A single spark is all it takes to ignite a forest, and once it spreads, it is impossible to contain it.
Rumors metastasized into a poisonous scandal, and everyone suddenly had something to say about Lisette. Truth didn’t matter. The satisfaction of pulling someone apart and feeling superior far outweighed it. Whenever she passed a group of alphas in the corridors, slanderous remarks would loosely fall from their mouths. Her humiliation had become a sport to these cold-blooded nobles.
"Oh, you must be the lady everyone's been talking about," the senior alphas said, their gaze lingering on Lisette for a moment. “I heard that you’re desperate for company.”
"Watch your tongue." Astrid stepped forward. Her tone was low and sharp. “You're speaking to a lady.”
"With a figure like that, yet Lady Stella wants nothing to do with you?" He clicked his tongue, wearing an expression of mock sympathy. "What a shame. I'd be more than willing to give you exactly what you're after."
His laughter trailed behind him as he disappeared down the corridor. It was not the first time. It would not be the last. For the past several days, such remarks as that had become a routine. A young lady who once wore a cheerful smile was now constantly on edge. Her eyes were clearly deadened with fatigue.
In the midst of the drama among the ladies, several alphas were growing restless.
Stella’s name was everywhere. Compliments could be heard through corridors and in common rooms, and admirers multiplied without effort. For alphas, they felt threatened as their spotlights were taken from them. It was a known fact that an alpha’s ego feeds on fame, power, and admiration.
“Lady Ophelia, I had a feeling I might find you here,” Luke said, walking toward her.
The man stood by the entrance of the lecture hall, with a bouquet of red roses in one hand. It was clear he was waiting for her arrival as the corner of his lips lifted to form a perfect smile.
“Good afternoon, Lord Luke.” Ophelia's eyes shifted briefly to the roses before returning to his face. "This is unexpected. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I thought these might bring some comfort." He said, extending the bouquet to her. “I was worried about how you have been doing, given everything your fiancée has gotten herself tangled with a lowly omega.”
“Stella has a kind heart,” Ophelia said. “I wouldn't wrong her for standing by a friend.”
“Are you sure they are friends, though?” Tilting his head, Luke questioned. “I’m not so certain after seeing how fiercely Lady Stella defends her. I’m certain many of us felt the same.”
Others nearby overheard them, but that didn’t shake Ophelia’s composure. Seeing clearly through his actions and meticulously crafted speech, Luke intended to create a rift between her and Stella.
"You have a curious way of expressing concern.” Ophelia continued. “Perhaps you'd care to be more direct about what it is you're actually suggesting."
“I mean no offense, Lady Ophelia.” Luke lowered his head into a modest bow. “Only that I understand alpha nature perhaps better than most.”
It was no secret that alphas have the tendency to have multiple partners, whether it was out of love, out of desire, out of political necessity, or simply because no one had ever told them they couldn't. And so, omegas were taught at an early age to make their peace with it. To be taken care of by an alpha was considered enough.
"Wouldn't that apply to you as well?” Ophelia said, the corner of her lips lifting slightly. “You are an alpha, after all."
“Not if I were to have a partner like you,” Luke said without hesitation.
His eyes didn't leave her face. The declaration had been public and deliberate, followed by the ripple of hushed gasps from behind, exactly as Luke intended. Ophelia said nothing, which he interpreted as permission to continue.
"A woman like you shouldn't have to settle for inherited prestige." Luke said, letting that sink in for just a moment before he continued. "Lady Stella's only worth is a surname she did nothing to earn.”
Luke made no effort to hide his contempt for Stella, and he wasn’t entirely wrong. Stella was an Albrecht, born into Northland's most prestigious family, younger sister to Duke Anthony, but unfortunately, she was not the heir to the title. Marrying her would grant Ophelia the name, but neither title nor position of authority within the family. She would never be ‘Lady Albrecht’ of Northland. By contrast, Lord Luke was the heir to the Vernon countship. The name carried less prestige than Albrecht’s, but the title of countess came with real authority that Stella couldn’t offer.
“I’m certain you understand what I meant.” Luke folded his arms across his chest. “A woman of your standing deserves to be the lady of a main house.”
The man extended his hand towards her, but Ophelia withdrew her hand with composure. She knew exactly what he wanted, and she had no intention of giving him any. There was one thing he miscalculated. Little did he know that Ophelia had no interest in his offer.
“How thoughtful of you, but you've misunderstood my situation entirely.” Ophelia pressed the bouquet back into his hands nonchalantly, outright rejecting him. "I already have Stella. I'm afraid that your offer doesn't quite compare to what she can offer me."
The rejection was clean and merciless. Luke was left stunned as she brushed past him without glancing back. First rejection, a bruise was left on his ego, which was still tolerable. But twice, by the same omega, in public to witness, left a deeper mark of humiliation. Despite his offer, Ophelia still brushed it off without a hint of hesitation.
