Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 9: The Lord's Mercy

Her assigned guide, Mary, was a tall and elegant blonde with an air of nobility that suggested she'd never had to lift a finger in her entire life. It wasn't surprising though, Lunaris Academy catered to the rich and elite humans after all.

People like Violet were only "privileged" to be here — so she's been reminded every step of the way. Since the moment she entered the campus, opulence surrounded her from the outside down to the inside of the academy grounds, making her feel out of place.

Yet, for someone from such a background, Mary's humility took Violet by surprise. It wasn't great to stereotype, but the rich often fit the mold of being arrogant, entitled, and dismissive. Mary, however, was kind, with a calm, gentle demeanor that, oddly enough, put Violet at ease.

That was saying a lot, given how much Violet trusted no one, especially in this school, where her worst assumptions had already been confirmed. Mary was a refreshing change from the students Violet had encountered so far.

"I don't know what's going on between you and Principal Jameson," Mary began, her tone soft but cautionary, "but trust me, you do not want to make an enemy out of —"

"I'm not scared of Principal Jameson if that's what you're worried about," Violet interrupted, her tone growing serious. "Trust me, I come from a district where the games you play here would feel like child's play."

Mary stopped walking abruptly, forcing Violet to halt as well. Violet saw an ugly sneer twist across the girl's face for the first time, a darkness flickering in her eyes.

"Who said I was talking about the principal?"

She stepped closer, her tall frame nearly towering over Violet. While Violet wasn't short, Mary had almost a head on her.

"It's not Jameson you should be worried about. It's them..."

While Mary didn't elaborate on who "them" referred to, Violet didn't need her to. There was clearly a powerful clique at the academy pulling the strings behind the scenes. Back at her old school, it had been Jasmine and her gang. Here at Lunaris, Violet could already tell Griffin Hale was one of "them," if not their leader. She hadn't missed the trace of fear in Principal Jameson's eyes at the mere mention of his name.

But even that didn't faze Violet. Back in the ghetto, Jasmine and her lackeys nearly had no limits, and Violet had dealt with them just fine. What could a group of spoiled, entitled brats throw at her that she couldn't take?

Violet met Mary's gaze with unwavering confidence. "I. Can. Handle. Them," she enunciated slowly, making sure the message was clear.

For a moment, Mary stared at her in disbelief before breaking into a slow, mocking laugh. "Oh, they're going to enjoy breaking you."

Wait—what? Violet blinked, caught off guard. Suddenly, she wondered if her instincts about trusting Mary was right.

"I've seen girls like you over the years," Mary continued, her tone almost pitying. "That fire in your eyes? It always gets extinguished. There's a hierarchy here, Violet, and until you learn your place, that fire is going to get swallowed whole by the storm."

The air between them thickened with tense silence, the severity of Mary's words lingering ominously. Whatever excitement Violet had for the tour evaporated.

But instead of backing down, Violet lifted her chin defiantly. "Maybe they've broken others but they haven't met me."

Mary shook her head, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Thanks for the warning," Violet shot back, rolling her eyes. "Now, can we get this over with? It's getting boring."

Mary gave Violet an incredulous look. Despite all the warnings, nothing seemed to faze her. As a guide for this semester's new students, Mary had seen most of them lower their heads the moment they learned about the school's hierarchy, eager to stay out of sight and avoid trouble.

But Violet? She wasn't like the others. There was no hesitation, no fear in her eyes. Mary could already tell she was going to be trouble. Then again, the alphas would likely deal with her soon enough.

"Fine!" She huffed, momentarily thrown by Violet's unwavering confidence.

As they stepped out of the administrative floor and into the bustling hallway, it became clear that classes were over for the day. Students streamed out of classrooms, and the atmosphere buzzed with the end-of-day rush.

Violet could feel the weight of their stares, sharp and unsettling. It wasn't the curious glance reserved for a new girl, something novel and intriguing to look at. No, these looks were different, hungry, assessing. They watched her like predators sizing up prey, scrutinizing every inch as if they were trying to determine whether she would disrupt the order they were so used to.

But Violet didn't shrink under their gaze. Instead, she glared back with the same fierce intensity, her defiance meeting their scrutiny head-on. One by one, their eyes dropped, having gotten the message.

"Here," Mary said, pressing a heavy satchel into Violet's arms. Violet instinctively grabbed it, her curiosity piqued. She had noticed Mary leave Jameson's office with the bag but hadn't asked about it until now.

"That's your welcome satchel. Go ahead, open it," Mary urged when she caught Violet's questioning look.

but something else caught her eye. There was a sealed package nestled inside. When Violet

the sealed phone box, looking up at Mary

from... less privileged districts," she said, carefully choosing her words. "So, we provide free devices to help students

as Violet eagerly unsealed the phone box. The moment she uncovered the sleek, touchscreen device inside, her breath

palm. Her instincts screamed at her to shout or jump for joy, but the elegance of the academy reminded her that would be a terrible idea. She might be the new girl,

beamed silently, her smile stretching wide as she admired it. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she'd hold something like this. Not to mention, Nancy would lose her mind over

creep in. After all the resistance she'd put up to

headphones, charger, user manual,

her off sharply, feeling a bit insulted. Just because she'd never owned

in

on. The brand name, AVAX, appeared with a dramatic flourish on the screen, followed by "Welcome, Violet" flashing across the display. She

customized for the students. I

to detail was impressive. If the kids

schedule, school matches, the syllabus, and, of course, your ranking

navigate the phone to

Mary said, snatching the phone out of Violet's

Violet could protest, Mary snapped a photo of her without warning, the flash catching her off guard, and making

later, Mary was typing away, setting things up. Violet let her

one couldn't blame her. She had been independent all through her life and didn't need anyone's help. Even without

don't use it. While it's encrypted, some of Lunaris'

rolled her eyes, exasperated by how easy these students had it,

had any idea that her district would kill for something as simple as free Wi-Fi, hacked or not. Even in the old world, the government had never cared about the welfare of the people, and in this new world, it was even worse. Her district was one of many

chirped as she handed the phone back to Violet. Violet's eyes nearly bulged out of

Monday

7:00 AM: Breakfast

- 9:30 AM:

on werewolf traditions, social

AM - 11:15 AM: Advanced

human anatomy, genetics, and comparison with werewolf

PM: Physical Training (Compulsory

agility, and endurance

PM - 1:30 PM:

PM - 3:00 PM: History

post-war human

PM: Etiquette &

social behavior, and

PM - 6:00 PM:

mythological

Dinner, Rest, Study Hour / Free

hell..." Violet muttered under her breath, staring at the daunting curriculum. At her

But it makes sense when you think about the werewolves in our ranks. They need to stay active,

own separate school and not drag us into this mess," Violet snapped,

any of her business before. Sure, her old school had dabbled in some of those subjects, but this? These were advanced

'Etiquette and Social Dynamics' and why is it compulsory?" She

eyes.

you'll find out soon enough. Come on, let's head to the infirmary. Now that you've got the map, finding everything else should be a breeze." Mary gently guided her forward before Violet could fire off more

lose points, uniforms are mandatory every day except weekends," Mary added. "And make sure you're wearing the complete

how Griffin and Roman hadn't been fully dressed in their uniforms. Of course, there were

trust me, Lunaris has its perks. You'll love it here soon enough. Hot human guys, hunky werewolves, and, let's

look, not