Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Seraphina
I woke up warm, enveloped in my blanket, the faint glow of morning streaming through the curtains.
For a second, I didn’t move—just let myself bask in the quiet realization that I’d actually slept.
Not the restless tossing and turning I was used to.
Not the hollow ache of crying myself into exhaustion. I’d slept.
And it was because of her. Because Mistress V had told me I was a good girl and took care of me last night. She’d given me exactly what I’d needed.
I was still smiling faintly when a knock came at my door. I opened the door after checking to see who it was. I scrambled to make myself presentable just as I twisted the knob.
The door eased open, and Mistress V stepped in carrying a tray. Toast, scrambled eggs, fruit. A glass of water and orange juice sat neatly at the edge. She motioned for me to follow her to the bedroom so I did. Sitting on the bed.
“Breakfast,” she said simply, setting it down on the desk. “Real food. Not cookies. Not ice cream.” Her lips twitched at the corners.
I sat up straighter. “You didn’t have to—”
“Yes, I did.” Her tone brooked no argument. “You’re here to learn, which means your body and mind need fuel. And water.” She pressed the glass into my hand, watching until I took a long sip.
Heat rose in my cheeks. “Yes, ma’am.”
Satisfied, she glanced at my suitcase, then tugged it open without asking. I squeaked in protest, but she just started sorting.
“This one,” she said, pulling out a soft lilac blouse and dark jean shorts. “Simple. Comfortable. You’ll feel confident in it.”
I wanted to argue that I could pick my own clothes—but when she laid them neatly on the bed, something fluttered in my chest. Like I mattered enough for her to take the time. Plus it was a nice combination and reflected my mood.
She leaned in the doorway as I ate, her arms folded, gaze sharp but not unkind. When I finished, she gave a firm nod of approval. “Better. Now—go to class. Hydrate, focus, and don’t hide in the back. Learn something today. I’ll see you later.”
She kissed the top of my forehead and then disappeared without another word. And just like that, she was gone, leaving the faintest trace of her perfume in the room and my chest strangely lighter.
Master E’s class was quieter than usual when I slipped inside. He looked up from his laptop, glasses perched low on his nose. He was alone since class didn't begin for another forty minutes.
“Morning, Sera.”
I smoothed my blouse nervously. “Um—I just wanted to make sure you got my email. About staying.”
His stern face softened. “I did. And I’m glad.”
Relief loosened my shoulders. “Thank you. Really. For letting me… change my mind.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank Mistress V. She clearly did something right if you’re still here.” He tilted his head. “Speaking of—does this mean she’ll be bunking with you until her cabin’s ready?”
I blinked. “Her—what?”
He frowned. “Her cabin’s not available until the end of the week. I assumed she’d stay with you. Unless she’s bunking with another guest.”
The words hit like a slap. Another guest?
She hadn’t said a word. My chest burned hot with irritation as I yanked out my phone under his watchful gaze.
I couldn't stop the disappointment and rage that were conspiring together.
I felt out of control and betrayed. Why wouldn't she tell me she needed a place to stay?
My thumbs flew over the keys:
You didn’t tell me you needed somewhere to sleep. Are you seriously staying with someone else without even asking me first?? What the hell?
Her reply came quickly, sharp and unyielding:
Tone. Watch it. Bratty texts won’t fly. I expect respect, Sera. I’ll come to your room after class and we’ll have a proper discussion. Until then hang up your sassy fit. Focus on your class and pay attention.
The heat in my chest shifted from anger to nervous fluttering. Respect. Brat. Discuss properly. My stomach knotted.
Master E glanced at me. “Everything all right?”
I hesitated, then blurted, “Do you trust her? Mistress V?”
He leaned back, studying me. “I do. Enough to be her son’s godfather. She’s not perfect, but she shows up when it matters. She also doesn't take her responsibilities lightly. She's guilty of stretching herself thin, but I've never seen her have malintentions.”
The words settled into me like a balm, even if my nerves still fizzed. I nodded slowly.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
As I found a seat, I took out my notebook and began doodling, my pulse was a storm. Part dread, part anticipation. Later, Mistress V would be in my room. And I had no idea if I was more afraid of the confrontation… or of how much I wanted it.
Class dragged me in two directions at once. My body sat obediently in the chair, pen poised over the notebook, but my mind was tangled up in Mistress V’s text. Tone. Watch it. Bratty texts won’t fly.
The words replayed over and over, winding me tighter than a spring. Respect. Brat. Proper discussion. I’d wanted to scream at her—but instead, her message had left me hot-faced and… unsettled.
Master E walked to the front of the room, hands clasped behind his back, and the low murmur of voices stilled immediately.
“Today,” he said, his voice carrying weight, “we’re talking about respect. Not the shallow kind—the bowing and scraping, the empty ‘yes, sir, no, ma’am.’ That’s surface-level. I’m talking about the kind that runs both ways. The kind that honors who you are, not just what role you play.”
I blinked. My pen hovered.
“Respect,” he continued, pacing slowly, “means acknowledging your needs. It means you matter—that your boundaries, your health, your voice are as important as your Dominant’s authority.
And it means when you offer your obedience, it’s not cheap.
It’s sacred. Because it comes from someone who knows their own worth. ”
My chest ached. I scribbled the words your obedience is sacred in the margin, circling it three times.
He stopped at the edge of a desk, resting his hand there. “And for the Dominants not in the room—respect is remembering that they are not gods. They are guides, caretakers, protectors. If they forget that, if they wield power without humility, they fail not only their submissive but themselves.”
A silence fell over the room, heavy but comforting.
I swallowed hard, the words sticking to my ribs. Was that what I wanted from Mistress V? Not perfection, but humility. Not punishment for punishment’s sake, but care.
“Remember this,” Master E said softly. “When respect exists, trust can grow. Without it, nothing lasts.”
By the time class ended, I was raw and restless.
Master E had a way of making me get in my head and question everything I’d ever been taught.
That my needs were normal and nothing to be afraid of.
He’d explained that opposites existed to charge and connect to its counterpart.
So that meant there was someone designed to hold and make space for everything I am.
I’m not too much. I’m worthy and enough.
And more than that, it’s okay to be myself.
I packed my notebook with trembling hands, Master E’s words replaying like an echo inside me.
When I reached my suite, I dropped my bag by the door and paced. The walls felt too close, the clock too loud. Every creak in the hallway made my breath hitch. Today was heavy and I didn’t know if I was ready to take on Mistress V. I felt like a ticking time bomb ready to explode.
Mistress V was coming.
And this time, I couldn’t hide behind sarcasm or slam the door in her face. Tonight, she would look me in the eye, and I’d have to decide if I believed her. Trusted whatever she had to say.
I curled onto the couch, hugging my knees, and stared at the door. Waiting.