Chapter 15
fifteen
Olivia clears her throat.
The sound is small, but it lands like a weight. She steps behind the podium at the front of Omega Nu Epsilon, shoulders squared like she’s holding something that wants to crush her.
Normally, I hate these meetings. They steal time I can’t afford to lose, especially when they’re not on our usual Sunday slot. A Friday afternoon meeting means something went wrong.
My muscles still ache from last night. Deep, animal soreness. And my mind hasn’t caught up with the fact that Ellis is gone.
Or why Apollo saved me.
Heat crawls up my neck at the memory. I shove it away. I don’t have room for that yet.
My cheeks burn thinking about coming in front of him…and all those Betas.
“It’s with pride,” Olivia says, voice steady, “and a very heavy heart that I bring you the Greek Games announcement.”
The room quiets. The kind that presses in on your ears.
“This was meant to be a victory speech. And it is. Omega Nu Epsilon took first at Thriller Thursday.” She pauses. “But it’s hollow.”
My stomach tightens.
“Ellison Williams, one of our sophomores, was hurt last night…and she perished from her injuries.”
The girls gasp, at least the ones who didn’t know. It scrapes through the room, grating against my nerves. Even worse? Half the room cranes their necks to watch my reaction.
What are you all staring at, bitches? I want to scream. But I bite my tongue.
Hurt.
That’s the word we’re using.
My chest aches as I lift it for a deep breath. Olivia and I discussed it and decided to keep the details to ourselves. She and I know what happened. But the final pathology report will come later.
I need to find Rowan.
“There’s also a bittersweet note.” Olivia glances down at her papers, then back up. “Things were dire last night. Neck and neck with Iota. Until the final moments.”
Her gaze finds me.
“One sister broke through. Alone. At great personal cost.” Her voice softens. “The Thursday Triumph award goes to Scout Lee Turner.”
The applause sounds sad. Or maybe I’m projecting it. I stand because it’s expected and walk forward on legs that feel borrowed. The weight of Ellis being gone hits like a truck, and I sob, reaching for my other friend.
Olivia holds me and rubs my back, letting me grieve. “I got you,” she whispers.
I blink back the rest of my tears and swipe my nose. She presses the glass trophy into my hands. It’s cold. Heavy.
“It’s not much,” she murmurs. “But if you need—”
“No,” I say quietly. “I don’t.”
I need to figure out who did this.
I sleep in my old bedroom at my parents’ house. Soak in the tub in my ensuite. And don’t think about my murdered roommate.
My room in Omega House is depressing. Ellis’s things are still there. Like she never left. Or maybe she’ll come back and say it was a stunt.
But her parents are picking up her things today, and I just… I just couldn’t be around them. Not yet.
Maybe that’s horrible. But I figured I’d give them alone time.
“Pancakes. Eggs, of course. Bacon… Um, fruit? Your brothers stopped by last night, but you were asleep.” Mom busies herself around the kitchen. Like she doesn’t know what to do except feed me.
But Dad? He keeps his arm around me. Silent and still. Not saying a word. The rise and fall of his chest, the soft snore of his breathing…it steadies me. It reminds me of when I was a kid and he’d have me sleep on him when I’d had enough of people.
“Thanks, Mom. Everything looks great.” I’m not that hungry, but I know I should eat.
“There aren’t any updates on the pathology reports yet. But I’m keeping my ears peeled.” Mom’s eyes dart over my shoulder to my father’s. He grips the back of my neck in a caring squeeze. “The university will try to cover it up, George. We need to do something.”
Dad just grunts. “What do you want us to do, Sins? It’s not like the two of us can change things.”
“No, but with the Cardells and Josephs, we can. Hell, I bet even the Dawsons are game.”
Dad nods slowly. “Okay. Let me think about this.”
Mom’s lips purse tight, like she’s holding back from saying something snappy. As usual. But she just sniffs and smiles. “Is it good, Scoutie?”
“Yeah, it’s great.”
“What are your plans for the day? Want to veg out and watch some movies, or—”
“We can… But tonight, I need to talk to Rowan.”
Her eyebrows pinch. “So soon?”
“I’m not letting this go.”
Dad coughs. “Be careful.”
“I will be.”
But I’m not.
Tonight isn’t just about getting answers.
It’s about taking my revenge.