The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 215: Was She Mute?

-_-_-⁠♡-_-_-

"It feels great to be back, doesn’t it?" Simon turned to his friends after they had wrapped up their morning routine and were currently making their way toward the main hall for class. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Finnian gave a nonchalant shrug, though the faintest smile tugged at his lips. He remembered how Simon had been forced to attend the academy during his first time resumption, and it was nice to see that he had been willing to return.

"I suppose it can’t be helped," he sighed. "What about you, Luc–"

Finnian started, but paused mid-sentence when he realized Luca was suddenly nowhere to be seen. Letting out a slow exhale, he shook his head. "Where has that wild wolf wandered off to now? Hopefully, he’s not terrorizing some poor kid in the hallway again. I just want everything to go smoothly today."

"Me too," Simon nodded in agreement.

After fully exiting their dormitory, they both pushed open the double doors that led to the main hallway of the academy. The last thing they expected, however, was to be met with a sea of faces. The corridor was packed– and nearly all of their S1 class mates had gathered, along with a handful of senior students who had no business being on this floor. The sheer density of the crowd was suffocating.

At first, Finnian tensed, his stomach twisting as countless eyes locked onto him and Simon. Unease crawled up his spine, and he immediately began to wonder if he had done something wrong. Was this some kind of ambush? Or has Luca done something and dragged them into it?

A quick glance at Simon told Finnian that his friend was thinking the same thing, as he was already easing backwards, wary.

"Why is... everyone staring at us?" He murmured to Finnian, his tone laced with uncertainty.

There was no response from Finn, but his demeanor was one of confusion and alarm. From the students’ expression, he could tell they bore no hostility, as their faces were lit with excitement, curiosity, and even admiration.

But what was going on?

A flurry of hushed whispers suddenly spread through the crowd, and it reached their ears.

’Is it them?’

’Did they really escort the Alpha to the North?’

’I heard they are the first in our level to face a demon wolf and survive! That’s because no one in our level has been brave enough to go on such a dangerous mission. I have a feeling the council will promote them.’

Before Finnian could say anything, his eyes spotted Luca, who was effortlessly weaving his way through the gathering students. With a triumphant grin, Luca threw a hand up in greeting before slipping into his friend’s circle. "Took you two slowpokes forever to get here. By the way, what’s with the stiff faces? Come on!"

Luca strode forward with his usual easy confidence, clapping both Simon and Finn on the back before he casually slung an arm over each of their shoulders, steering them forward. The crowd instinctively parted for them, though the murmurs only grew louder.

’I heard those demon wolves were twice the size of a man!’

’They must be terrifying!’

’Look! They don’t even have a scratch on them. Isn’t the other one blessed with an Alpha wolf?’

’The one with the blue hair?’

Finnian blinked, feeling even more overwhelmed. One moment, he and Simon were just returning to class like any other day, and now, they were the center of attention. It was strange, almost disorienting– no one would have given them a second glance before.

"Excuse me!"

A sudden voice rang down the hallway, halting Finnian and his friends just as they stepped into their classroom. The teacher hadn’t arrived yet, giving the students time to chat and move about freely.

Finnian turned first, along with Luca and Simon, just in time to see a group of girls rushing toward them. Simon stiffened at the sight, his eyes widening in alarm at the sheer number of them. Leading the group was a girl with striking red-hair, styled neatly into two high ponytails.

Her uniform was immaculate, the fabric crisp and spotless, as if she had taken extra care to maintain a flawless appearance. There was no doubt she had to be someone of higher influence in the Damned.

She stopped in front of them and dipped into a graceful curtsy. "Greetings! As you should know by now, I am Lilith, and I am the leader of the academy’s report group. I believe you must be Finnian, correct? And you’re Luca! That means the other one is Simon." She pointed at each of them in turn, her voice brimming with certainty.

Luca simply grinned, puffing his chest slightly. "That’s us."

At Luca’s response, the girls wasted no time bombarding them with questions all at once.

"How was the North?"

