CHAPTER 92: SOMETHING FISHY.

"You and I both know who will be affected most if the Ashford brothers leave the academy," Damien shot back with a scoff, his glare never wavering from Auren’s face.

"You’re not that special, Damien," Darius said coldly, his tone heavy with contempt. "We’ve moved past the days when you were considered special. You’re not anymore....so stop acting like it. And we’ve also moved past the phase of constant fights. If you keep playing the good boy you’ve been lately, we’ll stay out of that phase. But if you keep up this arrogant act..." He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping into a threat. "Then you know exactly how badly it will damage you and your family if we ever return to those days."

"Huh? What does Darius mean by that?" Victoria murmured under her breath, one eyebrow arching in suspicion.

"I don’t know either... but those two...." Leo’s lips brushed close to her ear, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper unknown to the others...."their eyes are hiding a lot of secrets, you see."

Victoria gave the faintest nod, her gaze flicking between Darius and Auren, silently acknowledging Leo’s point.

"I’m no longer afraid of you, Darius," Damien said at last, his voice ringing with cold finality. His tone held the weight of a man done with playing games. "And if we’re going back to that phase... the one where we were always fighting like wild dogs....." his eyes narrowed into slits ".....then so be it. Let’s go back to it."

Without warning, he reached for Victoria’s hand and lifted it into the air. She blinked in surprise, her brows knitting together as confusion clouded her eyes. "Damien, what are you....?"

"I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my sister," he cut her off, his gaze locked on Darius like a hunter cornering prey. "From you... and from your family."

Anna, who had been frozen in place, finally found her voice. "Just what exactly is going on here?" she demanded, her voice rising in both pitch and urgency. "What exactly is going on between you two that I’m not aware of?"

"A lot, Anna," Auren answered smoothly, his smirk returning as he leaned lazily back into the sofa. He let out a scoff as if the matter amused him. "But you don’t have to worry yourself about it. You’ve been away from the pack for far too long....you can’t possibly understand what’s going on now." He tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Still... I’d say the academy is in for another big show very soon."

"We’re ready for whatever, please!" Callum snapped, his tone sharp with indignation. His jaw clenched as his voice carried across the room, prompting Darius to let out his own scoff, his head dipping in a slow, deliberate nod.

"Don’t blame me for being ruthless again, then," Darius replied with a dark smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Without another word, Damien tightened his grip on Victoria’s hand and pulled her toward the exit. The other Ashford brothers fell in behind him, followed closely by Victoria’s friends. They left in one swift movement, the heavy door swinging shut behind them with a sound that echoed through the hall, leaving Anna and Nicole speechless and confused and Darius, Auren, and Zephyr momentarily shocked and utterly silent.

*****

A sleek black car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the Ashford mansion. The headlights washed over the front steps in a pale glow before clicking off. Without hesitation, the Ashford brothers stepped out one by one, their expressions grim, their shoulders squared as if bracing for an unseen battle.

Victoria climbed out after them, her features tight with unspoken questions. The drive had been tense; they had made sure to drop Dickson, Joe, Rose, and Blonde back at their own home before returning to theirs.

"You should retire for the night now, Victoria," Damien finally said, breaking the heavy silence that had filled the car and lingered even after they stepped onto the mansion’s grounds. His voice was firm, yet there was a protective edge beneath it. "Don’t think about anything for now."

Victoria swallowed hard but didn’t speak. Damien was already walking again, still holding her hand as if unwilling to let her go. His grip was warm, steady, and unyielding, guiding her inside.

Once in front of Victoria’s bedroom door, Theo stepped forward without a word and opened it for her. She stepped inside, glancing briefly back at her brothers. Without further discussion, they each turned and disappeared down the hall toward their own rooms.

The mansion was quiet. Their parents, along with most of the servants, had already retired for the night. And given that Damien had been with her on the outing, no one was particularly worried for her safety.

Victoria sat down on the edge of her bed, confusion etched deep into her face. "Just what the hell is wrong with them?" she finally asked aloud, more to herself than anyone. "What is wrong with my brothers?"

