Zodiac Academy: The Awakening As Told By The Boys
The Awakening As Told By The Boys: Chapter 19

I woke to tight lips around my cock and a groan left my lips as I thought of the girl I’d planned on bringing to my bed last night. I’d walked her upstairs, my hand on her lower back, her body leaning into mine. It had felt right in ways I was never gonna understand. Me and her were something special. I couldn’t figure out what it was yet, but I planned on fucking her fifty ways under the moon to get my answers.

Unfortunately, when we’d made it back to her room and I’d gone in for a kiss, she’d scruffed my hair like I was a dog, slipped through the door and slammed it in my face with a wild laugh.

She was a challenge. And Caleb was all for fucking Tory if she would give in to him, so why shouldn’t I have some fun with Darcy? Cal had the right idea. Fuck ‘em, break ‘em, dump ‘em. Then the two of us could run off into the sunset together. Not as a couple obviously. Unless… I pictured Cal’s mouth on my cock in place of the one currently sliding up and down it with enthusiasm and a growl rolled through my throat as I reached under the covers and fisted my hand in the hair of whoever was working me over. Short hair. Like Cal’s.

Fuck, hangover brain was being wild. But it was just a little fantasy. No harm in that. Everyone had fuckfest fantasies about their besties, right? Totally normal.

So I let myself indulge in the idea of Caleb’s mouth wrapped around my dick as I thrust my hips and worked on choking him with it, the idea getting me so hot that it ended when it had only just begun.

I groaned as I came, spilling myself down the throat of whichever one of my pack was working to please their Alpha, my head tipping back against the pillow as a sigh left me.

I cracked my eyes open as Frank crawled out from under the covers with a roguish grin on his lips, falling down beside me on the bed as a few sleeping bodies shifted to let him in. His hard on drove into my thigh as Alice started kissing his neck and caressing his chest and I tipped him a salute as I got up, crawling over the sea of bodies, the heat of so much flesh making my skin burn.

I needed a shower. And food. And…Darcy. Yeah, I wanted to see Darcy. For a morning cuddle and a bagel. Nothing suss about that. Except I was definitely supposed to be working harder at getting rid of her. But my brain was a fuzz of hangover and I wasn’t gonna heal that fuzz away because I kinda liked it here. And fuzzy me wanted Darcy. Maybe I could shove her face into her bagel or something, so it’d be like a compromise. Yeah, Mom would totally approve of a bagel bashing. And if she didn’t, well…she wasn’t here. So I could do what I liked.

I wasn’t the only Heir who’d been dry humping a Vega last night anyway, so why not cosy up to her for a little longer? Maybe I’d find out something that could help destroy her long term, maybe not. Maybe I didn’t really care. Just because we were one day going to fight for the throne didn’t mean we couldn’t be breakfast buddies in the meantime. Yup. Decision made.

I headed into my en-suite, finding Ashanti pinned to the wall by Eric as he thrust into her and I whistled a tune as I joined them in the heated flow of water, grabbing the body wash and soaping myself up good.

Ashanti kept pawing at me, trying to draw me into their fucking but I was hungry and I wanted to get downstairs to wake up my new friend. She kept at it though, so I gave her a filthy kiss to tip her over the edge, tugging her lower lip between my teeth as she came with a loud cry. Then I headed out of the shower, brushed my teeth and dried off with my air magic, heading back to my room where a full on orgy was breaking out in my bed and across the floor.

I had to step over several grinding bodies as I walked to the closet and when I pulled on my clothes, howls of disappointment echoed around me.

“Join us, Alpha,” Nessa begged, gripping the waistband of my jeans, but I pushed her hand off.

“I’m hungry,” I growled and she whimpered in complaint.

“We’ll bring you some food,” Tina offered from where she was pinned beneath Geoff on the bed, her head hanging upside down over the side of it.

“Nah, you guys have fun.” I grinned, making my way towards the door through the orgy maze as howls of sadness followed me. But I had stuff and things to do today. And I was craving the company of the Heirs. I loved my pack but sometimes I needed a break from all their pandering and pleasing. With my boys, I could just be me. An Alpha among Alphas.

I pushed a hand through my long hair as I made it down to Darcy’s room, hesitating there for a second. After last night, I liked her way more than I’d admit out loud. Maybe all this enemies stuff needed to be resolved by a good old fashioned fuck. In fact, I was willing to bet all issues in the world could be resolved with sex. I was so good in bed I could probably get her to renounce her claim while I was deep inside her, and she’d hail me as her king for good measure. Definitely plausible.