"Did you really fight demon wolves?"

"How many were they in number?"

"Is it freezing up there?"

"Did you battle alongside the Alpha?"

"We want to hear everything about your journey."

Simon, who was experiencing this type of attention for the first time, turned his face away, his cheeks burning as he felt really overwhelmed. Finnian, on the other hand, shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to handle the sudden attention.

Luca, however, seemed to revel in it, already opening his mouth to respond.

"Come with me! I’ll tell you everything that happened–"

"Can’t this wait until after class?" Simon finally spoke up, shooting a glance at the clock. "The teacher’s going to be here any minute."

Finnian exhaled in relief when Simon intervened, and he hoped the reporting team wouldn’t pick that up. He nodded in agreement with Simon. "He’s right. Sorry, but we need to settle down before the class starts." Without waiting for further protest, he grabbed Luca’s arm and pulled him into the classroom before his friend got too carried away.

The classroom was a testament to the academy’s prestige, designed with elegance and refinement befitting the students who walked its halls. High-arched windows allowed golden sunlight to stream in, casting warm patterns across the polished mahogany desks. The walls were lined with towering bookshelves, while the faint scent of parchment and ink, including a lingering trace of alchemical compounds filled the air, a reminder of the academy’s strict curriculum.

The boys in the room barely concealed their scrutiny, their gazes sharp with unspoken challenge. Finnian recognized the look– assessing, a silent warning that told him how much of a threat he was to them. As long as they avoided crossing paths with those students, they should be fine, or else, anything that happens beyond that would no longer be in his control.

Three seats near the grand arched windows were unclaimed, and the trio exchanged a quick glance before sprinting toward the farthest one. Luca, always the fastest, got there first.

"Hah! Beat you two slowpokes!" he crowed triumphantly, dropping into the plush, high-backed chair.

Finnian rolled his eyes but said nothing in defense. With a sigh, he claimed the seat in front of Simon, who settled in the middle.

"Hey, bookworm, what’s first on schedule?" Luca asked, propping his feet up on the gold-inlaid footrest beneath his desk. He had his eyes on Simon, who, ever meticulous, retrieved a leather bound book where he had noted their curriculum.

"Alchemy fundamentals," he replied, "followed by mathematics."

Luca groaned upon hearing the subjects listed, already slumping into his seat. "Just wake me up when the class is over."

"Alchemy sounds interesting," Finnian mused, flipping open his textbook. "Doesn’t it also cover how the weapons in the Damned are crafted with magical components?"

Simon responded with a nod, his enthusiasm evident. "It’s my favorite subject. We get to study the weapons we wield. There’s a particular topic that tells us how our enemies forge theirs, and even how to counter them. I figured you’d like this, Luca."

Simon turned to Luca, who merely rubbed his ear lazily and snorted. "Not like they’ll actually let us use the weapons anyway."

The disappointment in his voice wasn’t hidden, hence, Finnian shook his head with an amused smirk.

"Oh, Luca."

The soft thud of a pencil hitting the floor caught Finnian’s attention. His gaze snapped downward, following its path as it rolled beneath his chair. Bending over, he retrieved it, instinctively glancing up to return it, only to find himself staring at a familiar face.

"Ah... it’s you," Finnian murmured, his eyes widening in recognition. It was the same girl who had helped him and his sister find the registration office on his first day at the academy.

The girl, however, didn’t say a word and had her focus fixed on the pencil in his hand. He immediately stretched his hand forward, handing it back to her. The girl accepted it back with a small smile, her reaction silent, but unmistakably grateful, before turning her attention back to her book. It instantly dawned on Finnian that she was his seatmate.

Facing his front, Finnian couldn’t help but steal glances her way, a strange thought nagging his mind. When he first saw her in the academy, she hadn’t spoken a word to either him or his sister, and she wasn’t speaking now as well.

Was she mute?

Not that it was any of his business.

Before he could dwell on it any longer, the classroom shifted back into order as their teacher strode in, commanding everyone’s attention.