Page 14 of Vengeful Queen
“And what’s it going to cost me if it’s you?” she sneers. “What hidden secret do you have over me? Because money isn’t going to give you leverage this time.”
Hudson stares coldly at Charlotte, giving her a nasty look as if she’s a changeling and the real Charlotte took off, leaving this cold bitch behind.
I have had enough. “No one is going to leave you on your own, so stop acting like it’s an option,” I tell her. “Yeah, I fucked up too, but what would really be fucked up is if we were the same assholes you met in September. Shit has changed. You’re changing, and I don’t know if it’s because you’re scared. I’m hoping it’s not because of the money.”
Charlotte looks away, and I don’t know what nerve I just touched.
I make her meet my stern gaze. “We’re watching out for you, whether you want to be a bitch or not.”
Hudson immediately jumps in. “You need our help, so stop acting like a snob and stop using sex as a reward. You mean more to us and yourself than that.”
Her face crumples, and her blue eyes shine, but Charlotte gets up without a word and storms out of the Oak, leaving us sitting in a temporary silence.
Hudson defends his abrasive words. “I was harsh, but she needs the truth.”
“We’ve all done something shitty to her,” replies Asher. “I took it for granted I was forgiven.”
“I don’t care if I’m forgiven or not,” I reply. “I’m still going to look after her.”
Hudson gets up and pulls on his wool coat. “I’ll go follow her. She’ll be pissed, but so what? She’s pissed already.”
I watch him nod to Nadia as he leaves. She looks over at us, and I motion for the bill. Asher remains quiet, and we sit there a moment longer until we finish our beers. I want to ask, but I don’t. I can tell by his expression he got hit the hardest today.
CHAPTER 6
Charlotte
I don’t need to turn around to look. I hear Hudson’s crunching footsteps follow me back to the campus. My fury fades the farther we march away from the Oak in the icy snow. A frosty wind whips the hem of my coat up, reminding me that I don’t want to be alone. I ran out of the bar before a tear could fall, but once outside, the cold temperatures take the heat off my face.
He doesn’t approach as we walk toward campus, but my heart rate slows down and my breath stops steaming up the air. By the time I’m walking on the path to the dorm, Hudson is gone. I’m still angry, though I feel worn out by defeat. What they said was hurtful and unfair despite being true. My anger needs a boost, and my mind obliges me by picking out the worst things they said to me.
Asher didn’t explain but denied. That photo came from somewhere, and he has to know where. And Hudson all smug, like they didn’t know he had blackmailed me. He looked pissed when I said it. And Jaxon—did he brag when he finally got me? Why was Kurt so confident he could watch? I meant to ask. I shouldn’t have gone back to Alpha house. I shake my head, determined not to blame myself for their shady behavior. I ignore the guilt, but one voice whispers in my mind, reminding me that despite the past, they have changed. They do care.
“Charlotte.” Raine comes out of the dorm. “I was just looking for you. I haven’t seen you.” Her eyes widen as she pauses. “I mean out of class.” She giggles awkwardly while I stare at her.
I’m not playing this game. Raine knows why she hasn’t seen me. What does she say now when my name is mentioned at Gamma house?
“Do you plan to say something?” I ask, “Or are you going to gawk at me like the rest of them?”
Her stunned expression should make me feel ashamed. Raine was my friend. Is my friend? Why am I shoving her into the past? She was the only girlfriend from Ivymore to call me at Alva Park and not send a text.
“Elina and Isabel told us to leave the house. We had a task—a treasure hunt. We knew something was up. Why else would they make us do that in the cold? And then at dinner, they announced you were gone.”
“Gone?” I reply sharply. “I was kicked out. And it’s not what you might think. I was tossed out because Theta came to me. So you have to understand why I can’t be seen speaking to a Gamma.”
Her voice climbs. “I had nothing to do with that. Wait, are you talking to Theta?”
I shift on my heels, but I don’t dare lower my chin. “I am now that Gamma is so ungrateful.”
“Ungrateful?” Raine glares so hard it shuts me up. “We were grateful and patient. We defended you despite everything that you did.”
“I didn’t ask for help,” I reply steadily.
“But you needed it,” she replies. “Or maybe you need your trust fund more than friends.”
I move past her then pause. “I’m sorry about how things went down, but maybe we all dodged a bullet.”
Raine shakes her head as she stares in disbelief. “Wow, I was wrong about you. You are a stuck-up bitch. Good luck with Theta and your golden future.” Raine marches off, taking the last word with her.