"What are you still standing there for? Get moving!" Elsie barked at Grace, who jumped at the loud command.
Without hesitation, Grace snatched up her phone and began typing, her fingers shaking a little. The outside world saw Grace as lucky since she was Elsieās efficient and indispensable assistant who managed all her accounts and activities. If only they knew the poor girl lived in pained paradise.
The uncomfortable truth was that Grace was Elsieās servant who was bound to her by a debt of gratitude and a ruthless hierarchy. Elsie didnāt care about her in the slightest.
Grace wasnāt an elite; she was simply a poor human she had plucked from obscurity. Everything Grace had, the fame, respect, admiration, and wealth, it all came from her. Without Elsie, Grace would be nothing, and both of them knew it.
Before Grace could finish typing, a voice broke through the room. "And you think thatās a good idea?"
Every head in the room, including Elsieās, turned as Natalie Avax entered the closet with an elegance that could rival any runway model. She moved with effortless confidence, her presence undoubtedly magnetic. Such that even in a space filled with the finest luxury items, she was the one thing everyone couldnāt help but notice.
Elsieās face hardened into a scowl as she turned toward Natalie, her voice filled with irritation. "I believe I called for you hours ago?"
But Natalie barely spared her a glance, walking past her as though she werenāt worth acknowledging. Her sharp eyes scanned the room, taking in the opulence without a hint of awe.
"Donāt push your luck, Elsie," she said coolly. "Iām not Grace, someone you can order around, and Iām certainly not jobless enough to come running like a dog to its master."
The jab hit its mark, and Grace flinched, her face reddening as she risked a glance upward. Her gaze briefly met Natalieās before she jerked her head down again, too humiliated to hold the contact.
A muscle twitched in Elsieās jaw as she regarded Natalie. Natalie had never been an enemy, but she wasnāt a friend either. It was her brazen arrogance that infuriated Elsie the most. As the reigning queen of the academy, Elsie was used to being worshipped, feared, and obeyed. But not Natalie.
And for good reason.
Natalie was an Avax. The Avax family was a powerhouse, tech giants with wealth and connections that dwarfed even Elsieās. Even the human president and the werewolf king relied on their support.
Nearly every student at Lunaris came from money, but no one matched the Avax familyās clout. Their connections, especially with the underground, made them untouchable. To cross them was a foolās errand, and Elsie knew better than to try.
"Fine," Elsie said through gritted teeth, forcing a tight smile. "If you were busy, then..."
Her words were an attempt to save face, but inside of her, anger and hatred burned. If Natalie werenāt so rich and untouchable, Elsie would have taught her a lesson long ago.
Natalie, unfazed by Elsieās attempt at reconciliation, strolled over to the upholstered storage bench where three other elite girls sat, their postures stiff with unease.
"Hello, girls," Natalie greeted them with a breezy wave, her tone light and unconcerned.
The three girls exchanged hesitant smiles and awkward waves in return. They were already aware of the tension between Elsie and Natalie, and it made their presence feel painfully awkward. They buried their faces in magazines they clearly werenāt reading, however, they pretended to be disinterested in the scene unfolding before them.
"So..." Natalie placed her impossibly expensive designer bag beside her, crossing one toned leg over the other, elegantly. "I heard something interesting about you wanting to boycott the Oracle. Please tell me you were just joking?"
She finished with a smile that didnāt touch her eyes, her voice sharp even though it feigned sweetness. The room was silent as
all eyes turned to Elsie, waiting to see how she would respond.
But Elsieās jaw only tightened, especially as she stared at Natalie, who lounged on the bench like she owned the place.
"Since you seem awfully concerned about what I do, let me ask you then, Natalie. Why would you care about that? The Oracle crossed a line and someone needs to remind her whoās in charge." Elsie said, standing tall and crossing her arms.
