Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Even though I knew the whining was coming, I would’ve loved to be wrong!
“Megan, do you really want to imply to the woman signing your graduation recommendation that you’re too delicate and dainty to walk the length of the mess hall?” I cocked my brow at her as her pinched face tightened. “Is this really the hill you want my opinion of you to die on?”
She sniffed. “Call me delicate and dainty all you want, but you’re the headmistress now.” She loaded that word heavy with sarcasm and scorn. “You have the job, so you have to do the job and listen to our concerns. Dagem would’ve never ignored us.”
“Dagem didn’t need to bother with ignoring you because she gave you everything you wanted,” I returned, but then I rocked back—considering. “But okay, you have a point.”
Megan blinked at me. “I do?”
“Yes, you do. We’re moving toward an equal and fair society, and that doesn’t happen by leaders blundering ahead, doing whatever they want, and never listening to the people in said society.”
Megan shared shocked but pleased looks with her friends, their chests puffing up. “That’s right. Absolutely. So this means you’re putting everything back the way it was.”
I snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. What this means is I’m going to hold an open forum where you can put forward your suggestions for improving school life, and I’ll let you all vote on them. But,” I stressed, “they have to be real suggestions that will improve life for everyone. Not just yourselves or for the alphas. Agreed?”
Megan and her friends shared another look. I could tell they weren’t pleased with my caveats, but—
“Agreed,” Megan replied, holding out her hand. “Can we hold the first one this Friday, because we have a list.” She squeezed my hand harder than she needed to. “A very long list. And right at the top... is a demand for a new headmistress.”
I laughed, strangling her hand just as hard. “Friday it is. See you there.”
Shaking her off, I continued on to the serving window but my wolf ears heard Megan and her cronies loud and clear. They were already rattling off requests for their lists, and absolutely all of them benefited the alphas and the alphas only.
I heaved a sigh. Minds couldn’t be changed overnight, and definitely not by force, but I damn sure wished they could be. I had three months max to turn the whole of Wolf Nation against the alpha council and everyone willing to slaughter omega babies for the incredible powers they were destined to have. I had to burn down our sick and twisted world and create a nation where Hope would be safe to live among her own people without fear one of them would rip her soul out of her chest. I had to do it all with almost everyone against me—even one of my own mates.
The fact is the prophecy proclaiming the Golden Age of Wolves had been around decades before I was born. It told of a time when werewolves would come out of hiding and become the strongest race on the planet. We’d take over all five dominions and be unstoppable—ruling on earth for forever and a day.
All of Wolf Nation and beyond knew this was coming... and they knew it all began with me.
I never had a chance to hide. I never had a chance to be normal, or live a different life than this one. The only hope I had, and Luame made this clear to me, was to fight.
So that’s what I’m going to do no matter how many Megans whine, complain, and moan. My fists balled at my side. For Hope—my only hope.
A scent hit my nostrils, spinning me around. “Hey! What are you—?” I froze, my jaw hanging open at the sight before me.
Straightening, Paxton cleared his throat and held out what he had clutched in his calloused grip—a bouquet of lilies. “Good morning, Daciana, I’m here... I have to— Hold on. I wrote it down so I wouldn’t miss anything.” Tossing his head, he dug in his pocket and pulled out index cards. Trying again, he read them off. “Good morning, Daciana, you look beautiful as always.” Paxton paused to look me up and down. “Damn, you really do. You’ve got great legs, girl. Definitely the kind you want wrapped around your ears.”
“Excuse me?!”
He flashed me a look. “I’m doing a thing. Just let me finish. Okay, what was I saying— Oh, right,” he went on. “You look beautiful. You are beautiful, and I’m one of the five luckiest men on the planet to have been chosen as your fated mate.”
“What the fuck is happening?” I breathed, looking around like someone was going to help me or explain.
“I came here to say I’m sorry,” Paxton read. “I called you a bitch and that never should’ve happened. I have no excuse, only apologies. Do you accept them?”