This only further fueled his animosity and jealousy towards Stella.
He couldn’t understand why everyone desired her so much. What did she have that he didn’t? Withdrawing from the scene before he became a laughing stock, he clenched his hand around the bouquet, snapping the stems under his grip.
“Damn it all—!” Luke cursed under his breath. “What does she have that I don't?!”
Once he stepped into the nearby garden, he kicked the nearest pot he could find, sending soil scattering across the floor. Luke offered Ophelia a title and power, yet she rejected him. He couldn’t accept how someone like Stella was the one everyone kept choosing.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar figure walking down the corridor with her friends. Just the sight of her signature jet-black hair was enough to make his blood run hot. His eyes gradually drifted over to the figure beside her. Walking by Stella’s side was the blonde-haired omega, who was currently the center of the scandal.
Luke watched her as his lips curved into something close to malice.
During lunch hour, Lisette found herself heading to one of the smaller gardens on campus, alone.
The garden was one of the quietest spots on the grounds, known for being a good place to have private meetings or conversations. Earlier that day, a female upperclassman had pulled Lisette aside, passing along a message that Stella was looking for her. She didn’t question it for a moment, because they had been meeting here in secret regarding Stella's letters and everything that had followed from then.
Lisette made her way through the empty corridors, but when she reached the garden, Stella was nowhere to be found. Scanning the space, it was all empty. Just as she turned to leave, Lisette almost walked into an alpha man behind her. Even though she had never once spoken to him before, she knew who Luke was.
“Excuse me, I’d like to pass,” Lisette said, stepping to the side to pass.
However, his arm rose to block her. He said nothing. His eyes moved over her body, appraising from head to toe, before his lips curled with approval.
“You have quite a face and figure for an omega,” Luke said. His derisive tone didn’t go unnoticed. “I can see why that mutt keeps you around.”
Lisette took several steps back, putting distance between them. Something in the air shifted, causing her shoulders to tense up.
"My apologies, but I don't believe we've been acquainted." Lisette snapped at him.
"Now we are," Luke said, shrugging.
The air felt wrong, as every instinct she had was telling her to run. She took another step back, intending to leave, but the two beta upperclassmen were already there, blocking the only way out.
“There's no need for that. I only want to talk, Miss Lisette.” Luke tilted his head slightly, his smile almost insincere. “What if I told you I could end your scandal entirely and restore your name? Wouldn't that be worth a conversation?”
“…”
Lisette said nothing. Her lime green eyes locked on him, alert and cautious. With a single hand gesture, Luke dismissed his underlings, sending them far enough to give them some privacy while ensuring no one stumbled upon them. Lisette was no fool. It was obvious he wanted something from her. Whatever it may be, she had a strong hunch it had to do with Stella.
“You’re troubled by the circulating scandals, aren’t you?” Luke said. His tone was nearly sympathetic. "It leaves a permanent mark that’s difficult to recover from, especially as an omega."
With Luke’s connections and influence, he had some power to end the scandals if he wanted. A single word from someone of a higher status, especially an alpha, is sufficient to silence baseless rumors or scandals. However, Lisette was also aware that nothing he offered would come without a price.
"Nothing is ever offered without conditions." Lisette held her gaze without flinching. “What is your motive for approaching me?”
“I simply pity you.” Luke’s words were considerate but lacked any convincing warmth. "It would be a shame to watch you get tarnished by a scandal that could so easily be resolved."
It was nothing she hadn’t heard before, the entitlement of this particular clique. Shooting casual, degrading remarks at those beneath them was second nature. Hence, reprimanding such attitude was pointless. Lisette had grown accustomed to such objectification from a young age, yet it didn't make her immune to the slow erosion of her worth.
“I find your offer hard to believe,” Lisette said.
If scandals could be resolved that easily, people wouldn’t lose themselves to them, wouldn’t suffer, wouldn’t break, wouldn’t give up their lives over them. Luke may be able to silence people’s voices, but that would never change people’s minds.
“Try me.” Luke’s grin widened, a smile of someone who never once doubted himself. “I can even find whoever is behind this. Something your alpha has been unable to do for you.”
“Stella is not my alpha.” Lisette corrected him immediately, almost automatically by now. "How many times must I say this?"
“Let’s not pretend nothing is going on between you two.” Luke shrugged, taking a slow step forward. “Your taste in alphas concerns me. Attaching yourself to a weakling is a dead end. You could do considerably better.”
He didn’t bother to hide his resentment anymore. His contempt spilled out, listing everything that proved Stella to be inferior to him. Then he redirected his bitterness toward Lisette, calling her a fool for wasting herself on an alpha incapable of offering her anything of substance.
