I checked my phone and saw we had less than ten minutes to get inside. What the hell was taking so long? I turned to everyone. “Follow me. Something is wrong.” I headed to the front table where two women were working from tablets with four more off the side.
“Come on.” The first couple of students called, but I could see the tiny smirk that the lady at the desk was trying to hide.
“I’m sorry, the system is going so slow. I can’t seem to find your name.” Her voice and fake concern had my hackles up instantly.
“Excuse me?” I pushed to the head of the line, and the woman snapped her eyes at me.
“Yes?”
“Why is this taking so long?”
“Because it is.” The second woman snickered.
I felt my eyes narrow. “Why are you holding up the line?”
“I’m not.” She glared up at me. “You are.”
“I doubt that.”
“What’s your name? Since you feel you have the right to accuse me of delaying students.”
“Amy Maclean.”
She scrolled on her tablet for a minute and then she stood up, pushing the chair back. “Alpha Amy. I’m so sorry. You can head right in.”
The guy at the front groaned. “Seriously?”
I turned to face him. “What’s wrong?”
He just shook his head. “It’s nothing.”
“No, please. Tell me.” I smiled and tried my best to seem gentle.
“Alpha Amy. Please head inside. There is no need for you to slum it with the riffraff.” The woman touched my arm and my head snapped to her and my eyes flashed.
“Did I say you could touch me?”
She stammered. “No, I just don’t want you to be late.”
I turned back to the man. “What’s happening?”
“I’ve been here for almost five minutes. Any time a ranked wolf comes up to check, she finds their name instantly and allows them in, but she still hasn’t found my name.”
I turned back to her and snatched the tablet. “What’s your name?”
“Hey.” she weakly protested. The second woman watched with fear on her face.
“Edward Canto.” I saw that the list was Alphabetical by first names. I scrolled to E and there he was. I turned back to the woman and I let my aura slip out. “Are you purposefully holding these students out here, and before you open your mouth, tell me the truth.” I watched her fight the command, so she was a high level wolf. I released my full aura and asked again. “Tell me the truth. Now!”
She dropped to the ground with her face pressed to the floor. “Yes. These last few years unranked wolves have become a virus that has been taking over this school. When Alpha Vince said those not in attendance were going to be expelled, this seems like a golden opportunity. And I wasn’t going to let it go to waste.” Her vitriol against unranked wolves was disgusting.
I turned to face the second woman. “And you?”
She paled as she dropped to her knees. “I listened to her because she is my Luna.” She pressed herself to the floor, and I wanted to step on her.
I dropped low. “What pack are you from?”
“The Dark Forest pack.” The girls behind me all took a breath. But I threw my head back and laughed.
