175

175
ALTHEA

The very next morning, we were at the capital. Alpha Collin drove me to the academy on his own. There was a car following us behind but he allowed no one to be with us in the car. The drive was the longest and awkward. I tried my best not to look at him, and keep my gaze at the horizon. But every now and then, he would clear his throat. I didn't know if he was feeling under the weather or he was just trying to get my attention. Because I never asked.

We reached the academy right on time. As we were about to enter, alpha Collin introduced himself to the royal guards. Then he grabbed my hand into his large one and pulled me inside without even caring to tell them anything about me but the fact that I was his mate.

My gaze stayed on his hand that was holding mine ever so gently. The two sides of his confused me. We waited in a huge hall. I was nervous. I was practically chewing my nails when he grabbed my hands and held them on his lap. I was glad that he was not trying to initiate any conversations. Because I didn't know what to say to him at this point.

My file was taken to the principal as we had entered the academy. I already knew their answer. And I was waiting for Alpha Collin to hear what I was told years ago. It would be humiliating but I was habitual at this point. It was him, being stubborn with this whole Luna training idea. I told him I'd join his pack's academy. But he wouldn't budge because he learned from someone that it was my dream to join the royal academy.

The doors opened and I was about to stand up but alpha Collin grabbed my waist to keep me from standing up. I was already surprised how they even let me into the capital. The fact that the principal himself was in that room where we had been waiting for results, holding my file in his hand, almost made my eyes pop out of their sockets.

He sat down on a couch, across from that table that was sitting in between. “Everything looks perfect. And she is a genius. A war genius who can fight werewolves without her wolf. We are happy to have her here, at the royal academy, for the Luna training.” At that point, my jaw was on my lap. I didn't know how to react.

“You are accepting me? Me? Really?” I was shocked. I couldn't help myself but ask. The principal turned his gaze toward me for a second then he narrowed his gaze to my file. As if someone would pull his guts out if he kept looking at me for more than a second.

“I am the one who could never be trusted because my parents betrayed their own alpha. They said my sacrifice, my scars, my pain meant nothing because it could have been part of the after act. Me! I am that woman.” I tried to remind that mab the same things he had told Alpha Damon when he came to the academy, begging him and the council not to kill my dream.

When I turned to look at Alpha Collin, he had this smirk on his face that did something in the center of my chest that I had never felt before. They weren't butterflies. It was something else. I couldn't name it. I couldn't describe it yet. But it was there.

“Alpha Damon was not me, my Luna. You have been accepted into the royal academy. You stay here and study.” He proudly announced something I never thought I would hear anyone say to me. I turned my face away because I could feel the inside of my eyes burning. I knew I was about to have tears falling down. And I didn't want people to see that. I didn't want people to think that I was weak.

“I shall leave you two. Meanwhile, I will get her dorm room ready. You can read the rule book so there are no problems for the future.” Leaving the rule book of the academy, the principal stood up and walked away.

I felt a subtle shift beside me. When I turned my face, my breath got caught in my throat. Alpha Collin's face was so close to mine. So close that I could see his golden orbs from behind his mask. That annoying mask. He raised his hand and I was about to back away when I saw a handkerchief in his hand from the corner of my eye.

“There is a lot I am supposed to do before I can earn my place back beside you. Hurting you was never my intention. But my anger was the only thing that kept my pack alive for decades.” His words came out softer than ever. They were more like whispers. Maybe he didn't want himself embarrassed again if his voice cracked like the last time.

He gently dabbed my tears away, before they could even leave my eyes. “I was only fourteen when my father was brutally murdered right before my eyes and my mother was dragged away by my uncle. I was the only hope for my pack. To protect my people, from my uncle and the rogues, my anger became something that kept us all alive.” I felt a knot in my throat that I couldn't swallow as I listened.

“It never hurt anyone innocent. Until you came and I started losing control. Jealousy is a powerful emotion. I never thought I could ever get emotional.” He laughed at the end, putting his handkerchief away.

“You stay here. My punishment is to stay away from you until I can control myself. I swear I will never hurt you again.” He said those words, standing up. Then he walked away. He paused at the door. I found him looking at me one last time before he actually left.



Someone even carried my bags for me. We were walking toward the dorm room. I read the rule book. But then the principal said, I don't need them. First of all, I couldn't even accept the fact that I was at the royal academy. I was still trying to accept that truth. The. Everyone was nice to me. Well, nice was an understatement. I was being treated like actual royalty.

We stopped in front of the dorm that looked almost as big as Alpha Collin's office. “This is your dorm. Lunch is served at 1 o'clock, sharp. And dinner at 8 o'clock in the evening. If you miss it, you are not going to have anything else because the canteen closes down an hour after the meal time. Breakfast at 7 o'clock in the morning. Classes start at half past 8. Punctuality is non-negotiable.” It was one of the teachers who was arguing with the principal about ten minutes ago for the royal treatment I was getting. She had problems with the extra privileges I was getting.