Chapter 24 24
Jenna's POV:
Mrs. Smith had barely finished speaking when I asked, “Mrs. Smith… how exactly did it even happen?”
She sighed. “I don’t know the full story, Jenna. But from what I gathered, Sean was having some kind of encounter with someone in the dorms. One thing led to another and well, Sean punched him.”
For a moment I just stood, not even sure how to process it.
Sean and I had only one similarity that we both got bullied, however that was where our resemblance ended. I was calm, level-headed, the type to swallow insults so deeply people sometimes forgot I was hurting, but Sean was the opposite. He wasn’t calm, he wasn’t level-headed, and he certainly never ignored bullshit. So, if he threw a punch, then it wasn’t random, it meant someone said something distasteful that was meant to mock him, me, or his status.
Mrs. Smith’s voice broke through my thoughts.
"I think you should come to school tomorrow, as early as you can. The mother of the boy who was punched will be arriving early to meet the principal, so you need to be there. Let’s see how this can be sorted out.”
I nodded and thanked her, then stepped away, calling Sean but he didn't pick up. I tried again, still nothing.
So I finally sent a message saying that I'll come tomorrow.
By the time I returned to the table, Luna Elsa’s eyes were already on me. She studied my face for half a second before asking softly.
“Jenna, dear, is everything alright?”
I forced out a tiny smile. “Yes.”
She didn’t buy it for even a moment as she leaned in.
“Come now… you can tell us anything. What happened?”
I breathed out, defeated, and quietly told them everything. When I finished, Luna Elsa immediately said.
“You should go with Caesar, he will handle things.”
I nodded, grateful, and tried to eat… but after two bites, I put the fork down.
“I’m done,” I murmured. “I’m not really hungry anymore.”
“That’s alright,” Elsa said gently then turned to Caesar. “Caesar, take her upstairs.”
Caesar stood instantly and followed me up to our room. I lay down on the bed, staring at nothing while my heart raced with worry as Caesar stepped into the bathroom to shower, and by the time he returned, I was still awake, eyes wide open. He slid into the bed behind me, wrapping his arms around me tightly.
“We’ll get everything sorted out tomorrow, okay? I promise.”
Eventually, exhaustion dragged me under and I forced myself to sleep. But I woke up at 6:30 a.m, went straight to the bathroom. I showered, dressed, packed every document and ID I might need, slipped them into my handbag, and only then did I j wake Caesar up.
“Caesar.” I whispered, shaking him gently. “We have to go.” He sat up immediately and hurried into the bathroom. Within minutes he was ready and followed me out.
Outside, Caesar reached for the driver’s door. “Let me drive. You’re not in the right mindset.”
I shook my head sharply. “What if what happened yesterday repeats itself?” He paused and I added,
“Caesar, please. I’ll drive.”
After a long breath, he stepped aside. “Fine. You drive.”
I drove us out of the packhouse and into the early morning roads. The trip to the high school took about an hour and a half. When we arrived, I didn’t go through the main gate. I maneuvered toward the back gate and into the dorm wing where I knew Sean’s dorm was. Then I parked in front of the building and we stepped inside to see the dorm mistress who was already at the front desk.
“Good morning,” I greeted. “Is Sean still in his room? Or did he leave for the administrative building already?”
Mrs. Smith shook her head. “No, he hasn’t stepped out. He’s still in his room.” Of course, she recognized Caesar instantly, who wouldn’t know the Alpha’s son? She greeted him, flustered, then we headed up the stairs.
On Sean’s floor, I knocked and the door opened to one of his roommates. When Caesar and I stepped inside, I saw Sean sitting at the edge of his bed, tying his shoelaces.
Before I could even take another step, the roommate stammered.
“Uh, I’ll let you guys have your privacy…”
“You don’t have to…” I started, but he bolted out of the room. I sighed and walked over to Sean, sitting beside him. “What happened? I know you don’t just punch people randomly. Did he say something to you?”
Sean remained silent, jaw tight.
I nudged gently. “Sean… did he insult you? Did he make fun of us being orphans? What happened?”
He hissed under his breath, but his gaze slid past me to Caesar.
“Why does he look familiar? Who is he? Did you really bring your boyfriend here to help sort out my problems?”
“Does it matter right now?” I asked tiredly. “Sean, we need to talk.
“It does matter, I want to know who he is. He looks really familiar.”
I rubbed my forehead. “Okay. Fine.” Then I gestured between them. “Sean, this is Caesar Greywood. Caesar, this is Sean Washington, my brother.”