I lifted my hand to knock on Darcy’s door, but it opened before my knuckles touched it and my eyebrows arched in surprise. She wore a black sweater and jeans, her eyes squinty with her hangover and she looked cute as all hell as shock dawned on her features.

“Morning, babe.” I smirked as I thought of her hands all over me last night, hoping we could get back on that train pronto.

“Hey,” she said tersely, tucking a damp lock of hair behind her ear.

“Let me help you with that.” I raised a hand and cast heated air to dry it for her, stepping forward and pressing my nose into it as I took in the scent of her shampoo. It tasted edible and had my mouth watering as I wondered if I should just skip breakfast and have a feast on her instead.

“Cherry, my favourite. Speaking of cherries, has yours been popped yet?” I threw a glance into her room in case she’d invited any big-dick-Daniels or bouncy-titted-Tammys over after I’d left her here last night, but her room was empty. She jammed her shoulder against the door to keep me out, her expression growing fierce and making my gut tug. Why was she so angsty this morning?

“That’s none of your business,” she hissed.

“Can I make it my business?” I purred, wrapping an arm around her and yanking her into my chest. Was she really a virgin? She hadn’t fucked anyone on campus yet, and she’d been at Zodiac nearly a whole week. I’d fucked a whole marching band in my first three days here. I quite liked the idea of her being untouched though, because I had so fucking much to teach her if she offered her unclaimed pussy to me. I swear Venus herself had imbued my cock with her gifts.

“What the hell are you doing?” She pushed me back and a whine built in my throat that I didn’t let out. What was her deal? I thought she liked me. I was fucking loveable when I turned the charm on and last night I’d given her the charm and ground my dick against her multiple times, so what wasn’t to love?

“I thought we were cool now…you know, after you sucked on my lower lip then whispered dirty things in my ear,” I taunted. Okay, so maybe what she’d whispered to me was that I was an arrogant fuckwit with a god complex, but she’d been grinding on my cock at the time so I’d taken it as a compliment.

“I don’t recall any whispering.” Her eyes dipped to my mouth, giving away that she did remember the lip-sucking part.

I chuckled darkly. “Do you remember this bit too?” I moved my mouth to her ear, about to draw it between my teeth and get this breakfast party started when she yelped and forced me back.

I gave her a wicked grin, enjoying this game as she stepped out into the corridor with me and pulled the door shut behind her. Alright, I guess she’ll play with my balls after we eat then.

“Come on, I’ll walk you to breakfast.” I slung my arm over her shoulders and she wriggled a little, but not really enough to say she wanted me to let go. I kinda liked this cat and mouse game we played although my little mouse really would have done well to remember that in the end the cat would always get too hungry and the game would end in bloodshed.

“Why are you pretending to be nice to me? We’ve played this game before and I’m not falling for it, Seth,” she warned and my dick jerked in my pants. Wow, she just screwed the hell out of my name with her tongue.

“Fuck, do that again,” I said, biting down on my fist.

“What?” She stared up at me with a frown.

“The part where you say my name like you’re mouth-humping it.” I grinned tauntingly.

“That’s not a thing.” She shook her head, making another vague attempt to escape and failing. “I need to go and see Geraldine,” she said anxiously, glancing at me for a reaction and my gut dipped. Darius had texted us last night after he’d disappeared to tell us she’d been mauled by a Nymph. And that Nymph attack was on my list of things to talk to the Heirs about today, but my hangover brain was keeping me from worrying about it too much. No doubt my mom would be losing her shit over it and there’d be a whole statement from her and the other Celestial Councillors in the news today. Food first, work later.

“Yeah, sounds like the poor chick got seriously messed up,” I said. Grus was an eleven on the crazy royalist scale, but she was an alright girl. She could play Pitball like a damn warrior and I respected the hell out of that.

“Lucky Orion was there to help,” Darcy said dryly and my rage spiked as she said his name like that. Like it was a sweet as fuck candy she was rolling over her tongue.

“Woah.” I turned her to face me, hunting her eyes.

“What?” she gasped.

“We have a serious problem, babe,” I growled.

“What is it?” she asked in alarm.

“You just mouth-humped another guy’s name,” I accused, wanting this girl’s attention all to myself.

