"Damn it, let me go, you filthy mutt!" Victoria spat, pulling violently at the arm I held in my grip.

I didn't just let her go. Instead, my grip on Victoria’s wrist tightened, pressing down on her pressure points until her fingernails turned stark white.

"Let me go, damn it!" Victoria shrieked once more, her eyes flashing a dangerous crimson from a volatile mix of fury and pain.

She attempted to swing her left hand to claw my face, but before her sharp talons could even extend, the restroom door behind us suddenly shattered into splinters.

Crash!

The heavy oak door buckled completely, ripping off its hinges and slamming onto the floor with a deafening roar. A dense, freezing gust from the outside immediately rushed in, violently dispelling the damp warmth of the restroom.

Along with the cold, a sharp, suffocating aura of a high-tier Alpha’s pheromones flooded the entire space, instantly seizing the lungs of everyone inside.

Victoria’s friends, who had been pinning my arms just seconds ago, instantly released their grip and dropped straight to their knees. Their bodies trembled violently, utterly unable to withstand the crushing pressure of such a massive Alpha aura.

I let go of Victoria’s wrist, letting her stumble backward as she gasped for air.

Standing in the ruined doorway was Kael.

He was still wearing his hockey jersey, but this time, the mocking smirk was entirely gone from his face. His golden eyes swept over the room with lethal intensity.

His gaze slowly lowered, taking in the overturned bucket, the puddles of water on the floor, and finally landing on my drenched form and the dark purple bruise on my shoulder, which lay exposed through my torn hoodie.

"K-Kael?" Victoria whimpered, her voice instantly softening into a meek whine. "Help me, Kael. She... that mutt is bullying me," she sobbed, taking a step toward Kael, who stood completely still.

"Don't touch me," Kael barked coldly as Victoria reached out to grab his arm.

I knew exactly what Victoria was doing. She was trying to win Kael’s sympathy by twisting the facts and painting me as the abuser. How utterly pathetic these pureblood wolves could be.

Kael walked right past Victoria, leaving her frozen by the blunt rejection. His Alpha pheromones continued to roll off him in heavy waves, sending Victoria’s friends scrambling backward in sheer terror until their backs hit the wall.

The prince stopped right in front of me. Looking down, he took in my disheveled, soaking-wet appearance from head to toe, his jaw clenching tightly.

"You really are a handful, sweetheart," Kael muttered under his breath. His voice sounded as sarcastic as always, but he immediately stripped off the thick hockey jacket draped over his shoulders and tossed it over my head.

"Kael! Why are you helping her?!" Victoria shrieked from behind, her voice cracking with pure frustration. She couldn't accept that the man she worshipped was giving his attention to the illegitimate sister she hated most. "She attacked me first! She intentionally trapped me in here!"

Kael turned around slowly. His golden eyes locked onto Victoria with a gaze so chilling it practically froze the air in the room.

A cruel, mocking smirk carved its way onto his handsome lips. "Attacked you?" Kael chuckled darkly, a sound that sent a shiver of pure intimidation through the air. "She’s completely alone, she's the one who looks like a total mess, and you girls have her outnumbered. How on earth could she attack you and trap you in here? Don't make an absolute fool of yourself," he said, emphasizing every single word.

Victoria was silenced instantly, her face turning pale.

Without giving them another glance, Kael turned back to face me. His grip felt incredibly solid and warm as he grabbed my arm to pull me out of there.

"Come with me," Kael commanded, leaving no room for argument as he led me right past the shattered restroom door.

I had no choice but to resign myself to his strength and follow him, entirely ignoring the venomous, vengeful glares Victoria shot at my back.

"Enough!" my voice flared, successfully halting Kael's steps in front of me.

He stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at me. "What?"

"This is far enough," I said, pulling his jacket off my shoulders and thrusting it back to him. "Now, give me back my pendant."

"No," Kael replied casually.

I stared at him in utter disbelief. "What do you mean, no? It’s mine. Give it back!"

Instead of complying, Kael crossed his arms over his chest, letting the hockey jacket hang loosely from one of his forearms. His golden eyes stared straight at me, scanning my dripping wet body from head to toe before locking back onto my gaze.

