Fifty five- The Howl Before The Trail

Fifty five- The Howl Before The Trail
Aria’s POV
"You can come in now," Derrick, the Principal's secretary, informed, ushering me toward her office.
"Okay," I murmured, following him. We walked past a little office that belonged to him before getting to the big black door of the Principal's office.
He knocked twice before opening it. "Go in," he instructed, holding the door open for me. Guess I am all alone from now on. I swallowed hard before walking into the one place that held my fate for Monday.
I kept my eyes fixed on the ground as I made my way in, my heart thumping loudly in my chest.
"Aria Hayes!" A voice I wasn’t expecting boomed loudly, making me jerk in fear as I slowly looked up to take in my environment.
A gasp escaped my lips in shock at the people that were here. Mr. Patrick said the Principal wanted to see me, not the whole freaking School Board.
"Alpha," I answered, my voice shaky.
Alpha Draven sat at the center of the whole room, his presence dominating over everyone. Even a visitor would be able to tell he was our Alpha in a heartbeat.
Meredith and Verya sat at his sides, and then the Gamma at the furthest end near Verya, while Vicktor sat at the furthest end near Meredith. There were four other wolves I didn't really know, but I had seen them around, and I knew they were just as important, hence why they were on the board. Vicktor being here had dropped my fear a little, but it didn't do much. The dread in my heart for what was to come only grew with each passing second.
"I will go straight to the point," he continued in a no-nonsense tone. How am I supposed to make him believe me, make all of them believe I didn’t do it? It was easier with Meredith, and Vicky would always take my word for it, but the whole Board? That’s on a whole other level. I am just an omega. No one is going to believe my word, especially when the Gamma's daughter is involved. For the three heirs to have made it, then I am in for a long ride.
"It has come to our notice that you challenged Marissa Jones, the Gamma's daughter, to a fight in the biweekly Howl Games," he started. My eyes immediately moved to Meredith in confusion. Didn’t she tell him I wasn’t the one who did it?
She was already looking at me, but her face didn’t give off anything, which only increased my frustration. They can’t really think I would do something this crazy.
As if reading my mind, Vicky nodded reassuringly at me, mouthing the words Be patient. I nodded, looking back at the Alpha as he continued talking.
"Are you aware of what this means?" he asked, looking at me with so much contempt, but there was something in his eyes that made me so uncomfortable, though I couldn’t exactly place my hand on it.
"Yes, I do," I answered.
"And you did it anyways?" he asked, his voice condescending. Why won’t anyone speak up for me?
I glanced at Meredith once again, but it was obvious she wasn’t going to say anything. Vicky nodded at me, and then I realized what the Alpha was expecting me to do. He wanted me to speak for myself, to defend myself. This is just messed up.
"I didn’t do it, Alpha," I whispered, clasping my shaky hands behind my back to hide how scared I was.
"You better speak up, or things will get even messier for you!" he barked, making me jump in fear.
Vicktor watched me with so much hope in his eyes, like he could see through me. He was the only one who truly felt like he wanted a way out of this. Meredith’s lack of reaction was confusing and frustrating as hell, and the rest just seemed to want me to flop so badly.
Just breathe, Ri, Vicky mouthed, a tight-lipped smile on his face, but it was enough—at least for now.
"I didn’t do it, Alpha. I wasn’t the one who wrote my name on the list," I said louder and stronger this time. His eyes dimmed like he wasn’t expecting my sudden courage, but his face didn’t give off how he felt about it, which only made me more nervous than I already was.
"So who did?" the Gamma spoke up this time. I didn’t need to be told to know that he was my biggest enemy here. After all, it was his daughter I was meant to face on Monday if things didn’t work out well for me here, and given his status, it would also bring unwanted drama to him.
"I don’t know."
"So you are trying to tell me that someone wants to frame you and decided something as serious as the Howl Games is the best bet?" one of the men spoke up, his eyes scanning me from below until he got to my face, filled with disgust. I guess it’s not only the students of Lunar Crest Academy that have a thing against omegas.
"I am just as surprised too," I bit back, irritated at the judgment in his eyes. His face widened in shock, but he quickly masked it up. Vicktor sent a wink my way, making me smile inwardly. I couldn’t be more grateful that he made it here.
There was a brief silence between them, their eyes dazed, telling me they were in a shared mindlink discussing my fate.
"Aria," Meredith finally spoke up, her eyes connecting with Verya’s, who nodded for her to go on.
"You may leave now. We will call you in again when we take a decision. As you know, the Howl Games have been in existence long before us all, and we are in no place to go against what has been. It is sad we have never had such a case before, hence why it is this way, but we will see how we can help you. In as much as the Howl Games were made for the training of wolves, no wolf has ever been forced to do it," she said, her voice firm, but I could see pity in her eyes, and that only infuriated me more.
I am not some charity case to be pitied. I didn’t ask for any of this, so they should all stop making it seem like I did.
"Thank you," I bit out, already turning to leave.
I barely made it to the door when the Gamma’s voice echoed in the room. "I am sure you are aware of the consequences if we are to find out you lied to us today. Challenging my daughter to a fight is one thing, but lying to the Board is a whole other problem on its own." There was a lingering threat in his voice I couldn’t shake off.
I gulped hard before speaking up. No one would be intimidating me any further today. "I am fully aware, Gamma," I answered, keeping my voice strong.
I waited for a few seconds to be sure no one was saying anything else before opening the door and walking out, immediately releasing the breath I had been holding. I glanced down at my shaking hands, trying to calm myself down.
"Moon Goddess, if you have ever cared for me, please find a way out for me," I whispered silently, not knowing what else to do.