Chapter 212

“I’m going to kill your brother,” dad says, shaking his head as he looks me over, frowning at the blood all over me and narrowing his eyes as he gives me a suspicious sniff. But if he smells Jackson or Luca, he doesn’t say anything.

“Go easy on Rafe, dad,” I murmur, raising a hand to run it fondly over his stubbled cheek. “It was all Jesse’s idea anyway.”

Mom and Cora laugh at this but dad continues frowning, not ready to joke. “I could have lost you, Ariel,” he whispers, his voice tight. “Do you – do you know what that would have done to me?”

“Don’t, dad,” I say, shaking my head, my lip trembling as tears start to threaten my eyes again. My dad – he’s so strong, so steady – seeing him emotional like this? God, I can’t handle it – not at all. “I’m perfectly fine – nothing happened –“

“But it could have happened,” he whispers, devastated even by the thought of it. “It almost did – Ariel, from what Jesse said, you almost died –“

The tears start to slip down my cheeks and my lips turn down in a desperate frown, because I hate that I did this to him – hate that he was this worried.

“Easy, Dominic,” mom murmurs, reaching out a hand and placing it softly on dad’s knee. “Don’t make the girl feel guiltier than she already does. She’s had a rough day.”

Dad glances at mom for a moment and then heaves a deep sigh, forcing himself, I think, to move on from it.

“Well,” he says, giving me a steady nod as he takes a deep breath. “At least it’s all over, now.”

I nod, agreeing, likewise grateful that the Examination is done but then I go rigid in my dad’s arms, looking up at him with suspicion. “Dad,” I say slowly, “what do you mean by that?”

“I mean that we can bring you home now,” he says, giving me a steady nod. “Where you’ll be safe and sound –“

“What!?” I gasp, staring up at his face. Instantly I drop my arms from around his shoulders. “You’re – you’re taking me home!?”

“Well of course we’re taking you home, Ariel – the fuss with your ex-fiancé is all cleared up, you don’t have to be in hiding anymore –“

“No!” I protest, shaking my head vehemently and wiggling hard until dad lets me go, staring at me in shock. “Dad, I’m going back to the Academy! I mean, unless I didn’t pass the Examination? Were we too late!?” noveldrama

Dad just stares at me in shock and confusion as I turn to the door, suddenly desperate to know. “Did I slow Jackson down too much?” I ask, my voice getting squeaky in my panic. “Did they – did they say I failed because he carried me across the finish line? I don’t know the rules –“

“Jackson?” my dad asks, and then he leans towards me, sniffing suspiciously again. “Who the hell is Jackson? What happened, Ariel –“

“Was. I. Late?” I ask, my voice sharp as I turn to stare at my dad, my lips a thin line.

“What?” my dad asks again, completely baffled.

“Um,” Cora says, interjecting awkwardly. “Ariel, if you’re asking if you made it across the line within the top 60% of candidates…you did…”

I huge rush of air leaves my lungs and relief sweeps through me, because at least Jackson is getting through –

But me? Are there rules about how healthy you have to be when you cross? Do you have to do it under your own power?

“Ariel,” my dad snaps, his voice harsh, “are you saying – my god, you can’t be serious – you want to go back to the Academy!?”

“Of course I do!”

He stares at me for a long second before his face turns cold. “Absolutely not.”

I gape at my father as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“Dominic,” my mother says, and I whip my head to see her frowning at him, clearly taking my side. “Ariel is at the Academy for more reasons than just to hide from that horrible fiancé – she’s been working really hard! She’s –“

“It’s out of the question,” dad snaps, slicing a hand through the hair like that’s the end of it. “My daughter is not going back to an Academy of Alpha males who clearly want her dead –“

“Dad!” I protest.

“No!” he shouts, his voice booming out, carrying with it his Alpha command. “You were shot with a crossbow, Ariel! No daughter of mine is going to be at that school – it’s too dangerous for you! It is male-only for a reason!”

My hands curl into fists in my side as I glare at my father, my jaw set.