“Allow me to recommend some alphas who could offer you considerably more. Men of real standing and influence.” Luke said, smirking with confidence. “Of course, provided that you know how to use your charms wisely.”
He knew several alpha partners who would be interested in Lisette, and he was convinced she would take his offer. No omega of lower status would refuse this enticing offer. They would be a fool if they did. He waited patiently for her to arrive at the obvious answer. But he was wrong, again.
“You’re misunderstanding something,” Lisette said. Her expression shifted into something close to disinterest. “What Stella has given me is worth more than any title or influence that you could offer. I wouldn't trade it for anything.”
“You…” Luke’s eyes widened.
“From the beginning, I knew you were just trying to use me to get to Stella.” Lisette snapped back. There was no hesitation in her voice.
Luke had no response prepared for this moment. He had never considered it possible that an omega might refuse his offer. Her lime-green eyes, ignited with determination, met his gaze head-on and made something inside him twist. Whatever it may be, he knew it made blood boil.
Lisette’s words reopened the wound where it hurt the most. Ophelia's rejection, still fresh, still stinging. Two omegas. Both had chosen the same alpha over him. He couldn't wrap his mind around it, no matter how many times he tried. Why her? What’s so special about Stella?
His patience was a rope, pulled taut, one thread from snapping.
"Hah…if you were any more stupid,” Luke muttered. “Things would've been easier for you.”
His mood shifted, followed by Lisette's shoulders tensing before she understood why. Moments later, she sensed a muskier, more pungent scent bleeding into the air. She jolted, stepping back and covering her nose.
“I don’t understand what omegas like you are thinking, choosing that cowardly mutt over someone like me,” Luke said, his tone loud and sharp. His eyes were filled with resentment, but it wasn’t aimed at Lisette. "What is so great about her, anyway?"
“I doubt you'd ever understand, even if I told you,” Lisette replied, her voice remaining firm. "Unlike you, who treat omegas like objects, Stella has never once seen anyone as beneath her."
“Shut up! I've heard enough!” Luke shouted out of sheer frustration.
The man stepped forward and seized Lisette by the collar. His pheromones crashed over her like a wave, overbearing, numbing, and washing the strength from her limbs. The omega tried to break free while cursing this weak body under her breath. She hated how this body surrendered to instinct without resistance the moment an alpha’s pheromones filled the air.
“L-Let go of me…!” Lisette resisted, trying to push him away.
“Still struggling?” Luke said. “Let's see how long you last.”
The thick, musky bite of spice choked her nose and throat, volatile and suffocating. Luke slammed her against the wall as his fingers closed around her throat before she could react. Lisette’s legs kicked out on reflex, desperate to break free, but it was useless. Her body refused to comply. She was burning up, head spinning, saliva pooling at the back of her throat, and the sweet fragrance of chamomile broke through her skin. All against her will.
“Look at yourself, weak and pathetic. That’s what you are, an omega.” Luke’s voice was low, laced with contempt. “How dare you speak to me as an equal—!?”
He dug his fingers deeper into her throat, forcing Lisette to gasp for air with great effort. Lisette wanted to scream for help, but nothing came out. Only dry, desperate gasps. With little strength remaining, she drove her nails into his arm, but it did nothing. Her strength was continuously drained by the second in the presence of a raging alpha.
“What is so great about that woman anyway?!” Luke’s voice climbed, raw and unraveling. "What does she have that I don't?! I am clearly her superior! Why do omegas like you and Lady Ophelia choose her over me?! What could she possibly offer that I cannot?! Answer me—!!" Read the latest chapters at novelping.com.
He kept shouting, questions thrown at her like stones, as though she held the answer he was so desperately searching for. The stench in the air thickened, almost burnt, almost rancid. Behind those eyes, Lisette could see nothing but anger, devouring whatever reason he had left. Through the crushing weight of his grip, something in Lisette hardened.
“If you’re so desperate to know…” Lisette clenched her teeth, forcing her voice through the vice of his grip. “Then I’ll tell you!”
It was sheer determination alone that kept her fighting. Her body had long surrendered to his pheromones, but that was her body. Not Lisette. Even in this pathetic state, she glared back.
"Stella doesn’t need to prove to anyone…how strong and kind she is.” Lisette forced each word out between ragged gasps. “Someone like you…couldn't carry even half the courage she has!"
“Shut up!!” Luke shouted, reaching the end of his patience.
“—!!”
A violent force drove into her abdomen. Lisette gasped for air before the pulsing pain clawed across her stomach in waves. Not a sound left her lips. Luke knew that what he was doing violated every rule the academy had. Expulsion was a possibility, but he could not bring himself to care.
