Chapter 10 A List
Sienna
I stared out the window as Jordan drove me to the academy, feeling a little bit like a loser. I hadn’t seen Sev once after our talk yesterday, which was a total bummer. I’d basically offered him my soul and my dignity, and he’d just... ghosted.
When the academy finally came into view, I straightened my uniform. Jordan had dropped it off this morning, and honestly? It was a look. A jet-black blazer with gold lining, a black polo shirt, a gold necktie, and a skirt that hit just above the knee. I’d spent way too much time curling my hair and adding a black braided headband. I felt like royalty—or at least like I was about to star in a high-stakes teen drama.
That confidence lasted exactly until we reached the gates.
I actually gasped. Everyone was gorgeous. Like, suspiciously gorgeous. The men and the women alike had this level of beauty that made the people back in the city look plain.
I gripped the leather seat, leaning toward Jordan. “Is there a secret fashion week happening? They all look like models! No offense to my pack, but you can’t even compare the most beautiful back home to this.” I was panicking and mesmerized all at once.
Jordan actually chuckled—a rare sight. The corners of his eyes wrinkled, and he looked way younger for a split second. “I haven’t been to the city to compare, Miss. But I’m sure they’re beautiful in their own way.”
I was speechless as we pulled up to the main entrance. Jordan went to get the door for me, but I stopped him. “I’ve got it,” I said, hopping out. “Thanks, Jordan.”
I took a deep breath, trying to act like I belonged here as students glanced at the "new girl." I kept my head up, trying to find my room, but thirty minutes later, I was still wandering.
“Fuck,” I muttered, spinning around in a circle. Room 201 was nowhere to be found. The bell had rung ages ago, and the hallways were eerily empty. I stood there, biting my lip, wondering if I should just call it a day and go home.
“Lost?”
I spun around to see a guy who looked about my age. He was undeniably handsome, with ginger hair and freckles. He was giving me a dazzling smile.
“Incredibly,” I admitted.
“You’re definitely not from around here,” he said, reaching out. “Let me see.”
I handed over my schedule, and he beamed. “We’re in the same class. Like, all of them.”
“Why are you out here then?”
“Ate something weird for breakfast. Long story. Come on,” he said, gesturing for me to follow. “I’m Cole, by the way.” He looked back over his shoulder to catch my eye.
“Sienna.”
“Beautiful name,” he commented, leading the way with a swagger that was actually kind of adorable.
He finally stopped at a door and turned the knob. I made a mental note of every turn we took so I wouldn't have to rely on a ginger model next time.
“Ms. Beaumont, I found the transferee,” Cole announced.
I stepped into the room, ready to make a good impression, and then I saw her. My jaw almost hit the floor.
Ms. Beaumont was Keisha.
She was standing there with a smile that screamed I’m going to make your life a living hell. The Headmaster mentioned "great advisors," and he meant... her? I love you, Sev, but I’m seriously starting to question the integrity of this entire institution.
I played it cool, though. I wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of seeing me rattled. “I’m in your care, Ms. Beaumont. Sorry I’m late, I got turned around.”
“Of course, of course,” she said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Find a seat so we can get moving.”
I nodded and followed Cole, who was eagerly tapping the empty chair next to him.
“Is she new?” I whispered to him once I sat down.
“Nope. She’s the best healer in town. She was my sister’s instructor two years ago.”
“Ugh,” was all I could manage. I slumped in my seat, listening to her orientation and wondering how on earth I was going to survive a class taught by the woman I’d caught in Sev’s bed two nights ago.
“Would you mind staying behind for a second, Ms. Montclair?”
I was halfway out the door when her voice sliced through the chatter of the departing students. I stiffened, forcing a fake, pageant-ready smile onto my face as I turned back.
“For what reason?” I asked. I could feel every eye in the room burning into the back of my head, so I tacked on a begrudging, “...Ma’am.”
“I’m also a counselor here, and I’d love to help guide you during your transition,” she said, her voice dripping with that professional "I'm here to help" tone that I knew was total BS.
I wanted to tell her I didn't need her version of "guidance," but I didn't want any more of the attention the others were giving me. I got it—they respected her. “Sure. Of course,” I replied, trying to sound compliant.
The second the door clicked shut and the last student vanished, her "professional" mask didn't just slip, it fell off and shattered.
“I take it you’re settling in well,” she started, her eyes mocking me.
I rolled my eyes so hard it actually hurt. “Look, let’s skip the small talk. You’re pissed because Sev kicked you off his ‘Friday night special’ list, and now you want to take it out on me. It’s transparent, Keisha.” I gave her my sweetest, most venomous smile. “By the way? We had a great time the night you left.”
I’m not a big fan of lying, especially about him, but if it would get her off my back, I was willing to try anything.
Instead of getting angry, she just smiled back at me. “Walk with me, Sienna.”
I frowned, suspicious as hell, but I followed her into the corridor.
“See that woman over there?” she whispered as we passed a group of instructors. She pointed toward a woman who looked like she’d stepped off a high-fashion runway—long black hair, violet eyes, and a body that made any gym efforts look pathetic. “She’s one of those ‘list’ you mentioned.”
Keisha kept walking, acting like we were just having a casual stroll. “That woman, too,” she added, subtly nodding toward a brunette with an incredible figure.
“Then, we have her.” This time, her voice had a teasing edge as she pointed to a young lady wearing the same uniform as me. “She’s only a year older than you, but the Alpha doesn’t have a preference in age—only in how a woman carries herself. Do you know what that means, Sienna? He would never, in your wildest dreams, look at you the way you want him to.”