Chapter 5 Zara

The Nightshade twins walked down toward the ring like they owned the entire arena.

Because as far as everyone in this academy was concerned, they did.

The crowd parted for them instantly, students pressing back on both sides without needing to be told. No one dared get in their way. No one even made eye contact. 

I kept my arm around Ivy, supporting her weight as we continued to leave the ring, completely ignoring them. Ivy leaned against me without speaking, her breathing still uneven, her fingers curled weakly into the fabric at my side.

The twins suddenly stopped right in front of us, blocking our path.

Cassian spoke. "That was quite the performance, little Omega. You've made things…interesting." His voice was deep, smooth, and commanding effortlessly.

Dante tilted his head slowly, his smirk widening as his eyes moved over me with undisguised curiosity. "Very interesting. We've never seen anyone humiliate Marcus like that. Especially not a wolfless girl in a bloody hospital gown."

Cassian's ice-blue eyes locked onto mine and stayed there. "From now on, you belong under our protection. Whether you want it or not. You're part of Bloodmoon now. No one touches what's ours."

Dante chuckled, completely certain of himself. "Consider it an honor. We don't offer protection to just anyone."

They said it like they were doing me a favor and I should be grateful. Like the correct response was to lower my head and thank them massively, falling into line behind them without another word.

I stared at them for a long second.

Then I laughed.

I couldn't help it, it started low and genuine, bubbling up and then grew into full, mocking laughter that echoed out across the silent arena and bounced off the stone walls. The sound shocked everyone. I could feel it ripple through the crowd like a physical thing. Students stared with open mouths. Whispers broke out on all sides. No one laughed at the Nightshade twins. The concept apparently did not exist at Silverfang Academy.

"You're joking, right?" I said, still smiling as I looked between them. "Protection? From you two?"

I looked them both up and down slowly, taking my time. "I don't need protection from spoiled little boys who have never seen a real war. Run along and play your little dominance games with someone else. I'm not interested."

The entire arena went deathly quiet.

Dante's smirk faded. His eyes darkened slowly, the amusement draining out of them and being replaced by anger. But underneath the anger, clearly visible to anyone paying attention, was fascination. He took a step forward, closing the distance between us, his broad frame casting a long shadow over me and Ivy both. Up close, he was bigger than he looked from a distance.

"You've got quite the mouth on you," he said, his voice dropping low and quiet. "No one speaks to us like that."

He shifted his weight, positioning himself to block my path completely, standing close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his body. He was waiting for me to step back. To flinch. To reconsider.

I didn't back down.

Instead, I shoved him hard in the chest with both hands, putting every bit of strength this small body had behind it.

Dante stumbled back a full step. It wasn't far. But it happened, and it was visible to every single person in the arena. Shock flashed raw and unguarded across his face before he could control it. The crowd gasped so loudly it sounded like one voice.

No one had ever touched the Nightshade twins like that. The idea of it had probably never even occurred to anyone here as a possibility.

I kept my arm around Ivy and walked straight past both of them, head held high, without looking back once.

Behind us, chaos erupted.

The silence shattered all at once. Whispers exploded into loud voices, students turning to each other with wide eyes, everyone talking over everyone else. The arena filled with noise from every direction as three hundred people tried to make sense of what they had just witnessed in the span of the last ten minutes.

I ignored all that and kept walking, but I felt it clearly.

Two stares burning into my back. Heavy, fixed and completely unblinking. 

They were still watching me.

As we reached the wide stone entrance and the noise of the arena began to fade behind us, Dante's voice cut through it all.

"Little Omega…you just made the biggest mistake of your life. We're definitely going to enjoy breaking you."

I didn't turn around or  give them the pleasure of glancing over my shoulder.

But a small, cold smile touched my lips as we walked out into the hallway.

They could certainly try.