Chapter 92: It Has Begun
"To Variant and Valerie, fashion was a matter of life and death."
~ Rebel Beast
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Alek had to clap her hands over her ears as excited screams rang through the room. The next thing she knew, Brittney had swept her clean off her feet.
Alek let out a startled scream and instinctively grabbed hold of Brittney’s shoulders. "Put me down!"
"Alek! What the hell, girl?" Brittney laughed as she lowered her back to the floor. "That was hot as hell!"
Alek couldn’t even respond. The barrage of praise left her completely overwhelmed. This was the first time she’d ever had friends celebrating her love life as though she’d struck gold.
Although she, Trisha, and Brittney had known each other before all of this, their relationship had always been casual. They talked and spent time around one another at events, but they had never shared anything personal. Somehow, over the past few days, that had changed.
"Stop it. That was nothing," Alek said, trying to downplay it.
"That was definitely not nothing," Variant spoke up.
Her comment drew the girls’ attention, and for the first time, they took a proper look at the two members of House Therion who had been assigned to look after them.
Both had chestnut-brown wavy hair and stood at nearly the same height, with Variant about three inches taller than Valerie.
Their fitted navy blazers hugged their waists perfectly over crisp white shirts and slim silver-striped ties. Their high-waisted navy pleated skirts fell just above the knee, paired with sheer charcoal tights and knee-high leather boots. Matching wolf insignias gleamed against their lapels, completing the uniforms that somehow looked both impeccably proper and effortlessly fashionable.
Brittney tilted her head from one girl to the other.
"Are you two twins?"
Trisha shook her head before either of them could answer.
"No. Look closely." She pointed between them. "Variant’s eyes are slightly rounder, and Valerie’s nose is a little sharper. Variant also has a slightly fuller face. The makeup just makes them look more alike than they actually are."
"Well..." Variant admitted with an impressed smile. "You’re right. We’re not twins."
She hooked her thumb toward herself before pointing at Valerie.
"I’m a chipmunk, and she’s a squirrel. We’re distant cousins. Different species, but close enough that most people mix us up. It doesn’t help that we enjoy dressing alike."
"Aww." Aria said. "That’s actually really sweet."
Brittney’s eyes lit up with curiosity.
"So... when you shift, do you talk with those really tiny, squeaky voices?" She lifted her hands animatedly. "You know, like those little singing chipmunks from those old movies."
Variant’s smile vanished.
"I don’t know what your entertainment industry has been teaching humans," she said with surprising seriousness, "but no, we do not burst into song or suddenly develop ridiculously high-pitched voices just because we shift."
Brittney blinked.
"And for the record," Variant continued, folding her arms, "that’s an incredibly disrespectful stereotype."
Even with the tiny frown on her face, she somehow looked so adorably offended that Brittney immediately raised both hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay! I’m sorry."
Variant held her stern expression for another second before letting out a small huff.
"Accepted."
The tension evaporated instantly, and Brittney grinned, relieved she’d survived the lecture.
Valerie looked at Alek curiously.
"So, since when have you and Beta Dimitri been in a relationship?"
Alek stared at her.
"A relationship?" she repeated before letting out a disbelieving laugh. "We’re not in a relationship. We literally only spoke for the first time yesterday."
"Oh!" Brittney clapped her hands together excitedly. "Let me tell you about their divine moment!"
She didn’t wait for permission and started,
"We were all heading to House Therion for the first time when Alek tripped on the stairs. Before she could even hit the ground, Dimitri caught her as quick as lightning." Brittney clasped both hands dramatically over her chest. "Then they just stared at each other. You know those ridiculously mushy moments in romantic movies where the whole world disappears?"
She pointed triumphantly at Alek.
"I don’t know about everyone else, but I knew right then I was witnessing an ’and that’s how I met your mother’ moment." She was far too caught up in her own excitement to notice the meaningful glance Valerie and Variant exchanged.
Aria spoke before anyone could comment further. "Where is Professor Maverick?"
The question immediately earned her three identical looks from her roommates.
"What?" Aria said defensively. "He was the one who brought us here. The least he could do is tell us what his plans are for us. It almost feels like he’s avoiding us."
Or, more specifically...
Avoiding her.
She wisely kept that part to herself.
"Alpha Maverick is an incredibly busy man," Valerie explained. "If it weren’t for President Callum, he probably wouldn’t have gotten personally involved with the human program in the first place. But don’t worry, you’ve got us now." She said proudly. "Aside from those insufferable parrots, there’s hardly a piece of gossip on this campus we don’t know."
Variant gave Aria a once-over.
"For someone so interested in Alpha Maverick’s whereabouts, you don’t look particularly eager to leave."
Her gaze shifted to Trisha and Brittney, taking in their sleepwear. "In fact, none of you are." She paused when her gaze settled on Alek.
"Except you."
"Yep. Just me," Alek replied casually.
"Yep," Variant said knowingly. "We know why."
A snort escaped Brittney before she could stop it. Alek shot her a warning glare.
Clapping her hands once, Variant immediately took charge.
"Alright, everyone. Into your rooms. Shower, get dressed, and make yourselves presentable. You’re officially members of House Therion now, and word is the girls from the other houses are heading to the dining hall too."
At the mention of the other girls, Aria, Trisha, and Alek exchanged a look. So their previous roommates were coming too. This was going to be fun.
The chipmunk’s eyes narrowed with fierce determination.
"We are absolutely not letting those girls outdress us."
She jabbed a finger toward the door.
"Ladies... the war has officially begun."