"How am I supposed to know that?" Leo replied from the sofa across the room, stretching with a languid air before slumping back down. His voice was laced with mild irritation. "But... there’s something fishy going on. Very fishy."

Victoria’s eyes sharpened as she turned toward him. "Very fishy indeed," she echoed. Rising from the bed, she moved to face him directly, her arms crossed. "Can you just eavesdrop on them for me? There’s no doubt my brothers are going to be discussing tonight. You could figure out what the problem is."

Leo tilted his head, a slow smile curling at his lips. "You’re right, Victoria," he said, springing to his feet. "Why didn’t I think of that immediately?"

Without wasting another second, he strode toward the door, leaving Victoria waiting expectantly in the soft glow of her bedroom lamp.

*****

The golden morning sun spilled through the curtains, casting warm rays over the face of a young lady. She soon stirred beneath the sheets, shifting slightly before finally opening her eyes.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Leo’s cheerful voice rang out, paired with an exaggerated grin that made his dimples deepen.

Victoria slowly pushed herself upright, stretching her arms with a yawn. "How did I even sleep off?" she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes to chase away the last traces of drowsiness.

"I came back only to find you already fast asleep," Leo replied, letting out a sigh that sounded both amused and a little tired. He was perched on the edge of a chair, casually munching on a chocolate biscuit between sentences.

Victoria’s curiosity lit up immediately. "So... how was it? What did you find out?" She leaned forward, her voice eager. "What are they hiding?"

Leo gave a small shake of his head and another sigh, heavier this time. "Nothing. I couldn’t find out anything at all. Those four went straight to their respective rooms and shut themselves in after a hot shower. Not a single word between them. But..."....his brows furrowed slightly...."their silence was dripping with anger. Heavy, burning anger."

"This is... really confusing, Leo." Victoria began pacing the room, her brows knitted in deep thought. "In my past life... my brothers, as well as my stepmother and father, respected the three Alphas a great deal. Damien especially respected them....he owed a lot to them for making him part of the academy rulers. So why...." she turned abruptly to face Leo....."why is he so willing to disrespect them now? Is he planning to throw away his position at the academy? Just what exactly happened at the vacation house?"

Her steps slowed as her gaze sharpened. Then it hit her.

"Wait... Joe and Dickson!" Her voice dropped to a murmur, though her eyes gleamed with sudden realization. "Those two were in the room when the fight started. How come Anna and the others didn’t question them immediately? Those two could be the key to this mystery."

"Exactly!" Leo said, nodding with emphasis. "Everyone was too angry to think clearly last night especially Anna. And since Joe and Dickson didn’t speak up either, that tells me they’re not interested in saying a word. Honestly, I don’t blame them. They wouldn’t want to speak in front of the three Alphas and risk being punished."

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "And... what if your brothers are suddenly acting all fearless because of you? You know... the past life thing. Maybe they don’t want to be the Alphas’ dogs in this life again. Maybe they regret how they treated you before."

"Oh, please." Victoria laughed outright, shaking her head. "Them regretting how they treated me? That’s absolute nonsense, Leo. The only regret they might have is serving as the Alphas’ dogs in my past life and they won’t allow that to happen here. As for me? Any care they show is just like protecting their most valuable treasure....me, their wealth. Even if the Alphas expelled all of us from the academy tomorrow, my brothers would have no regrets as long as they still had me."

Her tone softened slightly, though her eyes remained sharp. "I’m just... curious about what’s really going on between Darius and Damien. Those two are hiding something....something big and I’m dying to know what it is." She gave a small, almost playful smirk. "Anyway, I should get dressed and have a little chat with Joe and Dickson."

"Whatever you say, girl," Leo replied with an exaggerated sigh. "Oh....and in case you’re wondering.....Mirabel’s still in her room. I’d say she’s going to stay there until at least tomorrow. She’ll be better by then from the purnishment she received."

"I don’t care how much pain she’s in," Victoria said flatly, her expression turning cold as she reached for her towel. "What matters is that she mustn’t die. Not yet." She paused at the bathroom door, glancing over her shoulder. "She still has more pain to endure in the future. And I’ll make sure she stays alive long enough to experience every last bit of it."

With that, she stepped into the bathroom.