"That little lowlife ..." Clarissa gritted her teeth.
"Now, now, don't do anything rash. But perhaps it wouldn't hurt to... remind the new girl of her place. And maybe have a chat with Liam about appropriate behavior for someone of his standing." Caleb cautioned, fully concealing his excitement at Clarissa's reaction.
Clarissa nodded slowly, her mind clearly boiling with rage.
"You are right. Thank you for telling me, Caleb. I will handle this." She said then stormed off.
As Clarissa stormed off, determination in her stride, Caleb allowed himself a triumphant smile. The seeds of discord had been planted. Now, he just had to sit back and watch the chaos unfold.
Meanwhile, back at the secluded spot, Flora was finally starting to relax in Liam's presence.
"Thank you for everything. I haven't felt this... normal since I arrived." She said to him, softly.
Liam's eyes softened.
"I am glad to hear that, Flora." He replied.
Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the air, causing both of them to jump.
"What was that?" Flora gasped.
"Trouble. Stay here, I will go check it out." Liam said, his expression turning grim.
"But, what about ..." Flora was about to protest on being left alone but Liam was already sprinting towards the sound.
"Oh my, is there any moment of peace in this school?" Flora wondered inwardly.
Left alone, she hugged herself, a chill running down her spine. As the peaceful moment shattered, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
"I hope everything is fine. But is it okay for me to just stay here and be waiting like a damsel in distress?" She wondered aloud.
But before she could make a decision, a twig snapped from behind her.
Flora whirled around, her heart pounding. Then, a figure emerged from the shadows, and her blood ran cold.
"Hello, little, pathetic wannabe!" Clarissa said, her voice eerily calm.
Flora clenched her fists by her sides.
"The name is Flora, for your information." She snapped at Clarissa. The latter burst into laughter, a dry one which was devoid of any real humor.
"You humor me, girl. Do you think I am here to have you introduce yourself to me?" Clarissa shot back at her.
Flora heaved a frustrated sigh, her patience wearing thin.
"Look, Clarissa, I have had enough of this drama. I have been here barely a day, and all I want is to be left alone." She maintained firmly.
"Drama? You think this is just some petty school drama?" Clarissa's eyes flashed dangerously, her voice dropping to a low growl.
Then she took a step closer to Flora, who instinctively backed away.
"What is happening here isn't just contained within these school walls. This affects everything - your life, your family, your future. You have no idea what you have stepped into, little girl." Clarissa said.
Flora's eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing her face.
"What...what do you mean?" She stammered in fear.
Clarissa smirked, relishing Flora's growing discomfort.
"Oh, now you want to listen? Tell me, which pack does your father belong to? Is he a Beta? Maybe a Gamma?" Clarissa questioned then she paused, eyeing Flora critically.
"You look too... common to be an Alpha's daughter like myself." She added.
At that, Flora's face fell, her gaze dropping to the ground. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words.
Clarissa's eyes widened in realization, a cruel laugh escaping her lips.
"Oh my... your parents have no rank at all, do they?" She stated less of a question and became amused.
Flora remained silent, her cheeks burning with shame.
"This is priceless!" Clarissa cackled with triumphant excitement.
"Tell me, lowlife, why are you living such a fake life? Did you think you could just waltz in here and pretend to be one of us?" She raised an eyebrow.
Flora's head snapped up, anger flashing in her eyes.
"I'm not living a fake life! I came here to learn, nothing more. I never pretended to be anything I'm not!" She maintained sharply.
Immediately the words left her mouth, a sharp crack of a slap echoed through the air. Flora stumbled back, her hand flying to her stinging cheek.
Clarissa towered over her, fury radiating from every pore.
"How gutsy! Your secret is out and you still dare to stand tall and lie to my face? You think I don't see what you are doing? Trying to use my betrothed to climb the social ladder?" She yelled at her then she grabbed Flora's arm, her grip painfully tight.
"Listen carefully, you little nobody. I will make you pay for this. By the time I'm done with you, you will wish you never set foot in this school." She swore.
Flora trembled, a mix of fear and anger coursing through her.
"I-I'm not trying to use anyone. Please, just let me go." Flora grunted.
Clarissa released her arm with a shove.
"Oh, I will let you go. But don't think this is over. You have made a grave mistake coming here, girl. And trust me, you will regret it. I will see to that." Clarissa promised her.
With a final glare, Clarissa turned and stalked away, leaving Flora alone and shaken, wondering what storm she had unwittingly walked into.
~~~~~~~~~~
"What a day!" Flora grumbled as the day finally ended and she walked into her dorm, tiredly.
Sophia who was on the bed saw her friend and rushed to engulf her in a hug.
"Honey, where have you been? I have been so worried." Sophia rushed out breathlessly.
"Huh! It is a long story, actually. But at least, I returned in one piece." Flora said and collapsed onto the bed.
Sophia raised an eyebrow in confusion at her statement. Then she remembered something and went to take a note from her bag.
"By the way, someone came looking for you and left this note." Sophia informed Flora, handing her the note.
Flora was surprised. She took the note and quickly opened it to read through.
"Wh... who did you say left this note?" Flora stuttered, her hands trembling in fear at what was written in the note.