CHAPTER 154
**WINTER**
I grip the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles ache, but I can’t bring myself to let go.
My head is pounding from the lack of sleep, my body sluggish from hours of tossing and turning, haunted by the echo of catcalls and the disgusting messages still sitting unread on my phone.
I should turn around.
Leave.
Say fuck it and drive home.
Not that massive, expensive mansion my father forced me into—because, with Zion there, it’s never been home. Just a beautiful cage, cold and suffocating, no matter how many chandeliers hang from the ceiling or how soft the carpets feel beneath my feet.
Filled with everything money can buy but nothing that makes me feel happy.
Home is where my mom is—where I belong, where I’m not just another unwanted presence.
But running back there would be the easy way out—and I refuse to be a coward.
My throat tightens, my chest burning with exhaustion and anger.
Zion would love that, wouldn’t he? To see me shatter, to watch me disappear with my tail between my legs.
I drag in a breath, shoving down the nausea curling in my stomach. My fingers tremble as I reach for the door handle.
I don’t want to be here.
But I won’t let him win.
A loud knock on my window jolts me, my heart slamming against my ribs.
I snap my head up, my breath hitching—only to see Claire standing there, arms crossed, watching me with that knowing look of hers.
I exhale shakily, trying to steady my racing heart as I reach for the door handle. My fingers are cold and stiff, but I force myself to move, to breathe.
As soon as I step out, Claire raises an eyebrow.
“Claire, you scared the hell out of me,” I mutter, pressing a hand to my chest. “A little warning next time?”
“I’ve been watching you sit here for the last fifteen minutes,” she says, unimpressed.
“And since you seem to have no intention of actually getting out of the damn car, I figured I’d come give you a nudge.”
I press my lips together, ignoring the tightness in my throat.
“I was just… thinking.”
Claire snorts, tilting her head as she eyes me. “Yeah, well, maybe try thinking inside the campus. Preferably somewhere that doesn’t make you look like you’re debating whether to run for your life.”
I wish I could laugh. Instead, I just nod, swallowing past the lump in my throat. Because the truth is—she’s not wrong.
Her teasing fades as she takes a closer look at me—at the tension in my shoulders, the way I’m gripping the car door like it’s the only thing keeping me upright.
Her voice softens. “Hey… are you okay?”
I swallow hard, forcing a nod. “Yeah… just tired of everything.”
Claire nudges my arm, her expression softening just a little.
“Listen to me, Winter. You got this, okay? I’m right here, by your side.”
I nod, but she’s not done.
Her eyes gleam with something wicked as she smirks.
“And as for Zion and his royal band of assholes? They’re termites. No—scratch that. Lower than termites. Like the bacteria termites wouldn’t even bother to chew on.”
A short, surprised laugh escapes me before I can stop it. Claire grins, triumphant.
“There she is,” she says, throwing an arm around my shoulders.
“Now, come on. Let’s go show these losers they don’t scare you.”
And for the first time all morning, I believe her.
As Claire and I walk toward the gate, I spot a familiar figure standing there, shifting nervously from foot to foot.
Ariel.
She looks up just then, catching sight of us, and a small, hesitant smile spreads across her face. Without a second’s pause, she walks toward us, determination flickering in her eyes.
“Hey,” she says softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
She hesitates for a moment, then lets out a small, nervous laugh.
“I know we barely know each other, but… somehow, it doesn’t feel that way. It’s like I’ve known you forever—like I can just be me around you, without worrying about what you’ll think.” She glances at me, something hopeful in her eyes.
“So, if you’ll have me… I’d really like to be by your side when we walk in there.”
My throat tightens, the weight of everything pressing down on me just a little less. I squeeze her hand, my fingers firm against hers.
“I’d like that,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Thank you "
Something in my chest tightens.
Before I can respond, she reaches for my hand, squeezing it lightly before taking a deep breath.
“I know I’m not strong like Claire,” she admits, glancing at her before turning back to me.
“But I do have your back.”
Emotion clogs my throat.
I glance down at our joined hands, warmth spreading through me at the unexpected solidarity. My fingers tighten around hers, a silent thank you.
Claire exhales dramatically, tossing her hair over her shoulder with a smirk.
“Okay, well, with the three of us together, the Royal Crew doesn’t stand a chance.” She gestures at Ariel first.
“We’ve got Ariel—the shy, redheaded angel with a heart of gold but a spine of steel. The kind of girl who looks soft but will stand her ground when it really matters.”
Ariel blushes, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Claire turns to me next.
“Then there’s you. Beautiful like Cinderella—except this Cinderella doesn’t need a damn prince to save her.” She grins.
“Quiet, observant, and just dangerous enough that people don’t see her coming until it’s too late.”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.
“And then there’s me,” Claire continues, placing a hand over her chest dramatically.
“The menace. The one with a tongue sharp enough to cut through steel and an attitude that could probably get me arrested.”
Ariel giggles, and I huff out a small laugh.
“That’s… actually kind of sweet.”
Claire grins. “Sweet? Nah. I’m just stating facts. Think about it. Ariel disarms them with kindness, Winter stuns them with beauty, and I verbally destroy them before they even see it coming.”