Sean blinked. “Ah. That’s why he looks familiar. He’s the Alpha’s son, isn’t he?” Then suddenly, louder: “Wait — he’s the Alpha’s son?” He grabbed my arm, dragging me closer and whispering, “Are you sleeping with the Alpha’s son?”
My eyes narrowed. “Sean. Not. Now. Can we please focus on the matter at hand?”
He shoved my arm away. “Of course he insulted me.” Sean snapped. “Made fun of me being an orphan and mocked me for being a scholarship student. So I punched him.”
I exhaled, disappointed. “Sean, you should’ve known better. You shouldn’t have punched him, you should’ve gone to a teacher.”
He scoffed. “It’s not the first time I’ve been bullied and reporting doesn’t do anything. Who’s going to defend a scholarship kid when the rich students are the ones causing trouble? That’s why I’m telling you, Jenna, don't fight this. Just sit down and apologize, I’ll apologize too and it'll be settled.”
“No.” I said firmly. “Not this time, you’re not apologizing.”
He frowned. “Then what do you plan to do?”
I asked calmly, “The boy you punched… are both his parents alive?”
Sean nodded slowly. “Yeah. Why?”
Instead of answering, I asked. “Are they still together?”
“No.” he muttered. “They separated.”
I stood. “You were getting ready to meet the principal, right? Let’s go.”
He followed us out and we all stepped into the car, then I drove back to the main gate. Through the rear-view mirror, I caught him glaring at Caesar, then at me, but I ignored it because I needed my focus on the issue ahead.
We drove back through the main gate and into the administrative building then I parked in the parking lot as we stepped out. Inside, I asked.
“Do you know the principal’s office door?”
Sean nodded and led the way. Inside the office, a woman was already seated with a boy beside her, with band-aids and swelling on his face.
I sat beside the woman, Sean stood beside me and Caesar made his way to the Principal who shot up from her seat instantly.
"Oh my goodness, I had no idea Mr. Sean Washington and his sister knew the future Alpha!” She shook Caesar’s hand eagerly.
And Caesar, without hesitation, added,. “Jenna is my mate and we will soon be getting married.”
Sean’s head snapped toward me and his eyes screamed,
"What?!"
I ignored his expression and turned to Caesar who asked. “I still don’t understand exactly what happened between my future brother-in-law and the injured boy here. Please explain everything.”
Before the principal could answer, the boy’s mother jumped in. “Your future brother-in-law is characterless! He punched my son and I want him punished, or I will sue this school!”
Suddenly, something inside me snapped.
Maybe it was years of watching Sean endure things he never deserved to, or maybe it was the accumulated bitterness of everything. Regardless, I turned to her slowly and pressed.
“Have you bothered to ask your son what he said to my brother that warranted a punch?”
“My son Jonathan is a good boy.” She said sharply. “He would never say anything crazy, and even if he did, it does not warrant a punch.”
“It does.” I answered. “How would you feel if I walked up to you and said the reason your son turned out this way is because he doesn’t have a father to call him to order?”
“Excuse me?” she gasped.
“You’re offended, right?” I said. “And because we’re adults in public, you’re holding yourself back from slapping me. Now imagine your son saying worse to my brother. Yet you claim Sean shouldn’t throw a punch?”
She sputtered. “Well he could’ve said something back! Not punched!”
“See? That’s the difference.” I said coldly. “My brother respects people’s families. He’d never mock your son for growing up in a broken home, even if he could. But your son felt entitled enough to mock us for being orphans and scholarship students.”
I gestured to Sean. “He was wrong to punch him and I already scolded him for that. But would you blame him? He’s been reporting bullying for years and nothing has been done because the offenders are rich kids like your son. So if my brother is punished for hitting your son, then your son should be punished for provoking my brother.”
The woman opened her mouth, but nothing came out and the principal rushed in, nervous.
“Mr. Greywood, I apologize on behalf of Mrs. Bailey…”
“I don’t want your apologies, I want action.” Caesar cut her off sharply. “If something isn’t done about the bullying of scholarship students, I will make sure this school is shut down. And I’ll make sure you never work in this Pack or any other Pack, again.”
Silence fell, then slowly, Sean leaned toward me and muttered. “He seems nice and helpful… but I still don’t approve of him for you.” I stared at him confused because I genuinely could not believe that he chose this moment to say something so unbelievably unnecessary.