Chapter 4
Selene Wolfe
My eyes met with the Dean's as I glanced at him, taking a deep breath.
"Mom… it's not what it looks like. Can we talk about this privately, please?" I begged, trying to hold back my tears. To keep my voice steady, but it still cracked.
"Whoring around publicly, and now you want us to talk about this privately? Are you this shameless?" She yelled.
"Mom, please…"
"Your sister has never made any trouble in school. She is always decent. Why can't you emulate her?"
I clenched my fingers, holding my gaze low as a drop of tears dropped from my eyes.
"Mom, it's okay… Selene probably did that, not knowing it'll be discovered."
I scoffed, lifting my gaze to meet Sera's. A faint smirk touched her lips. One that was barely noticeable.
"Or maybe she wanted to sell them, and it got leaked."
Mom turned to look at Seraphine, and she bit her lip, like he was sad.
I stood there, staring in silence. There was nothing I would do or say that would make sense to mom, so it was better to just watch.
Then she turned to me, her face burning. "Have I not been good to you, Selene? Have I not been taking care of you? Selling your nudes to make money? Is that what a decent woman should do?" Mom's voice reverberated.
I turned my face away. I didn't bother to say anything. She wouldn't listen anyway.
"I am talking to you, Selene. Give me the damn answer!" Mom grabbed my arm, shaking me violently, but I didn't say anything.
"Mrs. Blackwell…" the Dean called my mom's attention, and she paused, threw me a murderous glare, before turning to him.
"Please sit… Let's resolve this." He gestured toward the chair, and mom sat.
The Dean threw me a disgusting glare, then turned back to mom. "What your daughter did is against the academy rule. And there are only two punishments for it…" he paused.
I felt nothing. Not nervous… no fear. I just stood still, waiting for him to decide my fate.
Then he spoke. "It's either she is transferred from the school, or she gets expelled."
My heart sank into my stomach, my nails curled up in my palm, as I took a deep breath.
Two more months to graduate from this academy and I could finally boast of being a college graduate, and this is my fate?
Silence thickened around us. This was my fate. Nothing could change it.
Then Seraphine spoke. "No! You can't do that."
I scoffed. Silently. What does she care? Or another act to look like a perfect daughter and sister?
"Ms. Wolfe—"
"You can't do that to my sister. There has to be a way about it." She shook her head.
"She just has two more months to graduate from the academy. It's going to cost her a lot if she is suddenly expelled or transferred now." She continued.
Wow! Good acting.
"You are so kind, Sera. This is why I'm always proud of you." For the first time since I walked in through that door, mom smiled. At Seraphine.
"Anything for my family, mom…" she paused, then turned to the Dean. "I will talk to the Alpha. The pictures will be brought down. Everything will be taken care of. Please just this one last chance."
"Besides, we are not even sure if those pictures are real. In this century, AI can do anything. What if it was photoshopped?"
She was trying hard to defend me, but I could see through her mask.
The Dean paused and sighed.
"Selene, you need to talk. Those pictures are not real, right?" Sera came to stand beside me, holding my hand.
I stared into her eyes in disbelief. For a moment, I wished to be like her. To be able to paint myself as a perfect person, but I dismissed the thought immediately. Sera was the most despicable werewolf I'd ever seen. Wishing to be like her was like a curse.
She leaned close and whispered. "There is no way I'm letting you leave the school, Selene. I am not done with you yet."
I wasn't surprised. She was doing this so she could keep me in the academy and torment me longer.
"What are you waiting for, Selene?" she whispered, her nails digging into my arm as she smiled sweetly for the Dean. "Tell him they're fake."
I dragged in a deep breath, squeezing my eyes shut. A part of me wanted to fight back, but I couldn't. Seraphine had the upper hand.
'Endure this, Selene. It's just two months left'.
My eyes met with the Dean's. He was waiting for my answer.
"I'm sorry about the inconvenience that I caused… those pictures… I never took them. They are photoshopped." My voice cracked. My tongue felt like it had been dipped in acid. Saying those words tasted worse than betrayal. It felt like I was strangling myself.
The Dean glanced between us, his jaw tight. He wasn't convinced… but he didn't want a fight with the Blackwells either.
When I came back ten years ago, my mom was already married to the powerful beta of Wyrmshade Pack, Beta Blackwell. And even after he had passed away, mom was still respected because of her late husband.
"Good girl." Selene whispered, then turned to the Dean and said. "See? I told you it was fake. My sister couldn't have done something like that."
Mom glared at me, then turned to the Dean and said. "My daughter may be a handful of trouble, but I think this is a misunderstanding."
I scoffed… Silently. She would never have defended me if Sera didn't pull her dirty stunt.
'Mom… will you kill me if Sera asks you to?'
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience this must've caused you, Mrs. Blackwell. I will investigate this properly."
"It's fine. All thanks to my precious daughter, Seraphine, the truth has been revealed." Mom looked at Sera, all graced in a proud smile.
"I will be on my way now."
Mom stood up, and with one last glare at me, she exited the office.
Sera placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered, a cocky smirk curled her lips. "I will make you regret ever coming back into mom's life, Selene. Just you wait."
Her words slithered into my ear and coiled around my throat like a snake, choking me even after she had walked away.
I clenched my jaw until it ached, watching her walk out like a queen, while I stood there, a prisoner of her manipulation…