Chapter 135 Breaking through

Chapter 135 Breaking through
Chapter 135

DARIUS

I woke up early the following morning and gently shook everyone awake.

"Come on," I urged quietly. "Help me push the wardrobe so I can go get our clothes."

Ravenna and Samantha climbed out of bed sleepily and together with Dorian, we moved the heavy furniture away from the door.

"Dorian, stay here with the girls," I instructed. "I will be right back with our things."

"Be careful," Dorian warned. "Security is everywhere."

"I will be quick."

I slipped out into the corridor and made my way carefully back to my own room. To my surprise, I found it completely intact. No damage. No signs that anyone had broken in during all the chaos.

I unlocked the door and went straight to work. I grabbed a large bag and started packing my clothes. Then I took another bag and filled it with Dorian's things from his side of the room.

I was about to leave when my phone rang. My mother's name appeared on the screen.

"Mum? Is everything alright? Is there a problem?"

"There is no problem here," she replied quickly. "But there might be one at your school."

My stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

"Your father has been in meetings with the elders all evening. I heard him mention the academy several times. Then this morning he left without telling me anything. When I asked one of the guards where he went, they told me he was on his way to your school."

"Do you think he is coming here for something that could affect us?"

"Yes. I think whatever he is planning is not good. You should check the school boardroom."

"I will. Thank you for warning me."

I dropped the bags, locked my door, and headed towards the administrative building. The boardroom was on the second floor, away from the main student areas.

There were no security guards stationed outside, which was unusual. I approached carefully and pressed my ear against the door.

There were lots of voices.

I cracked the door open just enough to peek inside.

The room was filled with school directors, senior lecturers, and heads of departments. And there, at the head of the table, sat my father.

"The violence at this academy is endangering the lives of important elites," Richard was saying in his commanding voice. "This foundation was built mainly by Mooncrest past leaders and influential people. This school should have been part of Mooncrest territory exclusively. But we have been kind enough to allow humans to attend."

Several people nodded in agreement.

"Our mistake," Richard continued, "was allowing Silverthorn students in the first place. I do not know what manner of pressure convinced past leaders to accept them. And even though we have maintained peace for a century, allowing Caleb Nightshade to enroll was the worst decision this academy has ever made."

"The dean should never have approved his transfer," one of the directors agreed loudly.

Richard stood up and placed his hands on the table. "I propose a full lockdown. All students remain in their dormitories whilst we carry out thorough investigations. Every single student will be questioned about their involvement in these incidents."

"That would severely affect the academic year," the dean protested. "Students' education would suffer. And many of them were acting in self-defence. This would traumatise them further."

"I do not care," Richard's voice was cold. "My son and heir is at this academy. Until this madness is fully stopped, I cannot feel secure about his safety."

Rage flooded through me. He was doing all of this because of me? Using me as an excuse to punish everyone?

I pushed the door open fully and walked into the boardroom.

Every head turned to stare at me.

"I am fine, Father," I announced clearly. "So you can put the welfare of the other students first. Most especially the humans who have been caught in the crossfire of wolf conflicts they had nothing to do with."

Richard's face went red. "What are you doing out of your room? You should be in lockdown like everyone else!"

"I came to stop you from making a terrible decision."

"How dare you—"

"Do not lock down the students," I cut him off firmly. "Do not waste time investigating everyone. Just take proper security measures and send the Silverthorn students home for now."

Richard actually laughed. "And how does that sound reasonable to you?"

"More reasonable than your plan."

"There is already enough conflict between both packs," Richard argued. "Sending all Silverthorn students home at once would cause an uproar. It would give them more reason to stage a real war against us."

I had not thought of that. I hesitated.

"However," I recovered quickly, "classes could be moved online temporarily whilst you conduct your investigation and sort things out. Students can go home to their families where they will be safer. The academy can continue functioning without putting everyone at risk."

Richard opened his mouth to argue, but several of the elders started nodding.

"What the young Alpha suggests makes sense," one of them spoke up.

"It would maintain education whilst ensuring safety," another added.

The dean cleared his throat. "Instead of a complete lockdown, we could hold online classes, conduct our investigation properly and follow all the laid-out protocols. This seems like a reasonable compromise."

"All in favour of Young Alpha Darius's suggestion?" the head of the board called out.

Hands went up around the room. More than half voted.

"The motion passes," the head announced.

I could feel my father's fury radiating across the room. His glare burned into me. But I was more than glad I had beaten the old man at his own game.

I turned and walked out without another word.

I grabbed the bags from my room and returned to Ravenna's dormitory quickly.

"What took you so long?" Dorian asked when I finally got back inside.

I explained everything that had happened in the boardroom whilst we all sat on the floor sharing the breakfast Samantha had prepared.

"That is actually a good idea," Sam commented. "Online classes make sense. But..." she hesitated. "Will both of you staying in our room cause issues?"

"I will fix it," I assured her. "Do not worry about that."

Samantha and Dorian got themselves engaged in reading a book together on her bed, sitting close and occasionally whispering to each other.

I turned to talk to Ravenna, but she suddenly stood up and walked over to her bed, lying down and facing the wall.

I followed her and sat on the edge of the bed. When she tried to get up and move away, I grabbed her hand gently.

"Please," I kept my voice quiet. "Just listen to me."

She looked at me coldly. "Why should I?"

"Because I know deep down you still feel the old bond between us. I know you still care."

She did not say anything. But she did not get up either.

I took that as permission to continue.

"I am sorry about the engagement," I started. "I had no idea my father was going to announce it like that. I never agreed to marry Selene. They have been pressuring me to take a wife but I refused every time."

Ravenna stayed silent.

"And about the hospital," I continued, the words coming faster now. "My father instructed me not to come see you. I didn't trust my father not to find a way to punish me if I disobeyed. I didn't want you to be at the bottom of it. So I sent Dorian instead. I made him promise not to tell you or Sam it was my idea."

Ravenna looked up at me for a long moment. "Good for you."

"What?"

"Good for you for confessing," she repeated flatly. "Now leave me alone. Confessing does not mean you get to start talking to me again. If you are feeling lonely, go join Samantha and Dorian. Or go find one of your numerous girlfriends."

Frustration built in my chest. "I have explained what happened. Why are you still being mean about it?"

"Mean?" Her voice rose slightly. "You think I am being mean?"

"You like me," I pushed forward. "I know you still do. I can feel your heartbeat from here. I can sense your emotions. You just need to overcome your pride and admit it."

"Admit what exactly?"

"That you have feelings for me. I have forgiven you for what happened with Caleb. I am ready to forget he ever had you. I am putting that aside. So you need to stop pushing your feelings away and just admit the truth."

Ravenna sat up fully now. "You are shouting and disturbing the peace of the other occupants."

"You are unbelievable," I threw my hands up. "Absolutely unbelievable."