We could bring in a fuck buddy or two into the bedroom once I’d had her to myself for a while, but Professor Orion was off the menu. She got that right? He was like one hundred percent taboo. He was great to look at, I even had a memory of him in my spank bank where he’d nearly choked me out for burying a student fifty feet underground after they’d called the moon a whore and punched me in the throat. But that memory only came out to play in my mind, there was no acting on it. He was off limits.

Darcy’s lips parted and her cheeks turned pink, giving away all of the truth over her little crush to me. It was hardly surprising, there weren’t many girls who didn’t notice Orion was hot as fuck. “Are you kidding me right now?”

“This is no joke. You know you can’t date teachers, right? Them’s the rules. And I’d appreciate if you didn’t mouth-hump his name in front of me,” I said, tightening my grip on her.

“Can you please stop saying mouth hump? It’s not a thing,” she said, her nose scrunching adorably. Mmm, little mousey I’m going to eat you soon.

“It is a thing.” I said with a shrug. “I just made it a thing.”

“You’re impossible,” she sighed, pulling free of my hold and marching away from me in frustration.

“Wait up,” I called, a doggish whine in my throat as I ran after her and caught her hand, winding my fingers between hers. I didn’t want her to run away. In fact, I wanted to go back to last night where she didn’t look at me like I was the Devil. “Look, I know I mess around a lot and I’ve been an ass, okay?”

She turned to me, looking shocked as hell by that statement, but it was the truth.

I took a deep breath, wanting to soften that glare she was giving me and earn myself a snuggle instead. “I’m sorry, alright? For your first night…for trying to make you cut your hair off and then covering you in mud with my mates and posting it online….and then leaving you in The Wailing-”

“I got it,” she cut over me, making my chest yank at the venom in her eyes. “I remember it all pretty clearly.”

She tried to pull her hand free, but I refused to let go. It was just fun and games. I wanted her to bow to me, but she didn’t have to hate me. We could work this out. We could be frenemies with benefits.

“I just thought…after last night.” I cleared my throat, feeling weirdly vulnerable as I tried to bridge this shit between us. Last night had felt so right. All six of us together, hanging out. I always felt unequal around other students, the way they revered me or feared me, it made it difficult to form any equal relationships outside of the Heirs. But with her and Tory, they just…fit. “I just thought things had changed. But clearly I was wrong.” I released her hand, hoping she might contradict me as she aimed a hard scowl my way. Not even a teenie weenie contradiction? Just an itty bitty one?

“Last night we were drunk,” she said and I fought back a huff.

“I know but…” I shrugged. “So what? I still know how I feel this morning, don’t you?”

My heart beat madly as I bared my soul to her and felt vulnerable for one of the first times in my life. Me and her, there was definite attraction there. I knew it was complicated but…it didn’t have to be. We could set our politics aside for now and explore each other’s bodies with our tongues. Why not? What harm did it really do? Just a little nipple sucking and finger fucking before breakfast.

She shook her head, suspicion in her deep green gaze that I supposed I couldn’t really blame her for.

“I don’t trust you,” she admitted warily and my heart lifted, because trust issues were totally my bag. I was the best friend anyone could have, she’d see. She’d get it if she gave me a chance.

“Can I try to make you trust me?” I asked.

She pressed her lips together and brushed her fingers through the blue tips of her hair.

“No,” she whispered and kept walking, leaving my heart on the ground behind her, stomped on and kicked like an old tin can. I stared after her for two endless seconds as I fought the urge to howl in mourning of that single word then ran forward and planted myself in her way. I had one more card up my sleeve. The one thing the Heirs could never resist. That no one could ever resist.

I gave her my puppy dog eyes, my biggest, most gleaming doggish expression that made anyone melt for me. I. Was. Adorable.

“Ergh fine,” she gave in, a smile playing around her lips and I almost bounced with joy.

I grinned from ear to ear, playing it cool instead. “Kiss?” I leaned in for one and she jerked backwards in surprise.

“No! Are you crazy?” She shoved me back and I started bobbing on my heels, loving this back and forth. This challenge. She wanted me. Drunk her had said it all. So if I had to coax out her wild side and earn her trust, then fine. I’d do it. Then I’d get all the sober kisses I wanted from her.

“Crazy for you,” I said with a stupid smirk.

“That is the cringiest thing I’ve ever heard,” she laughed.

