Chapter one: Expelled
Iris
"Letter of Expulsion."
The words blurred before my eyes,for a moment,I thought I had picked up the wrong document.
I stood frozen in front of vice chancellor Eunice blackwood desk, starring at the paper in my trembling hands.
This had to be a mistake.
it had to be.
just yesterday, the academy had posted the semester rankings, I had finished first again.
I was the highest performing student in blackwood werewolf academy despite being a low ranking omega.
I had expected congratulations, maybe an award, maybe a scholarship, not this.
"Ma'am," I said carefully, forcing myself to remain calm. " I think there's been some misunderstanding"
Eunice leaned back in her chair." There isn't."
Her voice was smooth and cold.
I swallowed.
" But I've done nothing wrong."
" you've done exactly what I warned you not to do."
A chill ran through me, The office suddenly felt smaller. More suffocating, I knew what she meant.
For Months, Eunice blackwood had made me uncomfortable. The lingering looks, the unncessary meetings, the way she always found excuses to get me alone.
Every time I rejected her attention, her mood worsened.
And now this.
she rose from her chair and slowly walked around the desk.
" you should have been smarter, iris."
I stepped back instinctively." I'm a student," I said. " Nothing more."
Her eyes narrowed. "Exactly."
The smile on her face vanished."And now you're an expelled student."
My heart dropped.
"No."
The word escaped before I could stop it.
"You can't do this."
"Can't I?"
She folded her arms."I oversee this academy."
"You don't own it."
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them.
The temperature in the room seemed to drop. For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then Eunice laughed.
It wasn't a pleasant sound.
" you think my brother would chooya nobody omega over his own sister?"
My jaw tightened.
Alpha Duncan Blackwood.
The most powerful Alpha in the region.
Owner of the academy, Leader of the Blackwood pack.
A man I had never even met.
" I only want fairness," I said.
" Fairness?" Eunice repeated.
Her eyes flashed, " life isn't fair, little omega."
She snatched the paper from my hands and tossed it back onto the desk.
" you have untill sunset to leave campus."
I stared at her, the woman wasn't bluffing. she had already made up her mind.
years of hard work..
years of sacrifice..
Gone.
just like that.
Something inside me cracked," you know this is wrong."
Her expression remained unchanged." Leave."
My eyes burned, " one day your brother will find out."
That finally made her smile."He won't care."
The confidence in her voice hurt more than the expulsion itself.
Maybe she was right.
who was I ?
A scholarship Omega.
A nobody.
A girl without status.
without power, without a family name that mattered.
I turned and walked toward the door, if I stayed another second, I would cry in front of her.
And I refused to give her that satisfaction.
"Iris."
I stopped.
Eunice's voice followed me."When you leave this academy, remember something."
I looked over my shoulder, She smiled.
"You could have made things easier for yourself."
I slammed the door behind me, the hallway spun, student walked past.
Laughing.
Talking.
Living their lives.
None of them knew mine had just fallen apart. My vision blurred.
I didn't realize I was crying untill someone grabbed my arm.
" iris?"
I turned.
Alice blackwood stood there.
My best friend.
The daughter of the Alpha.
Concerned immediately filled her face." what happened?"
I couldn't answer, the words refused to come out.
Instead, I shoved the letter into her hands.
Alice read it, Her expression darkened instantly
" What?"
she looked up." what is this?"
" I got expelled."
silence.
The dangerous kind, the kind tat appeared whenever Alice was angry.
"Tell me exactly what happened."
I hesitated. "I don't want to cause trouble."
"You are causing trouble by not talking."
Her voice softened."Please."
I looked away. "It was your aunt."
Alice closed her eyes.
The disappointment on her face said everything.
"I knew it."
I blinked."You knew?"
"Not everything."
She exhaled heavily."But I knew she'd been targeting you."
My chest tightened.
Alice took my hand."Come with me."
" What?"
" Home."
I stared at her." your home?"
" Yes."
"No."
The answer came too quickly, Alice frowned.
"iris..."
" I can't just walk into the Alpha's house."
" why not?"
" Because he's the Alpha."
" And he's my father."
I opened my mouth, Closed it again.
Alice squeezed my hand."My father is many things."
A small smile appeared."But he isn't unfair."
"What if he takes her side?"
"He won't."
The certainty in her voice surprised me.
"You sound very sure."
"I am."
Alice folded the expulsion letter.
"Because if he sees this and does nothing, I'll make his life miserable."
Despite everything, I laughed.
A tiny laugh.
But still.
Alice grinned."There's my Iris."
For the first time all day, I felt slightly better.
Maybe not everything was lost.
Maybe.
The Blackwood estate was larger than anything I had ever seen.
Massive stone walls surrounded the property.
Pack guards stood at every entrance.
The mansion itself looked like something from a movie.
I stared through the car window speechless.
Alice smirked."Stop looking so shocked."
"I'm trying."
"You're failing."
"I know."
She laughed.
The sound eased some of the tension in my chest.
Inside, the house was even more impressive.
Grand staircases.
Crystal chandeliers.
Paintings older than the academy itself.
I suddenly became very aware of how ordinary I was.
Alice noticed."You belong here."
"No, I don't."
"You belong wherever I say you belong."
I rolled my eyes."That sounds incredibly entitled."
"That's because I'm an Alpha's daughter."
I couldn't argue with that.
Hours passed.
Alice and I stayed in her room while waiting for her father to return.
According to a message he'd sent, an important meeting had delayed him.
Night slowly settled outside.
I sat on the edge of the bed.
Nervous.
"What if he refuses to see me?"
"He won't."
"What if he agrees with Eunice?"
"He won't."
"What if—"
A knock interrupted me,.Alice looked toward the door.
Then smiled."Perfect timing."
My stomach tightened.
The door opened,.A tall man stepped inside.
The air changed instantly.
Power.
Authority.
Dominance.
Every instinct inside me reacted.
I froze.
He was dressed in dark clothes, his broad shoulders filling the doorway.
Silver streaked his black hair.
His face was sharp and impossibly handsome.
But it was his eyes that captured me.
Golden.
For one impossible second, our gazes locked.
A strange sensation exploded through my chest.
My wolf stirred.
No. Not stirred.
Awakened.
Every nerve in my body came alive.
The feeling was overwhelming, Terrifying.
The man stopped walking, His eyes narrowed slightly.
As if he had felt it too.
Neither of us spoke.
Neither of us looked away.
"Iris?"
Alice's voice sounded distant.
My heart pounded.
The man continued staring at me.
Then, for the briefest moment, something flashed across his face.
Shock.
The same shock I felt.
Because somehow...Somehow...
The Alpha of the Blackwood Pack was looking at me like he'd just discovered something impossible.
And deep inside, my wolf whispered a single word.
Mate.
