“Everyone?” I was skeptical, but as I looked around, I made eye contact with everyone from our program. But then others turned to me from other programs, and one by one they all bowed their heads. Almost our entire graduating class turned and nodded. I felt my eyes fill, and I had to turn away. My eyes turned back to Chad, and he nodded. He went to say something, but he was interrupted by Vince making his way onto the stage.
He stood in front of the microphone and looked over at the crowd. His eyes landed on me for a second and I saw triumph on his face. He thought he won, and he was standing there preening on the stage like a prized wolf. He pushed his chest out a little more and smiled. He was so sure he had won, but we would see who was smiling after everything was said and done.
“Ladies and Gentlemen. Please settle. We will begin the graduation ceremony shortly. I will say, after the speeches and before the grads walk, we have a guest speaker, and another set of announcements that aren’t on the printed programs so bare with us, please.” He smiled before he stepped back, motioning for a teacher to come up to start the ceremony.
We sat while everyone delivered their speeches. First the teachers, then the head student in each department. Then came the valedictorian speech. The teacher from the Art department was standing at the podium. “Please stand and join me in the pleasure of calling on our school’s valedictorian. This student held the highest GPA, but she also helped this student body so much during these last few years. From helping support group causes, to volunteering her time to help with teachers scheduling, she has demonstrated not only a dedication to this school, but to our kind. She is a pillar of trustworthiness, steadfast dedication, and honesty.” This speech was pointed, and I felt a little vindicated. You could watch Vince’s face take on a hint of confusion as the teacher went on. Obviously, he didn’t know who this speech was about. But I did. “Please, allow me the pleasure of introducing this year’s valedictorian. Amy Maclean.”
The room erupted into applause, and Vince’s face fell. Apparently, the teachers had hid this tiny minor fact from him. His eyes connected to someone behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to see Brandon with furrowed brows. He leaned into my back. “You’re the valedictorian?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I was told last month when we got our finals result.” I smiled as I stood up and walked up to the podium. The reporters were still in the back and they were filming everything. “Welcome, class of 2021.” I looked out at the crowd. “I won’t keep you long, as I am the last in a million speeches, way more eloquently prepared than my own.” A few chuckles could be heard. “While I did have a full speech prepared, something happened today, and I think my time here would be better used addressing that.” I heard Vince get to his feet, but I ignored him. “Everyone here, the students, the faculty, have been witness to the past few years, but the rest of our world hasn’t, so I can understand what happened today. But I refuse to let this stand.”
“Amy, this isn’t the place.” Vince came up next to me and I growled. He froze with his hand halfway to the microphone.
I turned my attention to Vince, who had come up next to me. “I think this is the place.” My eyes flashed and Vince took a step back. I redirected my attention back to the crowd and the reporters. “My father, Gavin Maclean, was an outstanding man. He did a lot for this community, and I refuse to allow anyone to speak ill of him. He was as far from a traitor as one wolf could actually get.” I locked eyes with a few people in the crowd, and I saw their doubt, or confusion. So I pushed on. “He donated billions of dollars to the council annually. Way above the allotted amount so that smaller packs could stay in the alliance, but reinvest their fees into their own packs. When I asked him why he did it—supported people we didn’t even know—his only answer was that people deserved the chance to thrive. He wanted them to grow, to become stronger, to build up our community. My father donated millions to this school annually, to support the students here, and gave them more opportunity by designating a certain amount to be used in low producing courses, allowing students to follow their passions, not just the courses that Alpha Vince decided were important.” I cut anotherlook at Vince and I watched him pale more. He thought I was clueless, but I knew everything. “He supported the last king, in every way he could. He would leave my mom and me alone to stay by his side. He left his family, his pack, his first priority to support his king. I know people are accusing him of being a traitor and they are referencing the last king’s death as proof. My father was duty bound to protect the king, and you’re right, he was. But what none of you know was that the council created the elite warriors to watch over the royal family. So that the Alphas could run their packs without distraction.”
“That’s enough.” A voice came from the wing, and a woman came out. She was powerful. Probably the most powerful wolf I had met to date, other than my parents. She clapped as she walked out, coming to stand next to me. Thinking I was under her control, she leaned in to me and smirked. “And here I was told you were strong. I’m not even using my full power to shut you up.” She pulled away and I saw the smugness. And I honestly couldn’t wait to wipe that smirk from her face.
I turned back to the mic. She turned away, thinking I was frozen under her pathetic command. Her power was less than the king, way less. And if he couldn’t hold me, who the fuck did she think she was? “Anyway, the elite warriors were appointed and directed by the council. Funnily enough, the night of the attack, the council moved them away from the royal family. Resulting in the king’s death. My father was at our pack, fending off our own attacks. He was protecting my mother and I.” She whirled back with a screech.
“I command your silence.” Her voice held such a firm belief that I would buckle under her, that I had to stop myself from laughing outright.