“U-Ughh…” Lisette grumbled, feeling the throbbing pain spreading across her stomach.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lisette caught sight of the two beta men. They had seen everything unfold, and yet neither one moved, neither one reacted. Their eyes met hers for a brief moment before they looked away.
For a moment, Luke simply looked at the helpless omega.
"It's pointless to beg for their help," Luke murmured, a sinister curl forming at his lips. "No one will help you."
Then he threw her to the floor without a second thought, standing over her, watching the helpless omega writhe beneath him with satisfaction behind his eyes. He shifted his weight, positioning himself above her. His shadow fell over Lisette, swallowing her vision, and on reflex, her arm shot up between them.
Moments later, a blunt force crushed her beneath his foot.
"Let me remind you of your place!" Luke shouted, venting his anger.
Stomp. Then another stomp. That was as much as her arms could take. Lisette twisted over to her side, avoiding the attack to the face. Pain radiated outward from her arms, her shoulders, her back. It was everywhere, leaving her mind in disarray.
“H-Help…” The word escaped her lips as she succumbed to the pain. “Please…!”
Nothing. The two male betas stood exactly where they had been, as though what was happening was not within their concern. Luke stepped down onto her again, watching the weakling omega sink beneath him. He made no effort to hide the satisfaction it gave him.
"You are nothing but a lowly omega. An alpha's belonging." A smirk settled across Luke’s lips, his tone dropping low and contemptuous. "How dare something like you speak up to me!"
The radiating ache across her body had dissolved whatever bravery she had earlier. To Luke, it did not matter that she was a woman or an omega. If he wanted to treat her as an outlet for his frustration, then he would. Her ears had begun to ring, muffling his shouting into something distant and broken. Through half-lidded eyes, she looked up at him, and something inside her went cold. She saw nothing but cruelty flickering in those eyes.
The kind that didn't even register her as a person.
Fear crept up her throat. Tears pooled at the edge of her eyes, and the first thought that came to her was of her friends. Darkness began flooding her vision, leaving only blurry patches of color and light. Lisette’s lips parted, forming a final and desperate call, but nothing came out.
As hope was giving out, a familiar scent reached her from somewhere distant.
“We said you’re not allowed to pass—u-ughh—!!” A man’s voice was cut short by pain.
The beating over Lisette came to a stop. The shouting and commotion in the background felt so distant that Lisette could only pick apart fragments, words here, a sound there. Through the patches of light between her arms, she could make out several silhouettes pressing against one another in what looked like a struggle.
“Aghh—!!” a man grunted.
Clarity returned to her vision. The first thing she recognized was jet-black hair catching the light, and then something in her chest lightened up. What was once fear was now replaced by a spark of hope. Small, but heartwarming. Lisette’s vision was blurred again, but this time from the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes.
“S-Stella…” The name left Lisette’s lips, squeezed from whatever strength remained.
Above her, the man tensed up as he sensed the air had shifted before he could understand it. The thick, acrid bite of burnt wood was bleeding into everything. His attention pulled away from Lisette and fixed itself on the figure before him.
"Look who decides to show up." Luke shot a sharp remark at her.
He withdrew his foot and turned, closing the distance between himself and Stella. A sinister smirk touched his lips as his eyes fixed on the exact source of his humiliation. His fingers curled into a fist, ready to try out his new punching bag.
“What's a little coward like you going to do—!” Luke roared, thrusting his fist forward.
He was certain his fist would reach Stella, but he was wrong. She read him like an open book, seeing it coming from the moment his shoulder turned. Stella stepped aside effortlessly, seized his arm, and twisted. In that split second, this blinding surge of pain tore through his finger and hand, driving him to his knees before her.
"A-Aaaaugh—!!!”
His cry tore from his lips before he could stop it. How could he, an elite noble, Lord Luke of Vernon, be on his knees before an inferior alpha? Waves of humiliation crashed down onto his already bruised ego. All Stella had done was take hold of his pinky finger. That was enough to keep him on the ground. The moment he tried to resist, a single light twist was all it took to make him writhe, give in, and fold completely. Effortlessly, she had him under her full control, as though he had become her marionette.
“L-Lord Luke!” one of the beta men shouted. “Let go of him—!”
His two companions moved to rush forward, and stopped abruptly. Their legs froze in place. Something about those deep blues caused their stomach to twist into something close to fear. Even though they couldn’t smell her pheromones, every instinct told them not to take another step.
"If either one of you moves again,” Stella said, her voice dropped to glacial temperature. “I will dislocate his finger."
Not a threat. Not a warning. A statement of fact. Stella’s blue eyes slid back to Luke, cold and contemptuous. Something about her voice left no room for doubt as she meant every word she said. Unlike his companions, who could neither sense nor smell it, Luke alone felt his muscle fibers trembling against his will. Stella’s pheromones were thick and acrid, pressing in from all sides, as though they were surrounded by a forest swallowed by flames.
