CHAPTER 55: SAVE SOME TEARS

Tavian and Jason barely had time to process that they had reached Nikki’s room before Lena and Lyra shoved them hard through the door. They stumbled inside, nearly crashing face-first onto the rug-covered floor. Jason’s grip on the shopping bags slipped, sending them tumbling down as colorful clothes spilled out in a heap.

He scrambled down instantly, hurriedly stuffing the scattered items back into the bags, his hands shaking.

Behind them, the click of the door closing was sharp. Seraphine turned the lock with deliberate care before facing the room.

Nikki sat perched on her bed, her legs crossed, long nails idly tracing the rim of a glass of red wine. She didn’t so much as glance at them until Seraphine spoke.

"They’re here, Lady Nikki."

Only then did Nikki lift her gaze. It was slow, calculated, the kind of look that made both Tavian and Jason freeze in place. Her eyes gleamed with cruel amusement as they darted between the two omegas.

"I heard you’re friends with that bitch now," Nikki said lazily, her tone almost casual. "Is that true?"

Tavian’s throat bobbed. Jason opened his mouth, closed it, then stammered, "L-Lady Nikki, we..."

Her gaze flicked to Lena and Lyra. A small nod.

The twins didn’t need words.

Lena moved first, her hand slicing through the air as she slapped Jason hard across the face. The sound cracked through the room. Lyra followed, striking Tavian just as sharply.

"Answer when you’re spoken to," Lyra said coolly, her voice cutting through their shock. "Lady Nikki hates repeating herself."

Tavian’s cheek stung; his head rang. Jason staggered, clutching his face, tears springing to his eyes from the force.

Nikki uncrossed her legs, left over right, then crossed them again in reverse, right over left. Her movement was slow, deliberate, predatory.

"Now," she said, swirling her wine lazily. "Are you going to answer me, or do you need a little more encouragement?"

Lyra and Lena raised their hands again, ready for another strike.

Jason flinched. "Y-yes," he muttered quickly, voice trembling.

"Yes what?" Nikki asked, a wicked smirk curling her lips.

The girls’ hands hovered threateningly, and just before they could land another blow, Tavian blurted out, "Yes, we... we wanted to be friends with Rhea!"

Lyra and Lena froze mid-motion. Both turned toward Nikki, waiting for instruction.

Nikki tilted her head slightly, then gave a small shake of it. The twins stepped back instantly.

She rose from the bed in one smooth, elegant motion. The air in the room shifted. Tavian and Jason trembled as she approached, her heels clicking softly against the floor.

"So you admit it," she said, her tone dropping lower, sharper. "You actually have the nerve to stand here and say it."

Her eyes landed on the shopping bags they still held. She smiled faintly.

"I heard you even went shopping with the filth." Her voice hardened. "Let me see what you got."

She nodded once toward the twins.

Lyra stepped forward and yanked the bags from Tavian’s hands. Jason, however, held his tighter, shaking his head as Lena tried to pull them away.

"Let go," she hissed.

When he didn’t, her fist slammed into his stomach. Jason doubled over, gasping, and the bag slipped from his grasp. Tavian dropped to his side instantly. "Jason! Are you okay?"

Jason wheezed and nodded weakly, clutching his side.

"That wouldn’t have happened if you’d obeyed," Nikki said coolly. "Maybe I’ve been too lenient. You’ve forgotten your place, thought you could switch sides and defy me."

She gestured with a flick of her hand. "Empty them."

Lena and Lyra upturned the bags, sending clothes tumbling to the floor in a bright, messy heap. A flash of red caught the light, a lacy g-string sliding free from Jason’s bag.

Nikki blinked, then burst out laughing. She bent down, lifting it between two fingers. "Oh? What’s this?" she said mockingly. "Don’t tell me this is for you, Jason."

Jason’s face went scarlet. He stood shakily with Tavian’s help, eyes down, humiliated.

Nikki’s laughter filled the room, Lyra and Lena joining in while Seraphine only smirked faintly.

"Who were you planning to wear this for?" Nikki mocked. "You don’t even have a mate yet, you little whore."

"Stop it!" Tavian blurted before he could stop himself. His voice cracked, loud in the tense air.

