Chapter 69: Claiming Starlight

"What the fuck?" Beatrice muttered to herself as she read the message, staring at the screen in utter disbelief. "What is Father even thinking?"

The message from her father read:

"Do everything you can to win over the Lunar Lottery girl, Starlight Dawson. Make her your friend, shower her with gifts, and do whatever it takes to ensure she trusts you completely. If possible, make her fall in love with you. I am willing to accept a same-sex relationship if that is what it takes. This is a priority and a direct order from me as your Clan Head."

"Is he out of his damn mind?" She scrunched her nose in utter disgust. "What is that old man planning now?"

*****

Sera glided quietly down the narrow aisle between the towering bookshelves of the academy library, her eyes skimming the endless, neatly arranged rows of books as she occasionally ran her fingers along the spines, checking the labels.

After several minutes of searching, her gaze finally stopped on a familiar title. "Aha!" she whispered, a faint smile touching her lips as she immediately reached up and pulled the book from the shelf. She had barely lowered it into her arms when her phone vibrated against her thigh. Frowning, she shifted the book to one hand and slipped her other hand into the hidden inner pocket of her pleated skirt, pulling out the device and opening the messaging app.

The message was from her mother. Sera’s brows drew together as she read the short instruction.

"Do whatever it takes to win over Starlight Dawson. It is the clan’s absolute priority."

She blinked, staring at the glowing screen in sheer disbelief. "Win over Starlight Dawson?" she murmured, her brows knitting together.

How exactly was she supposed to accomplish that after everything that had happened between them earlier that morning?

What exactly was going on within the clan?

Before she could process the thought, her screen flashed with a second message. Sera glanced down, her confusion only deepening as she read the warning beneath it.

"Do not fail me, Seraphina. This is for the ultimate survival and greatness of our clan. If you cannot win her heart, at least make sure you become her closest friend. Make her enemies your enemies, and her friends your friends."

A sudden chill ran down her spine. She slowly lowered the phone, her grip tightening around it as she stared into space. "What in the world is going on?" she whispered. "What is happening?"

Who was this girl, Starlight Dawson, to make her mother sound this desperate?

*****

Back in the infirmary corridor, Mikhail gave Eden a brief pat on the shoulder. "You did great, Eden. Leave the rest to me. I want to go back inside and check on Miss Dawson." He paused, his expression sharpening as he looked at him. "And find Nikolai for me. I don’t know where that idiot snuck off to or what he’s planning. Just find him."

Before Eden could respond, a synchronized hum cut through the quiet hallway. Eden’s tablet buzzed at the exact moment Mikhail felt his phone vibrate heavily in his pocket.

Mikhail immediately pulled out his phone, his brows drawing together as he read the message from his father, his expression shifting almost imperceptibly. Beside him, Eden swiped his tablet awake, his eyes widening as he read the incoming alert. Your Highness," he breathed, looking up with a troubled expression.

"What is going on?"

Mikhail kept his eyes fixed on his own screen, his posture stiffening. "What did you get?"

Eden turned the tablet toward him, pointing to the encrypted message from his own father, the current head of the Eclipse Clan.

"The five clans’ ultimate priority right now is to secure Starlight Dawson. However, it has come to my attention that your Alphas are already interested in her. So here is my order as the clan head: do whatever you must to ensure she ends up with one of them. Anyone who attempts to rival the twins must be dealt with. Starlight Dawson must belong to at least one of the Crown Princes. Do not fail me."

Mikhail stared at the text, his jaw clenching as he slowly raised his own phone for Eden to see. "I received something similar from the Emperor," he said, his tone turning grim. "He just gave us the official go-ahead to pursue Starlight Dawson by any means necessary."

Eden’s confusion only deepened as he stared between the two screens. "What do you think is going on? Why are the clans suddenly interested in her?"

"I don’t know," Mikhail replied, his eyes narrowing with dark intensity. "But whatever is driving this, we have to make sure Miss Dawson stays safe. And she stays with us."

