Chapter 493
SHAWN
“That’s what makes it extraordinary,’ she said. “Most people freeze in crisis situations. You organized a defense. That’s leadership.”
She moved away to check on other students, leaving me standing in the scorched courtyard trying to process everything that had happened.
Jerome had attacked the school. Had sent an army to kill children.
And we’d held them off. Barely, desperately, but we’d held.
“Shawn.” Chase appeared with the rest of the Underground members. “That was incredible. You were incredible.”
“We all fought,” I said. “All of you stepped up.”
“But you led,” Kamsi pointed out. “You organized us. Made command decisions. Got everyone to safety.”
“Riley was tactical command,” I protested.
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“Riley coordinated the fight,” Marcus agreed. “But you made people follow his orders. You gave them confidence that we could actually
win. That’s different.”
Was it? I didn’t know. I was too tired to analyze leadership dynamics.
“We’re not hiding anymore,” Luna said suddenly. “The Underground-we’re done pretending to be human. After today, after fighting
openly to protect the school, we can’t go back to hiding.”
‘You don’t have to, Xenois said, appearing beside us again. “You just proved you’re assets to this pack. You’re welcome to register officially, receive pack status, live openly as yourselves,”
The Underground members looked at each other, having some kind of silent communication.
“We’ll think about it, Alex said finally. “For some of us, that would be a huge change. But… yeah. We’ll think about it.”
Lumina appeared then, moving quickly toward where Ollie was sitting with his brothers. She gathered all three boys into a fierce hug, relief and fear and love all visible on her face.
“You’re okay,” she said. “You’re all okay.”
‘We’re okay, Mom, Ollie assured her. ‘Shawn and Riley and Lake kept us sale.”
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Chapter 493
“I know, Lumina said, then looked at me. “Thank you. For protecting them.”
“They protected themselves,” I said. “And a lot of other people. They’re- I struggled to find words. “They’re amazing.
“They’re trouble, Lumina corrected, but she was smiling through tears. “All of you. My boys and their troublemaker older brother
who’s apparently a tactical genius.”
Medical teams were arriving, assessing casualties, providing treatment. The school grounds were chaos-but organized chaos now,
with actual adults handling coordination.
I found a place to sit down before my legs gave out. The adrenaline was fully gone now, leaving me hollow and exhausted.
Silvia and Samuel appeared through a portal, both looking fierc and ready to fight.
“Where are my grandchildren?” Silvia demanded.
“Safe, Xenois pointed. “All of them. Including Shawn.”
Silvia’s expression softened when she saw us all sitting together. She moved quickly to check on Riley, Lake, and Ollie, but then
turned to me.
“You did good,” she said simply. “Exactly what a Blackwood should do-protect family, lead in crisis, fight when necessary.”
Coming from Silvia, that was high praise.
‘Casualties? Samuel asked Xenois quietly.
(i
“Three confirmed dead, Xenois said, his voice heavy. All adults-teachers and security who died protecting students. Another dozen wounded, some critically. But the children- his voice cracked slightly, -the children survived. All of them.”
‘Because of Shawn and the boys,” Lumina added,
‘Because of a lot of people, I corrected. “Everyone fought. Everyone contributed,”
“Don’t diminish your role, Samuel said. From what I’m seeing, you held this position against overwhelming odds until
reinforcements arrived. That’s not nothing.”
Maybe. But it felt like I’d just been doing what was necessary. Protecting my nephews, my classmates, the school.
Being family.
Being pack.
Being Blackwood.
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Chapter 493
Maybe that’s what it means the shame the adoption miles or even the place shillies.
But the winger to mand hover immer geople and Banger to fight when necessary to lead when no one else would
That’s what made someone Birdwänd
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And today as this woning copteri, surmunder is people who surtid because we effered to give up-18 proven I was exactly
Sevreden veure si, warewitch, gleams minipdierco
Brother tothew Polemise tention
It was terrifying and overwhelming and absolutly insane
But it was aheanine
My place. My family. My purpose
And I’d defended it with everything I had
Would defend it again if necessary.
Because that’s what family meant
Protection. Sacrifice. Standing together against whatever came.
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