Sabrina
“No!” Rhett calls back to me, pushing the door from the other side. “My thesis statements are fine – I don’t need your damned critiques tonight –“
I burst out laughing, pushing harder, and the door gives way just a little bit. We’re all well aware that this is a farce - I’m small enough and he’s big enough that if Rhett wanted this door shut it would be. But I play along, pushing hard, enjoying myself. “Your thesis statements are crap!”
“They’re fantastic!”
“You need me!” I give one final shove and the door gives, Rhett smirking at me on the other side.
He looms over me and points a finger at my face. “You keep your little sparkly pink pen away from my work tonight, Spencer.”
I wrinkle my nose at him, all of my teeth bared in a wide smile. “Just try
SabrinaAnd I remember that he’s always known her name. And while that might be just him liking her pastries and being kind to the employees of this institution, that sort of thing means something to girls like Cosette who are so talented and so often overlooked.I remember back to the night I tried to poison Rhett –And the charm she used on the water – the rhyme so simple, but flexible enough that a powerful Pancibus like her could…could use it every day, bake it right into the bread…Bread that Max eats every morning and evening.My jaw drops when I realize that…Cosette has been protecting him. Protecting Max from any poisons that someone might slip into his food – into any of his food, as long as he eats her bread along with it. And more than that, she’s been boosting his health – everyone’s health who eats her pastri
CosetteI wipe hastily at my cheeks as I rush down the hall, sniffing hard. But no matter how fast my hands work they can’t seem to make the stupid tears just go away.God, this is so embarrassing.But I can’t help it – I’m just…fucking devastated.I couldn’t believe it for a second when I wheeled the cart into the room – I though I had to be imagining it or that my eyes had suddenly broken or that I’d gone insane.Sabrina! Fucking Sabrina in Max’s lap – my Max!My wolf howls and I scowl at myself because…why am I being so stupid!?I whip around the final hall corner and hurry down the basement corridor toward my room, desperate to get in there where no one will see me.Because this truly is so incredibly stupid. And not even just silly – just stupi
Cosette“Was it a guy!?” he asks again – shouts, really, his arms tightening around me so much that I yelp, surprised as I’m crushed against his chest.“No!” I cry, shaking my head. And it’s not a lie – not really – Max didn’t do anything – and honestly, neither did Sabrina if I’m admitting the truth to myself – I didn’t tell her that I like the Prince, and even if I did I have no claim on him –The only person who’s really hurting me is my own stupid heart –“Who have you been seeing, Cosette?” Demrick snarls, his head lifting and snapping as he looks up and down the hall like someone who dated and dumped me is just going to be standing there thumbing his nose at us or something.“No one!”Demrick snarls again, louder now, his
Cosette“Whoa!” Juliette shouts, skidding to a stop at our side. “What – what the hell’s going on here!?”Matty slowly raises to his feet as Demrick groans in pain – and maybe in terror - and I just stand very still, shocked.“Demrick put his hands on her,” Matty growls, glaring down at his enemy before lifting his eyes to Juliette. I watch as he shifts in to his usual calm demeanor – tucking his Lupa identity away, becoming again the hapless nice guy who is so helpful in the kitchen. “I told him not to.”Juliette turns her attention to me, eyes flaring. “Is that true, Cosette?”“Um,” I say, hesitating but then shrugging. God, I don’t – I don’t want this to become a thing. “Yes? He shook me –“Juliette gasps, spinning her attention back to Demrick with ire in her eyes as more people gather
Sabrina“Stop it!” she shouts, grabbing her pillow and hurling it at me. “It’s not normal! No, it was not okay for him to put his hands on me but you’re not going to kill him! This is going to be handled in a very normal way!”“Which is?” I ask, dry.“We’re going to report it to the bosses and let them decide!”I huff, shaking my head at her as I turn back to Matt –“Don’t look at him!”Kind of stunned by my cousin’s unusual order, I turn back to her, eyebrows again raised. “I’m in charge!” she says, smacking her palm against her mattress with a thwack. “This is my life! We’re doing this my way – not some sick underworld Lupa way! Say it! Now!”I take a deep breath. “I’m not letting him hurt you, Cosette.”
