CHAPTER 45: MEETING THE WILD BUNCH CLASSMATES.

"Let the real game begin."

"You’re done, sister. Now, let’s get you to your classroom," Theo said with a gentle nudge, placing a hand on Victoria’s shoulder. His tone was light but filled with a brotherly sense of urgency. "Callum and I have archery class soon."

Callum, walking just behind them, nodded in agreement.

As they made their way down the corridor, all eyes remained glued to them. Some students pretended to mind their own business, but many couldn’t tear their gazes away from Victoria and her brothers. Whispers floated through the air, curiosity, envy, and speculation mingled in hushed voices.

The siblings finally arrived at a classroom situated at the far end of the hallway.

"This is the most notorious classroom in the academy," Callum said, pausing to glance at the door before exhaling a deep breath. "Every newbie has to get through here before they can be moved to another class. And trust me, your classmates this semester are a wild bunch. Absolute chaos."

Victoria raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"But don’t worry," he added, offering a reassuring smile. "Mirabel’s in this class too. She’ll keep an eye on you."

"Alright, brother. Thank you," Victoria replied, flashing them a warm and grateful smile before stepping confidently into the room.

Theo and Callum turned and headed off toward their own class, but the air inside the classroom shifted the moment Victoria crossed the threshold.

"Just who is she?" came a sharp, feminine voice from across the room. The speaker folded her arms over her chest, her tone laced with suspicion and disdain. "Are you one of the scholarship students too?"

The murmur of voices stilled, tension thickening in the atmosphere.

"Our school must be losing its mind," another voice added, this one sneering with entitlement. "Imagine letting low-lives in on scholarship... and then placing them in the same institution as us. It’s honestly an embarrassment to our class."

That voice....Victoria recognized it immediately. It belonged to Nicole, Auren’s sister. She was seated elegantly but wore an unmistakable look of arrogance, like royalty among commoners.

Nicole stood slowly, her eyes narrowed. "And you thought I wouldn’t recognize you?" she hissed, a scoff escaping her painted lips. "Even with that new hair color, trying so hard to look like someone else, you’re still that same pathetic, abandoned daughter who just wormed her way into the Ashford family."

Her voice rose with every word, making sure the entire classroom heard her venom.

"You think acting all mysterious and playing hard to get will help you? It might be your downfall, to be honest. Changing your appearance just to attract more attention...what a desperate little bitch you are."

Victoria gave a small, amused scoff and didn’t spare her another glance. Instead, she walked with graceful defiance toward an empty seat near the window, pulling out her chair and sitting down as if Nicole were nothing more than background noise.

Nicole’s nostrils flared. "How dare she ignore me?! You really think you’re going to have an easy time here? Oh, trust me, you won’t. I’ll make sure of that," she threatened, though her words were met with Victoria’s complete indifference.

Victoria simply opened a book from her bag and began to read, tuning out the rest of the class as if she were alone.

Then came a new voice....softer, familiar, and refreshingly kind.

"Hi, my lady."

The words made Victoria lift her gaze from the page, her heart skipping for a moment as recognition hit her.

"Joe?" she said, her eyes lighting up with surprise and genuine delight.

The young man standing before her smiled warmly. It was Joe....the bartender she’d met before. His presence here felt like an unexpected lifeline in hostile waters.

"You’re really here?" she asked, rising to her feet and exchanging a side hug with him. "What are you doing here?"

"I’m a student now," he replied, his grin broadening. "A scholarship student, to be precise."

"Oh, I see. Nice to meet you here and thank you for the other day. I really appreciate it," Victoria said, her voice laced with sincerity as she offered Joe a warm smile.

"What do I expect? Someone like her would definitely get along with the low-lives," came a scornful, familiar voice from across the classroom.

Victoria’s smile faded slightly as she raised her gaze. Her eyes landed on a group of girls entering the room, their presence commanding attention.

It was the same trio from the training ground...the glamorous twins with golden blonde hair, Cassandra and Celine, followed by Anna with her vibrant red curls and the elegant, aloof Racheal with striking purple hair. All four were dressed in designer outfits, their necks, wrists, and ears adorned with gleaming gold jewelry.

They got admitted, huh? Victoria thought, letting out a knowing smirk. Well, I was expecting that.

She watched as the girls strutted across the room, taking seats near the front with the same level of pomp and self-importance they carried everywhere.

