They Sent Me Away. I Never Came Back. novel Chapter 3

At seven the next morning, I returned to Blood Moon Academy to collect the last of my graduation records.

I had barely stepped into the archives building when laughter sounded behind me.

“Well, if it isn't Aria, top of the entire graduating class.”

Several girls blocked the stairwell.

The one standing in front was a friend Lyra had only recently made.

She looked me up and down, then suddenly reached for the camera hanging around my neck.

“So this is the camera that recorded your precious childhood together?”

My father had given me that camera for my tenth birthday.

Our first group shift, our first time running through the forest together, and every birthday after that had all been captured on it.

The videos Asher had given me on the portable hard drive had originally been backed up from this camera.

I caught the girl's wrist.

“Let go.”

“What's with the attitude?”

She deliberately raised her voice so the entire floor could hear.

“You just happened to grow up with the four pack heirs. Did you really start thinking that made you Blood Moon's future Luna?”

The girls around her immediately laughed.

“Too bad they've chosen Lyra now.”

“Damian only agreed to date her yesterday, and she's already been dumped today. If that were me, I'd be too embarrassed to stay in the pack.”

More and more people slowed down to watch.

I lifted my eyes toward the other end of the hallway.

Rowan was carrying Lyra's graduation files.

Julian was checking her Moonvale enrollment documents.

Asher had her breakfast in his hand.

Damian stood between them.

As Blood Moon's future Alpha, he only had to say one word and every girl around me would have scattered.

But he didn't come over.

Once, someone had spread a rumor that every achievement I'd earned was only because the four heirs had helped me.

Damian had forced that person to apologize to me in front of the entire academy.

He'd promised no one would ever be allowed to humiliate me again.

Now he simply stood there and watched.

Lyra hurried toward us.

“Stop. Aria's only upset with me.”

The girl gripping my camera gave a short laugh.

“You're too kind, Lyra. Asher only asked her to edit one birthday video for you, and she acted like you were stealing her whole past.”

Lyra's eyes immediately filled with tears.

Damian finally walked over.

But the first thing he did was pull Lyra behind him.

“Aria, if you're angry, take it out on us.”

“Don't dump your feelings on Lyra.”

I hadn't even spoken to her.

I couldn't be bothered explaining.

In a few hours, I would be leaving Blood Moon Pack for good.

I had no intention of wasting my final morning here in some disciplinary hearing presided over by the future Alpha.

Damian glanced at me.

“Go home and change. Stop causing trouble at the academy.”

I took my camera and walked away.

Half an hour later, I had just finished changing when someone started pounding on my front door.

The moment I opened it, Damian and the other three walked straight inside with Lyra behind them.

“Where's the moonstone pendant?”

Rowan didn't waste time.

“Lyra only realized it was missing after she left the academy.”

I stepped into the hallway and blocked their path.

“This is my home. You don't have the right to search it without my permission.”

Asher looked at me coldly.

“She lost it right after the confrontation with you. Who else would take it on purpose?”

“Get out.”

No one listened.

Asher walked straight into my bedroom and pulled open a drawer.