“Yeah actually, don’t repeat that to anyone, babe. Street cred and all.” I winked, snatching her hand again and tugging her along. I’m on a trip to breakfast with my breakfast buddy. I sang the made up song in my head, a wide smile on my lips. Breakfast, breakfast, have you seen my buddy? Oh there she is, there’s my breakfast buddy. Just me and her for breakfast-

“You’re not coming with me,” she said firmly, dousing my mood in gasoline and setting it alight as we stepped into the stairwell.

Oh.

A couple of freshmen approached us, one with a beanie hat on and the other a petite little blonde thing.

“See ya.” Darcy pulled her hand free of mine, moving to join them and she shot me a glare that told me to stay back.

I stared at her, rejection stinging and raw in my chest as her eyes shut me out and told me to get fucked. I ran my tongue over my lower lip as I fought back the Fae in me who wanted a fight, but I decided I didn’t want to beat her down right now and forced myself to walk away and head downstairs.

I took out my Atlas with a pout, finding a bunch of missed calls and texts waiting for me. Half of them were from Kylie demanding answers for a video that had been leaked online of me and Darcy dancing at the club, and my gut sank as I realised the other half were from my mom and there was a bunch of notifications telling me I’d been mentioned in all kinds of articles online and FaeBook.

Shit on the moon, I’m in trouble.

I headed out of Aer Tower and bolstered myself up as I walked to the cliffs to make this call, casting a silencing bubble around me. When I made it to the very edge, I sat down on a large rock jutting over the cliff, letting my legs hang down as I stared at the bright blue sea below and hit dial.

My mom answered immediately, her voice cutting into my brain like a knife.

“Seth Capella where have you been?!” she barked and I flinched from her furious tone.

“Sleeping,” I said innocently.

“Sleeping?” she snarled. “While the world is crumbling at your feet, you’ve been sleeping?!”

“It’s not crumbling-” I started but she cut over me.

“There has been a Nymph attack on a Zodiac Academy student outside a club that you were at last night, and do you know how I found out about that? Through a call in the middle of the night from Gus Vulpecula asking me for a statement on why my son was witnessed with his hands all over a Vega while an innocent student was being attacked by a Nymph right under your nose.”

Oh fuck.

“Mom, if you just-”

“I will not just anything. You are in serious trouble, you reckless little pup.”

Oh no. She was pupping me. This was bad. Apocalypse bad.

“This is on the verge of being a full blown scandal,” she went on in a snarl that made me whine. “And the other Heirs are not even close to innocent in all of this, you understand? There are photographs and videos all over the internet of you all flirting with the Vegas – do you have any idea how damaging this could be to your reputation?”

“I know, Mom, but they’re just girls. And they’re kind of cool. Isn’t it a good thing that we’re showing how amicable we can be with our enemies? I mean, we only have to beat them down and take the throne from them, and we’ve been training for years, they can’t even cast any simple spells yet, what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal?!” she roared, making my heart hide behind my lungs. “The big deal, pup, is that you look weak in those images. You look like the girls are in control, leading you all along by your willy winkies-” By the stars, I hated when she called my dick a willy winkie “-Do you have any idea of the compromising position you’ve put us all in? Of the damage control needed here to rectify this?”

“I don’t see the big deal,” I pushed, my blood rising with frustration.

“You are an Heir. Born to rule. And the Vegas are your enemies,” she snapped. “You cannot be seen fraternising with them, especially not when they distract you from detecting a Nymph in your near proximity. Do you know how bad this makes you look?”

“How am I supposed to detect Nymphs? I don’t have Nymph radar in my head, Mom,” I growled. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Don’t you get clever with me, pup,” she hissed and I gritted my teeth. “You are to get rid of those girls, do you understand me? You will work to undo the damage you have caused. You will show the world that those twins are beneath you, that you could crush them easily, that you are the true power in this kingdom and that you will rise up to claim the throne the Vegas have come back to steal.”

“I can beat them any time I like, anyone with a brain knows that.”

“They do not, in fact, know that. The news needs to be full of stories that counter this scandal, Seth. You have severely disappointed me.”

“But Mom-” I tried.

“No buts. I’ve had enough of your arrogance. You need to understand the important of this, the magnitude. So I have no choice but to punish you to drive the point home.”

“Punish me?” I balked. “Why? Because of some Nymph attack out of my control and because I danced with a Vega?”

