CHAPTER 116: FALSE ACCUSATIONS...

Charis

I kissed Slater first. It was a sweet goodbye kiss. His hands curled around my waist possessively. He tried to deepen it, but I pulled away with a laugh.

Next was Rhett. His kiss was softer and lingering. His hands brushed my cheek, and he was almost turning it into something passionate until I had to push him back physically.

Finally, it was Kael’s turn. He just held my gaze as I walked over to him. I kissed him quickly, but he caught the back of my neck before I could pull away and pressed a second kiss to my lips.

The kiss was so deliberate that I felt myself melting against him. I wrapped my hands around his neck, returning the kiss fully, but just as quickly as the kiss started, it ended.

He pulled back, steadying me as I swayed.

"Are you alright?" Kael asked, as his face came into focus, I could have sworn I saw a smirk on his face.

"Yes," I nodded, leaving his arms. "Let’s go."

We finally left Kael’s room and headed toward the academic building. I was Eamon, and the half-body suit I wore made me feel more confident.

The boys insisted on escorting me to class with Rhett carrying my bag. I was so embarrassed.

As we moved through the rowdy hallway, I noticed something. People were staring at me.

People always stared, but today felt different. It was more intense and made me uncomfortable in a way I couldn’t explain.

I could feel their eyes tracking me as I moved, whispering low enough for tidbits of it to reach my ears.

"Is it just me?" I murmured to the boys. "Everyone is staring."

"They always stare," Slater murmured back. "Don’t worry."

When we reached my locker, I tried to ignore it. I pulled out the books I needed for class and shoved them into my bag. The boys were still hovering, making it impossible for me to think correctly.

By the time we reached my classroom, I’d had enough.

"Thank you," I said, turning to Kael and Slater. "But I don’t need to be escorted everywhere. Rhett and I are classmates, so he can always keep an eye on me. If we keep this up, everyone’s going to notice."

Slater smirked and leaned in, whispering. "That’s the point, beautiful." Then more audibly, "Have a good day." He pulled me into a quick hug before stepping back.

Kael gave me a short wave and a faint smile before turning to follow Slater down the hall.

I turned to Rhett, who was still holding my bag, and we started walking into the classroom together. The second I crossed the threshold, I stopped in shock.

There were Sentinels in my classroom. Four of them gathered around my desk ransacking through it, scattering papers and supplies that belonged to the class mostly.

"What are you doing?" I demanded, running up to them when I recovered from my initial shock. "Those are my things!"

Before any of them could answer my question, the door of the classroom opened again and Headmistress Vale walked in like a gladiator, flanked by two female Sentinels.

"Students," she said, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention. "Everyone leave now, except Eamon Riggs."

My heart sank as I turned to stare at her in complete surprise. This was the first time I’d seen her since our last fight. To be honest, I’d forgotten she existed.

"Headmistress Vale," Rhett walked to her. "What’s going on?"

"Good morning, Alpha Rhett," she turned to him with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "I’m afraid we have to arrest Eamon Riggs."

"Arrest me?" I repeated, shoving past a Sentinel to stand in front of Rhett. "Why? What did I do?"

My classmates, who were still filing out, slowed their steps and cast curious glances at the drama unfolding.

"Eamon," Rhett reached for my hand and tugged me to his side. "Calm down." Before turning to Headmistress Vale. "What did he do?"

"Details of every first-year student, down to their eye colour, family connections and pack affiliations, were leaked on the internet yesterday. That information is now being sold on the black market," Vale explained coolly.

"What? You think I—?"

"Eamon," Rhett growled. "Quiet."

"What does that have to do with him?" Rhett asked calmly, turning back to Headmistress Vale.

"These detailed profiles are a breach between the Academy and students who have put their trust in us. Besides, non-Alpha children who want to forge their identities to gain admission into a school like ours would see this as an opportunity."

"And so?" Rhett arched his brow.

"He’s the Class Alpha, Alpha Rhett," Vale said with a smirk. "He has access to attendance records and student information of every first year."

"That’s insane," I lashed out, ignoring Rhett’s attempt to stop me from speaking up. "I still have the card with me. It’s in my back alongside other access cards, and I would never do a thing like that."

"Really?" Vale smiled. "Then show me the card."

"I will," I fired back and grabbed my bag from Rhett’s shoulders. Without pausing, I emptied all the contents on the floor, searching for the wallet where I always kept the access cards.

I saw the access cards for the classroom and lab, but I didn’t see the one that was for accessing student information. I rifled through everything on the ground, searching.

Tears blurred my vision as I pushed past Rhett and the Sentinels to my locker. I rifled through my already ransacked locker, opening and closing books. Tears were falling down my cheeks now.

"Eamon," Rhett came to me, "Can you calm down for a second?’

"Calm down?" I screeched at him. "Someone’s trying to frame me, and you want me to calm down. If you’re not going to help me, then get out of the way."

I pushed past him again and went to where my bag was, searching through it again.

"Riggs, save us the stress. The card is not there," Vale said.

"This is a setup!" I shot to my feet, swiping at my runny nose. "You’ve got to believe me, please."

"Have you investigated it at least?" Rhett asked Vale.

"That was the first thing we did, Alpha Rhett. We don’t go about accusing students. An investigation was conducted, of course, and it revealed that the leak originated from a computer terminal accessed using Class Alpha credentials three weeks ago. Before that, we also noticed you logged in on a computer system in the computer room, searching for ..." She paused and produced a small piece of paper.

"How to make easy money as a student. Did you do that or not?"

"I did!" I yelled. "That is different; that was weeks ago. Besides, three weeks ago, there was the snow rogues’ attack in the Academy, and we were asked to go back to our dorms. I left my bag, my phone, and everything else in class. How could I have sneaked back to school to get it when it was brought to me on Saturday?"

"There’s CCTV footage, Eamon, and it was clearly you. You accessed the computer room with your card and logged in with the Alpha Credentials, and what better time to do it than when everyone is tucked in their dorms?"

"I didn’t do it!" I yelled. "I swear."

"Your background as the bastard son of an Alpha is motivation for you to commit an act like that. Not to mention how you’ve consistently been the last to pay for any requirement for first-years, and no money has been sent to you from outside the Academy either. Your father didn’t even make a single transfer to you. That begs the question, how have you been surviving?"

"I didn’t do it," I cried again. "I am not smart enough to think about things like this."

"Save it for inquiry. Arrest him." Vale instructed.

"No one’s touching him," Rhett said, standing in front of me.

"Alpha Rhett," Vale scoffed. "Are you standing in the way of the by-laws guiding this Academy?"

At that instant, the door opened again, and Slater and Kael pushed through. As soon as I saw Slater, I collapsed into his arms, crying.

"What’s going on?" Kael asked.

Headmistress Vale rolled her eyes. "Your little friend is a fraud, Alpha Kael."

"You cannot arrest a student without informing Student Council," Slater said with me in his arms. "It’s a breach of..."

"I have approval from the Student President," she cut him short. "Now, allow the Sentinels to do their job."

When Slater tried to fight the Sentinel who wanted to take me away from him, Kael stopped him with a gentle nod.

"It’ll only make things worse."

"Can we walk with him?" Rhett asked.

Vale glanced over her shoulder. "Fine, don’t just be in the way."

I could feel every pair of eyes in the hallway on us as we walked out of the classroom. The whispers were getting louder now. I wanted to disappear, to melt into the floor, but with Rhett beside me, Kael and Slater just behind, and Vale leading the way, there was no hiding.

The worst part wasn’t being discovered because I knew this was a ploy by Headmistress Vale. It has to be.

I was worried about the price I’d pay this time to gain my freedom.