Chapter 26

Seraphina

There was a new energy in the Alpha Phi house when i woke up Tuesday. The buzz of house activity was deafening as I made my way across the quad, my Alpha Phi sisters trailing behind me, chattering away about nothing that mattered. The kind of conversations that grated against my nerves, their voices high-pitched with excitement over shoes, hair, and some random party they’d attended over the weekend. I couldn’t care less about their plans, their gossip, their smiles that never reached their eyes.

What I cared about was the constant shadow of the three men.

It felt like they were always just a few steps away from me, lurking, watching, and waiting for the right moment to close in. I could feel the weight of their eyes on me as I walked to class, the tension thick in the air even though they never said a word.

Damon was the first to make his move.

We were all squeezed into a crowded lecture hall, the last few minutes before class began stretching out like a slow burn. I felt the brush of his fingers against the back of my neck as he leaned into whisper something to me, his breath warm against my ear. “You’re going to hate this class,” he murmured, his voice like dark honey, smooth and deep.

I glanced at him, my pulse picking up as I held back a smile. He was right, of course. I was already counting the minutes until I could escape this nonsense and get back to something real, something tangible.

“I think I already do,” I replied, my voice low, barely a whisper against the noise around us.

He chuckled, just the slightest vibration against my ear, hand dropping to my waist and squeezing. “I’ll make sure you’re well entertained later.”

My breath caught, his words laced with a promise I couldn’t ignore. But before I could respond, one of my sisters, Jessica, was pulling me away to ask some pointless question about the event on Thursday. Damon’s touch left as an imprint of need on my skin.

Tuesday and Wednesday felt like a repeat of the days before—my every move watched, every word scrutinized by my sisters. They were so damn happy, so content with their fake lives, wrapped in ribbons of perfection.

But every time I passed through the quad, my eyes would lock with one of theirs, usually Tyrone’s, that dark intensity in his gaze making me ache. He was a predator, always circling, always watching, and yet... there was something more. A force pulling me toward him, making me crave the moment when he would finally claim me. I couldn't let myself think about it too much, or the tension would wreck me for the rest of the day.

Between classes, I would find myself walking down the hall, only to have Marius sidle up next to me, his broad shoulder brushing mine as he gave me that quiet, calculating look that always made me second-guess my thoughts. “Not still trying to hide from this are you Seri,” he’d murmur under his breath, his words heavy with hidden meaning.

I didn’t respond, but the thrum of his voice stayed with me, sending a ripple through my thoughts. It wasn’t just his words, though. It was the way he made me feel—like he saw right through me, dissecting every layer of my mind, understanding the parts I tried so hard to keep hidden.

Then there was Damon again—always the unpredictable one.

He caught me as I walked out of class, his hand slipping around my waist, spinning me so that I was pressed up against his chest. My breath hitched in my throat, and I could feel the hard thud of his heartbeat beneath my palms as his lips brushed the side of my neck.

“You still seem impossible to catch, Seri,” he murmured, his voice a low growl. “I thought you already knew your place.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. The weight of his words settled heavily on my chest, making it hard to breathe. “I’m not trying to, i swear.” For a moment, I thought he might kiss me, the space between us charged, pulsing with the tension we couldn’t seem to shake. But of course, before I could react, Jessica was there again, grabbing my arm and pulling me away with a look that said we had work to do. I almost wanted to scream.

Thursday finally rolled around and it was far busier than I would have thought possible. The event was chaotic, the usual Greek house competition—donating time, setting up booths, and pretending like we all cared about the same things. It was a blur of smiling faces and forced camaraderie. Alpha Phi was all smiles, our booths set up and ready, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being pulled in a million different directions.

Tyrone, Marius, and Damon, though... weren’t interested in the event, letting the pledges handle everything. They were there, watching, waiting, their presence making the air crackle with heat. And the worst part? I couldn’t avoid them.

Each of them would sneak glances and touches as i passed, and I could feel the weight of their eyes on me. When I passed Marius, he was just a little too close, a brush of his fingers against the small of my back as he murmured dark promises in my ear. Damon was always a step behind, his dark gaze following me with every move, every turn, as though he was waiting for me to make the wrong one.

Tyrone... well, Tyrone was the hardest to ignore. He lingered, always nearby, like a shadow wrapped in a suit of control. His eyes followed my every step, his jaw tight with restraint.

The whole damn day was like a test, a game I wasn’t sure I was ready to play. My body responded to them—aching for them, wanting them to take what they had been promising—but the longer I waited, the more it hurt. It was only a matter of time.

As the afternoon wore on, I found myself drowning in the constant drone of chatter from my Alpha Phi sisters. Most of them were talking about nothing—a mix of pointless gossip about boys, dresses, and the upcoming event that, in all honesty, I couldn’t care less about.

One of the sorority leaders, Rachel, sidled up beside me, her heels clicking against the floor as she gave me that insufferable, wide smile she always wore in public. “Seri,” she began, voice sickly sweet, “I was thinking... you could help out with the gift bags for the raffle next week. You’re so good with those little details.”

