Elsie Lyka Lancaster was undeniably stunning. Her blue eyes were captivating, a shade so vivid and deep that they could make men fall at her feet. Her heart-shaped face, pointed nose, and full bottom lip gave her an appearance that was nothing short of alluring.
Yet, beneath all that charm, Violet sensed the aloofness that cloaked her like a veil. It felt like her beauty was just a facade, hiding the true nature beneath.
Elsie exuded an air of superiority that had nothing to do with her looks. It was in her posture, the way she held herself, the way she looked down on everyone else with cold indifference. To Elsie, Violet was nothing but dirt, meant to grovel at her feet, to worship her as though she were some goddess above everyone else.
It was further proven when Violet felt something akin to a challenge in the she-wolf’s gaze, as if she were expecting Violet to look away first.
Lila, noticing the tension between the two, whispered urgently, "Look away, Violet. Don’t engage her."
Unfortunately for Lila, Violet had never been one to follow orders, especially not from someone who expected her to cower. She wasn’t scared of some Queen Bee who held power by intimidating others.
She was a pure blooded werewolf, so what? What was so special about her anyway if it wasn’t her soon-to-be overused womb for pureblood werewolf offspring. It was no secret that pure blooded she-wolves tend to give birth a lot. A move to rebuild the declining pureblooded population.
Grace must have caught her attention because Elsie was the first to look away, and that small victory gave Violet a flicker of satisfaction.
In that moment, Violet decided she didn’t like the she-wolf, and it wasn’t because Elsie was set to marry one of the Cardinal Alphas. That was none of her concern. She actually hoped it was Asher. Maybe that way the psychopath would leave her alone.
Violet hated her because she knew girls like Elsie, the ones who pretended to be angelic and pure while hiding their true nature beneath. They were nothing but wolves in sheep’s clothing.
"Let’s go," Lila urged, pulling her away before their silent altercation could reignite. Lila swore that Violet was determined to give her a heart attack one of these days.
Thankfully, the line moved quickly, and before long, it was their turn. Her eyes scanned the array of dishes arranged before her on a long, polished table.
She had to admit, the luxury here was nothing like what she’d ever experienced. The sight alone made her mouth water as each dish steamed lightly, promising a hot, freshly prepared meal. If anything could convince her to stay at this school, it would be the food. She was in a food paradise, a luxury she’d never had back home.
There were so many dishes to choose from: golden scrambled eggs, crispy smoked bacon, honey-glazed sausages, fluffy pancakes and waffles served with fresh berries, an assortment of pastries like croissants, danishes, and muffins covered in linen cloths, and a fresh fruit platter with melons, grapes, pineapple, and berries. It was overwhelming.
Even if she took a little bit of everything, Violet knew she wouldn’t be able to finish it all. So she served herself a spoonful of scrambled eggs, sprinkled lightly with herbs, a couple of bacon strips, and some hash browns. She finished by adding a warm croissant, splitting it open to let the steam escape.
Lila caught up to her, her plate piled high with a bit of everything. She shot Violet a judgmental look. "Is that all you’re taking?"
Violet nodded.
Lila looked at her in disbelief, then glanced around, saying. "If you’re worried about the guys judging what you eat, you don’t need to. The Alphas actually like women who can eat. Look around." She tipped her head towards the other students.
Violet followed her gaze, taking in the plates around her, and her jaw dropped. The portions the students were taking made hers look like a child’s serving. Especially the werewolves—they were the worst. Their plates were piled high, almost like mountain ranges that seemed one wrong move away from toppling over.
Of course, it made sense since they needed more food to replenish their energy and keep up with their fast metabolism, but it was still astonishing to see.
"I didn’t choose this amount of food because of the alphas —"
"Yeah, yeah, I understand, but you still need to eat more, my lady," Lila said with a bored eye roll.
Before Violet could object, Lila had already added a serving of roasted potatoes to her plate. Violet let it slide, partly because the crispy edges of the potatoes looked too tempting.
She picked up her tray and started walking away before Lila had any other ideas like adding more food to her plate. But before she could find a table, Lila grabbed her arm. "Where are you going? Your place is upstairs." She pointed up at the elite floor.
"Yeah, about that..." Violet glanced up at the students eating above, surrounded by their air of privilege. "I think I’ll eat my food here, unless I want to suffer indigestion."
"No, Violet, I don’t think—" Lila began, but Violet had already made up her mind, heading over to a table on the lower floor. She pulled out a chair and sat down, ready to enjoy her meal.
However, as soon as she sat, she noticed the conversations around her had abruptly stopped. Violet looked up, unfazed, and said to the students staring at her, "Please, don’t stop on my account. Go on with whatever you were saying."
But instead of resuming, the entire floor seemed to fall into silence, every single eye pinned on Violet, as if she had just committed a grave offense.
"Great," Violet muttered under her breath. She was definitely going to have indigestion after this meal.
Just what country did she destroy in her past life to deserve this fate?