Chapter 222: Spat Between Women

Red.

That was the color Charlotte was known for. Scratch that, everyone knew she was obsessed with it and practically wore red everywhere. But not tonight.

Tonight, Charlotte was in green.

A short, metallic-green dress that clung to her body and shimmered whenever the light caught it. It was sleeveless, with a plunging neckline that pushed her cleavage up and left little to the imagination. Smoky makeup darkened her eyes, giving her an appearance far bolder than the Charlotte they were accustomed to seeing.

But the most shocking part of her outfit was around her neck.

The chain Thamas held wasn’t attached to some ordinary collar. A thick black leather band circled Charlotte’s throat, decorated with short metal spikes and a silver ring at the front where the chain was fastened. It looked suspiciously like the sort of thing meant for a bedroom rather than a party, and judging by the way several people were staring, Aria wasn’t the only one who had reached that conclusion.

It was clear to everyone who Charlotte had worn the green for.

Thamas Draco.

The dragon proudly held the chain in his grip, not giving a fuck about the wide-eyed stares and open mouths as they made their way deeper into the party. Since when did dragons willingly parade around with humans at their sides? At this rate, the impossible was quickly becoming a pattern.

"Strange things are indeed happening," Variant commented, sounding thoroughly scandalized.

"No, they aren’t," Caelis said, much to her surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"This is merely the consequence of a pattern started by one..." Caelis replied meaningfully, his gaze settling boldly on Maverick and Aria. "Isn’t this what you wanted, Professor?"

A tick appeared in Maverick’s jaw, but he said nothing.

Caelis continued, "The problem with change is that once you set it in motion, you don’t get to decide what form it takes." There was something almost knowing in his expression, as if he could already see where all of this was headed. "You wanted humans and beasts to come together. I simply wonder whether you’ll still be pleased when you see exactly what that creates."

While Caelis was trying to provoke Maverick, Karen’s eyes were glued to Charlotte, her expression filled with disbelief and an undercurrent of jealousy. She was together with a dragon? How could that be? How had Charlotte managed that feat when she was stuck with a serpent instead?!

But the curiosity soon gave way to acrid bitterness.

Of course, she was fucking the dragon! Just look at what she was wearing and the way she’d presented herself. Back in Nova City, she was the weirdo who wouldn’t stop talking about dragons. Her room had been filled with images of them. She’d even had a fucking shrine.

But even as Karen regarded her with disgust, there was still a part of her that couldn’t accept that Charlotte had actually gotten exactly what she’d always wanted. So rather than acknowledge that the former weirdo had somehow made her ridiculous obsession a reality, Karen chose to focus on everything she could find wrong with it. The revealing dress. The collar. The shameless way she allowed Thamas to parade her around like some kind of animal.

Because criticizing Charlotte was much easier than admitting she was jealous of her.

At that moment, Charlotte’s eyes connected with Karen’s through the crowd. She stopped and tilted her head, saying something to Thamas, who also paused as his green eyes travelled in Karen’s direction.

Karen straightened at once, suddenly self-conscious beneath their attention. And just as she’d predicted, Charlotte smirked darkly before making her way toward her, with Thamas following beside her.

"Fuck..." Karen muttered under her breath when she spotted them approaching. She was outmatched and vulnerable right now.

She cleared her throat not so subtly and, left with no other choice, slipped her arm around Caelis’s.

Caelis was startled, his expression taking on that familiar look of annoyance when his eyes found Karen’s. Except, for the first time, he saw something almost pleading in them. His brows furrowed, and he turned to see the new couple heading toward them.

Figures.

The basilick prince knew Karen and Charlotte didn’t see eye to eye. Karen was far too proud to be outdone.

Hence, for once, he played along, placing his hand over Karen’s in an affectionate gesture. Aria saw the move and frowned. Her gaze lifted to meet Caelis’s, and he raised a brow as if to ask whether she had a problem with that. Aria answered with a resting bitch face.

Maverick caught the entire wordless exchange between them, and he didn’t like it. Yet he said nothing. He trusted Aria. It was Caelis he didn’t trust one bit.

As expected, Charlotte and Thamas walked over to them—or more specifically, Caelis and Karen.

