The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 196

Liora’s POV

Callum and I froze. The guards’ flashlights blinded me, making the ache behind my eyes even worse. I blinked, trying to take a step back, but Callum’s arm remained firm around my waist, refusing to let me move.

“Must I repeat myself?” one of the guards asked, stepping forward. I recognized him as the head security officer of the school. This was bad. Really bad. “What are you two doing out here? You know the school is under lockdown, right? All students must remain in the dorms until further notice by order of Mr. Alder and the King.”

Callum hesitated, glancing down at me. “I was just… We were just…”

“And what’s that I smell?” The guard sniffed the air. “That’s blood, isn’t it? Is one of you hurt?”

“We received a report of rogue activity,” one of the other guards, a young one, said curtly. “If you two were involved in some kind of vigilante justice or anything reckless, you could find yourselves in deep trouble. Potentially even expelled.”

Shit. I quickly shoved my hand into my pocket, biting back the surge of pain just from that movement. My neck was surely wounded, too, so I shrank down a little into my jacket to hide the cuts.

“What’s wrong with her?” The first guard, noticing the way my face paled, took a step forward. “Answer us now, or the principal will be alerted immediately.”

I looked up at Callum. For a moment, I considered revealing myself—revealing all of it. My identity. The fact that the rogues were after me and no one else. The fact that this was all my fault.

I parted my lips and prepared to swallow my pride.

Of all the things to come up with, Callum was claiming that we were… what? Having a little midnight tryst in the supply shed? While his betrothed, the “Princess”, was sleeping in her bed?

“What about the blood?” the first guard asked, looking at me again. “If you’re wounded, you have to tell us. It could be a liability for the school.”

“I… I’m on my period,” I stammered out.

The group fell silent. One of the younger guards’ faces reddened, and he looked away. I felt Callum stiffen slightly beside me, but only for a moment before he relaxed and pulled me closer.