Chapter 75 CHAPTER 75

Chapter 75 CHAPTER 75
CELIA'S POV

I climbed into the back seat of the big SUV without a word, bag thumping on the floor. Xavier was driving, Jasper shotgun, Kaiden and Zaxer on either side of me in the middle row, Ryker in the back. The doors shut and the engine rumbled to life. Nobody said much. The car felt too quiet, too full of them. Their scents wrapped around me—woodsy, strong, making my skin prickle even though I tried to ignore it.
I kept my eyes on the window, watching the mansion shrink behind us. But I could feel them. All of them. Staring. Not the old mean stares. This was different. Weird. Like they were seeing me for the first time and liking what they saw. Kaiden’s knee brushed mine on purpose. Zaxer kept glancing over, eyes dark and hungry. Even Xavier kept checking the rearview mirror, his gaze lingering on my face, my lips, the marks on my neck I couldn’t hide.
It was strange. None of them insulted me. No “omega trash,” no jokes about me being weak. Just this heavy, quiet staring that made my cheeks warm and my thighs press together. I hated how it felt. My body remembered everything—Jasper’s hands in the cave, Xavier’s hug, Kaiden’s sudden kiss last night. Heat crawled low in my belly.
“What?” I finally muttered, not looking at anyone. “Why are you all staring like that?”
Kaiden smirked, voice low and teasing. “Can’t help it, baby. You look good today. Real good.”
Jasper turned in his seat, eyes soft but hot. “We’re just… making sure you’re okay after everything.”
Xavier’s voice came from the front, rough. “Yeah. No more bullshit from us. We meant what we said.”
I scoffed, crossing my arms tighter so they wouldn’t see my nipples getting hard under my shirt. “Right. So no insults means you’re all suddenly serious about this ‘pursue me’ thing? You really think I’m buying that?”
None of them answered right away. The silence got thicker. Zaxer’s hand rested on the seat near my thigh, close enough that I felt the heat. Ryker just watched from the back, quiet but intense. It was weird. Scary weird. Because deep down I knew—they weren’t playing games anymore. They wanted me. For real. And that thought made my heart race in a way I didn’t like. I was supposed to hate them. Revenge, remember? But their eyes on me felt… nice. Too nice.
The drive felt endless. Every bump made someone’s leg touch mine. Every time I shifted, their stares got heavier. I kept thinking about Kaiden’s mouth on mine in the garden, the way Xavier held me like I mattered, Jasper fucking me until I passed out. My body betrayed me again, getting warm and wet just from their silence. “Idiots,” I whispered to myself. “All of you.”
Nobody talked much after that. Just a few quiet “you comfortable?” from Jasper and a soft “we’ve got you” from Xavier. It was strange. Too strange. And it made me wonder if they really were trying to change. Or if this was just another game I’d regret falling for.
When we finally pulled up to school, everything exploded. The second I stepped out of the car with all five of them, heads turned. Whispers started. People stopped in the middle of the walkway, staring like I was some kind of celebrity. Or a freak.
“Look at her… with all the Hale brothers?”
“She came back with them?”
“Omega girl riding with the kings now?”
I felt their eyes crawling all over me. My cheeks burned but I kept my head high. I ignored every single stare, every whisper. Bag over my shoulder, I walked straight toward the dormitory without looking back at the brothers. Their eyes were still on me—I could feel it—but I didn’t give them the satisfaction of turning around.
The dorm hallway felt longer than usual. My heart was still racing from the car ride, from the attention outside, from everything. I pushed open the door to my room, ready to drop my bag and breathe.
The place smelled the same—cheap detergent and old wood—but something felt off. I looked up and froze.
Krystal was standing right there by her bed, arms crossed, eyes burning with pure hate.
My stomach flipped. I wasn’t expecting her. Not after everything that went down at the wedding. Not after everyone saw her naked and fucked on that bed. But there she was, looking like she wanted to rip my throat out.
“You,” she hissed, stepping forward fast. Her hand shot up like she was going to slap me or worse. “You fucking ruined me!”
I didn’t back up. I lifted my chin and met her glare head-on. “Don’t even think about it, Krystal. The brothers are protecting me now. Touch me and you’ll suffer way more than a few rumors. They’ll make sure of it.”
She laughed, sharp and ugly, but her hand dropped. “Protected? By those same assholes who used to hate you? You really think they care? You’re still just a pathetic omega who got lucky.”
I felt a rush of heat in my chest—not fear, but something darker and sweeter. Power. I smiled a little, letting my voice drop low and teasing. “Lucky? Honey, I don’t need luck anymore. I have them. And after what they saw you doing with those boys and that guard… you’re the one who’s finished. So back off before I call them right now.”
Her face twisted with rage. “You’ll pay for everything you’ve done to me, Celia. The videos, the setup, the way you made me look like a slut in front of the whole school. I swear I’ll destroy you.”
I opened my mouth to answer, but instead I faked it. I let my knees buckle, grabbed my side like she’d hit me, and dropped to the floor with a loud cry. “Ahh! Krystal, stop!”
I screamed loud enough for the whole hallway to hear.
Footsteps pounded outside. The door burst open and three girls from our floor rushed in, eyes wide.
“What the hell?” one of them gasped, dropping to her knees beside me. “Celia, are you okay? She hit you?”
Another girl helped me sit up, her hands gentle on my arm. “Krystal, what is wrong with you? After everything you did—sleeping with that guard, those videos of you moaning like a whore—you’re still attacking her?”
I leaned into their help, acting shaky, but inside I was buzzing. They were on my side. Actually on my side. The third girl pointed at Krystal, voice sharp. “You’re disgusting. Everyone saw those videos. You got caught fucking random guys while pretending to be pregnant with Xavier’s baby. And now you’re bullying Celia again? Leave her alone!”
Krystal stood there, face pale, mouth opening and closing like she couldn’t believe it. “It wasn’t— I didn’t— She’s lying!”
But the girls weren’t listening. They helped me to my feet, brushing dirt off my clothes, murmuring soft things. “You’re safe now, Celia. We’ve got you.”
I looked straight at Krystal while they fussed over me. I realized they were insulting her for the sex videos—the ones I’d secretly spread. The same ones that ruined her. A slow, evil smile crept across my lips. I let it show just for her, dark and satisfied, while the girls kept talking.
“You should be ashamed, Krystal. After all the shameful things you’ve done, you still think you can push Celia around? Pathetic.”
Krystal’s eyes met mine. She saw the smile. Her hands clenched into fists, but she couldn’t do a thing.