“Exactly!” she boomed. “Because if you will not take this seriously then I shall force you to. You are officially banned from attending the family moon march and you cannot come home again until you have made extensive efforts in rectifying this failure.”

My breath stalled in my lungs and I shoved to my feet in horror. “What? You can’t do that.”

“I just did,” she snarled. “Do what you must to fix what you have broken, or there will be further punishments, and I guarantee you they will make this punishment seem like a dream by comparison.” She hung up and I felt choked, unable to breathe as I stood staring at the sea and my pulse skittered everywhere under my flesh.

She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t. I needed to see my family like I needed air to breathe. I went home every week to see my brothers and sisters, my cousins. I needed their bond, it was one of the most important needs I had. And to ban me from the family moon march was like cutting off a lump of my soul. It was a Capella tradition. I hadn’t missed a single moon march my entire life. It was a huge party held under the moon on the shore of Lake Questos. We remained in our Order forms all night and slept out beneath the rays of the moon, bathing in its light. And now I wouldn’t be there to take part. I wouldn’t get to swim in the cool waters gilded in moonlight and feel the lunar power rippling through its depths. I wouldn’t hear the chorus of my family’s howls rising to our celestial goddess in the sky. I’d be here. Alone. Without them.

My breaths came furiously and my hands began to shake as panic set in. She couldn’t do this. How could she fucking do this?

My Atlas started ringing and I found the one person I craved to talk to above all others calling.

“Cal?” I croaked as I answered.

“We’re fucked,” he gritted out and I took a moment of relief knowing that at least I wasn’t alone in this. Though it was short lived. “Come to the Hollow.”

“Okay,” I rasped. “We’ll figure this out, won’t we?”

“We always do,” his tone softened a little. Caleb was always so calm in the face of chaos; he had this way about him that grounded me and I needed that more than ever right now. He hung up and I turned and started walking in the direction of The Wailing Wood, my limbs heavy and numb, the only thing I could feel was the pained thump of my heart in my chest.

What are we gonna do? How are we gonna fix this?

I trailed along the path in the woods, staring at the ground as my mind ran at a thousand miles an hour, trying to find a solution. But there was too much panic in my head to let in anything logical. I needed a hug. And a coffee. And a snack.

A freshman boy bumped into me and I shoved him to the ground in anger.

“Capella,” a harsh voice made my head snap up and I found Professor Orion stalking into my path, aiming a hard glare at me. “Was that really called for?” He jerked his chin at the freshman who scrambled upright and sprinted away down the path, weaving left and right like he thought I might start firing magic at his ass.

“He got in my way,” I snarled.

“Is that how you plan on ruling the kingdom?” he asked icily. “Forcing anyone down who gets in your way?”

“What’s it to you?” I snapped, losing my shit. I didn’t need him riding my ass this morning. What did he want anyway? It was a Saturday, shouldn’t he have been off being an asshole elsewhere today?

“Watch your tone,” he warned, prowling closer until he was right in my path, his fangs bared.

I glared at him, wondering why he was targeting me right now. It was the wrong fucking time to mess with me.

“Or what?” I hissed, unable to rein in my temper. I needed an outlet, and maybe starting a fight with a teacher was a shitty idea considering my current situation, but I’d never had much impulse control. So I squared up to him and his eyes darkened with the challenge, like he was as keen as I was for this fight.

“What’s got you in such a foul mood, Capella? Get shot down last night?” he taunted, his eyes glittering with malice.

“I don’t get shot down, sir,” I spat. Except by Darcy Vega apparently.

That seemed to get him even angrier and he stepped closer, his chest brushing mine and I wondered if I really was going to dig my grave deeper today.

“So you think the best way to claim your throne is by dating a Vega?” he asked, his voice cold and his eyes flaring. I guessed he had his own investment in my actions. He was firmly team Heir and Darius’s little bestie – not that I was jealous. Except okay, maybe sometimes I wished I could get in on their cuddle parties.

“I’m not dating her,” I spat bitterly. And it looks like I won’t be now either.

His brows arched and I sighed, a whine leaving me as I looked away from him.

“Have you seen Darius?” he muttered. “I can’t find him and he’s not answering his Atlas.”

I frowned, shaking my head even though I imagined Darius would be coming to King’s Hollow. But if he didn’t want to be found then I wasn’t gonna rat him out.