Unhurried and ready to devour him the moment he twitched.
While Stella held Luke in place, Kenric and Astrid pushed past her toward the wounded omega. The moment their eyes found the bruises, their expressions stiffened, lips pressed firmly together. The bruising was severe. Brutal, even, for what had been done to a young woman.
“Astrid, Kenric, keep Lisette safe,” Stella said. Her voice was austere and commanding, yet so composed. “I'll take care of this filth.”
Lisette, weakly resting her head against Astrid’s chest, stared at the figure before her. The burning scent was thick and acrid, as though they were at the epicenter of the forest fire. And yet it was the same burning scent that reassured her that she was safe. Realizing this wasn’t a dream, tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Stella escorted them out without effort, striding toward the main hallway with Luke strung along by his pinky finger, as though she was holding him on a leash. His two beta companions followed closely behind, every step measured and anxious. They wanted to help him, but neither one dared until Stella said so.
"F-Fuck you—let go of me,” Luke cursed the entire way. “You wretch—!!"
Even though his body surrendered to pain against his will, he still got his foul lips to curse.
"Sure," Stella said. "I'll let go as you wish."
Stella stopped. Released his finger. Before he could have parted his lips again, a foot landed on his chest. As a parting gift, she sent him back down onto the ground where he belonged. The man let out a gasp-like cry before the sharp, burning pain radiated throughout. He choked and gasped for air, alarming his two companions rushing to his side in an instant.
"You should be grateful we're on academy grounds," Stella said. "Or I would've broken more than a few bones."
"U-Ugh—you—!!" Luke was still struggling to breathe.
"Leave. Before I change my mind." Stella’s voice dropped even colder. "Right now, you three managed to make me livid."
This was another side that no one had ever seen from the modest alpha. Her pheromones engulfed the entire space, so threatening that the upperclassmen got goosebumps from standing before her. The two men gathered Luke and left without another word, while they still could.
After a brief moment of silence, long enough to confirm they were gone, the scorching scent of forest fire dissolved into the air. Stella turned to Lisette immediately and crouched down to her level. Like a completely different person from earlier, her expression softened instantly. Those blue eyes carefully scanned over her friend, witnessing the brutal bruises across her arms and hands, before they stopped at the reddened handprint on Lisette’s neck.
“I’m sorry we’re late,” Stella whispered, her brow furrowed with guilt. “It’s okay now, you’re safe. Does your neck hurt?"
The moment Stella reached out to her, Lisette recoiled violently. She did not have that reaction with Astrid or Kenric, because they were betas. It was an instinctive rejection of any contact from an alpha. That reaction caught everyone off guard, including Lisette, who just understood what she had done a second later.
"I-I'm sorry—I didn't mean to—" Lisette’s voice trembled, barely holding together. "I'm so sorry…!"
“…” Stella said nothing.
It wasn’t because of Lisette’s rejection that hurt her, but she had seen that reaction before. That same violent recoil, that same terror reflected in those eyes when an alpha came too close. It was just like her elder sister. She could never forget how frightened Blake was to even be in the same room as an alpha that wasn’t her own family, and how long it took her to overcome that. And now, the Lisette before her wore those same eyes.
For a brief moment, Stella rose slowly and took a step back.
“I should be apologizing for not handling this matter sooner,” Stella said, a warm smile curving her lips. “Leave the rest to me.”
She turned to Astrid and Kenric, quietly asking them to take Lisette to the infirmary and stay by her side until she had dealt with everything. They nodded without hesitation.
Stella traversed through the corridor, and the words her teacher, Professor Rosalind, had once shared with her surfaced. Then she was struck by guilt. Why hadn't she seen it sooner? It didn't matter how powerful she was. Anyone who wanted to hurt the alpha wouldn't come for her directly. They would go for the people closest to her instead. It was her own stubbornness, insisting on being the bigger person in this childish dispute, that Lisette had to pay the price for it.
Before the day ended, everyone knew what had happened, though the truth depended entirely on who was telling it. Lisette's injuries alarmed the doctor the moment she arrived at the infirmary. Taking one look was all she needed to urgently contact the professors. Given the severity of her injuries, the Academy moved swiftly. By the same afternoon, Luke Vernon and his two companions had been summoned and interrogated individually by the professors. Regardless of the story the men had agreed on beforehand, the bruises Lisette had were a blessing in disguise. The brutality left on her skin, and with testimony stacked against him, Luke’s chances of walking free were slim. The professors gathered accounts from both sides and submitted everything to the board for review. In the meantime, Luke continued attending the academy as though nothing had happened.
But he hadn't been idle.
Among his peers, he and his friends spread his version of events. Lisette had provoked and insulted him. He momentarily lost control of his temper, and regrettably, things had escalated beyond his control. A neat, simple story was enough to bring most people to his side. People were quick to believe him because he’s an influential noble and an alpha. For most, that was reason enough.