Silence hit like a punch. All eyes turned to him.

"What did you just say?" Nikki asked, her tone deathly calm.

Tavian swallowed hard. "P-please... stop. This isn’t fair. Just let us go."

Nikki’s expression darkened. "You dare to shut me up?"

He shook his head quickly. "N-no, I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry... "

"It seems," Nikki said, straightening, her tone dripping with disdain, "that I need to remind you both of your place."

Her eyes flicked toward Seraphine and the twins. "Drag them down."

Seraphine nodded once. Lena and Lyra moved instantly, grabbing the boys by the arms. Jason started crying as they were forced to their knees, the sound raw, helpless.

Nikki laughed softly, walking closer, wine glass in hand. "I haven’t even started, and you’re already crying," she said. "Save some of those tears for the real punishment."

*******

Ellie stormed out of the healers’ quarter, his expression tight with frustration. He had just gone to check on Roff and his friends, only to find them still sprawled across their cots, motionless except for the faint rise and fall of their chests.

He rubbed a hand over his face. "It’s been hours," he muttered under his breath, "How hard did she even hit them?"

He exhaled sharply. If he hadn’t heard their shallow breaths, he would have sworn they were dead. Whatever Rhea had done, she didn’t hold back.

As Ellie made his way down the corridor, two pack women came from the opposite end, talking quietly. They noticed him immediately and dipped their heads in respect. One was tall and broad-shouldered, her russet hair tied into a sleek braid that swung against the back of her uniform tunic. The other, smaller and round-faced, had wide green eyes that made her look perpetually startled.

Ellie barely nodded, too distracted to acknowledge them properly. He started to turn away, but their hushed voices carried down the hall.

"So, what do you think Lady Nikki’s gonna do to Jason and Tavian?" the smaller one whispered once they’d passed him.

The words froze Ellie mid-step. Slowly, he turned back, his voice sharp. "You two. Stop right there."

They halted instantly, the color draining from their faces. The tall one straightened, her braid brushing her back, while the smaller one fidgeted with her sleeves.

Ellie closed the distance between them in long strides, his presence heavy enough to make them both shrink a little. "What did you just say?"

They exchanged confused look. "We...uh... we don’t understand," The taller woman blinked rapidly.

Ellie’s tone grew colder. "What do you mean you don’t understand? You just said you don’t know what kind of punishment Nikki will give Jason and Tavian. What do you mean by that?"

Realization flickered across their faces. The shorter one quickly spoke up, her words tumbling out. "Oh! We didn’t mean anything bad, sir. It’s just, Seraphine and her daughters came through a few minutes ago. They took Tavian and Jason with them. We thought, well, we assumed Lady Nikki was the one who called for them."

The taller one nodded fast, eager to back her up. "Yes, since everyone knows Seraphine and her daughters serve only Lady Nikki. And Lady Nikki doesn’t summon anyone unless she wants to... "

Ellie didn’t let her finish. He turned sharply, the movement crisp, and strode down the corridor, his boots thudding faster with each step.

The two women watched him go, exchanging wary glances.

"Why did he look so mad?" the smaller one whispered, clutching her hands together.

The tall one exhaled through her nose, crossing her arms. "I don’t know. Maybe because Ellie and the Kroll family never saw eye to eye. You know how Sir Eberhard’s always sticking around the Alpha like he’s the Beta. Ellie hates that."

"You think he’ll do something to Nikki?" the shorter one asked quietly.

The taller woman hesitated, her brow furrowed. "I don’t think so. The Krolls are favored by the Alpha. He’d be a fool to cross them."

The smaller one bit her lip, glancing back toward the direction Ellie went. "Still... he looked ready to tear someone apart."

They exchanged uneasy looks and continued down the hall.

*******

Nikki’s fingers snapped sharply, Lyra stiffened, then quickly moved to the wardrobe. Her hand hovered for a moment before pulling the pink whip from its place on the shelf. The leather gleamed faintly under the room’s warm light. A shadow crossed her face, her mind flashing back to earlier that day, when Rhea had used that same whip on her. The sting of humiliation still clung to her memory. She swallowed hard, forcing the thought aside, and turned to bring it to Nikki.