Orion sighed, rubbing a spot on his chest as his eyes splintered with some need.

“Are you…okay?” I asked and he frowned at me.

“Fine,” he snapped.

“I’m not okay,” I mumbled.

I didn’t know why, but suddenly I started splitting apart in front of him and I just needed a hug so bad. So I lunged at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I don’t know what to do. What do I do?”

“Get off of me,” he grunted, shoving me back, but I held on like a limpet. I bet he gave great hugs, I just needed to hold on until he gave in. “Capella.” He blasted me away with a gust of air and I tipped my head back and howled to the sky before running past him, tearing off the path into the trees, needing my brothers more than anything in the world.

I made it to the huge tree that gave access to King’s Hollow, darting inside, running up the winding stairway within the trunk and shoving the door open.

Caleb was there casting fire in the hearth and I collided with him, knocking him down onto the rug and nuzzling against his face.

“Seth,” he wheezed out as I held him down, a whimper in my throat.

He sighed, slowly closing his arms around me and I finally relaxed, burying my face in his neck.

“My mom banned me from attending the family moon march,” I said into his flesh. He smelled so good. I just wanted to stay here forever where things almost felt okay.

“Oh man, I’m sorry,” he said, running a hand up and down my back in soothing strokes. The tension started to leave my body as I stole comfort from him, knowing he didn’t like the snuggly ways of my kind, but he always indulged me when I needed it and I couldn’t help myself.

A boom sounded and the treehouse trembled as Darius landed on the roof. A beat later, he appeared through the hatch already dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a black t-shirt and I vaguely wondered why he’d carried his clothes here instead of just grabbing something from the chest like usual.

“Hi,” he grunted at us and I got to my feet, walking toward him with my arms outstretched.

He turned his back on me as he started making coffee and I kept walking, my arms closing around him from behind. I rested my chin on his shoulder and watched him make coffee as I remained wrapped tightly around him. He winced a little like that hurt so I took it down a notch because I was super strong and I didn’t mean to over squeeze.

“It’s okay, Darius,” I whispered in his ear and he batted a hand at me like I was a wasp buzzing around his head. But I knew he needed this hug. We all needed hugs sometimes, and luckily they were my speciality.

The door opened and Max strode in wearing a dark blue t-shirt and jeans, his face like thunder. “Shit, it tastes like a funeral in here.”

I released Darius, striding towards Max instead with my arms wide again and he pulled me in tight, his Siren powers coiling into my chest and stealing away the worst of my anxiety.

“Thanks, bro,” I murmured and he clapped me on the back before we broke apart.

“Why do you smell kind of…hospitally?” I asked him, cocking my head to one side.

“Oh…err.” Max ran a hand up the back of his neck then raised his chin as he went on. “I just checked in on Grus at Uranus Infirmary this morning is all. Like…she wasn’t allowed visitors and I didn’t wanna make a scene, so I snuck in and checked she was still alive while she was sleeping.”

“You crept into her bedroom and watched her sleep?” I asked, arching a brow.

“Only for like twenty minutes or something – just to make sure she didn’t die. Because, you know, we don’t need the headache of a Nymph murder right on our doorstep.”

“Hail to that,” I agreed with a nod, turning away from him to the couch as I found myself suddenly losing interest in this topic. I vaguely wondered if he’d just done something to my emotions to make me forget about it, but figured it was probably to do with his calming energy.

Darius brought us all coffee and I dropped down beside Cal on the couch, though there wasn’t much room as Darius was beside him, so I mostly just curled up on both of their laps.

“Dude,” Darius grumbled as he got my ass end and I wriggled to try and get comfortable, kicking my shoes off onto the floor.

“I’ll be comfy in a second,” I said, grinding my hips left and right as I worked to settle myself and Cal cursed as my head knocked into his coffee.

Max flicked his fingers, catching the boiling liquid before it splashed over me and sending it flying straight back into the mug.

“You done?” Cal demanded of me and I nodded, giving him a sad look as I rested my head down on his lap.

“So…damage control,” Max said in his deep voice, placing his ankle on his knee in the seat to our left. “I did some things last night…things I’m not proud of.”

“Was it the bit where you climbed on the bar and shouted hail to the Vegas’ tits?” Caleb asked with a snigger. “Or the part where you got your cock out and said you could do the Macarena with it – I was kind of impressed that you could actually do it.”

