Chapter 275

Caught in the whirlwind of flashing lights and probing questions, I felt like I was drowning in a sea of uncertainty. My mind raced, trying to comprehend the enormity of what had just been revealed to the world.

"Is it true?" one reporter shouted over the din. "How do you feel about being the White Wolf?"

I struggled to find my voice amidst the chaos, my thoughts jumbled and disjointed. Lucas's hand found mine, offering a small but steadying anchor amidst the storm.

"Shana, are you ready to embrace your destiny as the White Wolf?" another reporter pressed, their microphone thrust uncomfortably close to my face.

"I... I don't know," I stammered, feeling utterly overwhelmed by the weight of expectation bearing down on me.

"Get away from her!" Lucas shouted, pulling me close to him and away from the swarm of reporters. He looked to our dean and shouted, "Do something!"

The dean hurriedly stepped forward, his expression grave as he tried to restore order. "Alright, everyone, that's enough. Back off, give them some space."

The reporters reluctantly backed away, their relentless barrage of questions temporarily silenced. Lucas held me close, his protective embrace a reassuring reminder that I wasn't alone in this whirlwind of uncertainty.

"Shana, are you alright?" he whispered, his voice filled with concern.

I nodded, my heart still pounding in my chest as I tried to make sense of it all.

"I... I think so. Lucas..." My heart rate increased drastically. Anytime I felt like this... bad things happened. I didn't want to shift in front of all these people. "I think I need to get out of here."

Lucas's eyes widened in understanding, and without hesitation, he took my hand and led me away from the craziness of the dance.

People in the crowd whispered as we passed by and I could feel the weight of all their stares.

Lucas led me out of the room and down the hallway as we tried to seek refuge in a quieter corner of the school somewhere.

I felt as if I was about to hyperventilate.

We found a secluded spot tucked away in the corner of the call and Lucas turned toward me. He wrapped his arms around me, offering comfort and support. "It's okay, Shana. Just breathe. You're fine now."

But I wasn't fine. My whole life had just imploded before my eyes. Now everyone knew who I was... everyone knew that I was the White Wolf.

"I don't know what to do, Lucas," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I never wanted any of this. I never asked for any of this."

"I didn't think it would ever come out like this. I didn't expect our own dean to out it like this either," Lucas said, his voice laced with venom. "I'll sue him, Shana. I swear to you I'll make him pay for this."

"No," I replied, shaking my head against his chest. "I don't want to make this a bigger deal than it already is. What's done is done."

"We can't just let him get away with this!"

"It's not his fault... he was probably bribed with this information. Someone had to give it to him, and the only people who knew I was the White Wolf was the royal family and Kendrick..."

Lucas pulled away from our embrace, his blue eyes shining down on mine. "You don't think my father had anything to do with this... do you?"

I looked up at Lucas, unable to give him the right answer. The truth was, I had no idea who told the dean this information. He had said he heard it from the Alpha King... but why would the Alpha King do such a thing when he was trying to protect my safety?

As Lucas's question hung in the air, uncertainty gnawed at the edges of my mind. The possibility that Lucas's father, Kendrick, could be involved loomed ominously over us, casting a shadow of doubt on everything we thought we knew.

"I don't know, Lucas," I admitted, my voice heavy with unease. "I wish I could say for sure, but... I just don't know."

Lucas's jaw clenched, his expression clouded with frustration and anger. "If he's behind this, I won't let him get away with it. I'll make sure of that."

"Lucas, please," I pleaded, reaching out to touch his arm. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We need to find out the truth before we do anything rash."

He sighed, his resolve visibly waning as he looked down at me. "You're right. I'm sorry, Shana. I just... I can't stand the thought of someone using you like this."

"What does he have to gain though?" I questioned. "It's not like there's something I can offer Kendrick."

"He might be trying to get back at me," Lucas confessed, running a stressful hand through his hair. "Maybe he wants you to leave me so that I can focus on the company again."

"Why would I leave you?"

"Because he might think it's for the best," Lucas replied, his voice tinged with bitterness. "He's always believed that hockey was just a distraction for me, that I should be fully committed to the family business."

"But you love hockey, Lucas," I reminded him, my voice gentle but firm. "And I love you. No matter what happens, I'm not going to leave you. I need you."

He brought me into him again, squeezing me into his chest.

I leaned into his embrace, grateful for his steadying presence amidst the storm of confusion swirling around us.

I couldn't help but feel like my whole graduation experience had been ruined.

"I don't know what to do now... I would try to get in touch with the Alpha King and let him know what's going on, but I don't know who to trust anymore."

"We'll get down to the bottom of it," Lucas promised.

"I just hope Prince Alex can help us," I admitted, feeling a flicker of hope amidst the uncertainty. "He's always been there for me, even when things got tough."

"Do you think he knows?" Lucas asked.

"I have no idea...." Thinking that the Prince might have a part in this scheme made me feel sick. Alex had told me he had my back, but could I really trust him?

Lucas furrowed his brow in thought, his mind racing with possibilities. "We need to protect you now more than ever, Shana. The safest place for us to go would be Grandma Jo's. We need to get away from all the students and reporters."

Before I could agree with him, James and Victoria found us, their expressions a mix of concern and disbelief.

"Shana, Lucas, what the hell is going on?" James demanded, his voice edged with urgency. "What happened back there?"

"We don't know," I admitted, my voice trembling with uncertainty. "We were just as blindsided by this as you were."

Victoria's eyes widened in shock. "But... what about what the dean said? You're the White Wolf?"

"Yes, she is," Lucas said, heaving out a sigh. "Look, I understand you both probably have a million questions, but right now, our priority is to make sure Shana is safe and that this situation doesn't escalate any further."

James nodded in agreement, his expression determined. "We'll help you however we can. I know how we can sneak out without anyone seeing us."

"Is this how you skip school?" Lucas questioned.

James gave him a cocky smile. "Of course not. I don't skip school, Lucas. I don't know what you're talking about..."