Claire crosses her arms. “Face it. We’re the perfect trio. If this were a movie, we’d be the underdogs everyone underestimates until we completely annihilate the villains in the final act.”
I shake my head, but a small, genuine smile tugs at my lips. Maybe today won’t be so unbearable after all.
.....
As we step onto campus, something immediately feels off.
The usual chatter, the lazy stroll of students lingering by the fountain or huddling in corners, is missing. Instead, the few people we do see are walking with purpose—heads down, eyes forward, moving like they have somewhere to be.
Claire notices it too.
“Okay… is it just me, or does this feel like the start of a bad horror movie?” She glances around, her usual bravado edged with suspicion.
“Where the hell is everyone?”
Ariel tugs her bag higher up her shoulder, glancing around nervously. “It’s too quiet.”
I nod, unease curling in my stomach.
“Yeah… way too quiet.”
We keep walking, the silence pressing in around us. Here and there, we spot a few more students, but they all have the same urgency about them. Nobody stops to talk, nobody lingers.
Then, out of nowhere, a girl rushes past us, her expression a mix of excitement and something else—something that makes my stomach tighten.
She barely slows as she calls out,
“Hey, hurry up! There’s an emergency meeting in the main hall. All students are supposed to be there.”
I frown. “What about classes?”
She shrugs, already halfway across the courtyard.
“Guess they’re cancelled. Doesn’t matter—just get to the hall.”
We watch her disappear around the corner, leaving us standing there, the weight of her words settling over us.
Claire lets out a low whistle.
“Well. That doesn’t sound ominous at all.”
Ariel shifts uncomfortably beside me.
“Should we… go?”
Claire throws up her hands.
“Do we really have a choice? Because unless you guys want to be the only ones wandering around campus like lost puppies, I say we follow the herd.”
I glance toward the direction of the main hall, my pulse drumming a little faster than I’d like.
Everything in me screams that something isn’t right—but what choice do we really have?
“Let’s go,” I murmur, already leading the way.
As we walk, Claire falls into step beside me, her voice low.
“So, what’s your bet? Surprise pop quiz? Free food? Or, and I’m just throwing this out there—some kind of cult initiation?”
Ariel gives her a horrified look.
“Why would you even say that?”
Claire smirks. “I’m just saying, if they start handing out robes and chanting, I am out.”
Despite myself, I let out a short laugh. But the unease in my stomach doesn’t ease.
Something’s happening.
And whatever it is—I have a feeling it’s only the beginning.
The moment we step into the main hall, an uneasy chill runs down my spine.
The space is packed—students filling the seats, lining the walls, some even standing in the aisles. But it’s silent. No murmuring, no casual chatter.
Just an odd, expectant hush.
Something is wrong.
The sudden boom of the heavy doors slamming shut makes me jump. My heart slams against my ribs as I spin around, just in time to see two football players—both grinning like they’ve been waiting for this moment—casually wave at us before locking the doors with a sharp, echoing click.
Claire’s fingers tighten around my wrist like a vice.
“What the fuck?” she snaps, her voice sharp as a blade. “Why did you lock the door?”
The players just shrug, crossing their arms over their chests, their smug expressions offering no answers.
Ariel shifts closer, her small frame tense beside me. “This… this doesn’t look good,” she murmurs, her fingers latching onto my hand, ice-cold and trembling.
Claire exhales sharply, her grip tightening. “Okay, girls. We’re leaving. Right now.”
But before we can take a step, Ariel suddenly tugs at my arm, her nails digging in slightly.
“Winter…” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.
A sickening dread curled in my stomach. I know this feeling.
I know exactly what’s coming.
Zion.
This must be his game.
His latest twisted plan to humiliate me. To break me.
Claire lets out a sharp breath, stepping in front of me like she’s ready to fight the entire room if she has to.
“Nope. We're not staying. Let's go.”
She tugs my arm, but before we can take a step, the lights cut out.
A collective gasp ripples through the room, followed by an eerie silence.
Then—click.
Then—a single spotlight flickers on.
It illuminates the stage, casting long shadows across the polished floor. A slow, deliberate creak fills the air as the heavy curtain shifts slightly, but no one appears.
A second spotlight flares to life—on me.
The blood drains from my face. My stomach twists so violently that I think I might be sick.
Claire’s grip on my wrist tightens. “Winter,” she breathes, voice barely above a whisper.
“This is bad.”
No shit.
The breath leaves my lungs. My pulse skyrockets.
Every pair of eyes in the room is on me now.
Watching. Waiting.
Claire’s grip on my wrist tightens.
“Winter, whatever this is, you’re not facing it alone.”
Ariel steps closer too, her small frame tense with fear but unwavering.
I try to steady my breathing, but the weight of the spotlight, the heat of hundreds of stares, the certainty that Zion is behind this—it's suffocating.
Then, from the stage, slow, deliberate footsteps echo through the silence.
Each one measured. Unhurried. Like whoever it is wants me to hear them coming.
And I have a feeling.
The nightmare is just beginning.