Chapter 31
Tori's POV:
I was halfway through solving a complex lunar phase calculation when the classroom door burst open.
Morgan rushed in, her curly hair disheveled and her cheeks flushed with an unnatural redness.
Her eyes darted around the room before landing on me, and something in her expression made my wolf, Tracy, instantly alert.
Morgan hurried to her seat beside me, her breathing slightly labored as if she'd been running.
"You won't believe who I just—" she began in an excited whisper, but abruptly cut herself off.
I followed her gaze to find Daniel Cole beside my desk, his expression friendly but cautious.
His sandy brown hair fell across his forehead as he offered Morgan a small smile.
"Hey, Morgan," he said, his voice measured and polite.
To my surprise, Morgan replied with an unusual edge to her voice. "What are you doing here? You're not even in our class."
Daniel's eyebrows rose slightly at Morgan's hostile tone.
"I don't understand why you're so hostile toward me, Morgan. I was just trying to talk to Tori about—"
The school's PA system crackled to life, cutting through our conversation with a shrill feedback sound before Dr. Williams's authoritative voice filled the room.
"Attention all Moonridge High students," the principal announced, his voice unusually stern.
"This is an important reminder that students are not permitted to visit classrooms other than their assigned ones without proper authorization. Furthermore, the school board wishes to emphasize that romantic relationships between students are strongly discouraged as they distract from academic focus and achievement."
A collective groan rose from several corners of the classroom, along with a few snickers and meaningful glances between couples.
Dr. Williams continued: "Any students found violating these policies will face appropriate disciplinary action. That is all."
As the announcement ended, an awkward silence fell over our small group.
Daniel's face had taken on a slight flush, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Well, I guess that's my cue," he said, adjusting the strap of his backpack. He turned to me with a small smile. "Maybe we can talk another time, Tori."
"Yeah, sure," I replied neutrally.
Daniel nodded, then headed for the door, his posture slightly deflated.
As he left, I turned to Morgan with a raised eyebrow, silently demanding an explanation for her uncharacteristic behavior.
The moment the door closed behind Daniel, Morgan practically exploded with barely contained energy, leaning in so close I could see the flecks of amber in her brown eyes.
"Oh my God, Tori, you won't believe who I just ran into in the hallway!" she whispered frantically, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.
I instinctively glanced toward the window and saw no one except a few classmates hurrying back to the classroom.
"They're gone now," Morgan said, following my gaze.
"But Alpha Lucas was here! Right here in our school, with Dr. Williams. I literally almost crashed into them when I was coming back from the bathroom."
I wasn't surprised by Morgan's panicked state. After our confrontation, where she'd confessed to being Lucas's informant, seeing him unexpectedly would naturally put her on edge.
Just hours ago, I'd confronted Morgan about why she had told Lucas about my sleep problems. I'd been relentless, sensing she was hiding something and demanding to know what she was keeping from me.
When she'd tried to brush it off with vague excuses, I'd delivered an ultimatum.
"If you don't tell me the truth right now," I had threatened, "then we're done. I can't be friends with someone who keeps secrets from me."
Morgan had crumbled immediately, confessing everything—how Lucas had summoned her before I arrived at school, how he'd instructed her to befriend me and report back on my well-being and activities.
"So all this time, you've been reporting back to him about me? " The betrayal stung, even though a small part of me understood her position. Going against an Alpha's wishes wasn't easy, especially for a Beta like Morgan whose family worked on Grayson land.
"Not everything!" Morgan protested. "Just... general stuff. Like if you seemed okay, if anyone was giving you trouble. And I haven't told him much lately because..." she hesitated, then continued in a whisper, "because I started to feel like a traitor to you."
I took a deep breath, processing this revelation. Morgan watched me anxiously, her usual confidence replaced by vulnerability.
"Morgan, this hurts," I admitted. "I thought you wanted to be my friend because you liked me."
"I do like you!" Morgan insisted, grabbing my hand.
"Tori, I swear, I might have started talking to you because Alpha Lucas asked me to, but I stayed your friend because I genuinely like you."
I studied her earnest expression, and Tracy nudged me gently. She's telling the truth, my wolf confirmed.
After a moment of consideration, I nodded slowly. "Okay. I believe you."
The relief on Morgan's face was palpable. "Really? You're not mad?"
"I didn't say I wasn't mad," I clarified. "But I understand you were put in a difficult position. What I don't understand is why Alpha Grayson is so interested in me in the first place."
Morgan relaxed slightly, hearing in my tone that our friendship wasn't irreparably damaged.
"I don't know," she admitted. "He never explained."
I chewed my lower lip, considering the implications. "Well, I understand you can't just ignore an Alpha's request. But from now on, can you at least tell me what you're planning to report to him? We can decide together what information is okay to share."
A slow smile spread across Morgan's face.
"That's actually a really good idea. I was so stressed about being caught between you two." She looked genuinely relieved. "This way I'm not directly disobeying him, but I'm also not betraying your trust."
My thoughts came rushing back.
"Morgan, don't worry," I said, touching her arm reassuringly. "I won't tell Lucas that you told me anything. He doesn't need to know we had this conversation."
"You really mean that?" she asked, hope brightening her expression.
"Of course. If we don't say anything, he'll never find out," I replied with a small shrug. "It'll be our secret."
Morgan visibly relaxed, letting out a deep breath.
"You're right. This will be our secret."
What I couldn't understand was why Lucas Grayson would go to such lengths to keep tabs on me in the first place.
Was it because of Ethan? I wondered. Did Lucas know about our past relationship and worry I might cling to him?
But that didn't quite make sense either. If Lucas wanted me away from Ethan, why would he help me when I was in trouble? Why offer me a ride home or give me sleep aids?