The following day, Lisette came anyway. She wore long sleeves. Beneath them, the bruises had darkened overnight, and a dull, persistent ache was still there, along with the sharp scent of medicine that clung to her skin. Despite her parents’ worries, she mustered the courage to walk through the gates of the Academy. To her surprise, from the entrance to the classroom, no one mentioned yesterday’s incident. There were no whispers or sideways glances, as though things had simply returned to the way they were before. This sudden shift felt more unsettling. Astrid had been by her side from the moment she arrived, and she felt it too. She decided to approach one of their classmates, someone who seemed to know exactly what was going on.
"Have you two heard?" a beta woman said, her voice barely containing the excitement. “Lady Stella challenged Lord Luke to a duel!”
"What??" Astrid stared. "Is that true? What happened?"
The classmate witnessed it herself as she recounted the story. Earlier that morning, before Lisette and Astrid had even arrived, Luke had been waiting for Stella by the entrance. Tension climbed quickly once the two alphas faced each other, causing the gathering crowd to fall silent. However, what no one anticipated was that Stella would be the one to call for a duel.
Shortly before homeroom started, Stella walked into the classroom with Kenric. All eyes gravitated toward her, her name on everyone’s lips, as she strode directly to Lisette. Her priority was her blonde-haired friend. Stella made sure she kept a careful distance, far enough to make the omega feel safe.
“Lisette, how are you feeling today?” Stella said, smiling gently.
“I’m okay.” Lisette shook her head. “Stella, is it true that you challenged Lord Luke?”
“Yes.” Stella nodded firmly. “I’ll see him during lunch hour.”
The alpha did not attempt to hide her confidence and asked them to come watch because she intended to make sure Luke paid for what he had done.
The majority of the entire Academy waited for the lunch hour to hit before flooding the open training field. Spectators occupied the ground floor, and many were even seen leaning from the first-floor windows. After all, it was Stella Albrecht stepping onto that field.
In the changing room, Ophelia watched Stella prepare for the duel in silence. Her hair tied back, sturdy wooden sword in hand, the omega held onto her fiancée’s grey coat. The alpha glanced over at Ophelia, seeing that she had no intention of surrendering it.
"Do you have a problem with your fiancée holding onto your things?" Ophelia shot back with a question.
"Don't answer a question with a question." Stella narrowed her eyes, letting out a quiet sigh. "I hope causing a scene today won't bring any trouble your way."
"I'd prefer you cause as big a scene as possible. The bigger the better.” Ophelia said. She didn't bother hiding her excitement. "What could anyone possibly say about you? After all, you're an Albrecht."
Stella paused before the corner of her lips curved up. This woman standing before her had a peculiar way of showing her support and lightening her mood. Once ready, it was about time for her to head out. When they walked out onto the field together, every pair of eyes turned toward them. Ophelia followed a step behind before slipping away, settling onto one of the benches beneath the shade of a tree. The perfect vantage point.
“Stella,” Ophelia called.
“Hm?” Stella looked over her shoulder.
“I expect absolute obliteration,” Ophelia said, beaming. “Don’t disappoint me.”
It was an order, yet a chuckle escaped Stella’s lips. With no further words exchanged, the alpha stepped into the field. Luke was already here with his group, wooden sword in hand. He had been waiting for this moment. A chance to put Stella in her place and prove to everyone and Ophelia that he was the superior alpha. Under normal circumstances, a fellow student would serve as a referee, stepping in before things went out of control. However, both sides agreed not to have one. This meant that the duel would end when someone surrendered voluntarily.
"You look well," Stella said, stretching her arms out with ease. "Perhaps I didn't kick you hard enough."
"You have no idea how long I've waited for this." Luke leveled the tip of his sword at her. "I'll humiliate you in front of everyone, to my heart's content."
"I apologize in advance," Stella said, holding the wooden sword to her side. "But I'll need to make this quick. Per Ophelia’s orders."
"Still running that mouth, are you?!" Luke shouted, stepping forward. "I can't wait to see what face you make when you're beneath my feet!!"
The first to move would hold the advantage, and Luke seized it. He swung hard, intending to scare her with brute force, but was met with equal force. A hard crack split the air, and it could be heard from every corner of the field. Their handguards locked, positioning themselves into close quarters.
“—!?”
Luke’s eyes widened. How could someone of Stella’s build match his raw strength? Even worse, it felt like running into a wall of concrete. Just inches apart, his eyes met with the razor-sharp blue before goosebumps crawled up his neck. For the first time, he felt like the prey instead.
He shoved off violently to create distance, but Stella didn’t even take a step back.
