Chapter 14

Marius POV

I watched from the shadows, my gaze fixed on the group of pledges moving toward the ceremonial area. The night was thick with tension, the air humming with anticipation. I wasn’t sure what had drawn me here tonight—maybe it was because of her. Seri.

For days now, I’d been watching her, studying her. She wasn’t like the others. While the rest of the pledges scrambled for attention, for approval, she remained detached, almost dismissive of every gift we sent, every attempt we made to draw her in. And the more she rejected, the more intrigued I became.

As they reached the ceremonial area, I couldn’t help but notice how she carried herself. There was a hardness to her—a coolness that set her apart from the others. She wasn’t here to be a part of Alpha Phi. She was here for something else.

Then she turned, her eyes meeting mine, and something in that moment shifted. There was no hesitation in her gaze, no uncertainty. Just sheer confidence and purpose. It was as if she knew exactly what she was doing, and she wasn’t here to play by anyone’s rules.

In that instant, it all clicked. She wasn’t the one being pursued. We were the ones being played.

I clenched my jaw. I didn’t know how or why, but Seri had the upper hand. And that realization hit me like a punch to the gut.

I looked at Damon and Tyrone, a flicker of something passing between us.

"We’re not done yet," I muttered. "Not by a long shot."

Damon’s POV

I kept a few steps behind Marius, my eyes following the pledges as they moved toward the ceremonial area. There was something about tonight that felt different. The air was thick with expectation. And I couldn’t keep my mind off her—Seri.

Every time I thought I had her figured out, she surprised me. She’d been nothing but distant, rejecting everything we threw at her. It was frustrating. It was maddening.

But as I watched her now, walking with a calm determination toward the ritual, something clicked in my mind. She wasn’t like the others. She wasn’t here for the sisterhood. No, she was here for something bigger. She was here for herself.

She stepped onto the platform, her posture perfect, her eyes scanning the crowd. I caught her glance from the corner of my eye, and for the first time, I saw something different. It wasn’t curiosity or confusion like I had expected. No. It was pure certainty. She wasn’t looking at us because she was unsure. She was looking at us because she knew exactly what she was doing.

I exhaled sharply. It was like she had figured everything out. She wasn’t playing the game we thought we were playing.

We were playing hers.

A tightness gripped my chest as the realization sank in. This was more than just a chase. She had a purpose, and I was just another piece in her puzzle.

I turned to Tyrone.

“She’s not who we thought she was,” I said, my voice low. “We need to talk to her.”

Tyrone nodded, his eyes focused on Seri, his mind clearly working through the same conclusions.

“We’ll confront her on her way back,” he said, his tone final.

Tyrone’s POV

I stood at the edge of the clearing, my eyes never leaving the scene unfolding before me. The pledges, gathered together in their white robes and masks, were preparing for the final ritual. I’d seen this before. But tonight felt different. There was something about the way Seri stood there, her back straight, her eyes scanning everything with an intensity that was almost… predatory.

She didn’t belong here. She wasn’t like the others, desperate to fit in. She wasn’t here to be part of the sisterhood. No, this was about something else entirely.

I studied her as she moved, each step deliberate, her movements controlled. She was playing her own game, and we were just pawns.

When she looked up, her gaze met mine, and for the first time, I saw it clearly. Confidence. Purpose. There was no uncertainty in her eyes. She wasn’t intimidated by us.

She wasn’t scared. She didn’t care what we thought of her.

I could feel the anger bubbling inside me. She was outsmarting us, playing us. And we didn’t even realize it until now.

“Damn,” I muttered under my breath. “She’s not like anyone I’ve ever met.”

I turned to Marius and Damon, meeting their eyes. We shared a look, a silent agreement passing between us.

“We need to confront her,” I said, my voice low and steady. “Before she disappears into the Alpha Phi house, where she’s untouchable.”

They both nodded, their eyes hardening.

“This isn’t over,” Marius said, his voice filled with quiet determination. “Not by a long shot.”

We turned in unison, making our way back into the shadows, the realization settling in that Seri had more power over us than we had ever expected. We were going to confront her—whether she was ready or not.