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For a moment, it seemed Elsie wouldn’t reply. She nibbled on her lower lip, hesitating slightly. But then, with a loud intake of breath, she finally let it out.

"You invited Violet to your tea party. Are both of you friends now? Are you supporting her or me?" The way Elsie looked at Natalie was direct, as if daring her to lie to her face.

Natalie didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she studied Elsie with that maddeningly arrogant air, her silence more unsettling than words. It was almost as if she was wondering if answering Elsie was worth the effort.

Then she finally spoke with an unapologetic tone. "I believe I don’t need your approval to decide who my friends are."

"Violet Purple is my enemy," Elsie hissed.

"So, are you saying I’m your enemy?" Natalie rephrased, tilting her head slightly and her voice carrying an undercurrent of warning. "Do you even want to be my enemy?"

Elsie bristled, catching the subtle threat hidden in Natalie’s words and tried to diffuse the situation, though her voice remained defensive. "We are the pillars of Lunaris Academy, Natalie. Violet is an outsider and cannot disrupt the order."

"That Violet is currently in the top three of the rankings.

.." Natalie pulled out her phone and held it up, showing Elsie the Luna rankings.

"According to the rules, that means the current pillars of Lunaris Academy are you, me, and her.

Perhaps instead of antagonizing her, you should pull her in. Make her one of us."

Elsie’s face twisted in anger. "That girl is a nobody! She has no money, no connections, and she’s the daughter of a prostitute. She’s a leech with nothing to contribute—"

"Of course, you wouldn’t agree to that," Natalie cut her off without hesitation. "You’ve always hated peace."

Elsie’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, her knuckles turning white, but Natalie wasn’t finished.

"And that’s why I’m here," Natalie continued, her voice aloof, "to suggest a permanent solution so I won’t have to be summoned for these petty matters again."

Elsie’s expression shifted slightly, her anger giving way to cautious curiosity. "You have a solution?" she asked, unable to hide her interest.

"You want Violet away from Asher, don’t you?" Natalie asked, arching a perfectly shaped brow.

"Definitely," Elsie replied without hesitation.

"Based on my research, it’s close to impossible to get Asher away from Violet. He’s practically obsessed with her," Natalie said bluntly.

Unlike others who would soften their words to avoid offending Elsie, Natalie spoke with a brutal honesty that made Elsie’s jaw tighten.

"However," Natalie continued, "if you can get Violet away from the West House, their interactions would be limited. Asher wouldn’t have easy access to her. And what better opportunity than during the games tonight?" Her expression was smug, as though she were revealing a master plan.

"You want her to leave the West House..." Elsie stiffened, her voice wary. "And go where?"

The caution in Elsie’s voice was obvious. She didn’t want Violet anywhere near the cardinal alphas. If she had her way, Violet would already have dropped out or been expelled. But Asher had threatened to ruin her life if she so much as touched his "Purple queen."

Purple queen. Elsie scoffed internally. The very thought pissed her, knowing Asher already considered Violet his queen.

She was supposed to be his queen. All of their queen.

Although the Alpha King’s order was for her to choose one cardinal alpha as a mate, it didn’t diminish Elsie’s desire to keep the others under her influence.

The thought of another girl, especially Violet, laying claim to any of them was enough to drive her crazy.

The cardinal alphas were special in their own way and though she liked some the least like Griffin and some the most like Asher, she still couldn’t let them go.

Elsie wanted them all. She wanted them to worship the very ground she stepped on, to fight over her just the same way they’d done with Lucille. Except she wasn’t

Lucille. And neither would Violet. She would not let that happen.

"And that is the interesting part, don’t you think?" Natalie’s voice pulled Elsie back to the present. The girl’s eyes were glinting with calculated confidence.

"You’re aligned with the North House, which is out of the question for Violet.

We can’t have a power tussle in one house.

Griffin, the alpha you like the least, has a big heart.

It won’t take long for Violet’s influence to grow under him, potentially rivaling yours.

Hence, the best solution is the South House. "

Elsie’s jaw clenched at the suggestion, but Natalie didn’t stop.

"Roman adores you. He would no doubt suppress Violet’s influence for your sake.

And let’s be honest, Roman isn’t susceptible to the ’Purple Storm.

’ With his endless supply of women, it’s unlikely Violet could sway him.

Unless, of course, Violet has a magic vagina," Natalie added without filter, making Elsie’s face burn in mortified rage.

"All in all," Natalie concluded, "the South House is the best place for Violet to stay out of your way, allowing you to maintain your reign as queen bee. Contact Roman then, use your womanly charm, and get the job done. So, what’s it going to be? Are you taking the plan, yes or no?"

"Fine, I’ll take it," Elsie bit out through gritted teeth.

"Good," Natalie said briskly. "Then I believe this concludes our business. And next time, don’t interrogate me about my relationship with Violet. I don’t like people telling me what to do. Have a nice day, and good luck with the plan."

With that, Natalie grabbed her bag, turned on her heel and strolled out of the room, her confidence unshaken. She left Elsie to simmer in the frustration and unspoken rage left in her wake.

"Who does she think she is?" Elsie hissed, turning to Grace. "Don’t just stand there. Delete everything."

Grace scrambled to obey, her fingers trembling as she erased the draft message. The three other girls on the bench exchanged uneasy glances. This was going to be a long day not just for Elsie, but them too.