Gripped firmly onto the handle with both hands. Luke launched into a barrage—high, low, high again—each strike targeting different weak spots, difficult ones to dodge or parry. The hard crack progressively got louder with every brutal exchange. And yet, Stella parried every blow at ease, mirroring his speed and rhythm, so precisely that it fueled Luke’s frustration.
Rapid and relentless. Sharp cracks reverberated in the air in quick succession. In one fluid motion, Stella slipped through the rhythm of his attacks, catching him by surprise, before driving him back into close quarters.
“Too slow.” Stella wasn’t even out of breath. “I thought you'd put up more of a fight, given how much you've talked about your skills.”
“Shut up!!” Luke roared in her face. “All you do is just defend. Is that really all you're capable of?!”
His pungent, leathery pheromones clashed against the pinewood fragrance in the air, having a life of their own, fighting to dominate the other. They shoved apart, putting distance between themselves again before Stella’s lips curled.
"Make sure not to look away." Stella let out a quiet exhale before taking her first step forward. "Or else I'll cut you down."
Her voice went glacial, and the scent of pinewood in the air transformed into something else entirely. His body tensed the moment she took another step into his space, every instinct screaming danger. What lurked beneath those serene blue eyes belonged to a predator ready to hunt her prey.
“—!!!”
He blinked, and Stella was already this close. When had she closed the distance? His arm shot up to parry, and barely saved him. It was far too close for comfort. But that wasn’t done yet.
The swords collided again, splintering cracks splitting the air as the exchange resumed.
Strike after strike landed in one fluid motion, the sword moving as though it were an extension of Stella herself. Effortless on the surface, yet each blow carried such bone-jarring force. Rattling vibration spread across their blades and into their hands, turning this exchange into a test of endurance. Stella matched his speed and rhythm, tiring him out first, before she decided she had had enough.
“Fuck—!” Luke cursed out loudly.
With every parry, Stella’s sword crept closer toward him. She was moving faster, and he was struggling to keep up. Clenching his jaw, his energy was draining quickly from absorbing this monstrous force of attacks. The vibration shuddered through the blade every time their swords clashed.
“Damn you—!!” Luke charged toward her.
Out of sheer desperation, Luke brought the wooden sword down in a crushing arc, throwing everything he had left into it, but that only made Stella’s lips curl into a smile.
Something exploded in Luke’s hand. He blinked once—he was already falling backward from the impact. Blinked twice—he watched his sword in midair, tumbling in slow motion. By the third blink—his hands had gone completely numb.
“Uuagh—!!” Luke’s gasp-like cry startled the audience.
Stella’s legs snapped out in a brutal thrusting kick. The blade of her foot pierced with enough force to drive every last breath out of his lungs. Luke hit the ground hard before the dull, crushing ache spread through his abdomen.
“G-Ghk…” Luke whimpered, curling in on himself. “H-Haaah—hhk…!”
The man was squirming as his lungs refused to cooperate. Each breath came out broken and shallow. The once-roaring crowd fell completely silent. All that remained was the sound of his ragged, writhing attempts to breathe.
In a span of a few seconds, it was over. Stella waited and overpowered him with force and speed at the right moment. The impact was so explosive that it launched him backward and tore the sword from his grip. Before he could have registered what happened, the kick had settled it.
“That one is for Lisette,” Stella said. “Yesterday, I did my best to hold back.”
Stella crouched and picked up his sword from the ground before gently tossing it to his side without a word. That kick had been a mercy. Had she chosen the sword instead, it would have ended with broken bones and blood.
"If you had come for me directly,” Stella continued. “I might have been more merciful.”
“F-Fuck you—!” Luke hissed through his teeth.
His bloodshot eyes fixed on his opponent. The man slowly dragged himself back to his feet, gripping onto the sword so tightly his knuckles went white.
“I'm aware there are several alphas here who have been pursuing Ophelia shamelessly,” Stella said, her gaze sweeping across the crowd. “Come down and settle it with a duel, shall we? Lord Luke could use the company and the rest.”
It wasn’t difficult to provoke an alpha. As Stella had expected, several stepped forward onto the field. All the male alphas that had pursued Ophelia despite knowing full well she was engaged. A few upperclassmen broke away to help Luke off to the side of the field before a man, in his third year, stepped forward with a sword in hand.
"Do you think you can humiliate your seniors and walk away from it?"
“No. That’s why I invited all of you down,” Stella said, giving a courteous bow before leveling the tip of her sword at him. “I prefer to settle everything today.”
Once Stella finished her sentence, the duel resumed immediately. Loud cracks were followed by rapid exchanges. Her sword deflected and moved in one fluid arc, utilizing her opponent’s momentum for her own speed.
