Revenge on Ice

Chapter 5

Lyra

The next morning, I went to school feeling like the moon goddess was against my existence. It was either that or I was going to spend the day with my parents and I wasn't in the mood to talk to them right now.

"Oh my goddess, Lyra. You look worse than a zombie." Mira said, stepping into my path as she engulfed me in a hug.

"I have missed you so much. Are you okay? You look so pale. If I ever get my hands on that bastard, I could cut his balls and feed it to that b***h of his."

I huffed weakly because Darian was the least of my problems.

As if we summoned him, he appeared right in front of us wearing a cocky smirk. "I was beginning to think you had transferred out of the school but then again a little picture show won't scare you off, shameless people are always like that."

Mira stepped in front of me. "Get lost, Darian."

"Or what, Mira? Going to call her daddy dearest?"

I put a hand on Mira's clenched fist to stop her from making any scene.

"You know, we can put the whole incident behind us if you just do as I say." Darian suggested, reaching for my shoulder. Mira looked like she wanted to tear that arm away when a guy from our Wolfpuck team interrupted.

"Hey, Darius. Coach has been looking for you for the last ten minutes, man. He looked pissed."

"Catch you later, Ly." he muttered, winking at me before walking off.

Did he seriously think I am that much of a fool? But I couldn't didn't blame him. I was a fool.

Mira watched him go, then exhaled through her teeth. "Asshole."

I sighed and we continued walking, heading toward our class. The hallway was busy with the usual morning crowd, lockers slamming, sneakers squeaking against the floor, someone laughing too loudly somewhere behind me.

I rounded a corner and stopped.

Silas Noctis, my betrothed, had a girl pressed up against the lockers. One of his hands was braced above her head while the other curled around her waist. He was kissing her slowly and deeply, like he had a treasure in her throat that he was trying to dig up. The girl had her fingers twisted in the front of his shirt but he was looking directly at me.

I bent my head and kept walking. The only thing I had to do was to ignore him. I passed him and had almost forgotten Mira was beside me until she yanked me to a corner.

"What the f**k was that?" she hissed.

I blinked. "What?"

"Don't what me." She pointed at the corridor. "He was staring at you. Silas Noctis was kissing someone and staring at you the entire time. What is going on?"

I opened my mouth and closed it. The easy thing would have been to say I don't know, shrug it off and change the subject. Mira would have let me, for about five minutes, before she dug it out of me anyway.

"I'm engaged to him," I said.

Mira's face went through several expressions in quick succession. Confusion. Disbelief. Something approaching horror. Then back to disbelief.

"Say that again."

"Our families have made an arrangement." I exhaled. "I was only told yesterday."

"You're..." She pressed both hands to the sides of her face. "Lyra. You are telling me that the boy who just had his tongue down some girl's throat while eye-contacting you in the hallway is your fiancé?"

"Yes."

"And you were just going to walk past him like nothing happened?"

"That was the plan."

She stared at me for a long moment.

The bell cut through the silence before she could respond, sharp and unapologetic.

"Lunch," Mira said immediately, pointing at me. "You are telling me everything at lunch. Every single detail. Don't even think about eating in the library."

"Okay."

"I mean it, Lyra."

"I know."

I went to class.

---

By the time I slipped into Advanced Werewolf History, the teacher was already mid-sentence. I managed to get through the class until lunch. I didn't want to leave, if I stayed in the room long enough, maybe the day would simply end around me. But my stomach had been empty since the night before and Mira would find me regardless.

I found my usual table, the one tucked into the most inconspicuous corner of the hall, and hoped that things went the way I planned.

It wasn't long before the chair beside me scraped back loudly.

I didn't even need to look because I smelled him first.

"Caught you, little mouse."

I started to stand but his hand clamped around my wrist and yanked me back onto his lap.

I went still. His arm went around my waist, keeping me in place. "Are you scared of me?"

I shook my head, not wanting to speak.

"Good." He leaned in, lips brushing my ear. "Because I would hate to think my mate-to-be is scared of me."

Across the room, Darian passed by with Rosa, his hands holding hers. Rosa gave me a sneer as my eyes fell on them.

Silas noticed.

"You wishing that was you?" he murmured. "Wishing you were still his little toy?"

"No," I whispered. "I was just..."

He cut me off by pressing his lips to the side of my neck.

I sucked in a breath.

I began to feel a second touch. Slipping beneath the hem of my skirt, moving slowly up my inner thigh.

The cold hand climbed higher, skimming close to my panties.

And then suddenly Silas grabbed my wrist and bit into it. Pain flooded my entire body and I tried to pull my hand away.

I hated it. I hated it now, just like I had hated it then. Or so I'm telling myself.

"Please," I whimpered, trying to keep up the meek act.

Silas licked the mark. "You are mine, Lyra. Until I decide I don't want you anymore."

His grip on my waist tightened.

"Never forget that."

How could I, when this was the second time I was reliving this. But take note, Silas Noctis. You also belong to me until I kill you because I won't make the same mistake twice.

After all, third time's the charm.