The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 108: Unexpected Visitor

The boy looming over Finnian was none other than Naya’s sixteen-year-old younger brother, infamous throughout the academy for his brutality and strength.

His shadow seemed to swallow Finnian as he leaned in, his muscles taut with menace.

With a sharp glint in his eyes and a cruel smirk playing at his lips, he spat venomously. "So you’re the Finnian I keep hearing about, a new worm in the Academy. I must admit, you have some nerve showing your face here." He tilted the nearly empty bottle, mockingly sloshing the remaining water before tossing it aside.

"After everything you’ve pulled," he continued. "You think I’d let you waltz in here like nothing happened?"

His voice dripped with malice, each word a barb meant to rile Finnian. The tension in the air seemed to thicken as the boy and his fellow companion loomed closer, invading Finnian’s space.

However, Finnian remained unimpressed. His tone was unsettlingly calm, almost dismissive as he asked, "Shouldn’t I be the one upset?" He glanced down at the discarded bottle with mild disgust. "You stole my water and slobbered all over it. Now it’s useless — much like your attempt at intimidation." His retorts were casual, but his eyes held a steely defiance that betrayed his outward indifference.

The four boys were eventually caught off guard. They weren’t used to a new student talking back at them, much less mocking them so openly. If they weren’t teachers and seniors around, they would have dealt with him to the point just hearing their name would send shivers down his miserable spine.

Unknown to them, the boy they were degrading was an alpha who could handle them if he wanted to.

As Finnian’s words finally sank in, the boy claiming to be Naya’s brother turned crimson, a vein pulsing at his temple as his hands balled into fist.

"Do you have any idea who I am?"

Finnian crossed his arms, clearly unfazed by their anger. "Nope," he replied, calm as ever as his gaze shifted between all four of them before settling on the leader. "Who are you then?"

"Axel, from the noble house of Terrain," he responded with pride before jabbing an accusatory finger at Finnian’s face. "And you’re the pathetic rat who had the nerve to drag my sister’s name to the Alpha."

Finnian paused for a moment, feigning thought. "Your sister?" He raised an eyebrow, his voice full of indifference. "I have no clue who you’re talking about."

His cluelessness hit all four boys like a whip, and Axel’s eyes shifted to ensure no teacher or senior had their eyes on him before speaking. "Don’t you lie to me! You called the Alpha to punish my sister!"

"Oh that," Finnian leaned back slightly, entirely unbothered by their rage. "She did mention having a brother here," he said, sounding bored. "Yeah, I did call the Alpha on her — only because she was calling my sister names for no reason. Time was running out with the whole registration thing, and I thought I’d speed things up."

Axel’s friends exchanged uneasy glances, their scowls deepening, but before Axel could muster a response, Finnian swiftly cut him off. "And next time, tell your sister to stop being rude. If she’s gonna start something, she better be ready to handle it when someone finishes it. Crying about it afterwards makes her look weak.

His eyes flicked towards the bottle in Axel’s grip, then back up. "Also, if you’re gonna steal someone’s water, at least have the decency to bring your own next time. You grew up from a noble home. Hydration is important."

"You think this is a joke?" Axel’s face darkened, his lips curling into a sneer. "You’re dead for what you did to my sister. I don’t care if you have the Alpha on your side. I’m gonna make sure you regret ever opening that smart mouth of yours."

The three boys moved in like a pack of wolves, forming a tight circle around Finnian, their expression full of menace. One of them stepped closer, punching his fist into his palm. "You think being pretty and acting all high and mighty makes you untouchable? You don’t know what it’s like crossing us."

Finnian raised an eyebrow, letting out a slow, deliberate sigh. He hadn’t come here looking for trouble, and he’d promised his sister he’d stay out of one. But as they circled him, their taunts growing bolder, his irritation began to simmer.

His wolf was equally ready to take up the challenge.

Before the boys could react, the sound of running footsteps cut through the tension. Luca came barrelling towards them, his green eyes flashing with pure menace as he skidded to a halt besides Finnian, already cracking his knuckles.

Right behind him, Simon arrived, panting and flushed, but at the same time, resolute. He quickly stepped between Finnian and Axel, positioning himself as a barrier. "W– what’s going on here?" Simon stammered, breathless but determined to de-escalate.

