Chapter 16 The Expulsion Hearing (Scarlett POV)

Chapter 16 The Expulsion Hearing (Scarlett POV)
"Miss Jackson." Her voice is ice. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"
I don't let go of Danny. "He was having a panic attack. I was helping him."
"By violating a court-ordered restraining order?" She pulls out her phone. "Mr. Walter, are you alright?"
Danny pulls away from me slowly. His hands are still shaking but his eyes are fully brown again. Human. "I'm fine."
"Did Miss Jackson force you to come here?"
"No. She..." He looks at me, then back at Ms. Alvarez. "She helped me. I was having an anxiety attack and she helped me calm down."
"That doesn't change the fact that she violated the restraining order." Ms. Alvarez steps into the room. "Scarlett, I need you to step back. Right now."
I stand up slowly. "Ms. Alvarez, he needed help."
"That's not your responsibility. You are legally required to maintain five meters of distance from Mr. Walter at all times." She's already typing on her phone. "Dean Patterson needs to be notified immediately."
"It was an emergency."
"That's not for you to decide." She looks at Danny. "Mr. Walter, I need you to go to the nurse's office. Get checked out. Make sure you're okay."
"I'm fine," Danny says, but he sounds defeated.
"Nurse's office. Now."
He stands up. For a moment, our eyes meet. There's so much I want to say. So much I need to explain.
But he just turns and leaves.
Ms. Alvarez waits until he's gone, then turns to me. "Miss Jackson, you need to come with me to Dean Patterson's office."
"Can I at least explain..."
"Save it for the dean." She holds the door open. "Let's go."
I walk past her into the hallway. Students are clustered in groups, whispering and staring. Rachel and Thomas are waiting outside with identical expressions of disappointment and anger.
Blake is there too, his shirt still disheveled from where Danny shoved him. "Told you she was obsessed with him."
"Shut up, Blake," I snap.
"That's enough," Ms. Alvarez says. "Everyone back to lunch. This doesn't concern you."
The students disperse slowly, reluctantly. Blake smirks at me as he walks away.
Jade is hovering near the cafeteria entrance. She catches my eye and mouths, Call me later.
I nod slightly.
Ms. Alvarez leads me through the administrative wing. Rachel and Thomas follow behind like prison guards.
"I tried to stop her," Rachel says to Ms. Alvarez. "She wouldn't listen."
"I'm sure Luna will be very interested to hear about this," Thomas adds.
My stomach drops. Luna. Of course they're going to tell Luna.
We reach Dean Patterson's office. Ms. Alvarez knocks once, then opens the door.
"Dean Patterson, we have a situation."
The dean looks up from his computer. He's a balding man in his fifties who always looks vaguely stressed. When he sees me, his stress level visibly increases.
"Miss Jackson. Please tell me this isn't what I think it is."
"She violated the restraining order," Ms. Alvarez says. "Made physical contact with Mr. Walter in an empty classroom."
"It was an emergency," I say again. "He was having a panic attack."
"An emergency you were not authorized to handle." Dean Patterson rubs his temples. "Do you understand what you've done? This is a legal matter now. We'll have to file a report. Your grandmother will need to be notified. There will be consequences."
"I know."
"Do you?" He leans forward. "You've just thrown away every chance we gave you. The schedule change, the warnings, the leniency, all of it was to help you succeed here. And you threw it away."
"I'd do it again," I say quietly.
"What?"
"If Danny needed help, I'd do it again. Every time." I meet his eyes. "Write your report. Call my grandmother. Do whatever you have to do. But I'm not going to apologize for helping someone who needed it."
Dean Patterson stares at me. Then he shakes his head. "Miss Alvarez, please escort Miss Jackson to in-school suspension. She'll remain there for the rest of the day while we determine appropriate disciplinary action."
"Yes, sir."
Ms. Alvarez leads me out. Rachel and Thomas follow.
In-school suspension is a small room with a few desks and a teacher monitoring for rule violations. I sit in the back corner and stare at the wall.
My phone buzzes. Text from Luna: We need to talk. Come straight home after school.
I don't respond.

The conference room feels like a courtroom.
Long table at the front where Dean Patterson sits with three school board members I've never met. Rows of chairs facing them like a jury box. Fluorescent lights that make everything look harsh and clinical.
Luna sits beside me, ramrod straight in a navy suit. She hasn't said a word since we arrived. Just squeezed my hand once before we sat down.
Rachel and Thomas are in the back row. And beside them, Elder James Casias. He shouldn't be here. This is a school matter, not pack business. But there he is, watching with cold satisfaction, claiming 'family'.
"This hearing is to determine appropriate disciplinary action for Scarlett Jackson following her violation of a court-ordered restraining order." Dean Patterson shuffles papers. "Miss Jackson, you understand the severity of what you've done?"
