Chapter 92: Once upon a time
Aven’s POV
Since the combat class test, I’ve noticed Aria has been avoiding us, or maybe it’s just me she’s avoiding? I can’t tell for sure.
I pulled out my school shirt from my wardrobe. We had chemistry lessons today, and I didn’t want to be too late for classes; besides, it’s almost exam time.
The thought of Aria still rummaged my senses. Tracy’s campaigners/ supporters are getting more hostile every day.
They claim that Tracy was innocent of the allegations against her and, therefore, should be released from detention to contest her elections freely. Aria should be put there for trying to frame Tracy.
This period must be really hard on Aria, and most times I want to help her, but she refuses help, acting like she can do it all by herself.
And so far she has been doing well, but I know that my intervention could end Tracy’s supporters’ hostility for a while.
But then again, they were under a spell that I was unaware of how to break.
Things could turn out worse for the academy and my father, just as Sir Kaelric had predicted, if the situation wasn’t sorted out.
Sir Kaelric is the nephew of the king; therefore, he should bear some brunt.
I need to see him after classes today to discuss the remedy to this spell situation. Even though we got off on the wrong foot, we can become allies to solve this issue.
I hung my waist wallet and moved out of my room. To my greatest surprise, Damon was already prepared for school.
I double-checked my time to ensure I wasn’t running late, but the time was relatively early enough.
Tristan sauntered out of his room, and I noticed the same look of surprise on his face.
"You’re up early today. What’s the occasion?" I asked with a hint of surprise.
"Let’s say, I woke up from the right side of the bed to attend classes on time today," Damon answered in a humorous tone.
"Very surprising and very unconventional. I could swear another soul wears your body now," Tristan teased, and we all laughed out.
"Alright, since we are all ready, we should go to school together like we always did in the good old days," I said, moving towards the door.
We usually moved together to school since childhood. We never had it as beautiful as every wolf would think.
In the thoughts of low-ranking wolves, we were Alpha successors, an enviable ranking even in the Alpha society. We had been given the best kind of education and probably royal treatment.
But each of us has had our own share of devastation that comes with such responsibility while growing up.
"Yeah, those days before Damon decided to start attending classes late and Aven decided to be the earliest bird," Tristan scoffed and again we burst out laughing as we made our way to the school building.
When we got to the hallway, we found a few students loitering around, and some were also in the locker room.
Immediately we stepped into the hallway, all eyes snapped towards us as usual, some scampering to give us way to pass.
Before now, I would have enjoyed this show of fear. My father has always instilled in me the need to inspire fear in. He would always remind me of my responsibility.
I didn’t grow up like other children; I was never allowed to enjoy what children typically enjoy.
At an early age, I witnessed war, and since then, I’ve never felt equal to my age mates. So I always thought that I deserved to be feared, just like my father always said, until Aria came.
She relentlessly fought Tracy and her little minions because they were bullies, and for some reason, the moon goddess made her my mate.
We got to the chemistry lab and sat down. A few students were already sorted in the laboratory. These were the nerdy students I enjoyed bullying, but I’ll let them slide today and until the day I leave this academy ground.
Before long, the lab started getting filled up, and I spotted Liara, Becca and Arlo seated at the opposite side of the laboratory. I’m sure Tristan noticed them too, as he followed my eyes.
"Aria has been avoiding us. Who else has noticed?" Tristan suddenly asked as he turned back to face Damon and me.
"I thought so too," Damon concurred. We all felt the same way about Aria. But what did we expect? Because we saved her a couple of times, she would suddenly warm up to us.
"Let’s move closer to them; we might get some info about her or get to sit close to her today," Damon suggested, twisting his lips into a smirk.
I wondered what he was up to this time, but of course, I agreed to his suggestion, and we moved towards where her friends sat.
They were smiling from ear to ear as we sat close to them. We always had such an effect, so it wasn’t new. I wondered why it was different from Aria. Maybe that was why I was drawn to her even before the moon goddess made us mates.
"I don’t know if you have noticed that most of the students have been compelled to support Tracy’s campaign," Liara spoke up, breaking the silence.
"What about that?" I asked, probably sounding a little harsher than I expected, because Liara and Becca immediately flinched after I asked the question.
"We have found a remedy for that situation," Arlo cut in, in his usual sing-song tone, pronouncing each word like a syllable.
"Spill it already," Tristan shot at him. It was clear I wasn’t the only one feeling cranky today.
"We will, if you ask nicely," Liara retorted. Of course, she was the princess who should have made her feel confident speaking to any of us in that manner.
"We don’t care about your remedy, so you can as well keep it to yourselves," Damon replied nonchalantly with a weird smile curling up his face.
"Ok, we actually need your help in executing the plan," Becca spoke up.
"So what’s the plan?"
Finally, something that piques my interest.