"Do you honestly think I walked into a ladies' room, destroyed a door, and rescued you from those annoying wolves for free?" Kael took a deliberate step forward, closing the distance.

"I never asked for your help. I could have handled it myself."

"Oh, really? And yet, you managed to walk out of that place because of me, didn't you?" he countered. I couldn't deny it; he was right.

"Regardless, I thank you. But please, just give me the pendant," I pleaded, holding out my hand.

"I can't do that," he said, a thoroughly infuriating expression crossing his face. If he weren't the future Alpha, I would have punched him right in his handsome, smug face. "Consider this pendant collateral."

"Collateral for what?!" I snapped, fighting to keep my voice from rising.

"Collateral for laying your eyes on my priceless body. You do know, don't you, that an Alpha's body isn't meant to be seen by just anyone? Especially someone who isn't his fated mate," Kael replied, a sly, predatory glint in his eyes.

My eyes widened as a surge of disbelief washed over me. What kind of ridiculous excuse was that?

"Are you insane?!" I hissed, completely unable to contain my annoyance this time. "It was an accident! The instructor punished me by making me clean that room, and I had absolutely no idea you were in the showers!"

Instead of backing off, Kael merely arched an eyebrow, thoroughly enjoying every spark of fury radiating from my face. He took another step forward, closing the gap between us until I could smell the rich, masculine scent of his skin.

"Accident or not, your eyes saw everything, sweetheart," Kael whispered deeply, his playful smirk shifting into an intense gaze that entirely pinned me in place. "And in my world, everything requires accountability."

"I refuse to take accountability for something so indecent! Give me back my pendant!" I thrust my palm right in front of his chest, demanding the precious heirloom that belonged to my mother.

Rather than answering, his gaze drifted down to my drab, soaking hoodie, which clung tightly to my skin and revealed the deep purple bruises beneath the torn fabric. Ignoring my protests entirely, his large, powerful hands moved swiftly to take the heavy hockey jacket and forcefully drape it back over my shoulders.

This time, he pulled both sides of the collar forward, gripping them tightly to ensure I couldn't rip it off again.

"Wear it and stop being so stubborn. Your hybrid body will freeze to death before you ever manage to take this thing back from me," Kael commanded, his voice sharp and laced with the absolute authority of an Alpha.

He released his grip on the collar and turned on his heel to lead the way. "Come to my lounge. Clean yourself up and tend to those bruises. Once you look more like a human and less like a drowned rat, then we'll talk about this pendant."

I clenched my fists inside the oversized sleeves of his hockey jacket. This man was incredibly sarcastic, stubborn, and always did exactly as he pleased. However, watching his broad back as he walked away, I knew it was pointless to argue with a dominant wolf in my current, weakened state.

With extreme reluctance, I took a breath and followed him.

Kael stopped in front of a heavy teak door carved with the emblem of a golden wolf. He swiped his keycard, causing the electronic lock to emit a soft click, and pushed the door open.

"Get in," he ordered without looking back, walking straight toward a mini-counter inside the room.

I stepped inside hesitantly, my eyes scanning the vast, luxurious space. It was the epitome of a crown prince Alpha's quarters. However, my attention was quickly brought back as Kael turned around and tossed a small first-aid kit and a clean towel onto the couch in the center of the room.

"The bathroom is on the left. Change your clothes into one of the shirts in that closet, then treat your bruises," he said in a curt, utterly unwelcoming tone. "Oh, and get out of here the moment you're done. I have to leave. We'll talk about the pendant another time."

"Hey—" Before I could even voice my protest, he had already sauntered out. What an incredibly infuriating, self-centered man.

I let out a long sigh, my gaze falling back onto the clean towel resting on the sofa.

I had just arrived back at the estate of Gamma Julius, my father. I had intentionally left Kael’s jacket back at the lounge and hadn't changed into his clothes. It would have been far too dangerous to return home wearing his things.

Besides, I knew trouble was already brewing, considering the chaos that had unfolded at the academy.

Slap!

A brutal, heavy backhand struck my left cheek with full force.

The impact was so powerful it sent my body reeling, crashing hard onto the cold marble floor. A searing heat burned across the skin of my cheek, followed immediately by the metallic taste of blood welling up at the corner of my lips.

***

I slowly lifted my head, brushing away my disheveled black hair.

