Page 11 of His To Claim

“I’ll try to sneak out later to see you. I’m sure Preston will tell me where the girls’ house is,” he says, turning his attention back to me.

I simply nod, turning to look at him and find this possessive glare in his eyes.

Drake, Kai, and Jaxon follow Preston toward another large brick building on the left of the campus while I turn my attentionback to the guys who stand motionless at the bottom of the steps. A deeper scowl appears on the leader’s face, his eyebrows wrinkling as he glares at me. Dark blond hair, tousled above his head with eyes a clear blue and an angular jawline that I’m fairly sure can cut through anything. Tattoos are peeking out through the top of his shirt and down both arms. He is the epitome of male beauty and rugged sex appeal. A Greek God carved out by the big man himself. The perfect creation, a flawless masterpiece. All that mixed in with the attitude and demeanor of a king. The rest of the guys, who are breathtaking as well, stand like a solid wall at his side, scowling at us until the Adonis turns and walks away. Their glares turn murderous before turning and following their leader.

Well, this is going to be fun.

Three

SCARLETT

Iturn toward the girls who follow Leighton to the right side of the campus toward another large brick building.

“Servite Academy is co-ed, meaning you will have classes with the boys, but our housing is separate. There are ways around sneaking in and out,” she says winking as she leads us to the girls’ house.

“Who were those guys?” Jade asks as we turn toward where they stood to find they’ve disappeared out of sight.

“They are the Four Horsemen. Beckett Masters, Aleksander Smoak, Sebastian Silver, and their leader Wallace Servite.”

“The Four Horsemen, really?” Ruby mocks.

“They’re the kings of Servite Academy. They make the rules and enforce them, and we follow their every command, no questions asked. No ifs, ands, or buts. Their leader being the son of the Headmaster, of course.”

Wallace Servite. That’s the name of the one whose stare was burning a hole through me. The Alpha. The leader of their wolfpack, or in this case their herd of wild horses. I wonder if his glare had anything to do with his uncle’s connection to me.Does he know he brought me here? Does he know about my mother and Chaz?

“They seemed like jerks to me,” Jade sneers, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

The warm breeze picks up, twirling some fallen leaves in a spiral around us.

“Yeah, well, we all heard you were coming. The troubled teens from the foster home in the slums of Pleasant Hills. Rumor is Ace, Wallace Servite, had an argument with his dad, Headmaster Servite, about his little pity program to bring you guys here. Seems they’re not too happy with your arrival. Most of the school isn’t.”

Jade scoffs, turning to Leighton as she speaks. “Great, it’s not like we asked to come. They literally gave us no other choice. Either come here or get transferred to who knows where,” she says, crossing her arms at her chest.

“Yeah, I’d steer clear of them, anyway. I’d be grateful for their nonchalance. A problem with them is a problem with everyone. Their followers follow their every move blindly, and if you don’t, you’re punished,” Leighton says nonchalantly, as she continues to walk.

“Like what, they beat the shit out of you?” Ruby asks playfully, though I hear a hint of curiosity in her tone

“More of a social exile. Everyone will look down on you. Nobody will want to associate themselves with you. Your entire future and any prospect of a career will be over before it can begin. Your public banishment will disgrace your family, worse than any physical pain they are very capable of instilling. They’re feared more than they’re loved, and the female population of Servite adore them. And well, if I’m being honest, with the glares they were throwing your way, you three aren’t off to a great start. Those guys you girls came with, however, they’re fine,” she adds, and now it’s the three of us throwing death glares in her direction.

“And off limits,” I sneer.

She laughs and keeps walking, giving us the rest of the rundown on the academy as we arrive at the senior girls’ house. Apparently, there is one for every class year.

“This is the Dahlia House, for the senior girls. There is Hyacinth for freshman, Azalea is for sophomores, and Primrose is for juniors,” she says, pointing to the three other buildings to the right. We enter through the front door and she takes us up by elevator to the third floor.

“The houses are comprised quarters, set up as mini apartment suites, with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room,” she says as the elevator doors open.

“We get our own room, sweet,” says Ruby as we exit into the long hallway.

“How many apartments are up here?” Jade asks, as Leighton walks us toward one door. She stops right before opening it and turns to us.

“Well, like I said, there are four houses, Hyacinth, Azalea, Primrose, and Dahlia. Each house has four floors, each floor has four quarters, and each quarter has four rooms. Except for the fourth floor which has only one large quarter with four large rooms. That brings us to fifty-two rooms. That means fifty-two girls in our Senior Class. The boys’ houses are set up the same.”

“Who lives on the fourth floor?” Ruby asks curiously.

“Well, just like there are four kings, there are four queens, and they reign supreme over the senior girls’ house. Carrington Prescott, Wynter Servite, Alexandrea Smoak, and Kinsley Carlyle.”

“Another Servite,” I scoff, rolling my eyes.

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