I barely suppressed a sigh as I plastered a smile on my face. "Sure," I replied, trying to mask the frustration building inside me. "I can do that."

She nodded enthusiastically, clapping her hands in that way she always did when she thought she was in control. “Great! I knew I could count on you. It’s important that everything goes off without a hitch. I’m sure your connections with those... ‘businessmen’ will help get everything we need.” She shot me a knowing glance, her eyes sharp like daggers.

I forced down the sour taste in my mouth. Businessmen. I knew what she meant—she knew the rumors about Sigma Phi. She knew they were more than just wealthy frat boys. But I wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of acknowledging her little jab. Instead, I nodded and excused myself, claiming I had to get supplies for the booth.

I made my way to the supply room in the back, pushing through the narrow hallway, trying to drown out the sound of Rachel's voice in my head. But my mind couldn’t focus on the small talk. My thoughts were consumed by the men—Marius, Damon, and Tyrone. I could feel their presence, like an invisible force pressing in on me, pulling me in every direction. The frustration of being so close, yet so far from them, was gnawing at me.

As I turned the corner toward the supply room, my pulse shot up when I saw Damon waiting in the shadows, just out of view of the main area. His dark eyes locked onto mine as soon as I came into his line of sight, his lips curling into that knowing, dangerous smile.

Before I could say a word, he was on me, one hand gripping my wrist and pulling me into the storage closet.

“Damon,” I breathed, the air thick with tension. “What are you doing?”

“You know exactly what I’m doing,” he growled softly, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver down my spine. He backed me into the dimly lit closet, his body pressing mine up against the wall. “I can’t stand this. Waiting for this stupid event to be over. Are you really going to keep pretending to be the perfect AP sister, Seri, because I’m done with that.”

I shook my head franticly as my breath hitched, his hands slid up my arms, then tracing the outline of my body with slow, deliberate movements. His fingers brushed over the sensitive skin of my collarbone, sending sparks of desire through me. I tried to pull away, but his grip tightened, pulling us closer, and I couldn’t help but gasp as his lips skimmed the side of my neck.

“Forget about this event,” he whispered against my skin, his hot breath making my pulse race. “Forget about all these fake little girls you’re pretending to be around. This—” He pushed his body harder against mine still, making me feel the hardness in his pants, acutely aware of the heat between us, “—is what you really want.”

My heart raced as his hands moved lower, cupping my ass and he lifted me effortlessly, still pinning me against the wall of the small space. His lips found mine in an urgent kiss, hungry and desperate, and I couldn’t help but respond, my body leaning into him, wrapping my legs around his hips, craving more.

“Come with me,” he breathed, his lips tracing my jaw, his voice sending a thrill straight through my body. “Come with me now. No more waiting, Seri. I want to feel you under me, hear you beg for us to make you come. Right now.”

I gasped, my body reacting to his words, heat flooding through me, leaving me weak in his arms. I could feel the undeniable need building inside me, threatening to consume me. I wanted to go with him, wanted to say yes, but there was a small voice in the back of my mind reminding me of the consequences. Of who they were.

“Damon,” I whispered, barely able to breathe, “I... I can’t...”

His lips ghosted over mine, his voice turning low and soothing. “You can’t fight it anymore, Seri. You’re ours. All of ours. You won’t regret it.”

His words, so full of promise and danger, sent a jolt through me, my mind spinning as my body screamed for more. I couldn’t keep pretending that I didn’t want it. Didn’t need it. But I also couldn’t ignore the flood of doubts that rushed over me. What if they didn’t really mean it? What if they were just playing with me like everyone else? Damon seemed to sense my hesitation, and his lips found mine again, softer this time, coaxing, as if he was trying to erase every thought from my mind except for him. His hands slid underneath my blouse, teasing the skin of my stomach, moving upwards to my breasts, his thumb brushing over the soft, aching flesh of my nipple. I let out a soft moan, my body betraying me, but just as quickly, I pulled away, breathing heavily.

“I... I can’t,” I whispered, my voice shaky with need and uncertainty. “Not here.”

His dark eyes glinted with amusement, though there was still that possessive hunger in them. “Then come with us, Seri,” he said, his voice low and demanding. “We’ll make you forget about everything, nothing else will matter, and just make you ours.”

I bit my lip, my body still trembling with the heat of his touch. It was getting harder and harder to think clearly as Damon started grinding himself against my heated core, the pull between us almost unbearable. But I had to pull myself together. I wasn’t just some toy for them to play with. I wasn’t. But why the hell did it feel so right when they touched me?

Before I could stop myself, I nodded, my heart racing, and he smiled. “Good girl.”

And just like that, the door opened, and we stepped out. Damon had a tight grip around my waist as he guided me out of the hall and towards the parking lot. Marius and Tyrone appeared from somewhere as we reached their car, my body still thrumming with desire, unsure of what would come next as Damon pulled me into the backseat, but knowing deep down, that I couldn’t turn back.