The upperclassman clenched his teeth as his shoulders tensed. The force was bone-jarring. He caught up with the nimble lady, found a brief opening in her defense, and seized it at once. He was so close to reaching her, but just not fast enough. Stella effortlessly deflected his strike before a smirk pulled at the corner of her lips.
"Not bad," Stella murmured.
“You—!”
Something about Stella’s smile got under his skin. How could anyone be smiling in the middle of a duel? A loud swoosh accompanied his next slash, wide and forceful enough to drive the nimble alpha back. The blade changed trajectory mid-swing before going for a straight-line thrust. Aiming directly at her face.
Loud gasps rippled through the crowd.
Of course, he hadn’t intended to injure her, just enough to knock that arrogance out of her eyes. But what he hadn't expected were those fearless blue eyes, fixed on him without a trace of hesitation. Stella’s feet gripped the ground before launching forward. Her head shifted slightly, just enough for the thrust to pass her by.
“—!!”
He was the one who flinched. Even with the blade inches away from her face, Stella didn’t even blink.
“Ugh—!”
A sudden whipcrack split the air, enough to silence the crowd in an instant. A searing line of pain spread across the alpha’s abdomen. Clutching his stomach, the dull burn refuse to fade as he turned to Stella. She didn’t press further. She didn’t need to since this was enough to prove her point.
“Do we need to continue?” Stella asked.
“…As much as it infuriates me, I'm not fool enough to ignore the gap between us,” the man muttered.
Reluctantly recognizing Stella’s skills, the upperclassman stepped back, accepting his defeat. Ripples of gasps and mixed reactions swept through the crowd. Even after witnessing what she was capable of, other alphas still wanted their turn to challenge her. All because of their pride, how could they turn down a duel after an underclassman provoked them?
“…I don’t understand.” The upperclassman looked up at her, one hand still pressing onto his injury. “If you are this strong, why did you hide it?”
“What would I even prove by defeating someone weaker than me?” Her tone remained neutral, neither contemptuous nor arrogant, as if she were simply stating a fact. “But since none of you seem capable of respecting boundaries, it falls to me to remind you where they are.”
One by one, they yielded to her. Stella defeated four upperclassmen back-to-back with finesse and effortlessly. While the audience watched in awe, Ophelia wasn’t surprised in the least. Aside from training with Matteo on weekends, Stella received weekly one-on-one training with Sir Jayson, at her own request, because she said no one in the academy could give her the challenge she needed.
And Stella was right.
Ophelia had watched every one of those training sessions, seeing her fiancée fight at her fullest without restraint. Even now, it never ceased to amaze her how Stella possessed such finesse and talent at such a young age. As one expected from the only daughter of Commander Alicia Valens, the war heroine of Northland, who inherited both her mother’s talent and gift for the sword.
But Ophelia wasn't the only one who knew.
Hidden in the audience, two young men in their third year watched the duel. The alpha man with deep reddish-brown hair let out a loud laugh.
“Fools! Serves them right.” The man tilted his head as his tone was laced with derision. “I warned them repeatedly to give up on Lady Ophelia, and they chose not to listen. Of all the people in this academy to provoke, they just had to provoke Stella.”
"You speak as though you know Lady Stella personally," the man beside him commented. “Do you know her personally?”
"I've trained with that beast in the past.” He said, crossing his arms. “That's how I knew the moment they provoked her that those guys are done for. Even I know better than to get on her bad side."
Joshua Eckhart, the red-haired alpha man, grew quiet as his thoughts pulled him back to childhood. He had spent years attending the joint training camps held at the Valens estate. Both House Eckhart and House Valens were tight-knit, bound by centuries of allegiance and shared expeditions and missions. To this day, Joshua could never forget his first encounter with that young black-haired girl. He had been 10 at that time, and Stella 8. She was considerably smaller than he was, yet she was the one who made him taste his first defeat.
“H-How is she this strong—!?” a man muttered with frustration.
Back on the field, the last alpha fell to his knees, teeth gritted, as the dull, searing pain radiated across his back. He was the fifth upperclassman to fall by her sword. Even after consecutive duels, she wasn’t even breathing hard.
“I assume things between us are clear now?” Stella said, unhurried and calm.
“Kuh—!”
"It is basic courtesy not to court an omega who is already engaged. You should all be ashamed of yourselves." Stella’s gaze swept across all of them. "I believe I made myself clear that Ophelia is my fiancée."
Her declaration silenced the entire field. After today, Stella hoped no fool would dare to trouble the couple again. Neither protest nor objection came from the audience. Who would dare speak up after a display like that? From the bench, Ophelia watched quietly, knowing wholeheartedly that this was nothing but a performance. Stella was simply playing her role as a dutiful partner in public. It wasn’t the first time she addressed Ophelia as her fiancée, and yet it did nothing to stop the warmth creeping into her cheeks or the tips of her ears from turning pink.