Axel’s eyes narrowed in surprise, followed by disdain as he recognized Simon. "You?" He sneered, his lips curling in contempt. "Figures someone as dull as you would be mixed up with losers like them. What are you even doing here?"

Simon tried to quell the situation, clearly nervous, but Luca stepped forward, eyes flashing dangerously as he stood before Axel. "Listen up, I know all about you, but let me make one thing clear — the only one who bullies my roommates is me! So unless you want this to get ugly, I suggest you back off now. I’m not gonna say this twice — so get lost!"

Before Axel could throw fists, a sharp voice shattered the brewing storm. A teacher had spotted them from across the yard, her gaze stern. She gestured for Axel to come over, and with a frustrated grunt, the argument had to come to an end.

But not before he shot them a deadly glare, his eyes promising, ’This isn’t over’. He stormed off, his companions trailing behind him like a pack of hyenas, scaring off the junior ones that dared cross paths with them.

Simon exhaled in relief when Axel was out of sight. He then turned to Finnian, his expression shadowed with concern. "Are you okay? You really shouldn’t mess with Axel, he’s far worse than his sister. Learn to avoid him."

Luca scoffed, folding his arms. "You two are just babies! If they had said any of that garbage to me, they’d be eating dirt by now."

"I just want to avoid trouble," Finnian responded, shaking his head in resignation. "What class is he in?"

"S2," Simon responded. "We won’t be seeing much of him except during training. As long as we stay out of his way, we should be fine."

"Sounds like you know him," Luca pointed out. "He kept looking down at you as if you were some old servant of his. You two need to grow a spine if you want to last in this place! As for me? I’ll punch anyone who dares spit nonsense to me right in the face!"

Finnian and Simon exchanged uncertain glances. They weren’t sure how they were able to get their new roommate on their side, but at least he’s stopped trying to fight them.

"Classes are starting soon. Let’s hit the bath before the S4 and S3 students take all the hot water." Simon uttered, already walking away.

Before Donovan and Luca could tag along, Finnian halted when he spotted Acheron at the far end of the training yard. He stood with an air of authority, handpicking S3 females one by one, his expression unreadable.

"Acheron’s here?" his eyes widened.

Meanwhile, at the shadowspire, Esme concluded her grueling training session under Revana’s sharp eyes. She had repeated the course flawlessly in front of Revana, who seemed to acknowledge her improvement subtly, offering only the faintest nods.

But Esme knew there was always something the beta would find lacking, some imperfection lurking in her form or timing.

Afterwards, Esme allowed herself the luxury of a hot bath, letting the tension melt from her body. She had heated the bath almost to the point of scalding, but as she submerged herself, the water might as well have been lukewarm.

The intense heat had no effect on her.

Curiosity gnawed at her. She stretched out her fingers, half-expecting the flicker of blue flame she conjured before, but nothing came.

Something strange was happening inside her, and she felt powerless to understand it. The water she was currently bathing in should have burned, blistered even, but she emerged from the bath unscathed, her skin untouched by the scalding temperature.

"I’ll just have to have to check the library when I’m done here," she murmured with a quiet sigh. "Surely, there’s an explanation for everything happening, and there has to be mention of shifters who are impervious to heat." she convinced herself, telling herself that she was getting worked up for nothing.

Feeling refreshed, Esme cleaned herself up and settled for a sleek, two-piece outfit that allowed her the freedom of movement she preferred. The warmth still clung to her skin as she let out a sigh, running her fingers through her hair.

She stepped into the wide, dimly-lit parlor, and just as she began to settle, a firm knock echoed through the room.

Esme’s brow furrowed, and she moved to answer, the door creaking open as she reached for the door handle.

Her heart skipped a beat as her gaze locked onto the figure standing before her, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Leonardo??"

Leonardo’s face flickered with a subtle shift at the sight of Esme. His eyes looked her up and down, as if to confirm her presence. Then, a faint curve tugged at the corner of his lips, so faint it was hard to determine if it was a smile or something more elusive.

"Never thought I’d hear myself say something like this, but it’s strangely good to see you again."