Sabrina“Cosette,” I say softly, pressing my hand to my heart and leaning toward her, needing her to hear me on this. “I didn’t know that you felt that way about Max.”She blushes and drops her eyes, her natural bashfulness coming into play. “I know you didn’t, Sabrina. I just…didn’t know you intended to get close to him in that way.”“So, when I said I was going to his dinner parties…”She shrugs. “I guess I just thought you meant as a friend. Or like, a spy. It never even entered my mind that you’d want more. I mean…” she lifts her eyes to mine now. “He’s your enemy. Why would you want to kiss him?”I smirk a little. “I mean, you’ve never wanted to…”She scoffs at me and I put my hands up, not pushing any furt
Sabrina“Sabrina!”“It’s just girl code –““It’s insane!”I frown at her. “No, it’s not.”“Sabrina, I don’t even have a chance with him –““It’s not about that.”“It’s ridiculous to end all of your plans just because I asked you to –““But you didn’t ask me to,” I say, nodding seriously to her. “And…I mean, it would be easier to pull off all I have planned if Max is gaga for me, all wrapped up in a love haze but…” I purse my lips, considering again what I spent the whole night considering after I left his rooms. “I can do it in other ways.”She just stares at me, her mouth continuing to hang open.“I’m still going to have to stay close to him,” I sa
I step into the dining hall, my fingers fiddling with the red bow at the end of one of my braids. My toes turn in slightly as I take my first mousy steps toward the breakfast buffet, keeping my eyes on the floor as I go. I pick up a tray and fill it with a very scant amount of food, even as my stomach growls and my wolf grumbles, urging me to take more.But this is my first day at Witloch, meaning I’m far too anxious to eat.I turn with my tray in my hands, biting my lip as I look around for the right table, finally letting myself scan the room. The breakfast hall is about halfway full, but that doesn’t mean anything. Everyone is here.The rich don’t crowd, after all.My eyes skip over everyone, only lingering for a moment on the one gorgeous Alpha at the back, laughing with his two friends, the morning sun glinting off the blonde highlights in his chestnut hair.Wow, my wolf says, her toes tapping. Wow, he’s just as handsome as he is in the magazines -But I just clench my teeth and
Sabrina“Sabrina!”“It’s just girl code –““It’s insane!”I frown at her. “No, it’s not.”“Sabrina, I don’t even have a chance with him –““It’s not about that.”“It’s ridiculous to end all of your plans just because I asked you to –““But you didn’t ask me to,” I say, nodding seriously to her. “And…I mean, it would be easier to pull off all I have planned if Max is gaga for me, all wrapped up in a love haze but…” I purse my lips, considering again what I spent the whole night considering after I left his rooms. “I can do it in other ways.”She just stares at me, her mouth continuing to hang open.“I’m still going to have to stay close to him,” I sa
Sabrina“Cosette,” I say softly, pressing my hand to my heart and leaning toward her, needing her to hear me on this. “I didn’t know that you felt that way about Max.”She blushes and drops her eyes, her natural bashfulness coming into play. “I know you didn’t, Sabrina. I just…didn’t know you intended to get close to him in that way.”“So, when I said I was going to his dinner parties…”She shrugs. “I guess I just thought you meant as a friend. Or like, a spy. It never even entered my mind that you’d want more. I mean…” she lifts her eyes to mine now. “He’s your enemy. Why would you want to kiss him?”I smirk a little. “I mean, you’ve never wanted to…”She scoffs at me and I put my hands up, not pushing any furt
Sabrina“Stop it!” she shouts, grabbing her pillow and hurling it at me. “It’s not normal! No, it was not okay for him to put his hands on me but you’re not going to kill him! This is going to be handled in a very normal way!”“Which is?” I ask, dry.“We’re going to report it to the bosses and let them decide!”I huff, shaking my head at her as I turn back to Matt –“Don’t look at him!”Kind of stunned by my cousin’s unusual order, I turn back to her, eyebrows again raised. “I’m in charge!” she says, smacking her palm against her mattress with a thwack. “This is my life! We’re doing this my way – not some sick underworld Lupa way! Say it! Now!”I take a deep breath. “I’m not letting him hurt you, Cosette.”
