Chapter 78 CHAPTER 78

Chapter 78 CHAPTER 78
CELIA'S POV

I bumped straight into Jasper’s chest and stumbled back a step, my bag slipping off my shoulder. My heart jumped. He was right there, tall and warm, smelling like the woods and something darker that made my stomach tighten. I thought he did it on purpose. Of course he did. He probably heard about Krystal and came looking for me just to talk about it, to act like he cared or to tease me about how I handled her. I didn’t want to deal with him. Not now.

I tried to step around him, keeping my eyes on the floor. “Move, Jasper. I’m busy.”

But he caught my arm gently, fingers warm on my skin. That touch sent a stupid little spark straight between my legs, reminding me of the cave, his hands everywhere, his body on top of mine until I passed out. I hated how my body still reacted to him.

“Hey, wait,” he said, voice low and rough. “Are you okay? I heard Krystal tried to bully you again in the dorm. She came at you, right?”

I looked up at him, surprised. He didn’t mention the videos or gloat or anything. He just looked… worried. His eyes were soft, scanning my face like he was checking for marks. My cheeks got hot.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I muttered, pulling my arm free even though I liked the way his fingers felt. “It’s nothing. I handled it.”

He didn’t let me walk away. He stepped closer, close enough that I could feel the heat coming off his chest. “I’ll take care of it, Celia. She won’t touch you again. I promise. None of them will.”

I laughed, short and bitter. My heart was racing, half from anger, half from the way he was looking at me—like I mattered. “Don’t pretend, Jasper. You don’t have to act like you care. I know what this is. You’re just trying to get close because of the mate thing or whatever. Save it.”

He shook his head, serious. No smirk, no teasing. Just honest eyes that made my chest feel tight. “I’m not pretending. I heard what happened and I’m pissed. You saved my life out there. You didn’t have to, but you did. Now it’s my turn to look out for you. I’m going to the Dean right now. She and her friends are done bullying you.”

I stared at him, mouth open a little. He was serious. Really serious. He turned and started walking toward the admin building without waiting for me to answer. I watched his back, that strong line of his shoulders, and something warm twisted inside me. Maybe they actually cared. All of them—Xavier with his hug, Kaiden with that kiss, Jasper now going to fight for me. It was confusing as hell. I was supposed to make them suffer, but this… this felt real. My cheeks burned hotter. My body remembered every touch, every thrust, every growl, and now this protectiveness made it worse. I hated how much I liked it.

I stood there for a long second, heart doing stupid flips. Then I turned and headed back toward the dorm. My legs felt shaky, but not from fear. From everything. The way they were acting, the way they looked at me, the way my skin still tingled where Jasper touched me. I pushed open the door to my room and dropped my bag on the bed. The other side was empty. Krystal’s stuff was still there, but I knew she wouldn’t be sleeping here tonight. Not after what just happened. Not after the seniors dragged her and her friends away like trash.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the empty space. A small smile tugged at my lips. They actually cared. Or at least they were trying to show it. And Krystal? She was finished. I touched my cheek where the slap still stung a little, but the heat in my belly wasn’t from anger anymore.
I woke up the next morning feeling lighter than I had in weeks. My body still ached in that sweet, sore way from everything with Jasper, but I pushed it down and got ready for training. I pulled on my workout clothes, tied my hair back, and stepped out of the dorm. The campus was already buzzing, and as I walked toward the training field, whispers followed me like shadows.

“Did you hear? Krystal’s suspended.”

“Yeah, and those videos… everyone’s talking about how she was screwing that guard while pretending to be pregnant.”

I kept my head high, but inside I was smiling so wide it hurt. Different rumors swirled around me with every step — Krystal crying in the hallway, Krystal getting dragged to the committee, Krystal’s friends turning on her. I knew I’d fully got my revenge now. She wasn’t dead, but this was better. Being tortured while alive, watching her whole world crumble piece by piece… yeah, that felt perfect. No quick end for her. Just slow, painful humiliation every single day.

I was happy the entire day. Really happy. For the first time in forever, I felt like I was winning. Training went smooth. I ran drills, pushed my body hard, and every time someone glanced my way it wasn’t with pity or disgust. It was respect. Or fear. Either way, I liked it. My cheeks stayed warm the whole time, that dark little thrill buzzing under my skin.

Later in the afternoon, though, something shifted. I was walking back from the field when I started hearing the new whispers. Strange ones. Different.

“…heard the Hale brothers helped set Krystal up…”

“Celia and the brothers planned the whole thing…”

“They wanted her gone so they could have the omega to themselves…”

My steps slowed. My stomach twisted. What the hell? I felt like the only person who could do this was either Krystal or her friends trying to flip the story, or… the brothers did something like this. My mind raced. Had one of them leaked more? Were they playing me again?

I couldn’t let it sit. I spotted a girl from my class walking alone and caught up to her, keeping my voice casual even though my heart was pounding.

“Hey,” I said, falling into step beside her. “You hear those rumors about me and the brothers setting Krystal up?”

She glanced around first, then leaned in, eyes wide. “Yeah… it’s all over the group chats. Someone’s saying Zaxer was the one who spread the videos and the photos from the wedding. He made sure everyone saw Krystal with the guard. He’s the root of it.”

I stopped walking. My mouth went dry. Zaxer? Shock hit me hard, like a slap I didn’t see coming. Zaxer. The same one who let me fall from the roof, who spread rumors about me before, who was always the most jealous and dramatic. Now he was doing this… for me? Or to me? I didn’t know which, and that made my chest tight and my skin hot all over again.

I thanked the girl and kept walking, but my mind wouldn’t stop spinning. Zaxer. Of all of them.