Lyra's POV
My words cut through the air like a blade. "If the princess chooses him, I doubt she'd want someone this pathetic."
I spun around to face Xander directly, letting every ounce of contempt I felt show in my expression. The surrounding wolves erupted in excited murmurs, with Kenji and his friends making exaggerated sounds of shock until Xander silenced them with a single murderous glare.
The tension in the room became suffocating as Xander slowly rose from his seat. He casually spat his gum to the side, the wad barely missing another student's head. When he stood at his full height, towering over me with those piercing golden eyes, I felt my pulse quicken. But I refused to back down. I planted my feet firmly and matched his stare with equal intensity.
"This ends now," I declared, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins. "If beating you senseless is what it takes, then so be it."