Cosette“Whoa!” Juliette shouts, skidding to a stop at our side. “What – what the hell’s going on here!?”Matty slowly raises to his feet as Demrick groans in pain – and maybe in terror - and I just stand very still, shocked.“Demrick put his hands on her,” Matty growls, glaring down at his enemy before lifting his eyes to Juliette. I watch as he shifts in to his usual calm demeanor – tucking his Lupa identity away, becoming again the hapless nice guy who is so helpful in the kitchen. “I told him not to.”Juliette turns her attention to me, eyes flaring. “Is that true, Cosette?”“Um,” I say, hesitating but then shrugging. God, I don’t – I don’t want this to become a thing. “Yes? He shook me –“Juliette gasps, spinning her attention back to Demrick with ire in her eyes as more people gather
Cosette“Was it a guy!?” he asks again – shouts, really, his arms tightening around me so much that I yelp, surprised as I’m crushed against his chest.“No!” I cry, shaking my head. And it’s not a lie – not really – Max didn’t do anything – and honestly, neither did Sabrina if I’m admitting the truth to myself – I didn’t tell her that I like the Prince, and even if I did I have no claim on him –The only person who’s really hurting me is my own stupid heart –“Who have you been seeing, Cosette?” Demrick snarls, his head lifting and snapping as he looks up and down the hall like someone who dated and dumped me is just going to be standing there thumbing his nose at us or something.“No one!”Demrick snarls again, louder now, his
CosetteI wipe hastily at my cheeks as I rush down the hall, sniffing hard. But no matter how fast my hands work they can’t seem to make the stupid tears just go away.God, this is so embarrassing.But I can’t help it – I’m just…fucking devastated.I couldn’t believe it for a second when I wheeled the cart into the room – I though I had to be imagining it or that my eyes had suddenly broken or that I’d gone insane.Sabrina! Fucking Sabrina in Max’s lap – my Max!My wolf howls and I scowl at myself because…why am I being so stupid!?I whip around the final hall corner and hurry down the basement corridor toward my room, desperate to get in there where no one will see me.Because this truly is so incredibly stupid. And not even just silly – just stupi
SabrinaAnd I remember that he’s always known her name. And while that might be just him liking her pastries and being kind to the employees of this institution, that sort of thing means something to girls like Cosette who are so talented and so often overlooked.I remember back to the night I tried to poison Rhett –And the charm she used on the water – the rhyme so simple, but flexible enough that a powerful Pancibus like her could…could use it every day, bake it right into the bread…Bread that Max eats every morning and evening.My jaw drops when I realize that…Cosette has been protecting him. Protecting Max from any poisons that someone might slip into his food – into any of his food, as long as he eats her bread along with it. And more than that, she’s been boosting his health – everyone’s health who eats her pastri
Sabrina“No!” Rhett calls back to me, pushing the door from the other side. “My thesis statements are fine – I don’t need your damned critiques tonight –“I burst out laughing, pushing harder, and the door gives way just a little bit. We’re all well aware that this is a farce - I’m small enough and he’s big enough that if Rhett wanted this door shut it would be. But I play along, pushing hard, enjoying myself. “Your thesis statements are crap!”“They’re fantastic!”“You need me!” I give one final shove and the door gives, Rhett smirking at me on the other side.He looms over me and points a finger at my face. “You keep your little sparkly pink pen away from my work tonight, Spencer.”I wrinkle my nose at him, all of my teeth bared in a wide smile. “Just try
SabrinaOr! That same bedroom could become the sky itself, and I could conjure up some wings on my back and walk through the clouds, feeling something akin to what it’s like to be a bird. I mean, I wouldn’t be able to touch any of the clouds or feel the wings, but it could be –“Hey!”I turn with surprise toward the voice, my face breaking into a smile when I see Oliver, of all people, chasing me down the hall.“Betty,” he says, smiling and slowing his jogging steps. “Damn, you got far fast.”I laugh, grinning up at him. “Little feet,” I say, lifting one fashionably booted foot and nodding down to it. “Make fast tracks.”His smile deepens. “You say weird shit. I love that.”Joy races through me. God, I love boys.“What’s up, Ollie?” I ask, stepping just half a step closer, ti