+B Pearls
Third Person’s POV
Duke softened his voice, mistaking the silence in Carmen’s eyes for lingering trauma. “This isn’t meant to shame you,” he <b>said </b>gently, sliding the polished golden sigil across the table. “I truly <b>want </b><b>to </b><b>make </b>things right.”
Carmen slowly raised her gaze, tear–filled eyes shimmering with watery light. Her fragile, pitiful <b>face </b>looked like it had endured the cruelest injustice.
“I.. nothing happened. You don’t need to give me anything, my lord,” she murmured.
“Take it.” Duke said earnestly, pushing the sigil <b>closer</b>. “Otherwise. I’ll never have peace”
Carmen wanted to snatch the crest immediately–one sh of <b>that </b>sigil, and she’d have ess to enough gold to fund her escape and Riley’s journey.
But the act had to go on<b>. </b>
She hesitated visibly, brows furrowed, lips <b>trembling </b>like she was torn between dignity and desperation.
<b>Duke </b>remained patient. “It’s not charity. It’spensation. Please.”
Just as Carmen slowly reached for the sigil, eyes wet, a sharp voice tore through the still air behind them.
“Well, well, look who we have here! Isn’t this Ashmoor’s prized schrship pup, Carmen Hawthorne?”
The shrill female voice carried a venomous delight.
“Didn’t expect to see you here, little Carmen,” a mocking male voice followed. “Found yourself another noble wolf to leech from<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Duke and Carmen turned around simultaneously.
A young she–wolf and herpanion–both unknown to Carmen–stood <b>smirking </b>behind them.
The she–wolf <b>wore </b>a <b>thick </byer of powder, trying hard to hide the meanness in her eyes, while the male wolf lounged with <b>an </b>arrogant smirk, clearly enjoying the moment.
Carmen narrowed her <b>eyes</b>.
Since that incident with Kael Vale that nearly got her expelled from <b>Ashmoor</b>, it felt like every wolf at the academy believed. she <b>was </b>fair game Some whispered, some taunted. She could ignore it–until someone got in her way.
Like now.
A chill passed through her gaze.
Those two just ruined her best shot at <b>iming </b>that sigil<b>. </b>
The pair turned their attention to Duke, who clearly hadn’t expected such a <b>public </b>scene. Their mocking expressions faltered when they <b>saw </b>him <b>up </b>close.
Duke, in his crisp midnight<b>–</b>blue tunic marked with Beta sigils, looked like nobility incarnate. His pale gold hair, perfectlybed shimmered <b>under </b>the soft sunlight. His golden–rimmed lenses sat neatly on a chiseled <b>nose </b>The strength in his jawline, the dignity in his posture–he exuded grace and danger.
The gazes dropped to the rune–bound crest <b>on </b>his wrist–crafted by the Silverfang artisans. The sigil pulsed taintly, a signi of lus rank and wealth
jealousy red in the male’s eyes
ued
alf–blood? She didn’t deserve a woll like <b>that </b><ol><li>p.</li></ol>
8 Pearls
“Sir, you don’t know what you’re dealing with,” the she–wolf sneered. “She’s been crawling around nobles‘ dens since spring”
“Almost got banished for it,” the male added eagerly. “If her dying mother hadn’t begged the Headmaster on her knees, she wouldn’t <b>even </b><b>be </b>at Ashmoor”
“Now she’s wing for your coin,” the girl said. “Don’t fall for her tears.”
Their words dripped with calcted venom. They hadn’t seen what Carmen had endured, yet they paraded their nder like truth
Duke turned to Carmen, eyes filled with unease <b>and </b>disbelief.
She was <b>so </b>close.
Carmen clenched her jaw, forcing her hands to tremble in perfect rhythm with her rising chest.
If she took the gold now, and Duke found out what Kael had done. he might turn on her. Worse, he might discover the truth about Riley<b>. </b>
She couldn’t risk it.
Not for money. Not yet.
She bit her tongue hard, coppery blood flooding her mouth.
Tears welled again. She pushed Duke’s hand away.
“I never… I never wanted your money,” she whispered brokenly. “Last night was an ident. It wasn’t your fault.”
Then she bolted from the table, shoving <b>past </b>the couple and dashing for the door.
Duke stood up immediately.
But the <b>male </b>wolf stepped in front of him, <b>blocking </b>his <b>path</b><b>. </b>
“She’s lying,” <b>he </b>said coldly. “Girls like her don’t deserve sympathy.”
<b>Duke </b>s <b>golden </b>eyes <b>darkened</b><b>. </b>
“Are <b>my </b>affairs <b>yours </b>to judge?” he <b>asked</b><b>, </b>voice <b>low </b>and dangerously calm.
The wolf flinched.
Duke stepped past him <b>and </b>strode toward the exit.
Carmen had already crossed the road, nearly <b>back </b>within the university’s shadow.
“Carmen“” he shouted, the name rolling off his tongue from memory.
Carmen froze.
Her back stiffened, the fury in her gaze burning like wildfire. She clenched her <b>fists</b>.
Damn it!
She had almost seeded–<b>almost</b>. Those two rotten mulis cost her a clean victory:
Still, there unght be a second chance.
She turned around, masking her rage instantly.
But what <b>the </b><b>saw </b>next stopped her dead.
Across the street afaraboyantly dr d male wolfunched himself at Duke- linging to him <b>like </b>a cub to its size.
3:51 PM
+8 Pearls
YOU ABANDONED ME!” the wolf wailed. “I WAS LOCKED IN THAT BATHHOUSE FOR TWO DAYS! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU?
Duke staggered backward, nearly knocking over a streetmp.
He blinked down at the wolf sobbing into his chest.
“Andie?” he asked, stunned.
The <b>wolf </b><b>was </b>a mess–<b>hair </b>in dreadlocks, cheeks scratched, clothes shredded. He reeked of damp stone and fermented sweat.
Duke grimaced.
Andie, <b>usually </b><b>immacte </b>and proud, now looked like he’d been dragged through <b>a </b><b>sewer</b>.
“I TOLD YOU NEVER TO LEAVE ME!” Andie continued, punching Duke’s chest weakly like a jilted mate.
Carmen stared.
Mouth open.
Eyes round.
What. The actual. Hell.
So… Duke wasn’t interested in <b>women</b>?
No <b>wonder </b>he was so… well–maintained.
She scoffed and turned on her heel, storming back into campus without another nce.
“Waste of time,” she muttered. “Stupid pretty boy. Just wanted to make himself feel better.<b>” </b>
If he gave her the gold, it was probably just to clean his conscience,
Disgusting-
The week passed quietly.
But Carmen hadn’t forgotten.
She was just waiting for the perfect night.
And <b>on </b>a moonless evening, beneath the thick canopy of the Mooncrest forest, she struck.
Draped in ck, face hidden beneath a <b>cloak</b>, she waited like a <b>shadow</b>.
When the couple from the cafe strolled in,ughing and whispering, she moved
The male didnt even see iting
A single, brutal kick
He crumpled, howling in agony
The she–wall turned, screamed-
Toute
Carmen raised a stone b, brought it down hard.
Again
d
And again
Her <b>cloak </b>fluttered like <b>a </b>vulture’s wings in the dark.
The forest swallowed the sound.
Send Gifts
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