In front of me stood Julius, my biological father—the man who had always viewed me as nothing more than dirt in this house. His face was flushed crimson, his breathing heavy and ragged, fueled by a volatile, exploding wrath. Behind him, Victoria stood side-by-side with her mother, staring down at me with a satisfied smirk hidden behind the facade of a victimized face.

"You ungrateful brat!" Father roared. "How dare you cause trouble at the academy?! Victoria just came home crying because you humiliated her in front of His Highness Kael!"

I didn't answer. My expression remained ice-cold, staring straight into the eyes of the man who was supposed to protect me, without a single tear or trace of fear.

“How dare you glare at me like that!” The complete lack of reaction from me only seemed to infuriate him further.

Julius lunged forward, violently grabbing the collar of my hoodie and forcing me to my feet to face him.

"You intentionally set up your own sister just to seek attention, didn't you?! You tried to humiliate this family by seducing His Highness Kael!" Father roared right into my face, his grip on my collar tightening into a chokehold. "Shameless creature. Know your place, Iris! You're just a half-blood hybrid! How dare you try to seduce the crown prince!"

Julius threw my body back onto the floor violently. He then turned around, grabbing the leather riding crop he regularly used to discipline me.

Kael’s intense golden eyes, my mother’s hostage pendant, and now the tip of a whip ready to tear my skin apart—tonight, everything felt like it was hurtling toward the edge of a cliff.

Julius raised the whip high in the air, ready to unleash it on my helpless body sprawled on the floor. "Tonight, I will make sure you remember exactly where you belong in this house!"

I dragged my limping feet into my bedroom, feeling as though I no longer had the strength to stand. Every inch of my body throbbed with agony, leaving me utterly exhausted. I hated this life; I hated living.

Why?

I could only cry silently, burying my face as I hugged my pillow tightly against the mattress. I had endured this suffering for several years, ever since my mother passed away. Even though I did nothing, even though I kept to the darkest corners of this house, I was always blamed for things I hadn't even done.

The next day, I knocked on the door of the lounge I had visited yesterday—the room with the golden wolf emblem on the door, the private quarters of the crown prince and his inner circle.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Yeah, yeah... why are you so impatient!" a grumble echoed from behind the door before it finally swung open.

Another guy stood behind the door. I recognized him—it was Dimitri, one of the hockey players who was always trailing Kael. But he wasn't alone. Inside the room, I could see Theo and Ian lounging casually. All three were pureblood noble wolves and Kael's closest friends.

As soon as the door opened fully, the three of them instantly cast condescending glares toward me.

“Who are you?” Dimitri asked, breaking the silence and snapping me out of my daze.

“I want to see His Highness Kael.” I stared at him without a shred of hesitation or fear.

“Ha, you want to deliver a love letter and ask for a photo of our captain, right? Go away, you won't get anything here,” Dimitri dismissed me, clearly looking down on me.

“I have no interest in such things, especially not when it comes to His Highness Kael. I came to retrieve my property.” I hated small talk, so I stated my purpose bluntly.

“Ha, how dare you utter words that insult the royal family,” Kael taunted, suddenly appearing behind Dimitri.

I only glared at him sharply, entirely unprovoked and unafraid of his sarcastic jab.

“Fine, follow me,” Kael said, walking past me to leave the place. Without saying goodbye to the others, I immediately followed, leaving the three noble wolves looking completely shocked.

The condescending expressions on their faces instantly warped into profound confusion. They exchanged glances, seemingly unable to believe that Kael, the highly revered crown prince Alpha, would have anything to do with a lowly hybrid girl like me.

Yes, and I didn't care. Right now, I just needed that pendant so I could get as far away as possible from the infuriating man in front of me.

We entered the deserted ice hockey arena; not a single soul was there.

Kael stopped in his tracks and turned to face me with a sharp gaze.

“Return my property.” Without wasting words, I immediately demanded what was mine.

“I refuse,” he replied casually. “This item is suspicious. I have to confiscate it. After all, I am the student council president at this academy.”

“Suspicious? What do you mean?” I asked, staring at him with mounting fury.

“You don't even feel afraid or threatened by me. You truly are a unique hybrid; usually, everyone on this campus is terrified and respectful of me. But you are highly suspicious,” Kael said, sounding more absurd by the second.

