Xavier stood before the Council, flanked by guards, no longer a contestant—just a disgraced student.
Head Councilor Varric’s face was like stone.
“You blackmailed your peers, fabricated intelligence, and deliberately endangered a banished student’s life. And then you attempted to sabotage a Final Trial to eliminate your rival.”
Xavier didn’t speak.
He couldn’t.
For the first time, his charm had failed him.
His smirk was gone.
Head Instructor Rhys Calloway leaned forward, sharp eyes narrowing. “You also exploited another student’s secret, endangering a female Alpha candidate who, despite breaking protocol, has shown more grit and discipline than most of the males in this year’s class.”
“She lied,” Xavier muttered weakly. “She—”
“She survived,” Councilor Varric cut in, “a year in a