Natalie chuckled softly, the sound dripping with condescension. "Ah, Elsie, always so quick to play the role of the dictator. But tell me," she leaned forward slightly, her hazel eyes meeting Elsieās blue ones, "what happens when the Oracle retaliates? Sheās not just some gossipmonger. Sheās untouchable for a reason."
Elsieās lips pressed into a thin line. She hated that Natalie had a point, but she wasnāt about to back down.
"What do you mean by untouchable? Sheās just a human hiding behind a keyboard. Moreover, the Oracle was nothing. At the start, no one would read or comment on her useless gossip pages nor buy her magazines, not until I came into the picture!"
She continued, her voice getting louder, " I sponsored her! I gave her the wings to fly! I gave her the content! And it was all about Moi!" Elsie pointed to her chest, declaring, "I made her who is she? So trust me when I tell you she wouldnāt dare go against me publicly."
"And yet you donāt even know who she is... you are not even sure whether she is a he or she."
"I donāt care!" Elsie said, "I made her and I would undo her. Iām Elsie Lancaster. "
Natalie could not take it anymore and stood up. She faced Elsie, saying with a cutting tone, "I thought you were smart but it seems to be youāre a dumb bimbo. Or perhaps the fame has gotten to your head, you think youāre untouchable?"
Elsieās eyes flared with anger, her voice rising immediately. "How dare youā!"
But Natalie didnāt let her finish. "The Oracle has dirt on everyone in this school," she said, her words slicing through Elsieās outrage. "And I do mean everyone. What do you think happens when you push her? Sheāll push back. Hard."
Elsieās lips pressed into a thin line, but Natalie wasnāt done. "The Oracle has always been an encyclopedia of secrets. Even if you hadnāt helped her rise, it was only a matter of time before someone else realized her worth and did the same. And letās not forget, you benefited from her, too. Look at you, Lunarisā Queen Bee. All that attention, all that control. You wouldnāt be where you are without her"
Natalieās tone wasnāt mocking, but it wasnāt sympathetic either. It was neutral, detached, and somehow, that made her words sting even more.
"You fed a lion," Natalieās lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. "And now itās grown big enough to see you as a meal. Trust me, you donāt want to be a lionās meal. Itās unpleasant... and messy."
Elsieās expression darkened further. The joke clearly wasnāt meant for her enjoyment. Neither was Natalie fazed by the hostile energy radiating from her. She just didnāt care.
Her tone became more serious. "Moreover, even if you wanted to boycott the Oracle, do you really think itās that simple? Asher, Alaric, Roman, and Griffin are all still subscribed to her. They rely on her as much as everyone else. Like it or not, the Oracle is integral to Lunarisā ecosystem. She keeps the students entertained, and happy students mean less chaos."
Natalie came closer to Elsie, placing a hand on her shoulder. The gesture was both disarming and dominating, a subtle power move that made the others girls in the room hold their breath.
"With her holding secrets over all of you, itās like sheās maintaining order. Imagine what would happen if you wolves decided to play gods and tyrants without someone like her around to keep you in check. In this case, the Oracle isnāt just untouchable, sheās necessary. She canāt go, donāt you think?"
The insult was slight but obviously woven into Natalieās calm and calculated reasoning. But the girlās expression remained neutral, even pleasant, even though the message was clear as day : the Oracle was untouchable, and Elsie would be wise to remember that.
Elsie said nothing, seething inwardly instead. Even Grace stood awkwardly in with the phone still in hand, unsure whether to continue typing or retreat into the shadows
"But then I know what your problem is, " Natalie let her hand drop, "Violet Purple isnāt it? " she said, watching as Elsieās eyes widened slightly, however she quickly masked her expression.
"Youāre threatened by her position, arenāt you? "
"I am not ā"
"My time is valuable, Elsie Lancaster and I did not answer your call to waste it further. You want me here because you have obviously noticed my recent interactions with Violet Purple and want to know where my loyalty is? If not demand something from me?"
Natalie lifted a brow while holding her gaze, "Am I wrong?"