“Listen, His Highness Kael, that item belongs to me. So please return it right now. You don't have to worry about me causing you any trouble; I will never show my face in front of you again once you give it back,” I said, still suppressing my intense irritation.

“Why do you want this item so badly? Is it a gift from someone special?” he asked, continuously stalling for time and being thoroughly annoying.

“That is none of your business. Please give it back to me.”

“I already told you, I need collateral so I can keep an eye on you.” That answer completely frustrated me, and I felt my anger reaching its boiling point.

“Is this incredibly amusing to you?!” I snapped, watching a flicker of surprise cross his eyes at my sharp words. “Do you enjoy playing with me and teasing me like this? Do you love seeing low-status people oppressed?”

Damn it. I couldn't stop my tears. I felt completely frustrated and resentful.

I snapped my face away, desperately trying to hide the single tear that managed to escape down my cheek. I hated the fact that I was still weak, even though I fought with everything I had to hold it in.

The atmosphere in the middle of the empty hockey arena suddenly turned deathly quiet. The already cold air felt completely frozen.

Kael didn't reply right away. The spark of amusement that usually danced in his golden eyes suddenly went completely dark. The sarcastic smirk I hated most vanished, replaced by an unreadable, flat expression.

The prince lowered his hands and took a step toward me.

"I have never found oppression amusing, sweetheart," Kael said. His voice no longer carried a trace of mockery; instead, it sounded heavy, deep, and chillingly serious.

He stopped exactly two steps away from me. His golden eyes swept down, scanning my slightly rigid posture as I struggled against the stinging pain of the whip wounds on my back.

"And I'm not playing games with you, either," he continued, slipping his hand into his pants pocket.

When his hand reemerged, the silver chain holding the withered rose pendant gleamed beneath the corridor lights outside the rink.

My heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, I reached out to snatch it, but with lightning-fast reflexes, Kael clamped his hand shut tightly over it.

I glared at him fiercely.

"I will give it back," Kael cut in sharply, looking down at me from his towering height. "But on one condition."

I clenched my fists tightly, staring into his handsome face with pure fury. "What condition now? I already told you I will never appear in front of you again!"

Kael leaned his body slightly toward me, causing his rich, masculine scent to envelope my senses once again.

"Oh, you will definitely appear in front of me, sweetheart. Starting tomorrow, you are the personal assistant to the student council president of this academy," Kael whispered with absolute emphasis, as if every word were an absolute decree that couldn't be challenged.

I stood frozen in place, my breath catching in my throat. Becoming his personal assistant was no different than putting my neck right under the blades of his fan club.

***

"I refuse!" I answered flatly, which only made him laugh.

"You really are a unique hybrid. Not only do you dare challenge the future Alpha, but you also have the nerve to insult and reject me," he chuckled.

"This isn't entertainment, Young Master. I don't want to get involved in such a troublesome matter, so I am firmly declining. And please, stop playing games with me. Give the pendant back."

Kael stopped laughing. The remaining sparks of amusement vanished from his golden eyes, replaced by an intense, piercing gaze that felt as though it could see right through my mind. He casually weighed the withered rose silver pendant in his long fingers, its chain catching the dim lights of the hockey rink in a rhythmic glint.

"Do you honestly think I’m offering you a choice to negotiate, sweetheart?" He leaned down slightly, bringing his face level with mine. "In this academy, defying the student council president constitutes a disciplinary violation. And as a hybrid without the backing of a powerful pack, what do you think will happen if I decide to hand down a sanction?"

I clenched my fists inside my oversized sleeve, feeling the raw whip wounds on my back throb again from the tension. "Are you threatening me?" I hissed sharply.

"I’m simply stating facts," Kael replied, a faint smirk returning to his lips.

He straightened his posture and closed his fingers tightly over the pendant, hiding it within his palm. "I know how precious this item is to you. Serve as my assistant for one semester, or you will never see this heirloom again. Make your choice, sweetheart."

I stood frozen, staring at the powerful hand that held the last remaining memory of my mother. This man truly knew how to weaponize a situation and corner me into the tightest spot possible.

If I accepted, I would have to face the wrath of his fan club every single day, including Victoria. But if I refused, the only anchor to my past would be gone forever.

