Marked Twice by the Alpha King Chapter 29

**Ava's POV**

The Director's office felt like a trap closing in on me. The damn moonstone glowed blood-red on his desk, mocking me with each pulse of crimson light.

"Well, this looks pretty damning, Rivers." The Director drummed his fingers on the table, disappointment etched across his face. "Everyone knows moonstones don't bullshit."

I dug my nails into my palms, fighting to keep my voice steady. Half an hour ago, I'd been on top of the world, medal in hand. Now one stupid glowing rock was about to flush everything down the toilet.

"I didn't touch any Blood Moon Dust," I said, the words sounding hollow even to me. "Wouldn't know the stuff if it bit me in the ass."

Serena lounged a few feet away, all done up in her fancy warrior gear with those perfectly braided golden locks. That smirk playing on her lips made my stomach turn—the same look she'd worn since we were kids, right before she'd publicly humiliate me.

Blake watched from the corner, face unreadable. Tyler stood at his shoulder, eyes sharp as a hawk's as he scanned the room.

"The test doesn't lie," Robert jumped in, jaw tight with fake concern. "Our readings clearly show you juiced up with Blood Moon Dust during competition."

My wolf bristled beneath my skin. "Why would I need to cheat? I've been kicking ass at this academy since day one."

"Maybe daddy's situation has you desperate?" Robert cocked his head with mock sympathy. "Poor William isn't exactly sitting pretty these days, is he?"

Something snapped inside me. "Keep my father's name out of your mouth," I growled, feeling my canines sharpen.

The Director cleared his throat. "Let's stick to the issue at hand, Robert." He turned to me, voice dropping. "This is serious, Ava. If confirmed, you lose everything—medal, privileges, all of it."

The exchange privileges. My only shot at digging up evidence to save Dad. My gut twisted into knots.

"Like father, like daughter," Serena purred, flicking invisible dust from her sleeve. "Traitor blood runs deep, doesn't it?"

I tasted blood as my teeth cut into my lip. Before I could rip into her, a deep voice cut through the tension.

"When exactly did you run this test?" Blake's question wasn't loud, but everyone froze like he'd shouted. Alpha energy rippled through the room, raising goosebumps on my arms.

The Director straightened. "Immediately after the results announcement, Alpha King."

Blake nodded, crossing to the desk in three easy strides. He picked up the moonstone, bringing it so close to me that my mark heated up, gold threads pulsing beneath my skin.

"You know why it's reacting this way?" His storm-gray eyes locked with mine.

"No clue." I shook my head. "Only know I didn't cheat."

The corner of his mouth twitched upward. He turned to Serena. "You sat next to Ava during the ceremony, right?"

Her smile flickered. "Yeah. Assigned seats."

"Reed." Blake didn't look back. "Check her clothes."

Tyler moved forward while Serena's eyes widened. "What? You can't just—"

"Standard procedure." Blake's tone was casual, but his eyes had gone razor-sharp. "Problem with that?"

Robert jumped up. "This is outrageous! My daughter's the victim here!"

"Nobody's a victim yet," Blake cut him off, voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. "Facts first, drama later."

The room went dead silent as Tyler approached Serena. His nose twitched—that subtle wolf-tell that meant he was tracking something. He circled her once, nostrils flaring.

"Got something," he said, eyes narrowing. "Mineral residue inside your right sleeve cuff and between your fingers. Not Blood Moon Dust, but definitely some kind of powder."

Serena's face drained of color. "I... made some herbal tea this morning."

Blake pulled a small pouch from his pocket and sprinkled silvery powder on the table. "Tea like this?"

He touched the moonstone to the powder. It flared bright red, identical to my test results.

In the shocked silence that followed, Blake's voice was deadly calm. "This is False Response Powder. Old-school trick to dodge moonstone tests. Doesn't enhance anything, just makes the stone light up like a Christmas tree." His eyes pinned Serena. "Funny thing is, you'd have to go out of your way to get this stuff nowadays."

He swiveled toward the white-haired judge who'd first confirmed the moonstone's reaction. "Barnes, you've been working with moonstones for what, forty years? Strange you didn't check for this pretty basic trick."

The old judge squirmed, avoiding Blake's stare. "Just standard protocol, Alpha King."

"Protocol?" Blake took a single step forward, and the old man seemed to physically shrink. "Or did someone slip you something to play along?"

Barnes went chalk-white. "I don't—I never—"

"Reed, check him out," Blake said without turning.

Tyler moved to the old judge, inhaling deeply. "Got Shadow Creek all over him," he confirmed, eyes flashing gold. "And something expensive. High-grade mineral or herb, recently handled."

Barnes started trembling. "That's ridiculous!"

The Director's jaw dropped. "Are you suggesting—"

"I'm not suggesting," Blake cut in. "I'm saying Ava was set up. This powder transfers with a brush of fingers. Serena had the perfect shot."

Serena started shaking. "No, I didn't—you can't prove—"

"A full scent track will settle it," Blake said mildly. "Wolf noses beat fancy rocks any day. Reed can track every place you've been, every person you've talked to." He tilted his head. "Unless you've got something to hide?"

Robert's face had gone from red to gray. "You're out of line, Morgan! You can't just accuse my daughter based on—"

"Based on actual evidence?" Blake's voice stayed level, but the room temperature seemed to drop. "Funny coming from you."

Serena's eyes darted to her father, panic written across her face clear as day. I knew that look—the caught-red-handed terror of someone whose plan just blew up in their face.

The Director watched this power play unfold, then made the smart call. "Reed, full scent track, please."

Tyler nodded, closing his eyes and breathing deep. He moved like water, circling Serena before heading straight for her bag on the chair.

"Jackpot." He pulled out a small bottle, holding it up to the light. "Perfect match to what Alpha King showed us."

Serena cracked like cheap glass. "She doesn't deserve—I worked harder—it's not fair—"

"Enough!" The Director slammed his hand on the desk. "Falsely accusing a fellow student? Tampering with tests? You've crossed every line, Serena. You and your father both will face the Disciplinary Committee."

Robert opened and closed his mouth like a fish on land, no sound coming out.

The Director turned to me, his expression softening. "Ava, your honors and privileges stand. The celebration's already started; please go join your classmates."

I stood on legs that felt like jelly. The whiplash from nearly losing everything to suddenly being cleared made my head spin.

"Thanks," I managed, catching Blake's eye as I steadied myself. Words failed me, but something passed between us—gratitude from me, something unreadable from him.

He gave me a barely-there nod, and I bolted, not sparing a glance for the Evans disaster zone behind me.