CHAPTER 178: WHERE SHE BELONGS

{Regina}

~**^**~

The soft ticking of the clock on the far wall was the only sound in the council office as I finished signing the last of the reports stacked before me.

The evening light slanted through the tall windows, cutting the room into gold and shadow.

Princess Kaelis sat at the head of the long table, reviewing a series of financial projections for Founder’s Day.

Soraya lounged two seats down, tapping her manicured nails against her datapad, an irritating habit she suddenly decided to practice right here and now.

A few moments later, the door clicked open without a knock.

And our assistant stepped in, clutching a clipboard with trembling hands. "E-excuse me, Your Highness," she said, bowing quickly to Kaelis before turning toward me. "The, uh, the report from today’s combat eliminations just arrived."

Kaelis lifted a brow. "Oh? Already?"

Our assistant nodded. "Yes. Professor Rennon submitted the second round’s results to the archives and forwarded a copy to the council as planned."

"Leave it here," I said smoothly, gesturing to the table. My tone was even, but my curiosity pricked.

"There is also something unusual," she blurted out as she set the clipboard down.

Kaelis’ attention sharpened. "Unusual?"

Our assistant glanced between us, visibly nervous. "After the elimination today. One of the winners was—" she swallowed hard, as though even saying the name might earn her trouble, "first-year student Elira Shaw."

Instantly, the room went utterly still. And the only thing I could hear was the sudden, rapid beating of my heart.

Even Soraya’s fingers froze mid-tap. Then she gave a short, incredulous laugh. "Elira Shaw?" she repeated, her tone dripping disbelief.

"You mean the Omega? The same one who has had our attention since she joined ESA?"

The assistant nodded quickly.

Soraya’s laugh sharpened, her disbelief twisting into irritation. "How can an Omega win a duel against a trained wolf, and a second-year for that matter?"

Kaelis didn’t laugh. Her expression remained composed, but her interest was clear. "Are you certain this report is accurate?"

"Yes, Your Highness. It was verified and signed by Professors Rennon and a few other professors responsible for today’s pre-elimination round."

Kaelis leaned back in her seat, fingers steepled under her chin. "Interesting," she murmured. "Perhaps the girl has finally decided to stop hiding behind weakness."

I kept my face still, my expression as calm and polite as ever. But inside, the words slammed through me like a cold wave.

’Elira. She won?’

That weak, trembling, soft-spoken thing who had spent her entire life surviving by my mercy actually won?

The assistant bowed again, eager to flee the sudden weight in the air. When the door shut behind her, Soraya turned toward Kaelis.

"This must be some kind of fluke. Maybe her opponent went easy on her because she is pathetic."

I forced a quiet, amused smile, though my jaw ached from holding it in place. "Fluke or not," I said softly, "victory is still victory. And sometimes, even the weak are given a lucky day."

Kaelis pressed her gaze on me for a few seconds, then her lips curved faintly. "Perhaps. But let’s see how long her luck lasts."

I inclined my head in agreement. My smile was polite, graceful, and practised. But beneath the table, my nails dug into my palm until I could feel the faint sting of my claws pressing into skin.

Because luck had nothing to do with this.

Elira had no business standing where she was. No right to defy the hierarchy that kept this academy in balance.

And yet... she did.

The thought sent a spark of heat through my chest, born of fury that coiled tight and sharp.

I straightened in my seat, smoothing my hair as I rose to my feet and turned my attention to Kaelis.

"If you will excuse me," I said evenly, bowing slightly. "I will see to the Founder’s Day preparation roster updates."

Kaelis nodded without looking up.

I left the office with careful steps, my shoes clicking softly against the marble floor. But once the door closed behind me, my smile vanished.

I reached the end of the hall, stopped, and drew in a steady breath. Losing my temper would only make me look small, and I was not small.

My reflection in the tall window glared back at me, my calm eyes, perfect posture, and everything, the daughter of a Beta should be.

But inside, I still burned.

Elira might have surprised everyone, but I knew better. Power didn’t appear overnight. Someone was behind this, perhaps the triplet brothers who had taken such a strange interest in her because she was their mate.

My nails grazed the edge of my phone as I unlocked it. There was one person I could always count on to answer immediately.

The call connected within seconds.

"Mother," I said evenly, my tone careful but taut.

"Regina, dear." Her voice came smooth and faintly amused, as if she could already sense the sharpness in mine. "You sound unsettled. Did something go wrong with the Founder’s Day reports?"

I stepped closer toward the window and lowered my voice. "No. Something went wrong with that bitch."

"What did that good-for-nothing do?"

"She won." The word tasted bitter on my tongue. "She fought in the first round of the combat eliminations and won against a second-year student."

Silence met me for a moment, and then a scoff drifted through the line. "How is that possible?" she asked. "How is it that she is suddenly capable of such things?"

"Mother, that is exactly what I’m curious about," I retorted, still hearing my heartbeats in my head. "But now everyone is talking about it. Even Princess Kaelis was amused."

"Amused," my mother repeated, her tone cooling. "That is not a word I like to hear when it comes to that girl."

I turned slightly, the late afternoon sun spilling gold across the marble floor. "I’m going to find out what changed. This isn’t luck. Someone is helping her."

"Careful, Gina." Her voice took on that sharp undertone that always made me straighten. "You are not to confront her directly. The academy has eyes everywhere, and as you told me, Kaelis doesn’t tolerate scandal before Founder’s Day."

I smiled faintly at my reflection in the window. "Don’t worry, Mother. I know what I’m doing."

"So, what are your plans?"

My smile deepened just enough to be dangerous. "I will do what I always do, find the truth. And then I will make sure she remembers exactly where she belongs."

"Good girl." A quiet hum of approval came through the receiver.

When the call ended, I lowered my phone slowly, allowing myself a smirk.

Elira would not hold this victory for long. Not if I had anything to say about it.