Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 205

"I'm already late for training as it is. You'll be fine, Luna." She smiles at me like she's not leaving me high and dry and turns the corner.

I'm beginning to hate that title.

I stare at the door like I'm Chuckie from Rugrats. The metaphorical dragon handle is threatening to eat me, and I have no intention of touching it. What does one do with a door exactly? Open it? That doesn't sound like a good idea.

The last time I was in a meeting, all forms of shit hit the fan. These people clearly don't like me, so why should I bother? Are Ethel and Onai really in that room? I doubt it. It's probably just a bunch of old cranky people Bri knew I wouldn't want to be around.

I narrow my eyes at the room. You know what? I'll just wait out-

CREAK

The door flies opens.

I jump ten feet in the air, prepared to book it.

Aiden gives me a flat look. He crosses his arms, leaning against the door frame. "What exactly are you doing?"

Oh here we go. I was almost happy to see him, almost, until he opened his mouth. "I didn't know if I should come in."

He doesn't look convinced. "You knew. I heard what Brittany said."

I roll my eyes. Is there no such thing as privacy? I walk past him and into the room. He closes the door behind us.

The first thing I see is Ethel explaining something at the whiteboard. He points at different sets of numbers and draws connections like Michael did last night. Then I see Onai at the head of the table. It's a grey, rectangular one that would only be appropriate at a meeting like this. Men and women take up all the other chairs except three, the ones at the very front. And on the side that Onai isn't sitting on, I see Mr. Olcan.

My eyes widen. That's a blast from class I wasn't expecting. I suppose now isn't the time to remember that his homework isn't anywhere near done, and it's already Saturday.

I feel pressure on my back.

It's Aiden's hand, reminding me to walk. I hope he doesn't expect me to sit where everyone's staring, but that's exactly where he leads me.

"... So in order to ensure that there will be adequate rations for the next few months in case of conflict, this budget shift is necessary." Ethel turns away from the whiteboard, capping his marker.

One guy shakes his head vehemently. "It's not enough. Half of what I was promised is not enough."

"It'll have to be," a woman across from him says.

He cocks his head back, staring at her like she's the last person he wants to hear right now. "Oh Yeah? Well what happens, Barbara, when someone gets wolfsbane poisoning? Or when they make a new strain of something we're not yet equipped to treat?"

"Then you better find a way to treat it with your reduced budget." She shuffles her papers.

He glares at her. "What would you know about a reduced budget, Mrs. Education Branch? Mrs. Always Getting Priority for Some Reason Branch?"