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)
“Another?” Paxton repeated, rubbing his head. He’d looked both hungover and drunk at the same time.
“You may count this display as your first.”
She spoke to him, but looked at me. I didn’t have to wonder what she was doing. I made her look silly by pretending our make-out session was nothing, so she pulled a power play by reinstituting the demerits and giving Paxton one.
“He won’t need another, Vice Headmistress.” Orion grabbed Paxton’s shoulder, turning him away. “I’ll help him, and make sure nothing like this happens again.”
Again, Orion spoke to one person, but looked at me.
I watched stiffly as he led a stumbly Paxton away, whispering in his ear.
THAT NIGHT, I HEARD the students filing into the auditorium for the second time in two days.
I heard it, not saw it, because I was busy backstage with Edric, cursing and fighting with the sound system. Behind us, Ash looked on with those unsettling owl eyes, forcing us to keep our conversation internal.
“Are you sure this is going to work?”
“I’m sure,” Edric replied, fussing with tangled cords. “You want to show the alphas—all the alphas—that you mean business? This is the way. A show of force doesn’t always require violence.”
“My alpha voice killer is the definition of nonviolent warfare. I still don’t understand why you’re not proud of me for coming up with that one. You’re the one who keeps saying I’ve got to stop killing everyone.”
He gave me a flat look. “Just get your fine ass out there. I’ll take care of this.”
“Okay,” I replied, shrugging, “but only because you’re correctly fond of my fine ass. Eventually you’ll realize all the rest of me, including my plans for world domination, is perfect too.”
Edric just shook his head, his cute growly laugh rich and alive even in his head.
I set off for the stage and Ash was right behind me, sticking closer to me than a pulsating boil on a backside.
After breakfast, I told her all about the open forum, and she hated every bit of it. Apparently, this wasn’t a Wolfy’s—the restaurant chain—and we didn’t take customer complaints.
She said that if students had legitimate grievances, they could take them to the honor board, but expecting the two of us to grin and bear it while they complained at us about rules that weren’t going to change was a waste of time. I did helpfully point out that there was no us involved and she didn’t have to be there.
She didn’t like that one bit.
As a result, Ash showed up in my office an hour before the forum, holding a folder of rules, expectations, and an agenda for the forum she wasn’t invited to in the first place.
I wasn’t surprised she tried to take over the whole thing. I was only surprised she let me beat her to the microphone.
“Good evening, everyone.” Ash hovered over my shoulder like a cockatiel. “Thank you for attending Corvin Academy’s first open forum.”
When I said everyone, I meant everyone. I didn’t make it mandatory, but still the rows were packed with alphas, betas, omegas, secret police, and my epsilon girls taking up the front row. Right behind them were Nia, her friends, Paxton, and Orion.
I tensed a bit seeing Paxton and Orion together. I tensed even more when Paxton laughed at something he said.
What did the two of them have to talk about? I knew they were friends long before they met me, but Orion hated my guts while Paxton was trying to get me to fall in love with him and save both our lives. Their current goals did not mesh at all, so again, what did they have to chat about?
I forced myself to focus. “Now, I know you’ve never done anything like this at the academy before, so let me explain how this works.”
“Ah, yes.” Ash grasped my shoulder. “This is a good time for me to step in and explain the rules, thank you, High Priestess. If you’ll just—”
“Thank you, Vice Headmistress, but we’re not at that stage yet. I have to do the introductions first.” I pointed. “If you wouldn’t mind taking a seat, I’ll let you know when I’m done.”
She sniffed, flashing me her ever-present disapproving glare, but she finally backed off and claimed her seat on the stage.
“As I was saying,” I continued. “When I first came up with this idea, I thought it’d be a great way for us to discuss how to improve school life, but that’s not necessary anymore. Vice Headmistress Ash has that covered.”
“Yeah! Whoo!”
Cheers and applause for Ash broke out. The alphas and betas whooped it up, big-time convinced that no matter what Ash changed, she was ultimately here to make life better for them and them only.
Ash smiled slightly, tipping her chin at the praise.
“With that being the case, I figured we need to think bigger,” I went on. “All of you in this room are about to inherit Wolf Nation. You are the future leaders of the Golden Age, and it’s you who have to change and fight for the nation you want it to be, so instead of thinking only about how to improve life for the school, this forum will be about how we can improve life, equality, and happiness for all wolves in the nation.”