Suki:
The train ride was awkward. Josh told at the train station why everyone hated and how Oriana had tried to control the alphas before, but failed badly. Of course she did.
She did not have the mind to carry out such a complex plan with so many advantages to the end. She only proved that it was better she was gone.
Now I had to endure the ugly glances from her squadmates.
So much had happened after I died, and I was confused and shocked to learn that Oriana wanted all of Clentine’s mates, and that Clentine had so many.
That alone proved Clentine was special.
Still, I no longer felt any resentnt or jealousy toward her. The last ti I did, I ended up dead.
The sa applied to Oriana. It felt like anyone who even wanted to hate Clentine would end up dead.
I had no desire to die again, so I decided to focus entirely on myself.
That changed when I arrived at the train station.
All the ringleaders were waiting there with several lurkers, ordering us to follow them straight to the hall.
Before, they would take us aside one by one to ask about what we did in the north, how we killed the monster, what we discovered, and what we saw.
This ti, I expected them to praise imdiately for bringing back the head of the Shadow Earth Eater.
I was still carrying it in a trash bag as I walked toward the academy hall.
I glanced around, taking in the surroundings. I even breathed in deeply. The mainland air felt so good.
Who would have thought that the woman who feared dying in the north would actually die there? Yet her desire to live and return to the mainland was so strong that she ca back from the dead just to stand here again.
A smile ford on my lips as I entered the hall and noticed the headmaster waiting inside.
"Did you fulfill the task?" he asked.
Sothing felt different. Maybe it was because I had not been alive for a while, but I noticed the shift in everyone’s body language. They all seed tense.
"Yes. I killed the monster," I replied as I stepped forward, holding up the plastic bag with the head inside.
Not only the headmaster, but the ringleaders looked shocked. Miss Rue was there, along with Ms. Lenora, Mr. Rick, and the others. Miss Rue kept staring at , as if she wanted to et her gaze.
I looked back at her, and she raised her brow. I had no idea what she ant by those strange gestures.
"You did it?" Even Miss Rue spoke up, sounding confused.
Then Mr. Rick stepped forward. He watched my face as if he had seen a ghost. Of course, none of them expected to do anything remarkable, and I did not bla them.
It was Oriana’s body. I would have been surprised too if she claid she had slain a monster.
"Yes, I did," I replied. "I wanted my last mission to be morable and to leave while doing sothing good."
As soon as I said that, I watched the ringleaders exchange a glance. Joshua had filled in on everything. I knew Oriana was supposed to make a decision after returning from this task, whether she wanted to keep going to the north or stay.
This ti, however, the decision was mine. I knew that the next ti they sent people back there, none of them would return alive.
"About that," the headmaster spoke up after checking the head inside the trash can.
He stretched his arm out and handed it to Mr. Rick, who took it and looked inside. His eyes widened at the sight of the monster. The other ringleaders leaned in to look as well.
"We are in a bit of a crisis," the headmaster announced.
His words pulled everyone’s attention away from the ringleaders and their reactions. All eyes shifted to the headmaster. It was clear that sothing was wrong.
"There was so commotion, with a few things being pointed out." It seed the headmaster was trying to stay vague.
He was not fully telling us what the crisis was. I was stunned when he looked at . One by one, the other ringleaders turned in my direction as well.
"So it has co to our attention that Oriana left a crusader behind after taking the baby from her," the headmaster stated.
The mont those words were spoken, I stared at everyone in disbelief. That had probably happened a long ti ago. Why were they talking about it now?
"And she also ordered Alpha Haiden, Alpha Troy, and Alpha Yorick to leave Clentine in the north and save her instead," he added.
I looked at Haiden and Troy and found them glaring at .
"Wait, I can explain," I spoke up imdiately.
Thankfully, I had already spoken with Joshua. Otherwise, I would have been completely lost.
"I already told everyone before. I did not leave the crusader behind. Yes, I took the baby because I thought it would be too late for her by the ti she returned. I took the baby to help her. How was I supposed to know the doors would close so soon?"
I spoke with confidence and wondered if that would be enough to convince them. Even while wearing her body, my way of speaking was clearer and more controlled than hers. I carried myself better than she ever did.
"As for the order given to the alphas, I was under the spell of the Shadow Earth Eater myself. Why do you think I went in to kill her? I was angry that she controlled my body."
As I explained, I watched the ringleaders exchange glances and nod. Miss Rue, in particular, kept nodding, as if she were persuading the others that I was telling the truth.
"Well, of course. That explains everything," the headmaster said. "However, the accusations have already reached the world."
He spoke again in a low, guarded tone. I did not understand how the accusations had spread, but I was ready to defend myself. People would believe . Strange things happen in the north.
That was when Ian barged in.
Seeing him back on the mainland made snap my head toward Joshua, who looked just as shocked as I was. But there was one more person I noticed slipping quietly into the basent.
It was Miss Rue.
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