They weren't just a group. They were a storm cloaked in designer suits and cold smiles—untouchable, unapologetic, and unbearably magnetic.
They called themselves The Vipers. And at Regal Heights, that name meant three things: power, danger, and control.
At the top stood Xavier Blake, the crown prince of the school. The heir to the Blake Empire, son of the man who owned Regal Heights, and the unofficial ruler of its halls. Sharp-jawed, sharper-tongued, and terrifyingly brilliant, Xavier didn't need to speak to command a room—his presence did all the talking. Cold, calculated, and effortlessly charismatic, he was the type of guy you couldn't look away from, even if every instinct told you to run.
Then there was Zayn Aldridge. Golden boy on the surface, a storm beneath. He smiled the most out of all of them, but there was a chill behind that charm. With his smooth British accent, flirtatious grin, and devil-may-care attitude, Zayn was the Viper who could get you to lower your guard—just in time for the venom to sink in. If Xavier was the king, Zayn was the knight who knew how to break hearts and bend rules without lifting a finger.
Rafe Sterling was the shadow. Quiet, unreadable, always watching. He didn't speak often, but when he did, everyone listened. With roots tangled deep in politics and legacy, Rafe moved like someone who already knew the ending to every game. He wasn't the type to throw a punch—but if you found yourself ruined, it was probably his plan that got you there. Cold eyes. Cold heart. And yet, strangely protective of those few he let close.
And lastly, there was Adrian Moreau. French by blood, rebellious by nature. He was the intellect of the Vipers—clever, defiant, with a smirk that said he knew more than you and didn't care if you knew it too. Adrian didn't follow rules, he rewrote them. One week he was topping the school's science competition, the next he was suspended for hacking into the school's system "just for fun." But if there was a fight, Adrian was the one who made it hurt the most—mentally.
Together, they were dangerous. Not just because of their wealth or their legacy, but because they understood power. They understood loyalty. And they understood how to destroy someone without ever touching them.
Students admired them. Teachers tolerated them. No one crossed them.
And now, for the first time in a long time, they had set their eyes on someone—
Someone who didn't belong.
Someone who hadn't bowed.
Someone who had made Xavier Blake stop and stare.
Liana.
Whether she knew it or not, she had stepped into their world.
And The Vipers never struck without a reason.