Chapter 28
Ellie's POV
"Nothing," Lucas answered quickly, then turned back to me. "Don't you care that the school's punishment could cost Samantha her scholarship?"
Jackson tilted his head slightly. "Are we talking about the freshman merit scholarship program?"
Lucas shot him an irritated look. "Yeah. So what?"
"Well," Jackson said calmly, "I've been helping out in the scholarship office lately. Samantha doesn't need to worry about the disciplinary action affecting her application."
Lucas's expression shifted between hope and suspicion. "Really?"
"Really," Jackson confirmed with a completely straight face.
Relief flooded Lucas's features. "See, Ellie? There's no reason—"
"Because even without the disciplinary record," Jackson continued smoothly, his tone professional and matter-of-fact, "Samantha wouldn't qualify for consideration anyway."
The words hung in the air. I bit the inside of my cheek hard to keep from laughing.
Samantha's face went white. "What?"
"The freshman merit scholarship has several requirements," Jackson explained, as if he were reading from an official document. "Minimum 3.7 GPA, participation in at least two campus organizations, demonstrated leadership potential, and a clean conduct record from high school." He paused. "Unfortunately, Samantha falls short in multiple categories."
I pressed my lips together, fighting desperately to maintain my composure. Jackson's delivery was so professionally detached, so perfectly bureaucratic, that it made the whole thing even more devastating.
Lucas's jaw clenched. "That's—"
"Just policy," Jackson finished calmly. "I don't make the rules. I just help process the applications."
Lucas's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "That's not the point. A disciplinary record on her file looks bad regardless. It could affect her future applications, job prospects—"
"Then maybe she should have thought about that before she dropped a silver candlestick on someone's shoulder," I cut in, my patience finally wearing thin. "You're asking me to lie about what happened so she doesn't face consequences for her own actions. That's not how accountability works, Lucas."
"It was an accident—"
"I told the truth about what happened," I replied coolly. "If she didn't want to face consequences, she shouldn't have done what she did." I paused, my eyes locked with his. "I suggest you walk away now. If you keep running your mouth, the consequences won't just be about Samantha getting disciplined."
Lucas paled further, understanding perfectly what I meant. If the secret of our wolf nature got out, it wouldn't just be him at risk—our entire kind would be in danger.
"Come on, Samantha," Lucas tugged at her arm. "Clearly Ellie doesn't want to help."
Samantha looked confused but followed Lucas's lead. As they walked away, she glanced back at me, her eyes filled with questions and suspicion.
I remained rooted to the spot, taking deep breaths to calm the storm inside me. I could feel my wolf nature churning beneath the surface.
"Are you okay?" Jackson asked quietly.
"Sorry you had to see that drama," I attempted a smile, but it felt more like a grimace.
Jackson shook his head. "Not at all." He hesitated for a moment. "Lucas is being reckless. Living among humans isn't that simple."
My heartbeat skipped. I studied his face carefully, maintaining a neutral expression. "He's just talking nonsense, trying to make excuses for Samantha."
Jackson nodded, not pursuing the topic further, which brought me immense relief.
"Do you think I'm being too harsh?" I asked suddenly. "About Samantha's punishment."
Jackson looked at me thoughtfully. "You're standing up for yourself. If someone deliberately hurts you, you don't owe them silence for their comfort."
A warmth spread through me. How long had it been since someone stood firmly on my side, understanding my feelings without question?
"Thank you," I said softly.
Jackson smiled. "Anytime. Shall we head back to the dorms now? I promise no more unwelcome interruptions this time."
I nodded, walking alongside Jackson on the campus path. The setting sun cast dappled shadows through the trees, creating patterns on the ground before us.
In this moment, despite Lucas nearly exposing my secret, I felt an unusual sense of calm. Perhaps it was Jackson's presence, or perhaps it was because I had finally learned to stand up for myself.
As we approached my residence hall, Jackson's phone buzzed. He checked it quickly, then looked at me apologetically.
"I need to take this—it's about the music for our performance."
"No problem," I assured him. "I can make it the last twenty feet to my door."
Jackson nodded slowly. "Okay. And... if you ever want to talk about nonsense... I'm a good listener." He gave me a meaningful look before stepping away to take his call.
I watched him walk a few paces away, his tall figure silhouetted against the evening sky. A mixture of anxiety and curiosity swirled within me. How much did Jackson really know? And why did I feel I could trust him when every instinct should be telling me to be cautious?
He's different, Thalia whispered in my mind. He sees us—truly sees us—and isn't afraid.
I entered my residence hall, my mind replaying the confrontation with Lucas. His slip about my healing abilities was dangerous, but what bothered me more was his blind defense of Samantha. The Lucas I grew up with would never have expected me to lie to protect someone who had deliberately hurt me.
The realization hit me like a physical blow: I didn't know who Lucas was anymore. The boy I'd grown up with, shared secrets with, trusted with my life—he was gone, replaced by someone I barely recognized.
As I climbed the stairs to my floor, I felt a strange mixture of sadness and resolution. Whatever Lucas and I had been to each other was truly over now. The only thing left was ensuring our shared secret remained just that—a secret.