Serene’s POV

" That’s for hurting Zeph, you bitch." I spat in her face. The slap left its imprint on her shocked face. For a fleeting moment, I saw terror in her eyes but it passed as swiftly as it had come. Everyone around me looked on with a mixture of shock and amusement.

After that everything happened in slow motion. She lunged toward me like a feral animal, her eyes changed and soon her whole body began to shift into her wolf form. Zilver grabbed me and pulled me back, using his body as a shield to cover me. Everyone around Lourden stepped away from her as she shredded her clothes and turned into a werewolf. Her hateful eyes fixated on me, ready to lunge and tear me apart.

As she leapt towards us, Lavaria Sensei who was coming out of the hall along with Lourden’s father jumped towards her and grabbed her in mid-air, pinning her to the ground. His sheer strength showed as he controlled a fully transformed werewolf with his bare hands. She howled and tried to break free but he didn’t let her go. Her father let out a menacing growl directed toward her. She whimpered and bowed her head in defeat.

Her father apologised to us and lead her away as Lavaria Sensei let her go. " What happened here? " Lavaria Sensei inquired as he was joined by Artins Sensei. I stepped forward and confessed to slapping her and making her lose control. Artins Sensei’s face turned red with anger.

"You realize you not only endangered yourself but your fellows as well." He scolded me in a furious tone. "In my office, now," he ordered. As I made my way to his office, my friends tried to follow me.

"No one will follow Serene, Aurorians go to the common room and the rest of you go back to your rooms." He ordered strictly.

Lavaria Sensei also followed Artins Sensei into his office as I stood at the side. "Why Serene? When I had already expelled her, was it really necessary for you to go and make a scene?" Artins Sensei inquired.

"I apologize for acting so rashly Sensei," I replied apologetically.

"One week, detention. Lavaria make sure she will do two hours of extra training every day after classes." Artins Sensei told Lavaria Sensei who bowed his head slightly while looking at me teasingly. Oh! great two hours daily, this will be the death of me.

"Head to the common room, I will join you there shortly." Artins Sensei ordered me.

"Yes, Sensei," I replied before leaving. Lavaria Sensei followed me. As we were out of the earshot of Artins Sensei, Lavaria Sensei spoke up:

"It’s alright to sometimes get swayed by emotions and feelings. I understand why you slapped her, she had made your and your friends’ life hell besides love makes us do crazy things." He smiled at me while I blushed and tried to hide my embarrassment. How did he know? Zilver must have told him when everything unwrapped. Great now even teachers know.

"Don’t be embarrassed, my point was when you love someone sometimes you take drastic actions for them. I am in love with Shumal and will do anything and everything for her. If someone puts her through hell, I will not stand back and watch. As a teacher, I am not supposed to take sides but I am proud of you Serene. Therefore, detention won’t be that tough. We will make it fun." He patted my head like an elder brother.

"Thank you, Shumal Sensei and you make a perfect couple. I am honoured you shared this with me." I replied with a smile.

"Well, it’s not like we try to hide it but both of us are so friendly that not everyone can put it together." He shrugged and I laughed. We had reached the common room so Lavaria Sensei left me there and made his way to the dining hall.

As I entered the common room, I was greeted by whistles and hurrahs. "Way to go girl," Ziva said excitedly.

"Oh my gosh, Serene you really slapped her." Ayrden couldn’t contain her excitement.

"She had it coming for so long." Alvene shrugged. "Serene, you are so brave," Mikasim replied cheerfully.

"That was very rash of you but at the same time, it was so satisfying to watch," Zilver exclaimed.

"I didn’t expect you to slap her, I think I underestimated you, Princess," Zeph said with a smirk. Arlo was sitting on a chair at the far end and I could see him smiling.

"Well, I got detention for one week but it was so worth it." I shrugged making everyone laugh. Meanwhile, the door opened and Artins Sensei walked in with a serious and stern look on his face.

Everyone stopped laughing instantly and put on their serious looks.

"It’s a very dark day for our institute, the drastic steps I had to take due to childish behaviour, bullying and constant bickering are highly aggravating. But, someone needed to be made an example even though the name of our institute was tarnished. Be this a lesson for all of you as well that no leniency will be shown for such behaviour." He looked directly at me.

"For the future keep in mind to report every incident to me directly so that we won’t have to escalate matters to this proportion. And, I expect better especially from my team, which will make me proud. Serene, I am taking twenty points from you and you will do one-week detention. Next time keep your emotions in check. Do, I make myself clear?" He asked us.

"Yes, Sensei." We all chimed in.

"Good, you people have the rest of the day off so enjoy. All of you have been through enough." His voice softened a bit as he turned and left.

"Damn, what an exhausting day," I complained as I slumped myself on a chair.

"Man, I don’t know if I feel relieved or worried that Tanzil is gone for a month," Mikasim grunted.

"Was she mad at you that you ratted her out?" I asked.

"She didn’t know I did. Arlo took everything on himself so I am safe." He replied beaming at Arlo. "Yes, without Arlo’s intel we would never have been able to unearth Lourden’s scheme," Zilver added. "Good job, Arlo you are amazing." Ayrden waved at him. He simply nodded in return.

"Let’s head to the dining hall and eat something. I am starving and I want to see Ralph." Alvene added.

"I am starving too and our team looks incomplete without Ralph," I added.

"Well don’t tell him that, his head will become more bloated," came Zeph’s snarky reply making us all chuckle as we got up and made our way to the hall.

"Serene, can I talk to you?" Arlo called me. I stopped and told others to go ahead. Zeph eyed us both before leaving.