, and I failed."
I shake my head, managing a weak smile despite our situation. Tears blur my vision, whether from the fear or the rollercoaster of my emotions, I can't say.
"You did your best. I was too stubborn to listen. I've always been too caught up in hating you to appreciate the times you've helped too. The hate is well-deserved because you just might be the most insufferable jerk I've met, but I'm starting to believe a lot more in second chances recently. Maybe, after all this, we could be friends."
For the first time since we arrived here, Artemis smiles. Softly, beautifully, it breaks free on his lips, followed by a light chuckle, shattering the thick tension in the air.
"I'd like that," he says softly.
"Aww, what a touching moment," Morgan interrupts, annoyance dripping from his tone. "In case you've forgotten, you're too busy having your life threatened to worry about making friends right now."
I look up at him, my eyes ablaze with disgust, longing for nothing more than to smack that annoying grin off his face.
"Actually," I reply coldly, "I just needed to distract you long enough to do this."
His eyebrows furrow in confusion.
Seizing the moment, I quickly pull the rusted piece of metal from my pocket. Before he realizes what's happening, I raise it high and stab it as deep as it will go into his thigh, pushing it right through his flesh and out the other side.