"Yes."
"Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
"Danny Walter was having a medical emergency. I helped him. That's all."
One of the board members, a woman with gray hair and reading glasses, leans forward. "According to the incident report, you made physical contact with Mr. Walter. Held him against his will. Is that accurate?"
"I didn't hold him against his will. I was helping him calm down from a panic attack."
"That's not what Mr. Walter said in his statement." She picks up a paper. "He claims you pulled him from the cafeteria into an empty classroom and refused to let him leave."
My stomach drops. "That's not..."
"We have Mr. Walter here to testify." Dean Patterson nods toward the door. "Please bring him in."
The door opens. Danny walks in, his eyes fixed on the floor. He looks worse than he did at lunch, even paler, even more exhausted. There are bandages on his arms where my claws caught him.
He won't look at me.
Ms. Alvarez directs him to the chair beside Dean Patterson. "Mr. Walter, thank you for being here. I know this is difficult."
Danny nods but doesn't speak.
"Can you tell us what happened during lunch?" Dean Patterson asks gently. "In your own words."
Danny's hands are shaking. He clasps them together in his lap. "I was sitting in the cafeteria. Blake Morrison came over and started talking to me. We had an argument. I pushed him."
"And then?"
"Then Scarlett appeared. She grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the cafeteria." His voice is flat. Mechanical. "I told her to stay away from me but she wouldn't listen. She dragged me into a classroom and held me there."
"You told her to stay away?" the board member with gray hair prompts.
"Yes."
"Did you feel threatened?"
Danny hesitates. "Yes."
Luna's hand tightens on my knee. A warning.
"Can you describe what happened in the classroom?" Dean Patterson asks.
"She wouldn't let me leave. She grabbed me and held me against my chest. I tried to pull away but she was too strong." Danny's voice cracks slightly. "I was scared. I didn't know what she was going to do."
"That's not true," I say. "I was helping you..."
"Miss Jackson, please don't interrupt." Dean Patterson looks back at Danny. "Did Miss Jackson hurt you?"
Danny holds up his bandaged arms. "She scratched me. Her nails dug into my skin."
"Those were accidents," I say. "You were panicking and I was trying to..."
"Scarlett." Luna's voice is sharp. "Be quiet."
The board members are whispering to each other. James Casias is smiling in the back row.
"Mr. Walter, one more question." The third board member, a man with a thick mustache, leans forward. "Do you believe Miss Jackson poses a threat to your safety?"
Danny finally looks up. His eyes meet mine for just a second before sliding away.
"Yes," he says quietly. "I think she does."
My wolf howls in anguish.
"Thank you, Mr. Walter. You're excused." Dean Patterson waits until Danny leaves, then turns to me. "Miss Jackson, do you understand why this is serious? Mr. Walter feels unsafe. You violated a legal order meant to protect him. This isn't about intent. This is about actions and consequences."
"He was going to shift in front of the entire cafeteria," I say, knowing even as the words come out that they sound insane. "I had to stop it."
"Shift?" The woman with gray hair frowns. "What does that mean?"
"She means he was having a breakdown," Luna cuts in smoothly. "My granddaughter has... an overactive imagination. She's been under significant stress."
James Casias laughs from the back row. 
Dean Patterson shoots him a look. "Sir, this is a closed hearing."
"My apologies." James doesn't sound apologetic at all. "I'm here as a family member."
"That doesn't give you the right to..."
"Dean Patterson, if I may?" Luna stands. "My granddaughter made a mistake. A serious mistake. But she was trying to help a fellow student in distress. Surely that counts for something."
"It would, if she hadn't violated a restraining order to do it." The man with the mustache crosses his arms. "This is a legal matter now. We have to report this to the authorities."
"I understand. And we'll cooperate fully." Luna's voice is calm but there's steel underneath. "However, I hope the board will consider Scarlett's intent when determining disciplinary action. She's a good student with no prior behavioral issues at this school."
"She's been expelled from four previous schools," the woman with gray hair points out.
"For defending herself against bullies. The incidents were always provoked." Luna places a hand on my shoulder. "Scarlett has impulse control issues, yes. But she's not violent. She's not a threat."
The board members exchange looks. Whispered conversation.
Finally, Dean Patterson speaks. "We need to deliberate. Miss Jackson, please wait outside."
Luna and I stand. As we walk toward the door, James Casias calls out.
"Luna, might I have a word after? Pack business."
Luna doesn't turn around. "We'll speak later, James."
Outside in the hallway, I lean against the wall and try to breathe.
"He lied," I say. "Danny lied about what happened."
"He's scared. Confused." Luna's expression is tight. "And he has every right to be, considering what you told me about his condition."
