Be Her Bully

SETT

When Prince Caspian brought his sister to me, said he needed someone to keep an eye on her during the trials for a few days, I thought—

Just like taking candy from a baby.

First red flag should've been the too high pay. Caspian's a prince, sure, but he never spent like one. Acted like the royal treasury's a myth and he lived off scraps.

Second red flag should've been Pierre suddenly liking her.

Pierre wasn't called "Fixer" just 'cause he tinkered with a toolbox or had the biggest brain out of all of us. Nah—he had a thing for picking up strays, adopting 'em into his little circle like lost pups.

I should know.

We'd just gotten back from the Disciplinary for Levi losing it, when the whispers hit out the blue.

"Runt sliced his finger clean off."

"Didn't even give the bastard time to breathe."

"Captain Erik saved pipsqueak. Billy would've killed him."

Didn't need to ask who they talked about, still hoped it wasn't what I was thinking.

I tore down to the Mess Hall and ran straight into chaos.

Tables flipped and broken. Blood on the floor. Captain's annoyed eyes on all of us. And in the middle of it, furious Pierre, chewing out a bloodied Kaima like she was some rookie who'd spat on his tools.

As though he wasn't actively bleeding through his nose.

That's when I saw it—dagger in her grip, and white knuckles as though still unsure she was safe enough.

And Levi? Bastard was grinning as he picked up the severed finger he'd been stepping on like it was treasure, pupils glinting excitedly.

"She's a psycho. Respect." He murmured.

Now we were back in the room, my back against the wall, watching Pierre patch her up—again on her bunk.

I studied her side profile, realizing why they'd mistaken her for a wiry pretty boy.

Kaima had rough, pale, fading scars across her face that spoke more of a rough childhood than royalty. And by the gods, she was even more of a boy, annoyingly quiet in a way girls weren't.

She hissed from pain and there goes Pierre's too soft eyes glaring up at her. "If you will interfere into fight that aren't yours, then you better hold it in."

Kaima swallowed, "Okay, Pierre."

With a voice so little you'd think she hadn't sliced good ole Billy's finger off and pressed steel to his neck asking if he wanted it horizontal.

Of course her target melted.

Pierre's eyes softened, and he sighed, "Where does it hurt?"

She naively pointed at her side, and Pierre eased the bandage there, "Okay now?"

She nodded. Staring at the top of Pierre's head as he knotted her dressing, panic in his eyes. I understood, he'd almost watched her die.

I should have been there but with the timing, it was likely the brute had waited until I and Levi were dragged out the Mess hall before he attacked.

Not like we didn't have it coming. I mean we stole from him and before then I and Billy weren't on good terms. Right from the orphanage.

A problem that was solved later in the street by staying off each other's fort. And that would have continued if Pierre hadn't allowed Levi convince him that stealing the engine before Billy's crew wasn't crossing the line.

Fucking Levi.

I understood the fear and Panic in Pierre's eyes, Billy wasn't one to let things go. The brat just painted a large red target on her back in an enclosed space filled with angry Alphas and blood hungry Betas.

Good thing she'd be gone by tomorrow. Caspian would have his little sister in one piece and Pierre would have the load off his back.

"Pierre?"

"Not now, Red." Pierre snapped, "Not until you promise never to let this happened again."

Her lips thinned, knitted brow's dropped, "No."

Pierre seemed too weary to be shocked, Dude suddenly looked three times his age and not in a good way.

"If that's your choice then," Pierre pushed his glasses up, climbed down Kai's bunk and up to his, back to the bulb he had been working on.

And she sulked glaring at her too hard bedding with a defiance so fiery it confused me.

Was she a brat or not?

Didn't know, didn't care. She was leaving tomorrow and that was final.

Levi chose that moment to walk in, all tilted head and wide grin, I couldn't help but wonder what he'd just done.

"You don't wanna know who's hot topic right now?" He pulled a long sheet from his back pocket, "Everyone's placing a bet on you, Red. On whether you'd be sent home or not."

Pierre didn't even look up, "You set up a bet tricking people that a large number were betting on her, because you know—"

"—mob mentality sells, you fucking Dork" Levi rolled his eyes, than dropped on Kaima 's bed. "People will throw coin at anything if they think everyone else is doing it. Except me," he winked at her, "I voted you'll stay."

Her gaze furrowed at him suspiciously.

"Heyy" Levi pouted , "fine, I did with an ulterior motive but that's my 'thank you Levi for believing in me'? Rude."

She was about to bite back, when Levi snatched her chin, tilting her head to the side, scanning the strangulation mark on her neck.

"Next time," he added, "aim higher. Slice his throat."

"Levi." Pierre snapped, "Not now."

"You'd rather he killed her?"

Silence. Then—

"He won't." Kaima muttered as she pulled her face from his hold, "Because I'm leaving." She passed me a glare, "Remember?"

The room stilled. In Pierre's bunk, the bulb sparked and noise of metal Against metal stopped.

I held her gaze, her lips thinned as she dropped to her side staring at the wall, "I'll leave by the second train. You don't have to worry about me. I never belonged here anyway."

Levi looked from her to the paper disappointedly. Pierre stared into his bed, as though if he could focus hard enough, he could see her still frame through it.

It was for the best. After she was gone, they'd see it was for the best.

I stood up, walking over to where Levi stood already calculating his loss. Fucker was so stupid, she was weak, just sliced someone's finger off, she was never going to be picked.

Yet he bet on her. Yes Levi won most of our bet, but this was just stupid. The odds were stacked against her.

Even Pierre had finally figured it out.

"A hundred and fifty lupins say she leaves tomorrow." I muttered in the room.

Levi snickered something about the bet being off. Pierre massaged the side of his head then continued on the bulb.

But in the middle of the night, as I stared at the ceiling, over the snoring of the gremlin next to me, her voice comes through —

"It's the red wire. It goes in the left contact."

Then it went quiet.

Five minutes later, on Pierre's bunk, a bright yellow light flashed on—and stayed. I heard him shuffle and still, his breath catching in his throat and his bed creaking as he stared down.

Mine almost did too. She was brilliant.

"How—how did you know?"

Nothing came. Just silence.

"Aeron?"

Still nothing.

But I knew she wasn't sleeping, knew she listened to him call her name and refused to reply.

The light went off.

I shut my own eyes.

The third red flag, shoulda been when she pressed my dagger to my neck.

It was best she left.