“Yes, Cal,” Max gritted out. “Those are the parts I’m not proud of. Especially because my fucking parents had the pleasure of watching those videos all over the damn internet.”

Darius dropped his face into his hands with a heavy sigh. “We’re so fucked.”

“It’s not that bad,” Caleb tried and Darius’s head shot up as he glared at him.

“Not that bad? Are you fucking kidding me? My father will destroy me if I don’t do something to fix this fast. And I’m terrified he’ll-” He cut himself off, sipping his coffee instead and a whine of sympathy left me.

“It’s okay, Darius,” I said softly, but he shook his head, his eyes wrought with some untold fears and my heart twisted in my chest. “We’ll think of something.”

“We need to go in hard,” Max said. “When my father called this morning, I heard my mother say they should see if they can get Ellis Awakened early just in case I’m not up to the task of defeating the Vegas.”

“Seriously?” I balked and Max nodded, his features drawn with worry. The more this news descended on me, the more I blamed the Vegas for it. They’d lured us in, made us want them and now look! My brothers were hurting. And no one hurt my brothers and got away with it.

“We need to make a move that shows the world they’re beneath us. We’ve fucked up guys. Bad,” Max said.

“Yeah,” I agreed as realisation washed over me. Maybe I’d let my dick take too much control last night, maybe I’d been an idiot to think we could hang out with the Vegas and it wouldn’t be a disaster in the making.

“I think it’ll blow over,” Caleb said. “My mom was pissed, but she usually forgives me pretty quick.”

“You’re not taking this seriously enough,” Darius barked at him and Caleb sat up straighter in his seat. “This is do or die, Cal.”

Caleb shrugged. “I think if we give it a week-”

“We can’t,” I said in a growl, panic rising in me. “My mom was clear, I can’t come home until I do something to fix this.”

Caleb looked down at me with a shocked frown, his fingers curling in my shirt. “Really?”

I nodded, a lump thick and unyielding in my throat. “I need them, Cal. I can’t survive without my family.”

He nodded, his brows drawing together.

“The pranks aren’t good enough anymore,” Darius said darkly, draining his coffee and placing his mug down on the side. He looked like he’d hardly slept and I moved my foot back and forth on his thigh to try and soothe him. His hand slammed down on it to stop me and I enjoyed the contact.

“So what do we do?” I asked. “Challenge them?”

“No,” Max said firmly. “A beat down at this stage is pointless. They aren’t trained to fight back, it would look weak on our part.”

“So what then?” I pressed.

“We have to make them want to run,” Darius growled darkly. “Run and never come back.”

A whine left me, but I knew this was the only option. We were left with no choice. Our parents weren’t going to let this lie and we had to prove to them that we were capable of being the Heirs they’d raised us to be. This was one of our first real tests and I couldn’t lose my family over a Vega. So I’d become the heartless creature I needed to be to rule and cut off any ideas of a friendship with them. It had been stupid anyway. Look where it had landed me already. I was missing out on the moon march because I’d gotten stupid ideas about fucking Darcy Vega and my mom had always told me to think with my head not my willy winkie – I mean my cock for fuck’s sake.

“So we need them afraid of us,” I said, leaning in to the darkest side of me and making my inner psycho purr. “They need to think they can never defeat us.” You take my family moon march, then I’ll take something from you, Darcy Vega.

Darius and Max nodded, though Caleb was quiet, his brow deeply furrowed.

“I can find out what it is they fear,” Max said as a dark cloud seemed to descend over the room, one tainted with the ruthlessness of our natures.

“Yes,” Darius said decisively. “Then we can become the monsters that bring their fears to life.”

“I dunno…” Caleb said, pushing his fingers into his hair. “Is this really necessary?”

“It’s necessary,” Max growled and both Darius and I nodded.

Caleb frowned, giving in, though I could tell he had reservations. But he’d benefit from this too. I wasn’t gonna see his name dragged through the mud for one slip up, I’d damn well do what I had to to protect him.

My mom always told me that rulers didn’t always do things they liked, but what was best in the long run. This was one of those things, and if I wanted to prove myself worthy of her seat on the Celestial Council, then I had to rise up and be worthy of the title I was one day going to claim from her. I had to show the public that I had a spine of steel and it would not be bent for the Vegas. So I’d force them down in the dirt and show the world that I was destined to rule and they were not. And even if my soul was the price I had to pay for that, then so be it.

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