Chapter 42 Surveillance, Mockery and Unexpected Allies

Chapter 42 Surveillance, Mockery and Unexpected Allies
The next morning dawned over Ravenshade with an uneasy calm — the tense kind that arrives before a storm. Selene walked toward the university with her head held high, but her stomach in knots. The confrontation with her family the night before had been brutal. Her declaration of independence had been made, but the absence of immediate retaliation was almost more terrifying than their fury itself. She knew they were watching, waiting.

She found Annalise by the campus fountain. Her friend ran up and hugged her.
— Are you okay? — Annalise whispered, eyes full of worry. — Nara brought me back early this morning and said you had come home. How did it go? Your father...?

— It was horrible — Selene admitted softly. — But I told them. I said I won't give him up. — And? — And now I'm under invisible house arrest — Selene sighed, glancing around discreetly. — They didn't lock me up, but I know they're watching my every move. Especially Gabriel.

As if called, a familiar chill ran down Selene's spine. Across the courtyard, near the library, she spotted her brother Gabriel partly hidden behind a column, eyes fixed on her. His presence was a cold anchor, pulling her back into the clan's oppressive reality.

— Don't look now — Selene murmured. — But my personal guard is on duty.

Annalise fought the urge to stare.
— Idiot. What do we do? — Nothing. We act normal. We go to class. It's the only thing we can do for now.

While Selene tried to keep up appearances, Rael was starting his first official shift at Nathan's bar. The place was quiet during the day, only a few regulars sipping coffee or morning beer. Rael wiped the counter with silent efficiency, his mind replaying the events of the previous night — the passion with Selene, the tense confrontation with her family, Annalise's safety.

Nathan watched him from the corner of his eye as he polished a glass. The bartender had the look of someone who had seen everything and could read people — and creatures.
— You adapted fast — Nathan remarked. — For someone who clearly isn't from around here. And who seems to have found trouble with the local royalty.

Rael stopped cleaning, meeting Nathan's gaze. The subtext was clear. Nathan knew more than he let on.
— I like keeping my hands busy — Rael replied, evasive. — And I try to avoid trouble, though it tends to find me. — Ah, Ravenshade has a gift for that — Nathan chuckled low. — Especially when you mess with the Bloodshades. I heard last night was... eventful. On the road to Cedric's farm.

Rael tensed. News traveled fast.
— Just a family disagreement — Rael said, testing the waters. — Of course. Family — Nathan smiled, unconvinced. — Look, kid: tread carefully. There are eyes and ears everywhere. And some of them don't like wolves, especially wolves who steal promised brides.

Rael nodded, taking the warning. Nathan was, in his way, a neutral ally, an informed observer.
— I'll keep that in mind.

On campus, Gabriel kept his position near the library, rage eating at him from the inside. Seeing Selene chat and laugh with her human friend felt like an insult. She should be ashamed, submissive, not acting as if nothing had happened. Victor's order was to watch her, but Gabriel wanted more. He wanted to punish the wolf, to restore order.

He was so consumed by anger that he didn't hear light footsteps on the grass behind him.

— Spying on your little sister, Gabriel? How touching. Devoted family duty or just older-brother obsession?

Nara stood beside him, arms crossed and a sarcastic smile playing at her lips. She'd seen Gabriel, rigid as a statue, and couldn't resist.

Gabriel turned abruptly, his face a mask of cold irritation. — What do you want, wolf? This isn't your business.

— Oh, but it is — Nara shot back, tilting her head in mock innocence. — Your sister seems finally happy. Free, even. Shouldn't you be glad for her? Or would you rather see her locked in a gilded cage, married to some idiot prince who doesn't even know her, just to keep the clan's decaying image intact?

— Shut up! — Gabriel hissed, stepping threateningly toward her. — You know nothing about my family or our traditions.

— I know enough to see you're on the wrong side of this story — Nara replied, standing her ground. — What's your problem, Gabriel? Are you terrified of losing control? Or can you simply not bear to see your sister choose her own path, especially if that path includes someone you despise?

Gabriel clenched his fists, his vampiric nature battling the need to keep discretion on campus. He could tear that wolf in two, but the consequences would be severe. He limited himself to shooting her a look of pure contempt, refusing to engage.

Before the tension could escalate further, a third voice chimed in, amused and drawn-out.

— Well, well. What a dramatic little meeting. The pack and the clan trading veiled threats in broad daylight? Adorable. Almost makes me miss family drama.

Lucien Bloodshade appeared, leaning casually against a nearby tree, his eyes flashing with amusement as he watched the standoff between his cousin and the wolf.

Nara rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her mouth. — I was only trying to have a civilized chat with your cousin about family psychology and the importance of sibling support — Nara told Lucien. — But he's dreadfully monosyllabic. Tense. He needs to relax.

Gabriel shot Lucien an icy glare. — Don't stick your nose where it's not wanted, Lucien. Go away.

Lucien raised his hands in mock surrender, his smile widening. — Easy, cousin. I'm just appreciating the cultural exchange. But — he turned to Nara with a gleam in his eye — since he's in such a sour mood and clearly doesn't enjoy your bright company, perhaps you might enjoy mine? I heard there's a new café by the river. They say the cakes are hideous, which makes them irresistibly intriguing. Want to investigate with me?

Nara looked from Gabriel, who seemed a ticking bomb, to Lucien, who offered chaos and caffeine. The choice was obvious.

— You know what? I think I will — she said, turning her back on Gabriel without another word. The chance to annoy Gabriel and spend time with the one vampire she found remotely interesting was too good to pass up. — Come on, vampire. You're paying this time. Your clan must have money spilling from the walls.

Lucien laughed and offered his arm with an exaggerated bow. — It will be an honor, my dear wolf. Let Mr. Rigid tend to his ivory tower.

They walked off together, laughing, leaving Gabriel alone in the shadows, his surveillance interrupted, his silent fury boiling ever hotter. He turned his gaze back to Selene across the courtyard. The day was far from over. And he would make sure someone paid for the insolence.