Chapter 19 New Lot in Life
Lila
The insignia on my lot shimmered faintly under the morning light, the golden ink standing out against the dark paper. My stomach twisted.
Someone had switched my lot.
I clenched my jaw, my pulse thudding in my ears as the realization sank in. It had be the same person who took my clothes. And there was only one name that immediately came to mind.
Vanessa.
She had promised to make my life hell, and this seemed exactly like making good on that promise.
My hands tightened into fists as I stormed down the hallway, my bare feet nearly silent against the polished floor. I didn’t care who saw me, I was done letting her get away with her bullying.
When I reached her door, I didn’t hesitate. I pounded on the door loud enough to shake the frame.
A few girls peered out of their rooms, drawn by the noise. Whispers spread as more gathered, their curious gazes flickering between me and the closed door.
Finally, it opened.
Vanessa stood in the doorway, her expression carefully blank, but the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her amusement. She leaned lazily against the frame, arms crossed, looking me over like I was a mildly entertaining inconvenience.
“Elena,” she drawled, feigning surprise. “To what do I owe the early morning displeasure?”
I shoved the lot in front of her face. “You switched it.”
She blinked at me, then at the insignia, before letting out a soft, mocking laugh. “Now, why would I do that?”
“You tell me,” I snapped.
The girls around us whispered, some covering their mouths to hide their grins, others waiting for the inevitable explosion. I didn’t care.
Vanessa tilted her head, eyes gleaming. “Even if I did, how would you prove it?”
The question sent a wave of frustration through me. She was right; without proof, all I had was my gut feeling, and I knew Vanessa was too careful to leave anything behind. Still, I wasn’t about to let her walk away unscathed.
“You and your little pack of cultists stole my clothes too, didn’t you?” I accused.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Vanessa simply sighed, examining her nails with a bored expression.
“Elena, you sound desperate.” She met my gaze again, her smirk widening. “Unless you plan on stripping off your pants in front of the Lycan King while fighting, you can’t possibly win. I don’t see why you’re so worked up over a silly lot.”
A surge of anger burned through me, hot and unchecked. Without thinking, I stepped closer, forcing her back against the doorframe.
“Say that again,” I dared, my voice low. Vanessa’s smirk faltered for a fraction of a second. Then, before she could respond, a sharp voice cut through the tension.
“Enough.” Helen’s presence silenced the hallway instantly. Her sharp gaze flicked between me and Vanessa, irritation clear on her face.
“Both of you,” she said, tone clipped, “confinement. Immediately.”
Ruby let out a furious growl in my mind. This is bullshit! It should be Vanessa who is punished.
I knew arguing was pointless. Helen’s word was final.
Vanessa shot me a smug glance as she turned to follow Helen. I exhaled through my nose, swallowing my frustration. This
wasn’t over.
Hours passed in confinement. I sat against the cold stone wall, arms draped over my knees, the tension in my muscles refusing to ease.
A commotion outside drew my attention and I straightened, listening. Before I could process what was happening, the door burst open with enough force to rattle the hinges.
My head snapped up to see Helen standing in the doorway, her usual arrogance replaced with something almost hesitant. I narrowed my eyes; that couldn’t be a good sign.
“Follow me,” she ordered.
I did, my gut tightening with unease as we walked down the long corridor, Vanessa trailing behind. The further we went, the
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Chapter 19 – New Lot in Life
heavier the atmosphere became.
Helen led us down to the grand hall where Damon waited with Ronan and several guards. The other candidates were gathered loosely around.
Damon’s imposing figure stood at the center of them all, arms crossed over his chest, his expression carved from stone. His eyes flickered toward me as I entered.
Beside me, Vanessa stood with tears streaking down her face.
“Your Highness,” she whimpered, casting me a pitiful glance. “Elena’s been bullying the again. I don’t know why she’s targeting me. I’ve done nothing to her.”
I nearly choked on my own laughter. The audacity.
Damon said nothing at first. His silence stretched, heavy and suffocating until finally, he spoke.
“I will find out exactly who has been causing trouble in my palace,” he said coldly. “And no one who is guilty will be spared.”
A shiver ran down my spine. His declaration carried the weight of a promise. The girls loyal to Vanessa exchanged nervous glances.
Damon’s piercing gaze swept over them. “Who stole Elena’s clothes?”
Silence stretched and the tension thickened. I watched the way the girls fidgeted, some gripping their skirts, others avoiding eye contact. But no one spoke.
I exhaled sharply. “Not just that. I also want to know who swapped my lot… Your Highness.” I added as an after thought.
Hesitantly, a timid woman stepped forward. Her hands trembled slightly as she avoided Vanessa’s burning glare.
“I… I saw them,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “Vanessa and the others… they took the clothes.”
Vanessa scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. Where’s your proof?”
Damon moved before anyone could respond. He reached into a small cloth bundle and threw my clothes onto the floor. And the room collectively held its breath.
Damon’s eyes narrowed. “These still carry the scent of the she–wolf who stole them. How dare you lie to me?”
Vanessa’s face paled, but she lifted her chin defiantly. “Anyone could have placed them there.”
Before she could spew more excuses, Ronan stepped forward, his golden eyes glinting. “We found the thief.”
A candidate from Vanessa’s group, one of the women laughing at training, was dragged forward. She squirmed under the weight of everyone’s stares, panic filling her eyes.
“Your Highness, please,” she pleaded. “I… I was only following orders!”
“Then you can follow this one,” Damon said smoothly. “You’re expelled. Get out.”
Her cries were drowned out as the guards dragged her away. Vanessa, despite everything, still tried to play innocent. “I had nothing to do with this!”
Damon’s gaze hardened. “Who swapped Elena’s lot?”
Another from Vanessa’s group stepped forward, trembling. She was the least favored among them, the one always used as a scapegoat.
Vanessa crossed her arms. “Do you have proof?”
The girl flinched but held firm. “I did it,” she admitted, voice shaking. “It was me.”
Such a Liar. I knew Vanessa had forced her into taking the blame. But before I could call her out, Ronan took the insignia lot, sniffing it carefully.
“This lot carries the scent of its original owner,” he announced. His eyes flicked to Vanessa. “It’s yours.”
The room erupted into hushed whispers.
Vanessa’s mask cracked. “That… that’s not possible!” She turned to Damon in desperation. “I was framed! Elena must have planned all of this to get me expelled!”
Damon regarded her coolly. “Your father is one of my most trusted men. If not for that, I would expel you.”
Vanessa’s relief was short–lived as Damon continued, “But you will be punished.”
Her shoulders stiffened. “Punished how?”
Damon’s lips curled slightly. “You’ll be cleaning the palace toilets for the next week.”
A strangled noise escaped her throat. “I – I have never
–
never touched a cleaning cloth!”
I couldn’t help it–relief and satisfaction swept through me. Finally, someone who deserved it was being punished.
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