Chapter 163: Protocol be damned!

Alyssa was instantly separated from Alec as the surging crowd of students swarmed around her.

Word had spread like wildfire across the Academy that the Luna Queen herself would be sitting for the examination today, and the crowd was desperate for a glimpse of her.

Within seconds, they surrounded her on all sides, shouting over one another, their voice slamming into her from every angle:

"Is this your hair or a wig?"

"Why do you even need to sit for an exam with us? Can’t you just pay your way in?"

"Will you be getting special treatment in there?"

"Can I sit next to you? I heard you don’t have any friends..."

"I could be your friend!"

The barrage of noise and invading bodies triggered an immediate spike of anxiety, making Alyssa’s chest tighten with claustrophobia. These applicants were relentless; many of them had traveled from distant pack territories to enroll at the Academy and had never seen her in person.

Just as the overwhelming panic threatened to paralyze her, Alec tore through the crowd of bodies, finally reaching her side.

He grabbed her arm, pulled her securely behind him, and swept a deadly glare across the surrounding students.

"Get back!" he snapped, his voice dropping into a chilling command.

The intensity in his tone silenced the crowd instantly. The students shrank back, hastily clearing a wide path for Alec to guide Alyssa through.

Alyssa didn’t let out a breath until they reached the doorway of the main hall. She clutched her leather bag tightly against her chest, muttering a faint, breathless "thank you" to Alec while keeping her eyes glued to the floor.

"I’m sorry about that, Luna," Alec murmured, his jaw set in anger. "I should have contacted Admin Keno beforehand to keep your arrival strictly confidential."

"It’s okay," Alyssa managed to say, forcing her voice to stay steady. "I suppose I have to get used to it. Being Luna means facing far larger crowds than this."

Before they could step inside, the chief examiner arrived. He was a heavily built man with a bald head and cold green eyes. A jagged scar ran from above his right eye down to his cheek, giving him an imposing, menacing look.

He carried a thick leather folder packed with exam pamphlets, flanked by three cold, unapproachable female assistants.

Alyssa watched them warily, her pulse hammering. If all went according to plan, she would manage to finish this exam without passing out from nerves.

"Listen up, everyone!" the examiner boomed, his deep voice carrying over the murmurs. "Form a single line according to the index numbers assigned to you. Your examination begins in precisely ten minutes."

Alyssa looked around as the students immediately began organizing themselves into numbered lines. Confusion rippled through her. What number did he mean?

"Alec," she whispered, gently tugging at the gamma’s sleeve. "I don’t know anything about an index number. I was never given one."

Alec patted her hand reassuringly. "Wait here. I’ll handle it."

She stood back as he walked up to the intimidating brute of a man to inquire.

The examiner, whose name tag read Odin, lifted his gaze and stared at her. He showed not the slightest hint of deference when he recognized her as the Luna Queen.

"The index numbers were issued two days ago, Gamma Alec," Odin stated, his tone flat and unyielding. "Every student was required to log onto the online portal to retrieve theirs."

"I had no idea," Alyssa interjected, stepping up beside Alec. "No one informed me about an online portal."

"This is negligence on Keno’s part," Alec muttered. "He should have informed us."

"The admin is not at fault, Gamma Alec," Odin countered smoothly. "It’s the student’s responsibility to track all exam requirements. There will be no preferential treatment here simply because she’s the Luna."

He spoke about her as if she were completely invisible, every word dripping with subtle disdain, and it sparked a sudden flare of annoyance in Alyssa’s chest.

"I never asked for preferential treatment!" she snapped, her annoyance temporarily overriding her anxiety. "Just check your list and stop this endless back-and-forth."

Odin stared down at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before casually opening his thick folder.

"Full name?" he asked coldly.

Alec’s temper flared instantly. He was not about to tolerate an examiner openly disrespecting his Luna. But as he opened his mouth to tear into the man, Alyssa laid a firm hand on his arm and shook her head.

She didn’t want to cause a scene, especially with dozens of students already whispering and watching them like hawks.

"Enough with the pretense, Mr. Odin," she said. "You are a subject of Wintercrest, so do not lie to my face and claim you do not know what my name is. I will not tolerate your disrespect, and I assure you, neither will the Alpha."

Odin swallowed hard, the muscles in his jaw twitching as he lowered his eyes. "My apologies, Luna," he mumbled under his breath.

In truth, he bore no personal vendetta against Alyssa. But rumors had circulated for weeks describing her as an entitled, sassy girl. And he despised spoiled, entitled kids.

He quickly flipped through the folder until his finger landed on her entry: Alyssa Hellborne, Female, Candidate #17.

"You are candidate seventeen, Luna," he said, keeping his eyes downcast. "Please join the line and await your physical screening."

"How about you screen her right now and let her inside?" Alec demanded. "You are not going to leave her standing out here with the rest of the students."

"Gamma Alec, as I stated earlier, institutional policy strictly forbids special treatments. Granting exceptions, even for royal status, violates protocol..."

"Protocol be damned!" Alec snapped, stepping forward. "The Luna’s security overrides your school rules, and I will not permit you to parade her like an exhibit. The Alpha will hear about this."

"Alec," Alyssa touched his arm, her anxiety surging at the scene unfolding around them. "It’s fine. I’ll wait in line."

"Luna, absolutely not..."

"It’s fine, really," Alyssa offered him a warm smile. "Trust me. It will get to my turn swiftly. I just want to write this exam without causing a scene."

Alec exhaled a harsh breath, throwing one last deadly glare at Odin before turning back to her. "Are you certain?"

She nodded softly. "I am. Go back to the car and wait for me. I’ll meet you there the second I’m done. And please, don’t call Dorian. He has enough to handle at the border without storming over here in anger."

Alec finally relented. "Alright. If anything feels off, send someone to get me immediately. I’ll be in Keno’s office. You remember where it is?"

"I remember. I’ll meet you when I’m done."

With a reluctant nod, Alec turned and walked away. He would have preferred to stand guard beside her, but he knew his overbearing presence would only draw more unwanted attention.

Besides, the Academy was heavily guarded, and despite Odin’s rotten attitude, the man wouldn’t dare allow harm to come to the Luna on school grounds.

Once he was gone, Alyssa stepped into line behind the girl who was candidate sixteen. She consciously blocked out the intrusive murmurs echoing around her as students stared, whispering about her unusual hair color and luxurious outfit.

When the line finally advanced to her turn, she stepped forward and stopped before Odin.

"Present your registration slip and exam pass, Luna," he instructed, his tone noticeably more respectful this time.

Alyssa slid her bag off her shoulder and unzipped the top compartment. She reached inside, expecting her hand to close around the stiff cardstock of her official pass and paperwork.

But her fingers brushed against empty space.

Her heart skipped a violent beat. She yanked the bag wider, pulling the opening apart to stare into the interior.

Lying at the bottom were several tubes of lipstick, makeup brushes, and a bottle of hand moisturizer.

Her pen, her textbooks, her exam pass, and her official registration slip were missing.