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"You do know you’re making me dizzy," Ivy muttered, glancing at Lila, who had been pacing back and forth in the living room for what felt like hours.

Okay, maybe she was exaggerating, but Lila’s anxious stride was driving both her and Daisy nuts. Daisy, however, choose to stay silent on the matter.

As Ivy expected, Lila ignored her remark and continued pacing. Ivy turned to Daisy with an exasperated sigh. "Aren’t you going to tell her to calm down?"

Daisy shot back, "She’s worried about Violet. Just let her be. If you’re that dizzy, you can go to bed."

It was late, and there was still no sign of Violet.

They’d searched the academy all day to no avail.

Eventually, Daisy had reasoned that Violet likely didn’t want to be found.

After the day’s fiasco, it made sense that she’d need space.

Everyone knew Violet was prideful, and after suffering a blow like that, she’d hide rather than let others see her pain.

"It’s my fault," Lila said for what felt like the hundredth time. "I should’ve run after her instead of wasting time scolding Roman."

Earlier, when Violet had accused Roman of leaking the video, Lila had lit into him. By the time she finished, the corridor was too crowded to follow Violet. Then the chaos broke loose, and the rest was history.

"If I’d gotten to her first, I would’ve clawed out that bitch’s eyes. Maybe snapped her pretty little neck too." Lila seethed, her fists clenched as if visualizing carrying out her words.

"Okay. That’s... graphic," Ivy murmured under her breath, exchanging a look with Daisy as if to say, please do something before she commits a crime. But Daisy just shrugged. They both knew Lila wouldn’t calm down until Violet showed up.

Then came the panic spiral.

"Oh no," Lila suddenly gasped, eyes widening, "what am I going to tell the Fae queen? What if Violet got hurt in all that chaos?"

"We checked the infirmary," Daisy reminded her. "No sign of her there."

Lila only grew more agitated. "What if some wolf took her?"

Daisy snorted. "I’d be more worried for the wolf that took her. Violet, in this mood? She’d likely flay him alive."

"But what if that’s not the case? What if someone’s doing something nasty to her? What if she needs help, and we’re here doing nothing?"

At this point, even Daisy’s confidence wavered, the dark possibility creeping in. An uneasy silence fell, until a sound at the door snapped all of their heads around. And in walked Violet.

"Violet!" all three cried, rushing forward so fast they nearly knocked her down.

Lila pushed past them all to hover anxiously in front of her. "Are you okay? Did someone hurt you? Where have you been? We were going crazy—"

But Violet forced a tired smile. "I’m sorry for scaring you like that. I just needed some time alone. To breathe."

They exchanged a relieved glance but steered clear of mentioning the incident. Lila cleared her throat, trying to brighten the tension. "Fine. You must be hungry. We actually have—"

"I’m not hungry," Violet cut in. "Micah made sure I ate before I left."

"Micah?" Daisy repeated, arching a brow. "You’ve been with him all along?"

Violet nodded.

"Makes sense," Daisy said. "That’s one place none of us would’ve thought to check."

An awkward silence settled over them again. Violet took a slow breath and said, "Listen, I appreciate you guys worrying about me. I’m sorry for keeping you all on edge. But I’m exhausted. Can we talk tomorrow?"

They knew she was dodging conversation, yet they all nodded. "Sure," Lila agreed gently.

They watched as Violet retreated to her room, the door clicking shut behind her. Daisy laid a comforting hand on Lila’s shoulder, aware of how deeply she felt responsible for Violet’s well-being.

"She’ll be better tomorrow," Daisy murmured.

Lila offered a shaky smile. "Thanks. Good night."

One by one, they headed to their own rooms, hoping the morning would be better.

Meanwhile, when Violet finally lay down on her bed, she was certain she’d spend the entire night staring blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts running amok.

But sleep, quiet as a thief, swept her under before she even realized it.

Perhaps it was the emotional exhaustion, but she hadn’t noticed just how drained she really was.

Besides, she hadn’t exactly rested back in Micah’s office either. Comfortable as she might have been around him, trust was a different matter entirely. The man was an incubus, after all. She was not lowering her walls around him..

So when a soft meow echoed in her room sometime around midnight, Violet’s eyes cracked open at once.

There, perched at the foot of her bed, sat a familiar green-furred British Fold cat. His big, round green eyes blinked at her, almost innocently.

Roman.

Of course.

Violet should have been furious and kicked him off the bed without hesitation for daring to show up uninvited. But she didn’t. She didn’t have the strength to be angry right now. Not to mention there was something oddly comforting about the sight of Roman like this. Small, quiet and soft.

Adorable little bastard.

With a tired sigh, Violet turned her head fully toward him. "You’re pushing your luck, Kitten Roman," she muttered, voice groggy with sleep.

But kitten Roman, as always, took her dry threat as an open invitation. With the grace only a cat could master, he padded across the mattress and curled himself against her side. Before Violet knew it, she reached out a hand and lightly scratched behind his ears as he let out a quiet purr.

Her eyes drooped, the warmth of the cat pressing against her side more comforting than she cared to admit. With a drowsy sigh, Violet tugged the small creature closer.

Tomorrow, she’d be stern with him, Violet promised herself. She’d scold him for not respecting boundaries, for being an arrogant shapeshifting prick who thought affection could erase his betrayal.

But not tonight.

Tonight, she needed Kitten Roman.