Defy The Alpha(s)

Chapter 10: West House

"Just a quick question," Violet began, eyeing Mary. "Don't you have something better to do than follow me around? No offense, but if your schedule is as packed as mine, we should've wrapped up this little liaison by now."

Mary had lingered even after the healer had finished, which didn't take long. Still, she seemed in no rush to leave, despite the fact that Violet could easily find her way back to the dorm with the school map. She was a quick learner, after all.

The girl shrugged, a nonchalant smile on her face. "I take my role as a student guide seriously. I'm not done until I know you're settled comfortably in your room. And as for schedules, I'm a senior. You'll find that some courses are dropped with each term as you get acclimated. Plus, being a student guide comes with certain privileges."

Violet said dryly. "I should have known." So much for feeling guilty about taking up Mary's time.

"Come on," Mary said, tapping something on her phone, "you've been assigned to West House. Let's get you settled so I can finally get some rest, too."

Violet couldn't agree more. She was exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It had been a long journey to an unfamiliar city, and the overwhelming sensory and mental assault she'd experienced since her arrival in this academy hadn't made things easier either. All she wanted now was a shower and a long, uninterrupted sleep before tackling her packed schedule tomorrow.

Unfortunately, Lunaris Academy was massive, and Violet was starting to understand why she'd seen cars driving along the pristine campus roads, dropping students off at various spots. If she hadn't been so determined to play it cool, Violet might have stopped to gape at the sleek, fancy cars gliding past her. Back in her district, she'd only seen vehicles like these in old-world movies or on illegal racing tracks. The sight of them only reminded her how insignificant she was here, and that was fine by her. She didn't come to draw attention.

After about twenty minutes of trekking, Mary finally announced, "Welcome to West House."

"Wow," Violet muttered under her breath, taking in the stately black-and-white brick building.

Its classical architecture stood out, the four-story rectangular structure adorned with evenly spaced windows and tall chimneys on the roof. A grand columned portico framed the front entrance, with wide steps leading up to double doors while the surrounding green lawns and towering trees added a natural, serene charm to the imposing structure. Clearly, the school had a love for nature.

"And that, my dear, is the West House," Mary said with a smug grin, clearly pleased at the awe on Violet's face. "And over there are the other houses: East, South, and North."

stately buildings, identical in architecture but painted

colors mean something?" Violet asked, picking up on the details

as they started up the steps, with

werewolf, we form packs in our houses out of necessity. The four most powerful alphas rule this place, and it's only natural that everyone else falls in line," she paused, casting a cautionary glance at

sighed. Just how many

House is run by

Violet repeated, curious. Who was he? His

before Violet could fire off more questions. "Everything you need to know is stored

prefect, a non-academic staff member appointed by the school to monitor our activities and make sure we follow dorm rules. But, honestly, they're pretty much useless

prioritizes academics, they sure seem to have a lot of downtime for extracurricular activities, she

and by the way, Alpha Asher and his inner circle of minor alphas with their betas live on the top floor. So, you know

her face in her palm. Does every single thing that

of her as they passed through the busy hall. With classes over, the hallways were packed with students, and Violet could feel the weight of a hundred eyes on her. She

Mary stopped in front of a door. "Here it is. Room 104. And with that, I conclude the grand tour, madame!" She finished with a

Violet's face despite her best efforts to resist. Mary was like an annoying itch that refused to go away, yet somehow, she was starting to grow on

the perfect student to lead it. Among the students she had seen so far, Violet

hugs, so she said sincerely, "Thank

was the complete opposite. Before Violet could even react, she was swept into

struggling to breathe. How was this

if the horror of the unexpected hug wasn't enough, Mary began to cry. "This is always