Page 82 of Plug and Drain

She gave her hair a quick brush, hoisted her bag over her shoulder, and then paused by the desk on her way out to smell the flowers. They were the immaculate kind with barely any scent, but she could smell where Arken had handled the stems. Did that mean he’d selected each one by hand?

She tried to imagine him leaving the grounds today to purchase them at the market.

He probably just had them delivered.

Still, the vase was a nice touch. She would’ve had to put them in a water jug otherwise. She inhaled again.

Was it so bad that she liked the way he smelled?

She shook her head to clear it and exited her room. Did it matter what she felt? Arken wanted her to become his pet. It would restrict her time, her autonomy, and her ability to be a pack leader. How would she run her pack when she was at the beck and call of a vampire? As Arken’s submissive, all her free time would be monopolised. He might even insist that she only eat when he hand-fed her.

The thought made her blood curdle. She couldn’t allow him to take control of her life. For all intents and purposes, he was her enemy.

Therefore, it didn’t matter how considerate Arken seemed to be. Or how tender his kisses were. Or that he’d made her feel pleasure like no one ever had.

It was not worth the freedom she would have to give up—especially given how limited that already was.

Ensuring that Arken lost interest without angering him would be key. She needed plausible explanations as to why she wasn’t in her room. He was one of the most powerful vampires in the kingdom, and he could have anyone he wanted.

In contrast, she was a lowly wolf who couldn’t even shift.

She would change that. One day, people would listen to what a wolf like her had to say. It didn’t even have to be her they listened to. She had no ambitions of power—she just wanted to pave the way so wolves in her position could have an equal say. It was possible. But that day would never come if she was reduced to licking Arken’s boots.

Or shoes.

He had nice shoes; sleek and formal, and made of high-quality leather, the natural aroma of which made the smell of fresh shoe polish fade into the background. Like the rest of him, his shoes exuded sophistication.

Fucking stop it. They’re just shoes.

Susie quickly shut the door behind her, slamming it harder than she meant to. She hesitated in the corridor, staring at Molly’s door.

Should I check on her?

She hadn’t seen the first-year since last night, and she now had mixed feelings about their interaction. She understood Molly’s reluctance to be around Arken, especially after the rawness of the trauma she’d endured. The important thing was that Molly hadn’t left Arken unconscious on the steps. She’d gotten help, even if the only person she could bring herself to talk to was Susie. Sometimes, the simplest acts took the most amount of courage.

And yet, the fact that Molly had abandoned her to deal with Arken didn’t sit well with her. Sure, Susie was a year above her, but it wasn’t that long ago that she’d been a first-year herself.

Arken’s words floated back to her.

Who protected you when you were in their place?

No one.

She felt a pang of something she rarely let herself feel—self-pity. The feeling throbbed in her chest, just like when her parents had sent her packing for the academy. For once, she wished someone would stand up for her.

Arken had done so today in Zott’s classroom, and that meant something to her.

It would have meant more if he hadn’t plugged her.

Sighing, she was about to head down the corridor when Molly’s door creaked open. Two fearful eyes appeared, and she waved Susie over urgently.

“I thought I heard your door,” Molly said in a hushed tone. “Can you come here?”

Susie approached, taking in the wolf’s mousy hair, which was almost silvery in the dim light. She looked more haggard than usual, with prominent bags under her eyes, and Susie immediately felt guilty for having judged her harshly. There was a wound on her lip that still hadn’t healed from the omegas’ assault, and there was something panicky about the way her eyes darted around as if expecting danger.

“Is he gone yet?” Molly asked.

“Is who gone?” Susie glanced behind her. “You mean the guard?”