"Just ignore them," Joe said softly, leaning a bit closer so only she could hear. "All the rich kids are like that. I know you come from a wealthy family too, but you’re different...more grounded. That’s rare around here."

His eyes met hers with a hint of admiration.

"Anyway, just call me whenever you need anything. I’m always here for you," he added with an encouraging smile.

"I will, Joe. Thanks," Victoria responded, her expression softening with genuine appreciation.

Joe nodded in response. Another voice soon cut through the moment...gruff and annoyed.

"Oh, just go sit your ass down already, dude," came the irritated tone of Leo, Victoria’s ever-blunt guardian angel. He stood behind her, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. "Always throwing that ’call me whenever you need anything’ crap around. As if she’ll need anything from you."

He rolled his eyes dramatically.

Victoria gave him a sideways glance and whispered under her breath, "Can you really not put some clothes on? Don’t you feel even a little embarrassed? I’m a woman, an opposite gender, and you’re just standing there completely naked. Aren’t you ashamed?"

Leo simply shrugged, unapologetic. "Told you already...I’m not a normal werewolf. I’m different. And no, I’m not embarrassed. In fact, instead of worrying about me, young lady, maybe worry about how your days in this academy are going to play out. Starting today."

He gave another exaggerated sigh and turned his head away, uninterested in further debate.

More students began pouring into the classroom...some from elite backgrounds, others clearly part of the scholarship program. The noise level rose with every new arrival.

Suddenly, Nicole’s voice sliced through the chatter, loud and dripping with mockery.

"Oops. How come someone covering her head is attending this school too?" she said, folding her arms and glaring toward the back of the room. "I mean, it’s obvious she doesn’t even worship the Moon Goddess. Instead, she follows some... other gods I don’t even know about."

"She’s just another scholarship student. Ignore her. They’re all attention seekers," one of Nicole’s friends replied dismissively.

"Hi, Nicole!" came a cheerful, masculine voice, breaking through the tension.

A young man with a shiny bald head approached Nicole with a hopeful grin. "I’m Dickson. Nice to meet you. You look beautiful, by the way. That fiery red hair and the lip combo? Top notch."

Nicole’s expression morphed into one of pure disgust. "It’s bad meeting you, poor guy," she snapped. "How dare you even try to greet me? Is this some kind of sick joke?"

Dickson, clearly unfazed, continued, "Well, I’m on social media. Would love to connect, you know?" He lifted his older-model phone and pointed it toward her, grinning.

Nicole recoiled as if he had pointed a weapon at her. "Damn it! What do I expect from poor people?" she hissed, before storming out of the classroom with a dramatic flip of her hair.

Joe sighed deeply beside Victoria, shaking his head. "I told that motherfucker to behave himself while we’re here. How dare he try to talk to the rich kids like that?"

Victoria turned to Joe with an amused expression. "He’s your friend?"

"Yeah," Joe muttered, visibly exasperated. "My childhood friend. A real idiot sometimes. Always trying to suck up to the rich and trust me, that’s only going to land him in trouble."

Victoria chuckled lightly, her eyes still scanning the room.

"Hi," came a soft, feminine voice from nearby, prompting both Victoria and Joe to glance up.

A young girl stood before them, her modest hijab neatly wrapped around her head, hiding her hair. She had a calm presence, but her voice carried the subtle edge of uncertainty.

"I’m Jemaila. Would it be alright if I sat with you two?"

Victoria and Joe exchanged a glance before Victoria nodded.

"Of course. You’re free to sit anywhere," she replied kindly, smiling as she motioned toward the seat beside her.

Jemaila smiled politely in return and sat down, opening her textbook.

"Why are you wearing the hijab though?" Joe asked, his curiosity genuine, though his tone was casual.

"It’s because of my religion," Jemaila replied quietly. She swallowed hard, clearly nervous about how her answer might be received. After a moment, she turned her attention back to her book, avoiding further eye contact.

Victoria was about to return to her reading when a loud, panicked voice erupted from the doorway.

A young man burst into the classroom, his face pale and his chest rising and falling in sharp breaths.

"Come to the abandoned building everyone! You’re not going to believe what’s there!"

His voice rang with urgency, and without waiting for questions, he turned and sprinted back into the hallway.

A wave of shock and confusion spread through the room like wildfire. Chairs screeched against the floor, and students jumped to their feet. One after another, they rushed out the door, following the trail of footsteps that now echoed through the corridor.