Claimed by the Wrong Alphas
Chapter 34: The name on everyone’s lips...

Chapter 34: The name on everyone’s lips...

Charis

After leaving Slater’s room, the bell rang for dinner.

Since arriving at Ravenshore, this was practically the first time I would be eating in the main dining hall—I’d been surviving on the food Slater provided in his room.

The dining hall was buzzing with noise, laughter and the clinking of silverware when I stepped inside. It was my first time here, and it felt oddly warm. It was a massive hall with vaulted ceilings, long chandeliers and rows of wooden tables that could seat hundreds of students at once.

To the far right of the room was a buffet line that looked like it belonged in the Alpha King’s palace. There were steaming trays of seasoned meats, fresh vegetables, mashed roots, fruit platters, desserts and even a chocolate fountain that sat like a crown jewel at the end.

Uniformed servers stood behind each section, smiling politely at each student who approached.

I tugged at the edge of my hoodie, lowering it as far as it would go over my face. I kept my head down and quickly grabbed a tray before heading to the buffet line.

I picked simple things—grilled fish, steamed greens, soup and some fruit. With my tray in hand, I began scanning the room for an empty seat, immediately noticing that people were staring at me and whispering among themselves.

My anxiety spiked as I noticed a lot of them were nudging each other and pointing at me. My palms grew sweaty as I stood there holding my tray, feeling increasingly exposed and uncomfortable. It felt like a spotlight had been dropped over my head.

I continued to scan the room desperately for any space when I spotted Kael sitting at the farthest corner of the hall, eating by himself. Without thinking about whether he wanted company, I made my way over to him.

"Mind if I sit?" I asked when I reached him.

Kael immediately looked up and frowned, his eyes wrinkling with disdain when he saw me.

Without waiting for his response, I dropped into the chair opposite him, setting my tray down with slightly shaky hands.

"I didn’t say you could sit," he said coldly.

"Yeah, I know," I nodded, picking up my spoon. "I don’t know anyone else here except you."

"And you won’t if you keep hovering around me, Riggs. If you want to make friends, you need to make an effort."

"Maybe next time," I flashed him a smile.

He sighed heavily and shook his head, but he went back to his food without saying anything else.

We ate in silence, the only sounds being the clinking of our utensils and the distant chatter of other students. I was barely eating—I was picking at my food and peeking sideways at Kael, trying to time my bites so I wouldn’t finish before him.

Finally, unable to bear the tension any longer, I broke the silence by looking around the hall.

"Is it just me or... is everyone looking at me and whispering?"

Kael didn’t look up. "You think?"

My brows furrowed. "Do you know what’s going on?"

"You’re trending," he said flatly.

"Trending?" I echoed, my eyes darting around, confused. "Where?"

He gave me a sardonic chuckle as he looked up at me. "Check the academy’s campus network. Campus gist. There’s a video out there."

"And the video is about me?" I pointed my index finger at my chest.

He didn’t reply; he just continued eating.

"Can I at least see it?"

"No," he said. "You can check it from your phone."

"Kael, I don’t have a phone. Please, can I use yours?"

He stopped eating and looked at me with a glare. After what felt like eternity, he mumbled something unintelligible under his breath before reluctantly sliding his phone across the table to me.

When I picked it up, I saw that a video was already playing. Marcus Webb, the student president, stood in front of a sleek Academy-branded backdrop, facing rows of microphones.

"Ravenshore Academy continues to be the first choice for parents who want to give their children the absolute best education and preparation for leadership." Marcus was saying, smiling broadly at the camera. "We’re excited to announce that the induction ceremony for our newly admitted students will take place tomorrow evening."

He continued smoothly. "To the families planning to attend the induction ceremony tomorrow, and to celebrate your children’s achievement, we plead that you arrive on time and follow the detailed instructions that have been sent to your registered contact information."

Marcus’s expression grew warmer. "This year’s selection was competitive, but rest assured, they are the best of the best. To our new students, tomorrow you will officially become part of the Ravenshore family, and we wish you all the best on this incredible journey."

Then his tone shifted. "As per our academy’s longstanding tradition, one student who demonstrates exceptional potential during the orientation period will be personally mentored by the Student President. This year’s student on the honour list is Eamon Riggs."

The phone nearly slipped from my hand as I stared at the screen, then back to Kael, who’d been watching me quietly.

"What?" I whispered.

Kael reached over and took his phone, leaned back and crossed his arms. "Yeah. Congratulations. You’re on the honour list now. Getting mentored by the Student President is no joke."

"He can’t do that!" I sputtered. "Can he—? Is that allowed?"

Kael shrugged and stood up from the table, gathering his empty tray. "He’s the Student President." He said flatly. "He can do pretty much anything he wants."

I quickly grabbed my half-finished meal and followed after him. I was already panicking. "What...what happens now? Can I refuse the mentorship?"

Kael dropped his tray into the sink a little too forcefully, then whirled around facing me. He stared at me for several long seconds, his expression unreadable. Then he grabbed my shoulders and gently but firmly spun me around.

When I turned, I found myself facing the direction his finger was pointing. My eyes followed his gesture and landed on Marcus Webb, who was sitting at a table with several other students. I even spotted Peter. Marcus’s eyes locked on mine. He was looking at me with such intensity that it made my skin crawl.

Kael leaned close to my ear and whispered. "See that? Marcus is right there. I’m sure he’d be happy to answer all your questions about his special mentorship program."

I looked away and turned back to Kael. "Wait, what does that mean—?"

But he was already gone, leaving me standing alone in the middle of the dining hall with Marcus Webb’s eyes boring into me from across the room.

Marcus raised his glass towards me in a silent toast. Then he smiled. Panic flooded my system; I quickly dumped my tray in the sink and ran after Kael.