"Fine," I said at last, breaking the silence with a voice as cold as ice. "I accept. But don't you dare expect me to be submissive like the rest of your servants."

Hearing my answer, Kael’s smirk widened, looking thoroughly satisfied with his victory.

"Deal. You can't go back on your word," he said, opening his palm and dropping the pendant into my hand. "Take it."

Finally, my property was back in my hands, even if it meant dealing with a massive headache moving forward.

"I'll start working tomorrow." Without another word, I turned on my heel to leave.

"Hey, I'm the boss here! Since when do you get to decide when to start working?" he yelled after me, but I completely ignored him.

"Iris."

The voice successfully halted my steps toward my bedroom. I turned to look at Julius with my usual expressionless face. For some reason, I noticed a flicker of strain in his eyes under my flat gaze.

"How long are you going to keep glaring at your own father as if I'm your enemy?" he snapped.

"And what should I do? Am I supposed to offer a loving gaze to a father who has never once fulfilled his duties?" I countered mockingly.

"You—!" He clearly choked back his rage. "Listen, Iris, I am not in the mood to scold you right now. Tonight, a guest will be arriving, so I expect you to get ready," he commanded.

"A guest?" I arched an eyebrow, staring at him with deep suspicion. "Since when do I have to meet a guest in this estate? Haven't you all always considered my very existence a disgrace that must be hidden away?"

Julius clenched his fists tightly, his jaw tightening as he fought back the volatile fury threatened by my sarcasm. Remarkably, however, he took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm. This highly unusual shift in his demeanor only caused my sense of dread to worsen.

"Watch your mouth, Iris! Tonight's guest is extremely important, so prepare yourself," Julius said in a low, forced tone, trying to salvage his authority as the pack leader. "The maids will come to your room. Put on the dress I've prepared for you."

After delivering his orders, he left. This was incredibly suspicious. Who was this guest, and why on earth was I being forced to meet them?

A few moments later, two maids pushed my bedroom door open without bothering to knock. They carried a deep green satin gown that looked far too formal, along with a cosmetic box.

Without uttering a word, completely ignoring the icy glares I shot their way, they began to force me into the dress and apply makeup. Heavy powder was patted onto my skin to mask my pale complexion, while a high-collared gown was intentionally selected—undoubtedly to conceal the fresh whip wounds covering my back.

Once they finished, I was escorted down to the grand dining hall.

The room, which was usually dead silent, was now illuminated by a magnificent crystal chandelier. The air was thick with the scent of an unfamiliar, dominant pheromone. As I stepped inside, I realized everyone had already gathered. The venomous glares thrown by my stepmother and Victoria welcomed me instantly.

At the head of the long table, Julius sat with a stiff, forced smile. However, my attention was immediately drawn to the middle-aged man seated directly across from him.

The man had neatly trimmed silver hair and wore an expensive velvet suit. Lines of age were etched deeply into his stern face, radiating the cold, ruthless aura of a ruler from the pureblood borderlands. He was Count Radcliff.

"Ah, here she is, my eldest daughter, Iris," Julius announced, his tone sounding so sickeningly warm it made me want to vomit. "Iris, greet Count Radcliff."

I didn't take a single step forward. I remained standing right by the entrance. "Why did you call me here, Mr. Julius?" I asked bluntly, deliberately ignoring Count Radcliff and addressing my father without any familial title.

Julius’s face hardened instantly, but before he could bark a reprimand, Count Radcliff raised a single hand, cutting him off.

His cold, gray eyes swept over me from head to toe, assessing my worth as if I were a racehorse up for auction.

"She has quite a fascinating spark of defiance for a hybrid, Lord Julius," Count Radcliff remarked, his voice heavy and raspy. "That kind of stubbornness will be remarkably easy to tame once she resides in my castle."

"Of course, Lord Count. Iris only needs a little guidance once she is married to you," my stepmother chimed in eagerly.

"What do you mean, marriage? I am still a student at the academy," I stated firmly, my voice cutting through their negotiation.

"Iris, I believe there is no need for you to continue your education," Julius interjected coldly. "It would be best for you to marry immediately and start building your future. You will have a much better life in Count Radcliff’s territory."

***