"So you believe me? That he's transforming?"
"I believe something is happening to that boy. Whether it's what you think it is remains to be seen." She glances at the closed conference room door. "Right now, I'm more concerned about James Casias being here."
"Why is he here?"
"To watch you fail. To gather evidence that I can't control you, therefore I'm unfit to lead." Luna pulls out her phone and types something quickly. "He's been positioning Dominic as the alternative heir for months. This is exactly the ammunition he needed."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize. Just think before you act next time." She puts her phone away. "Though I suspect there won't be a next time at this school."
"They're going to expel me."
"Probably." Luna's voice is matter-of-fact. "But I'll fight it. Call in favors. See if we can reduce it to suspension instead."
"You shouldn't have to..."
"You're my granddaughter. Of course I have to." She looks at me, and for the first time I see how tired she is. How much this is costing her. "But Scarlett, you need to understand something. My influence with the pack elders is not unlimited. Every time I protect you, I lose political capital. Eventually, there will be nothing left."
"What happens then?"
"Then James challenges me for Alpha status. And depending on how weak I've become, he might win."
The door opens. Dean Patterson gestures us back inside.
The walk back to our seats feels like walking to a gallows.
Dean Patterson waits until we're seated, then clears his throat. "The board has reached a decision. Miss Jackson, you are hereby expelled from Crescent Ridge High School, effective immediately."
Luna stands. "Dean Patterson, if I could ask the board to reconsider..."
"We've already deliberated, Mrs. Jackson. The violation was clear. The risk to Mr. Walter's safety is too great."
"My granddaughter was trying to help."
"By violating a court order." The woman with gray hair shakes her head. "We understand your position, but our hands are tied. This is a legal matter."
"Then perhaps we could reduce it to suspension?" Luna's voice is smooth. Persuasive. "Two weeks, a month even. Give Scarlett a chance to prove she can follow the rules."
The board members look at each other. The man with the mustache frowns. "That would set a dangerous precedent."
"It would show mercy." Luna leans forward slightly. "Scarlett is seventeen years old. She made a mistake. A serious one, but a mistake nonetheless. Expulsion means no diploma, no college prospects. Her entire future derailed because she tried to help someone."
"She violated a restraining order," Dean Patterson says, but he sounds less certain now.
"Then suspend her. Give her conditions she must meet to return. But please, don't end her education over one impulsive decision."
Silence. The board members whisper among themselves again.
James Casias is watching Luna with narrowed eyes. He knows what she's doing. Knows she's spending influence she can't afford to lose.
Finally, Dean Patterson speaks. "Two-week suspension. Miss Jackson may return on probationary status. Any further violations of school policy and the expulsion stands. Additionally, the restraining order remains in place. She must maintain the required distance from Mr. Walter at all times."
"Understood. Thank you." Luna's voice doesn't show the relief I feel. "We appreciate the board's mercy."
"Don't make us regret it." The woman with gray hair looks at me. "Miss Jackson, do you understand the terms?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. You're dismissed."
Luna and I stand. As we walk toward the door, James Casias rises from his seat.
"Luna, that word?"
"Now isn't the time, James."
"I think it is." He steps into our path. Up close, he's imposing, six feet tall with iron-gray hair and the kind of presence that demands attention. His eyes are cold. "You just spent considerable political capital on your granddaughter. Again."
"My granddaughter, my decision."
"Is it though?" He glances at me, then back at Luna. "How many times have you protected her now? Five? Six? At what point do you admit she's a liability?"
"At no point. Scarlett is my heir."
"An heir who can't even stay enrolled in school." James crosses his arms. "The pack elders are talking, Luna. They're questioning your judgment. Wondering if perhaps your bloodline has gone soft."
"My bloodline is none of your concern."
"It is when your bloodline's failures affect the entire pack." He leans in slightly. "My grandson Dominic is eighteen. Disciplined. Controlled. He would make an excellent Alpha."
"Dominic is a puppet you want to control," Luna says flatly. "The pack won't accept him."
James smiles. "The older members still have loyalty to you, yes. But the younger ones see Scarlett's repeated failures. They see an Alpha candidate who can't control herself, who puts personal feelings above pack welfare. Given the choice between her and Dominic, who do you think they'll choose?"
Luna doesn't answer.
"One more failure," James says quietly. "One more public embarrassment, and I'll challenge you for pack leadership. Not because I want to, but because you'll have left me no choice. The pack needs strong leadership, Luna. Not sentimentality."
"Are you finished?"
"Almost." He looks at me again. "Miss Jackson, I hope for your grandmother's sake that you learn to control yourself. Because the next time you fail, you won't just lose your school enrollment. You'll lose everything."