CHAPTER 24: THE THREE INSTRUCTORS.

Mr. Ashford gave a slow nod of approval, his expression unreadable, but his eyes gleamed briefly with something that could almost be mistaken for pride.

The family soon resumed their breakfast, the clinking of cutlery filling the tense silence. Once the meal was finished, Victoria excused herself from the mansion.

"The bitch is finally here," Mirabel muttered darkly, stretching her legs forward in an attempt to trip Victoria as she walked past. But Victoria, having grown familiar with such petty tricks, stepped around her effortlessly.

"You should really be more mindful of how you use that word, sister," Victoria said coolly, folding her arms across her chest. "The real bitch here is you. But as usual, you love blaming others for your own misfortunes. It’s pathetic."

"You better watch your mouth, Victoria!" Mirabel snapped, her eyes wide with fury. "My brothers, father, and mother might be protecting you now, but once you step into the academy, you’ll wish you were never born."

"Oh, is that so?" Victoria arched an eyebrow, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Is the punishment from the three heirs supposed to scare me? Or is it just that you’re their whore, and all you need to do is sleep with them to get your every wish granted?"

Mirabel’s face turned red with rage. "I am not their whore, you bitch!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "And even if I were, what’s it to you? They’re my mates....at least one of them is. I don’t know which one yet, but I will find out. Until then, I have to satisfy them all. I could be Luna to one of them, or maybe all three. Unlike you, who will never amount to anything!"

She began pacing, her hands clenched into fists. "Just brace yourself. When you get to the academy, you’ll probably end up helping clean the dishes. My brothers won’t go too far to protect you....they wouldn’t dare offend the heirs. Not for your sake."

Victoria sighed and shook her head in mock pity. "You’re truly delusional. You actually agreed to sleep with the three heirs? I heard nearly every girl in the academy has been bedded by them. Your brothers and our parents must have a lot of faith in you....too bad they don’t know what you’re really doing behind closed doors."

"They won’t believe you even if you tell them!" Mirabel shouted, her voice trembling with equal parts fear and anger. "So don’t try to threaten me with that. And don’t assume the alphas will ever want to touch you. Just because they’ve slept with everyone else doesn’t mean they’ll lower themselves for you."

"Oh, now I get it," Victoria said with a mocking smirk. "Is that why you’re so upset? Because I kissed Alpha Darius? That’s really what’s bothering you, isn’t it? You think I’m a scheming whore for that? Hilarious."

"You crossed the line!" Mirabel barked. "Nobody in that academy has ever touched Alpha Darius! His class of women aren’t even inside the main campus. And you...you kissed him? That’s the greatest disrespect in the universe!"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Please. Alpha Darius is attractive, sure....his height, those eyes, those lips are a waste. What good is the pretty face even you lack manners? He’s a whore, and I have no interest in used goods. I had to show that blonde brat the kind of man I’m attracted to, and Darius just happened to be there. Borrowed him for a second. No big deal."

She then pretended to gag. "I could never eat something so many people have already tasted. Honestly, you can go ahead and whore yourself to the heirs as long as you wish. That’s the only way you’ll ever get a wish granted. And you clearly need it."

"You....!" Mirabel screamed, raising her hand to strike Victoria, her face twisted with fury.

But before the slap could land, a strong hand intercepted her.

"What do you think you’re doing, sister?" Callum’s voice was calm, but the iron grip on Mirabel’s wrist said otherwise. "You’re resorting to violence now? That’s new."

"Let go of me!" Mirabel shrieked, struggling against his hold. But Callum didn’t budge.

When he finally released her, she stumbled, nearly falling to the floor. He caught her before she hit the ground, then let her go gently.

Without another word, Mirabel yanked herself out of his grasp and stormed out of the mansion. Moments later, she climbed into a sleek black Clérk car, and the driver sped off without hesitation.

As silence settled again, Victoria and Callum released the breaths they hadn’t realized they were holding.

"You okay?" Callum asked finally, turning his gaze from the front door to her face. "You weren’t hurt right?"

"I’m fine, brother," Victoria replied with a small, forced smile.

"The academy teachers will be here soon," he said, his tone turning serious as he rested his hands on his hips. "But Theo and I decided to stay home today just in case you need support. The training is going to be hard since you’re actually getting exposed to something new, but I know you can handle it. Passing the trials here is the only way you’ll survive what the academy has planned. This is just the beginning."

Victoria nodded slowly. "I can manage, Callum," she said firmly, though a flicker of uncertainty crossed her eyes. "I believe I can. Anyways I just need you to tell me about the teachers... Everything you know anything about them. Their personalities, names etc?"

Callum nodded, folding his arms. "Oh, i know about them. Apart from the training here, you’ll even be meeting them in the academy and even on the test day. Anyways there are three instructors assigned to you who are Master Joe, Master Austin, and Miss Ameera. All three are graduates of the Elite Lycan Academy. They know everything there is to know about the academy’s system, tests, and expectations."

Victoria’s brows furrowed with interest.

"Master Joe handles swordsmanship and physical combat," Callum began. "He’s a military man....strict, disciplined, and no-nonsense. He teaches everything related to weapons, tactics, and real battle scenarios. But trust me, dear sister..." He leaned in slightly. "He’s nearly impossible to impress."