Karen immediately lifted her chin, refusing to let Charlotte see how much their approach had unsettled her. Her arm remained firmly linked through Caelis’s, and when she noticed Charlotte’s gaze drop briefly to it, she almost smiled.

Not that Charlotte looked remotely impressed. Her eyes travelled from Karen’s hand on Caelis’s arm to Caelis himself before returning to Karen. Then the corner of her mouth curved.

"Well," Charlotte said. "This is unexpected."

Karen’s eyes narrowed. "What is, Charlotte?"

"You." Charlotte glanced deliberately at Caelis. "I always thought you had higher standards and would likely go after the likes of Professor Maverick—"

Charlotte didn’t even get to finish before a warning hiss rose from deep in Aria’s throat. Aria hadn’t even realized she’d made the sound until it was already out, white-hot anger momentarily blinding her.

Nonetheless, the effect was immediate.

"Apologies, Aria," Charlotte said with amusement. "But I’d suggest you hold on tightly to your man. Karen does have a habit of going after whoever everyone else considers top-tier."

At the same time, Trisha leaned toward Aria and whispered, "Chill, girl. No one’s taking what’s yours."

Aria immediately calmed down, her face turning red. She swore to God she hadn’t even realized she’d made that sound. It helped when Maverick kissed the top of her head and said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Don’t worry. I’m yours forever. Anyone else can only dream."

And that was all the confirmation Caelis needed.

The instinctive hiss. The possessiveness Aria herself hadn’t seemed aware of. Maverick’s complete lack of surprise at either of them. Like other werewolves before him, it seemed Maverick had found his mate.

That was a complication he hadn’t seen coming.

Meanwhile, the smile vanished from Karen’s face. Then she gave a short laugh. "You do know that’s funny coming from someone wearing a collar and being walked around on a leash like some dog."

Charlotte’s fingers rose to the leather around her throat. Except rather than looking embarrassed, she slowly traced the ring at the front before glancing back at Thamas.

"Thamas, darling," Charlotte asked sweetly. "Am I a dog?"

Thamas’s green eyes settled on Karen before returning to Charlotte, something suspiciously close to affection entering them.

"No," he said simply, curling his fingers around the chain. "You’re just my lovely pet."

Charlotte chuckled while Karen stiffened, her grip on Caelis’s arm tightening.

Thamas’s gaze dropped pointedly to Karen’s arm around Caelis’s. "I suppose your serpent is as cold as everyone claims and doesn’t satisfy you enough. Otherwise, you’d understand that some people are simply a lot more experimental."

His fingers trailed slowly down Charlotte’s throat, the gesture so blatantly sexual that there was no mistaking what he meant.

"Damn," Brittney whispered. "If I were Karen, I’d never recover from this." A grin spread across her face. "And yes, I’m enjoying every minute of this drama."

Karen’s face burned with humiliation, and in an attempt to soften the blow Charlotte had dealt her, she burst out, "Trust me, I couldn’t care less what the two of you do."

Her gaze swept pointedly over Charlotte’s dress. "Although I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. You’ve been obsessed with dragon dick since Nova City. Congratulations on finally getting one to fit inside you, though I’d advise your date to be careful of diseases. Gutter whores like you tend to be full of them."

Her laughter had taken on a hysterical edge as she turned her attention to Thamas. "And I thought dragons were meant to care about the purity of their bloodlines. Is that really the kind of human you’d risk tainting yours with?"

That did it.

A growl rumbled from Thamas’s chest as he took a threatening step toward Karen, but Caelis intervened before he could get any closer.

"Calm yourself, Thamas. It’s supposed to be a small spat between women." Caelis’s voice remained composed. "Your date’s been insulting me, and you don’t see me threatening to turn her to stone. Surely your pride can withstand a little harmless teasing."

Caelis and Thamas glared at each other, the tension between them so thick one could practically taste it. Things were about to get out of hand at this rate.

From the corner of his eye, Maverick noticed Venus returning with the Chibuns and decided he’d had enough.

"Instead of standing here trading insults like children, why don’t you settle whatever this is through the competition?" His gaze moved between them. "Then we’ll see who still has something to say when there’s an actual loser."