Claimed By Her Step Brothers; Theirs To Own

CHPATER NINE

CHAPTER NINE

~~FREYA ~~

I woke up to the smell of herbal incense. The hours I’d spent unconscious was a blur of dreams I could barely recall.

When Xavier and Quinn had cornered me, asking about the maid, about the food, about the face of my poisoner; I had nothing to give them. It was as though the memory of the meal had been wiped clean.

All I knew was fear. A deep, soul-shaking dread of the man who ruled this manor.

"It's over now. I'm fine," I lied to my reflection.

I was back in my faded jeans and a threadbare tee, my hair pulled into two defensive pigtails.

Today was the day I traded the threat of the dungeon for the unknown hell of Gryphon Academy.

Xavier’s "mercy" was starting to feel like a different kind of cage, but I had to step into it.

The door swung open without a knock. Ryker strolled in, a permanent, taunting smirk playing on his lips.

"Ready for the shark tank, I see," he jeered. His eyes did a slow, insulting sweep of my scrawny frame.

"Quinn said I’m starting today," I replied, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

He snickered, leaning against the doorframe. "Don't get too excited, Freya. Gryphon wouldn’t be so easy on you. A thousand Alphas and one weak wolf girl? It’s going to be a humiliation ritual."

"I know what to expect," I muttered, though my stomach was doing somersaults.

"I bet you do." He turned, his silver hair catching the light. "Let’s go. The SUV leaves in two minutes with or without you."

I took one last look in the mirror. I looked small. I looked weak. I looked exactly like the victim everyone wanted me to be. I smoothed the wrinkles in my jeans and walked out, praying that Alpha Damien wasn't lurking in the shadows to deliver one last insult before I left.

I reached the driveway. The blue SUV was idling.

My brothers were already inside. Quinn was checking his watch, his brow furrowed. Xavier was staring out the window, his profile as sharp and cold as always. He didn't even acknowledge me when I climbed in.

"Took you long enough," Quinn grumbled.

"Spent too much time staring at the wreck in the mirror," Ryker added from the front seat.

The drive was short, but every mile felt like a mile closer to a cliffside. When we pulled up to the gates of Gryphon, my breath seized for a moment. It was a fortress of dark stone and sprawling lawns, swarming with male students in crisp navy and grey.

As we stepped out, the air changed. The scent of a thousand young wolves hit me like a physical wall. I tried to duck behind Quinn, using his broad shoulders as a shield.

"You can't hide back there forever, Freya," Ryker mocked. "Eventually, you have to be out in the open"

I sucked in my lower lips, averting my stares to the floor.

“So what now? Xavier. You should be in charge of settling her into this academy since it was your suggestion in the first place”

“No!” Quinn growled in response to Ryker’s suggestion

For the first time that morning, Xavier’s eyes landed on me. His golden eyes ran over my features in one swift motion, devoid of any emotion… just indifference.

Xavier walked out first. I watched as students parted for him as he walked past. They also bowed in acknowledgment . Xavier never responded. It was as though he was blind to the reverence.

Ryker went a different way, greeted by shouts and fist-bumps. He seemed social, at least, much better than Xavier.

Eyes were beginning to drift towards me, murmurings from students were starting to rise.

Of course, it was something I had expected. Who wouldn't have a couple of things to say when they see a female in an all male academy. Especially one with “history”

"Stay close," Quinn muttered to me, his hand hovering near the small of my back as we headed for the Principal's office. "And for the Goddess's sake, keep your head down. Try to look like you belong."

"I can't look like I belong in a place that’s designed to keep me out," I whispered.

He stopped so fast I slammed into his back. He turned, his eyes flashing. "Would you prefer the silver bars of the cell? Because I can call Father right now."

I gulped hard, reminding myself that this right here, is the safest option.

I shook my head vigorously, the cold memory of the poison still fresh in my throat. "No. I'll stay."

We reached the Principal's office. The instant he sensed our presence, he looked up from the ledger.

"Freya Ashwood. Xavier handled your details," he said, his voice as dry as parchment. He slid a heavy bag and a stack of fabric across the desk. "You are the first female to step foot in these halls in fifty years. You will train with the men. You will run with the men. You fail? You're out. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," I whispered.

Quinn led me to a door marked with a fading female icon: the only one in the entire wing. "I have lectures. Don't cause trouble, and don't make me come looking for you."

I stepped inside the restroom and pulled the uniform out. It was a white shirt, a navy blazer with the Gryphon crest, and a pleated skirt.

I stripped out of my jeans and pulled the skirt on.

I straightened my blazer, took a deep breath, and stepped out into the hallway to face the wolves.