I looked over at the woman, and again I was met with her smirk. So I lost control, and a smile lifted the corners of my lips. “So you see, my father wasn’t a traitor. If anyone should bebranded as a traitor…” I turned back to the reporters. “It should be the council. They commanded the warriors away from the royal family. Or the warriors themselves. As they listened to the unlawful order and left the king to fight for his mate and pup alone.”
The silence that followed my declaration was thick. Then I turned back to the woman, who was still trying to enforce her power over me. Sweat beaded her brow, and she was pale. “I don’t know who you are.” I leaned against the podium, my voice still ringing through the room. “I honestly don’t even care. I have spent these last years continuing my father’s ideals. I have donated more money to this school than the king himself to keep this place going. I have sacrificed my time, my energy, and my schooling to help with training. I have ensured that the students here were treated fairly and justly, regardless of rank, class, or standing. You don’t get to come in here, try to overpower me, to shut me up, and push your own agenda. Because,” I turned back to the reporters. “Make no mistake, that is exactly what this was.” Murmurs started around the room.
I finally spotted my mother in the crowd, face full of rage. “You and whoever else branded my father as a traitor, thinking you could strong arm me into silence. But the fact of the matter is…” I paused, and my rage finally broke through my mask. “You are too fucking weak to command me.”
Chapter Four
Ifelt my aura, which for the last year I have kept securely under wraps, because it was still growing, unfurl. I was still so young when everything started. Even then, I was too strong for any of them to really challenge me. But now? Now I was something never seen before. Still, I kept most of it hidden. My power fell in waves, everyone felt it. There were gasps from the crowd and Vince and the woman stepped back.
I smiled, and I knew it was predatory. I pulled my power back in, clenching my fists as it fought. It wanted free rein. It craved relief. But I was stronger, so I tucked it away and turned back to the crowd. “I started this day with such hope. Hope for our future. Hope for our packs. This was the very beginning of our lives. I got ready with my friends.” I turned and stared at Rowan as he rushed to the side of the stage. My rage burning in my eyes.“I celebrated my twenty-first birthday.” I watched him wince. “And I came here for my graduation with my speech prepared and a lightness in my heart. I had followed my father’s last bit of guidance, and now today, here I am graduating top of the school, following everything he had ever taught me. Only to be stopped and asked how it feels to hear my father has been branded a traitor.” He shook his head. But I pushed. “The answer is honestly, the only people who betrayed anyone are the people in charge of our fucking kingdom.” His eyes widened but I would not back down. I don’t care if this was all a part of my father’s plan. I don’t care if he was okay with this bullshit. I wasn’t. And I let Rowan fucking know it.
He walked out on to the stage slowly, staring at me with something in his eyes that I no longer recognized or returned. His care, his need for me, it was still plain on his face, but me and my wolves made an agreement and we were sticking to it. He decided to tarnish my family’s image, our name, for the sake of whatever game he and my father were playing. But fuck that.
I stared back at him with the rage I felt in this moment, and it wasn’t me that looked away, ashamed. He walked to the podium, and I waited for a second before I turned away.
“Ladies and gentlemen, obviously, this has gotten out of hand. This is a graduation ceremony. Not an inquisition.” He started, and I snorted. I could feel his eyes on my back, but I kept it turned. The worst insult a wolf could give another is to turn their backs on them, finding them no threat, and that is what I did now. To my king. I could hear his frustration in his tone as he continued. “Gavin Maclean was always a loyal and steadfast wolf. He had never been once considered as a traitor and I do not know where this all stems from, but I will sort this out.” I snorted again. It was clear where this stemmed from: his corrupt council.
There were footsteps from behind, and I knew it was the woman. She cleared her voice, obviously trying to recollectherself. “Yes, Rowan and I will do a deep inquiry where this all started.” But everyone in the room could hear what she wasn’t telling anyone. It was her.
“Who are you?” Someone called out. I turned because I wanted to know as well. Rowan’s eyes were pleading with me to understand as she wrapped her hand in his. A giant ring shone on her finger. And I knew…in that moment I knew the truth, and I looked away.
“I’m Verity La’Shen.” Rowan looked ashamed as she said the next words. “I’m the future Queen, Rowan’s fiancee.” Fiancée. I snapped my eyes to Rowan, and I watched the life drain out of his.
“Fiancée?” A round of murmurs went out, but my ears barely caught them. Verity turned to me with a triumphant smile, but I barely noticed it. I was watching Rowan and the desolation in his eyes.
My phone’s ringing snapped me out of my trance. I pulled it out of my robe and clicked the answer before I even registered the number. “Hello?”
“Amy?” The tiny voice was filled with tears. “Amy, is that you?”
“Yes…who is this?” I frowned as the voice sounded familiar, but I could place it.
“It’s Carly.” The world froze, and Rowan’s attention was zeroed in on me. “There are people here, and my dad.” She sobbed. “My dad can’t hold them off for much longer.”
The world kicked back into motion. “Hide baby. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Hurry.” The call disconnected, and I dropped my phone. I looked at Toya, and all my friends stood, pushing their way to the aisle.
