The Lycan Prince’s Wolfless Slave (Academy Romance) novel Chapter 112

+hapter 112

I have to do well on my next wolf assessment test. I have to. After everything Kai said about being a pussy and not surviving. I have to prove him wrong. 1 can’t afford to fail. I won’t let myself be the weak girl he thinks I am.

I quickly slip into the classroom, my heart beating against my ribs. To my great relief, the professor doesn’t even look up from his phone as I pass. He’s leaning back in his chair, completely absorbed in whatever on his screen.

I easily spot Amara and Isolde sitting in the middle row and move into the empty seat beside them. The moment I sit down, they both lean in and pull me into a brief, tight double-hug.

“Lyra! You’re actually here,” Amara whispers, her eyes scanning my face. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. I reach into my bag for a notebook I don’t really need, just to give my hands something to do.

They don’t look convinced. At all. They exchange a look that makes my stomach do a nervous flip.

“What?” I ask, looking between them.

“Well, Amara starts, biting her lip. “There’s been… a lot of talk. Different kinds of gossip and rumors involving you and the two princes of this Academy.”

I immediately look away, my face burning with embarrassment. It doesn’t matter how hard I try to stay invisible or avoid the drama, it just keeps finding

“Girls there’s nothing going on, I promise,’ I mutter, staring hard at the desk. “It’s all just talk.”

Isolde gives me a look that says really? She doesn’t say a word, but she pulls out her phone, taps the screen a few times, and slides it across the desk toward

My eyes nearly bulge out of my head when I look at the screen. It’s the Academy’s underground news. Gossip page, more like. The caption is written in a

bold font.

*ARE THE PRINCES OF OUR GREAT KINGDOM REALLY COMEPTING TO WIN OVER THE NEW STUDENT, WOLFLESS BUT BEAUTIFUL LYRA

DIAMOND?’

Directly under the headline is a split image. On the left is a photo of me dancing with Kai at the wolf event, his hand firm on my waist and our faces almost touching as if he wants to kiss me. On the right is a shot of Roman kissing my cheek, the moment after he asked me out that first time.

I suppress a groan as I blink back the tears that suddenly prick my eyes. I feel like the walls of the classroom are closing in. I can practically feel every student in the room staring at the back of my head, whispering about the “slave girl who has the royals fighting.

‘Don’t worry about that shit, Lyra,” Amara says softly, sensing my panic.

Isolde, being Isolde, tries to lighten the mood with a playing pat on my shoulder. “Girl, if I were you, I’d feel like a top celebrity right now! I mean, seriously, what could be better than two hot princes chasing you? Most girls here would kill for that kind of press.’

I just shake my head and let out a weak laugh at my crazy friends. They have no idea how much of a nightmare this actually is.

As the lecture goes on, my mind keeps drifting back to Erika. I lean over to the girls and whisper, “Have either of you seen Erika today? Or heard from her?”

1/2

3:59 pm

Chapter 112

PP

They justh stiffen slightly. They share a weird look-the kind of louk people give when they know something you don’t

“We haven’t seen her, Amara says quickly. Too quickly.

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” Isolde says, waving her hand dismissively. She’s probably at the general hall or something.”

I decide not to push it, but a feeling of dread settles in my gut. I really need to talk to Erika. She still hasn’t told me what was bothering her before the garden incident, and I hate this distance between us.

When the class finally ends, Amara and Isolde stand up.

“We’re heading to the arena to watch some of the training games,” Amara says. “Want to come? It’ll take your mind off things.”

“I have to pass,” I say, gathering my things. “I need to visit the library first. I have some… research to do.”

“Suit yourself, bookworm,” Isolde teased, giving me another quick hug. “Give us a call when you’re done, okay?”

“I will. Bye, guys.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify