~Amias's Point Of View~
Amias is halfway through buttoning up his shirt when she invades his mind again.
Heidi.
The nerve of her. She dares to barge into their private study like it were a filthy place for dirty people like her. On her first day. First day. He nearly tore the desk in half when she threw that sarcastic little smile, chin lifted, like she hadn't just walked into the den of the most powerful males in the academy.
And the way she said Darien kissed her…
He rips the last button through its loop, anger sizzling between his fingers.
"It should have been us," growls his wolf, Vark.
Vark is always so possessive and so loud in his damn head when it comes to her.
"She's nothing," he mutters aloud, yanking on his tie. "Some forgotten human girl… Nothing more."
"She's ours."
"She's a disgrace," he hisses through clenched teeth. "Who gets in trouble with the Alphas on orientation day? That's never happened in this academy. We practically had to adjust our protocol because of her. We kill anyone who dares to cross us. At least, if we can't kill them, we ensure they live like the living dead in this academy. However, for some girl who smells like lemons and shame, we couldn't do anything. It's such a shame on us!"
"Lemons and moonlight, you mean? And she stood her ground. No one stands their ground against us. Not even Darien," Vark croons.
He hates that Vark is right. He hates that he's thinking about her lips when he knots his tie. He's only seen her twice. Twice. Once when she got her ass bullied in the compound and again when she had the gall to run her mouth like she wasn't seconds from getting shredded.
"Claim her before the others do," Vark urges.
"No one's claiming anyone," Amias barks, marching to the mirror. He brushes a hand through his stormy hair and curses how tired he looks.
"You're already obsessed," Vark argues.
"She's beneath us. If she were anything worth having, her own parents wouldn't have tossed her out like trash."
Vark scoffs. "You know they didn't. She's only here because the Moon Goddess chose her."
"Well, whatever!" Amias throws his hands listlessly in the air.
"Then why does your heart race every time you smell her?" Vark isn't one to give up.
Amias snarls, dragging a brush across his jaw. "If you want someone so badly, Vark, why not just propose to her?"
"Don't tempt me."
"Because I don't do leftovers," he says bitterly.
"Neither do I." His voice lowers. "So don't let Darien touch her again."
He jabs the brush down hard onto the counter, breath flaring. "I don't care who Dorien touches."
"Liar."
"Shut up, Vark."
"Make me."
"Get out of my head," he snaps.
"Then get her out of yours."
A knock interrupts them. He wants to ask who it is, but he already knows who. The scent wafts in under the door before the second tap. Rose water and overly floral scent of someone trying too hard to be queen.
His mother.
"Go away," he calls.
The door opens anyway. Of course it does.
His mother walks in like she still thinks she has all the privileges of being the first wife, which for the record, she doesn't. Not after that bloody scandal she caused. Her heels click against the floor as she flashes him that shiny smile she's worn since the scandal.
She's in her signature pearl-gray dress suit, hair swept back into a bun so tight it could lift her brows into the next dimension.
"Amias, darling," she coos. "Lira's downstairs. She came to drive with you to the academy."
Lira? What the fuck? He used to rejoice at the mention of Lira. Lira meant he had something none of his half-brothers could. He means, they had everything; the well-behaved mothers with no dirty scandals surrounding them, Father's favors, extra abilities… name it.
He had none of those. However, knowing he's got Lira tripping for him and wrapped around his fingers, it used to bring him some form of comfort. Like that could make up for all the closures and privileges he lacked. All the hurt.
Yet, since yesterday, Lira has looked no better than a burden to him. Argh, fuck you, Heidi!
He doesn't turn around. "Why would Lira come here, Mom?!"
"I called her," she says lightly. "I thought it would be good for appearances. It'll make my co-wives jealous. They'll see you're better than your flaws. Your father…"
He whirls. "You called her?"
"She's a Beta's daughter from a strong bloodline. Her father has influence. And she's… fond of you." She snaps, still smiling.
"I go to school with my brothers," he grinds out. "Why would I suddenly play house with Lira now?"
His mother continues, ignoring him. "She waited in the sitting room, Amias. It shows dedication. Determination. And if your father sees that…"
"I don't give a damn what he sees."
"You should."
His voice lowers dangerously. "No."
"You want to be Alpha, don't you?"
"I never said that."
Her smile wavers for just a second. "You need to think of your future. Lira is beautiful, well-liked…"
"So marry her yourself," he snaps.
That one hits her hard. She straightens her spine. "I did this for you."
He throws on his blazer and stalks toward the door. "No. You did this to buy your way back into his bed."
She flinches, but it's got nothing on him. He doesn't stop because that's all she deserves. His mother—she doesn't deserve leniency.
"Maybe you should have thought about that before sleeping with a servant."
She gasps, clutching her throat like he slapped her.
"I don't want your plans, or your ambition, or your pawns, Mother. If you think whoring me off to a Beta's daughter is your redemption arc, you're worse than I thought."
And with that, he slams the door behind him. He can hear her hiccups from behind. Well, let her sob. Let Lira sit there with her fake lashes and shiny shoes and desperate little dreams of being Luna. He'll go to school with his brothers like he always does.
And if Heidi dares cross his path again… He doesn't know if he'll kiss her or kill her.
Vark rumbles with approval. "Finally," he whispers. "You're starting to sound like us."