Moonveil Academy: Trapped With The Five Kings

Chapter 49: The Game Changes

Reign:

I was done playing nice with Argentis. At least, that was what I told myself as I left the corridor and headed toward the library.

For days, I had tried different approaches. I had provoked her, offered my help, warned her, irritated her, and even tried to make her understand that surviving Moonveil alone was impossible. But nothing worked. The more I pushed, the more stubborn she became.

So tonight, I had decided I would stop playing around and make her bend. She was going to understand that she needed allies, whether she liked the idea or not. And if she refused to listen to reason, perhaps I needed to give her something she couldn’t simply walk away from.

However, my steps slowed the moment I rounded the long aisle at the back of the second floor of the library, the moment she came into view.

She was sitting alone at one of the corner tables beside the enormous glass windows, lazily rolling a pencil between her fingers while moonlight spilled over her. Her hair was left loose tonight, those silver strands catching the pale light like threads of liquid metal. She looked completely absorbed in whatever she was reading, so peaceful that for several seconds I simply stood there and watched her.

She was beautiful. There was no denying it anymore. She was probably the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and the irritating part was that she didn’t seem to realize just how much attention she attracted.

As though sensing my presence, her silver eyes suddenly lifted from the book. And the moment they landed on me, the peaceful expression disappeared and a frown settled over her face. She didn’t say anything. She simply looked back down at her book, deliberately ignoring me.

My lips twitched. Apparently, my presence was enough to ruin her mood now.

I made my way toward her table, reminding myself why I had come. Unfortunately, the moment I reached her, every sensible thought disappeared.

"What are you doing here?" she finally asked with a tired sigh, not even bothering to look up.

Instead of answering, I reached down and took the book directly from her hands. That got her attention.

She shot to her feet immediately. "Give that back."

I held the book above my head. "No."

Her eyes narrowed. "Reign."

"Argentis."

"Give. It. Back."

I watched her stretch upward, trying to grab it, and the sight almost made me laugh. She was determined, though. Every time she reached for it, I lifted it slightly higher.

"You are being childish." She threw at me with a glare.

"And yet you are still trying to get the book." I returned.

"Because it’s mine."

"Then take it."

Her glare could have frozen the library.

I couldn’t help smiling. She had an incredible talent for making me want to annoy her even more. Every interaction with her somehow ended with me irritated, amused, or both. And despite the fact that she’d said enough things over the past weeks to make most people regret speaking to her, I couldn’t stay angry at her for long. Maybe because she was different. Maybe because she didn’t treat me like everyone else did. Or maybe because watching her lose that carefully controlled composure was far too entertaining.

I had come here intending to make her understand that she needed us, yet somehow I’d forgotten the entire reason for my visit and was now enjoying myself at her expense.

She made another attempt at the book, but I raised it higher and watched as she narrowed her eyes. We both knew it’s almost impossible for her to get the book from me-

She stomped directly on my foot. Hard. Pain shot through my leg.

"Fuck!"

I doubled forward on instinct, and that was all the opportunity she needed. She snatched the book from my hand and stepped away, clutching it against her chest with a victorious expression.

My wolf immediately surged beneath my skin, furious at the sudden attack.

I straightened slowly and glared at her. "You just stepped on my foot."

"You stole my book." She shot back.

"That doesn’t mean you get to assault me."

"Assault?" She gave me an incredulous look. "I stepped on your foot. And you survived."

My wolf almost growled. He obviously didn’t want to hurt her, but he’s more than ready to take her as a challenge.

I took one step toward her. "You don’t get to hurt me and simply walk away."

She tilted her chin. "And what exactly are you going to do about it?" There was no fear in her eyes. None. Anyone else would have understood that they were standing far too close to an Alpha who was already angry. Argentis simply stared at me as though daring me to prove her wrong.

"You have no idea what I can do." I wasn’t trying to frighten her. I was being honest.

Her expression didn’t change as she spoke, "Then perhaps you should give me an idea."

Something inside me snapped. Before she could finish whatever else she intended to say, I reached out and caught her firmly at the back of her neck, pulling her closer. Her eyes widened in surprise just as I closed the space between us and crashed my lips against hers.

The book slipped from her hands and struck the floor with a sharp crack that echoed through the otherwise silent library.

She went completely still. Her eyes wide open in shock as I sucked on her lower lip hard enough to make her gasp.

I pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. Those beautiful silver orbs were wide with shock, her breathing uneven, and beneath that surprise I caught something else - something fleeting that I couldn’t quite name. My wolf went completely still inside me.

I should have stepped away. But I didn’t.

Her hands came to my shoulders, and I watched her carefully, giving her every opportunity to push me away. The tension between us was almost unbearable, and the realization that I had crossed a line I had never intended to cross settled heavily in my mind.

Yet when I leaned closer again, it wasn’t because I wanted to win an argument anymore.

It was because, for the first time since Eleanora Argentis had entered my life, I had no idea what game I was playing.