Free Web NovelChapter 4: No One Survives Bestiaris
"You can’t do this to me! Who the hell do you think you are?" Jack snarled, striding towards Aria with his hands outstretched.
"Get off my daughter!" Quinn tried to pull him back, but Jack shoved her aside, causing her to fall.
"Mom!"
For the first time, fear flickered through Aria. Jack didn’t look like he was going to stop his violence. She raised her arms, preparing to defend herself.
But she didn’t need to. One second, he lunged at her, and the next, Hailey moved. She caught his arm, twisted, and flipped him clean over her shoulder. Jack hit the ground hard, a groan tearing from his throat.
Like it was nothing, Hailey straightened, completely unbothered, and pulled out her phone.
"Security."
Within minutes, Jack was dragged out of the room.
And just like that, another one of her mother’s relationships was over.
Aria’s mind was still reeling from the surprise rescue when Hailey instructed, "Get into that shower. Wash up and get dressed. By the time you’re done, your sister should be here to say goodbye."
She paused at the door, her gaze hard.
"Don’t test me, Aria Aspen."
"Wouldn’t dream of it," Aria muttered.
As she left to make the arrangements, Quinn tried to take advantage of the moment. "Aria—"
"Get me my sister," Aria cut in coldly. "I have nothing else to say to you."
Quinn flinched as if Aria had hit her. But she took the hint and left her alone.
While waiting, Aria did as instructed. She stepped into the shower, washed quickly, and changed into the pair of jeans and blouse Hailey had left for her. It didn’t take long for her to hear the sound of rapid footsteps. Quick, like everything else in her life lately.
The hospital door burst open.
"Aria!"
Davina came running toward her, her hair messy, eyes wide and brimming with tears.
Aria’s chest tightened.
"Davina—"
The girl crashed into her, wrapping her arms tightly around Aria’s waist, as if holding on hard enough could stop the world from taking her.
"You’re not going," Davina said, her voice shaking. "You can’t go. I heard Mother. They said you’re leaving because we have no money. You’re not leaving me! I can pay for you! I saved up some! Just use it!"
Aria swallowed hard, forcing her hands not to tremble as she crouched down in front of her.
"Hey... hey..." she murmured, brushing the girl’s hair back. "Look at me."
Davina shook her head violently, clutching her tighter.
"No! I won’t! If I look at you, you’ll go and leave me behind!"
That hit harder than anything else. For a moment, Aria couldn’t speak, choked by emotion. Then she forced it aside.
"I’m coming back," she said, her voice steady despite the storm building inside her. "Do you hear me? This isn’t forever."
Davina finally looked at her, tears streaming down her face.
"You promise?"
Aria held her gaze and lied without blinking.
"I promise."
Behind them, Hailey cleared her throat.
"Our time is ticking."
Aria ignored her. She reached up, wiping Davina’s tears with her thumb. "You’re going to be strong for me, okay?"
Davina shook her head again. "No! I don’t want to be strong! I want you to stay!" Her voice cracked, raw and desperate.
Aria pulled her into a tight hug, pressing her face into the girl’s hair.
God. This was the part that hurt. Not even her mother’s betrayal came close to this.
"Listen to me," Aria whispered, her voice low, and urgent. "You’re going to take care of yourself. And that money, it’s yours now, okay? Don’t let anyone touch it. Not Mom, not Jack, not anyone."
Davina sniffled. "I don’t care about the money!"
"I know," Aria said softly. "But I do. And you’ll need it to live."
Footsteps approached them, and before Aria could react, Davina was suddenly pulled away.
"No!" the girl screamed, struggling. "Let me go! Aria!"
One of the security guards held her firmly, unfazed by the kicking and crying.
"That’s enough," Hailey chided her. "Your sister should be honored to have been chosen."
"I don’t care!" Davina cried, twisting in his grip. "Give her back! I want my sister!"
Aria shot to her feet, anger flaring.
"Don’t touch her like that—"
"She’s interfering with an official process," Hailey interrupted, her tone flat. "And we’re already behind schedule."
Thankfully, their mother had the sense to step in, pulling Davina back.
"Let’s go," Aria said, forcing her voice steady.
Her sister’s cries tore through her, but Aria hardened her heart. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t leave. She clenched her jaw and turned away.
"Take care of her," she said to Quinn, not looking back. "Or I’ll make you pay."
Then she walked off with Hailey, her sister’s screams echoing behind her.
"Don’t worry," Hailey said, as if offering comfort. "She’ll understand eventually. Children always do."
Aria didn’t respond. They made it outside the hospital, where their ride was already waiting, and Aria’s jaw nearly dropped.
A limousine.
A fucking limousine!
A uniformed driver stood by, another man already opening the door for her like she was some kind of VIP.
"Get in already, Aspen. We don’t have time for your pointless gawking," Hailey said, slipping inside.
"It’s Aria," she muttered, irritation in her voice. Her surname only reminded her of the fact she didn’t even know who her father was. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Once inside the sleek, luxurious interior, Aria glanced around before asking, "So what happens next?"
Hailey barely looked up from her tablet. "You’ll be transported to Nova City. That’s where processing takes place. You’ll meet the other selected girls, integrate, and—if you’re lucky—avoid getting bullied before you’re sent to Bestial City."
Aria frowned. "What’s that supposed to mean?"
Hailey lifted a brow. "Haven’t you seen your video circulating online?"
A cold feeling settled in Aria’s stomach.
"What video?"
Hailey didn’t answer. She tapped a few times, then turned the tablet toward her.
"See for yourself."
Aria took it and froze. It was her from last night. The moment she opened the door for Hailey and her colleague, and her epic fall.
Everything. Nothing was cut. Nothing was hidden.
"You were live on TV," Hailey said. "Everyone saw it. You’ve already earned a new nickname: Trip." ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
Aria’s grip tightened on the tablet as she exhaled slowly, her jaw clenched. First Freak, and now Trip. Derogatory nicknames seemed to follow her wherever she went. The humiliation burned beneath her skin, hot and suffocating. But her anger burned hotter.
"I’ll survive," Aria said coolly, handing the tablet back. "I’ve endured worse."
She had survived bullying before. What could possibly be different about this?
"Really?" Hailey said, clearly amused. "Is that what you actually believe, or just something you told your younger sister so she wouldn’t break down further?"
A sharp pain settled deep in her chest at the mention of Davina.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded.
Hailey tutted, her lips curving with a little patronizing pity.
"Aria Aspen, have you forgotten? Not a single human student has ever survived to graduate from Bestiaris Academy. The quickest recorded death was ten minutes."
She didn’t stop.
"The beasts are creative when it comes to killing humans. In the last program, eight students died on the first day from poisoned water. Two others went exploring and lost their way, ending straight into a snake shifter’s nest. They were bitten to death. One provoked a dragon and was burned to ash."
The woman watched Aria closely, expecting fear but it didn’t come. Instead, Aria narrowed her eyes.
"What’s the slowest death then, if the quickest was ten minutes?" Aria asked.
"How long did that girl live for?"
"Six weeks. Just a little longer and she would have made it through the term."
"Six weeks..." Aria repeated under her breath, thinking hard.
"Why do you ask?" Hailey’s eyes narrowed.
For the first time since the journey began, Aria’s eyes lit up with fierce determination.
"If a human girl made it through six weeks," she said, "then survival isn’t impossible."
Aria clenched her fist, staring Hailey in the eye.
"Bestiaris won’t kill me. I’ll outlive it and return home to my sister."