"Does that mean Okami and Kage will also go after her?" Eden asked, his expression turning uneasy. "Those two have always been in silent competition with you and Prince Nikolai. It’s honestly a shock they haven’t made a move on her yet, but now that all the clans seem to want her, there’s no telling what they will do to get ahead of you."

Mikhail’s eyes flashed with a lethal glint. "Nobody takes what my brother and I have already laid claim to." Slipping his phone back into his pocket, he turned sharply back toward the infirmary door. "Go find that bastard Niko for me. I’m going back inside to check on Miss Dawson."

Eden nodded once and immediately turned on his heel, rushing down the corridor, while Mikhail made his way back into the infirmary.

*****

A sharp splash echoed through the academy pool as a powerful figure cut through the water with effortless precision. Reaching the wall, he executed a flawless tumble turn and shot back across the lane in a burst of speed. Water streamed behind him while his long white hair drifted beneath the surface before trailing after him like silver silk. When he reached the opposite side, he hauled himself from the pool in one fluid motion. Water cascaded down his broad shoulders and toned chest as he tipped his head back and ran both hands through his long white hair, sweeping it away from his face.

Resting his arms on the pool’s edge, he looked toward a nearby lounge chair where another figure lounged in black swim briefs, one leg stretched out and the other bent lazily. A white towel draped loosely across his chest as he scrolled through his phone, completely absorbed. Kage narrowed his eyes.

"Hey, Okami," he said, his voice dripping with mild amusement. "Don’t tell me you’re still stalking the red-haired girl’s profile."

Without looking up, Okami replied, "Research isn’t stalking."

Kage snorted. "It absolutely is."

Okami finally sat up, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked down at Kage. "Whatever. I’m trying to figure out what the Crown Twins see in her. There has to be something that caught their attention." He tilted his head, a smirk touching his lips. "And don’t act like you’re completely indifferent, Kage. I know you’re curious too."

Kage let out a short laugh and pushed himself from the pool in one fluid motion. Okami snatched a dry towel from the side table and tossed it to him. He caught it effortlessly, draping it over his wet shoulders as he dried his arms.

"Actually, she’s really not my type," Kage said, shaking his head. "She’s far too fierce and aggressive. I like them submissive and subservient. I mean, the girl literally slapped Beatrice on her first day, and just this morning she smashed a cafeteria tray right into Sera’s face. Seriously, I don’t want to be anywhere near that girl. She’d probably end up killing me in bed."

Okami burst out laughing. "Oh, come on. You have to admit, she’s gorgeous."

"Yeah, there’s no denying that. She’s a beauty," Kage conceded as he walked over to grab his phone from the low glass table nearby. "She’s just not my style."

"You’re just a coward," Okami teased.

Before Kage could respond, both phones vibrated with a sharp chime. They exchanged a quick, suspicious glance before reaching for them. "That’s creepy," Okami muttered as he opened his phone. "Since when do we start getting messages at the exact same time?"

"I don’t know," Kage said with a shrug as he unlocked his screen. "Let’s find out."

Silence settled over the poolside as they read the alerts from their respective clan heads. Kage’s eyes widened slightly before he looked up at Okami, who was already staring back at him.

"Don’t tell me you got the same message?" he asked.

Okami’s brows lifted as he glanced between his screen and Kage. "Did your father just order you to win over the Lunar Lottery girl, Starlight Dawson?"

Kage’s lips curled into a slow, wicked grin. "I take it back. She’s definitely my type."

Okami snorted, though the challenge in his eyes was unmistakable. "You’ll have to get through me first. Trust me, I won’t make it easy."

"May the best man win," Kage replied with a smirk. "But what do you think our clans are planning? What exactly do they want with that girl?" His amusement faded slightly.

Okami shrugged carelessly. "I don’t know, and I don’t care. Maybe it’s the same thing the Crown Twins want with her."

He leaned back against the lounger, a smug grin spreading across his face.

"For me, as long as I get to see their faces when I take the girl they’re interested in right from under them, I’m satisfied."

Kage let out a low chuckle. "That’ll definitely be a fun sight to see."