Page 19 of Ava: Part Three

She was about to take a seat when the dean spoke.

"I didn't tell you to sit down, Miss Morgan."

She bit her tongue to stop herself from speaking and straightened her body. It was funny how his presence no longer made her tremble. The dean was not the danger when feared.

"I'm sure you know why you're here," the dean started, making himself comfortable in his chair and pulling a folder towards him.

"Not really, sir," she answered.

"I find that hard to believe. You've been an insufferable pain since you arrived here, and then you dared to act like you were above reproach when you brought your father to see me," the dean growled. "This is my academy, and you still have to follow the rules, the same way your father had to follow the rules when he attended."

She still focused on her shoes, but in her peripheral vision, she saw him shuffle some papers and close the folder before he opened it again. He was agitated. Something was bothering him that had nothing to do with her. Penelope had been right.

"You dared to put your filthy hands on an Alpha," he continued. "You think just because your father is who he is and Mr Michelson has taken a shine to you, you can do what you want here. That is not how things work."

She didn't say anything because she was supposed to take it all without complaining. That was how this school worked. It taught the students to be separated instead of bringing them together. She couldn't fight such a system. It had won.

"You are lucky the Alpha withdrew this complaint against you, or you would have been going to Isolation for a week despite what your father said," the dean growled again.

The Alpha? As in one Alpha? Had he not heard about Zeke's dad, then?

A little hope flared inside her before she remembered Isolation would have been the safer place for her right now. What was waiting for her outside was her nightmare brought to life, and she didn't want to face that at all.

"I'm removing you from your duties as Alpha Ezekiel's Omega. You are to report back to your kitchen duties starting tomorrow," the dean said.

Her stomach bottomed out. This man was set on breaking her completely. It felt like the dean was slicing a part of her soul away.

"You will stay away from Alpha Ezekiel and his pack, or I will throw you in Isolation for a week," he continued. "And while we're on that subject, I will keep track of your detentions. If you have any more, I will send a recommendation to the Council for more severe punishment. I will not have you make a fool of me."

The dean stood as he said this.

"Do I make myself clear, Miss Morgan?" he snarled.

"Yes, sir," she whispered.

The final nail in her coffin. Separated completely from her mate while she awaited her fate. Which would get her first? Claire or the Council? Why had Mr Patrick thought she even stood a chance in the first place?

Chapter 11

Avacameoutofthe Administration building, and the first person she saw was Zeke. She had felt him there even before the guards opened the doors for her to leave. She made her decision the moment she saw the way the guards stood at attention with their hands on their weapons, ready to hurt him.

Zeke's eyes were red, and his fists clenched at his sides. He stood like a statue, but she could sense the danger emanating from him as if one wrong move would end everything.

She knew he'd been waiting to save her. He would put himself on the line if she were in danger. She'd condemned him to her fate.

She lowered her gaze and started walking down the steps.

"I'm fine," she told him quietly.

"No, Ava. You're not 'fine'," he growled.

So she wasn't hiding it as well as she thought.

"I will be," she said truthfully.

Whatever was going to happen next was her fight. Zeke needed to stay out of it to stay safe. At least he would have a chance that way.

"What did he want?"

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