Chapter 276

With James leading the way, we managed to get out of the school safely and undetected.

The four of us rushed to our parked car, trying to make it out before anyone spotted us.

Lucas got in the driver's seat while I took the passenger. James and Victoria hopped in the back. Once Lucas made sure we were all inside safely, he took off.

The tension in the air was palpable as Victoria and James immediately bombarded us with questions, their shock and disbelief evident in their expressions.

"Now that we're finally safe. Shana, Lucas, what the hell is going on?" James demanded, his voice laced with urgency. "How long have you been keeping this from us?"

Victoria's eyes bore into us, her disbelief mirroring James's. "I can't believe you never told us about this, Shana... You're the White Wolf? And you've been visiting the palace... or you're going to be visiting the palace?"

I tried to find the right words, to explain everything from my first shift on my 18th birthday to Kendrick's involvement in revealing my secret to the Alpha King. I shared how I had been training at the palace for weeks, accompanied by Lucas.

"Well, I'm not surprised that Kendrick did that... but damn." James spoke, looking to Lucas. "We're you mad at him?"

As James's question lingered in the air, Lucas's jaw tensed with frustration.

"What do you think?" he retorted, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "But it was too late to do anything about it. He had already spilled the beans to the Alpha King, and the only thing we could do was go along with it and visit the palace."

"What was it like meeting the Alpha King?" James questioned.

"It was... intense," I began, trying to find the right words. "He's not what I expected, you know? He's powerful and imposing, but there's also a sense of wisdom and... kindness about him."

Victoria's brows furrowed with concern. "So, what exactly does this mean for you, Shana?"

I sighed. "I guess so. It means I have responsibilities and duties to fulfill, and I'll need to undergo special training at the palace to prepare for it."

"Special training like what?"

"Mostly it's been strength training, combat, and warfare," I admitted, turning back to Victoria. "But I think I'm also be learning to control my abilities as the White Wolf and understanding the role I'm supposed to play."

As I spoke, James's expression shifted from shock to realization, connecting the dots of all the times we had been mysteriously occupied after school.

"Wait, so that's where you've been going?" James asked, his tone softening with understanding. "All those times you said you were busy, you were actually at the palace training?"

I nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for not confiding in my friends sooner. "Yeah, I'm sorry we didn't tell you guys earlier. We wanted to keep it quiet until we figured out everything."

Victoria reached out, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "It's okay, Shana. We understand. We're just glad you're safe."

Lucas glanced at me, his eyes filled with concern. "But now that this is out in the open, we need to be extra cautious. Shana's safety is still important."

"Of course," James agreed. "I know you're the White Wolf and all, but I can still beat someone up for you if I need to."

I couldn't help but chuckle at James's attempt to lighten the mood with his bravado. "Thanks, James. I'll keep that in mind."

"What are you going to do? Fling cookies at people to keep them away from harming Shana?" Victoria scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Why would I throw cookies at people?" James asked in shock. "That's such a waste of perfectly good cookies."

burst out laughing at Victoria's comment, unable to hold back my amusement. "Yeah, James, we wouldn't want to waste any cookies now, would we?"

Lucas chuckled, shaking his head at our banter. "Alright, let's focus here. We need a solid plan to keep Shana safe, and as much as I love the idea of a cookie defense, I think we need something a bit more practical."

"Fine, fine," James conceded with a grin. "But if anyone messes with Shana, they're going to have to answer to my cookie stash."

Lucas smirked, shaking his head at James's antics. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. We need to handle this situation with caution and tact."

James leaned forward, his eyes searching mine. "So, after graduation you're moving to the palace? You're just going to leave here?"

The thought of leaving my friends behind weighed heavily on my heart, but I knew I had to prioritize my safety and the greater good. "I don't want to leave you guys, but... I don't know what else to do. The palace feels like the safest option right now... and maybe it's what I'm meant to do."

"Wow, talk about a double life," James mused, shaking his head in disbelief. "I just can't believe it's all been revealed like this... our dean shouldn't have been able to do that. He completely exploited you."

"I'm seriously considering suing him," Lucas chimed in.

"You should," Victoria added. "It's such a violation of privacy and puts Shana in immense danger."

"I don't want to escalate things any further, but I appreciate the support, guys," I said, feeling a surge of gratitude for my friends. "I don't want to make any rash decisions just yet. We need to focus on getting through this and ensuring my safety."

James nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. We're just pissed off on your behalf."

"And we're going to figure out who gave the dean that information, although, I have a sinking suspicion I already know who it was," Lucas said.

I glanced at Lucas, a flicker of concern crossing my features. "You think it was your father, don't you?"

Lucas hesitated before nodding grimly. "It's starting to look that way. But we can't jump to conclusions until we have proof."

Victoria's eyes widened in shock. "Kendrick?"

"It wouldn't be the first time he's pulled something like this," Lucas muttered.

"Man, Kendrick just keeps reminding me how much I like him," James said sarcastically.

I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at James's sarcasm, despite the seriousness of the situation. "Yeah, he's really not winning any popularity contests lately."

Victoria shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe he'd stoop this low, even for him."

"That's Kendrick for you," James commented. "He's just full of surprises."

"I hate surprises," Victoria muttered.

"Same here," I added.

Lucas glanced at me, a determined look in his eyes. "We won't let him ruin this for us. We'll figure out the truth and deal with it accordingly... I wonder if the King knows about any of this. When were you supposed to return to the palace?"

"In two says," I said. "Liam is supposed to come get me as usual."

"We'll talk with him then," Lucas said with a nod.

I agreed, feeling a sense of determination rising within me. "Right. Let's focus on getting through tonight's chaos first. We'll deal with Kendrick and the Alpha King later."