Chapter 288: A Future Rewritten

Months later...

The Graduation Ceremony was held on the Academy’s largest grounds, which had been decorated with banners bearing the Gravemont crest.

Rows of chairs filled the front, reserved for the graduating students, their families, and the visiting dignitaries. Behind them stood the first years, dressed in their formal Academy robes, looking like a collection of people who would rather be anywhere else.

Theo was one of them.

Standing beside her classmates still in the guise of Thomas, she fought the urge to yawn. The ceremony had barely begun, and she was already regretting every decision that had led her to this particular spot.

First years weren’t allowed to sit until the main events were over. Apparently, standing through an entire graduation ceremony was an excellent way to teach them discipline.

Theo thought it was an excellent way to develop back pain. Not her though. She could do this all day.

Or so she thought. She found herself groaning an hour later.

Probably because Zeke and Sylas had kept her awake all night...again. This was the... umpteenth time it was happening.

At the front, the graduating students sat in neat rows. Among them were Zeke and Aurelius, both second years, though the latter was acquiring an entirely different sort of attention as Alpha of the Argent Tribunal Pack.

Several Alphas had arrived with their families, their presence making the gathering feel more like a political event than a school graduation.

Conversations rose and fell among the guests, while students occasionally turned to whisper to one another whenever someone particularly important arrived.

Luna Academy had also been invited, and Ava was among them. Theo had also seen Heather, and surprisingly she didn’t feel angry. If anything, she simply felt sad for their loss.

At the centre of it all stood the Commandant, overseeing the ceremony with the sort of stern expression that suggested he would personally expel anyone who dared sneeze at the wrong moment.

The Professors sat nearby, dressed formally for the occasion. Sylas was among them, wearing his usual black coat and glasses.

The speeches began shortly afterward. There were congratulations, acknowledgements, and lengthy remarks about discipline, leadership, and the honour of belonging to Gravemont.

Theo listened for approximately five minutes before her attention wandered. She remembered taking a walk with Liam on these very grounds.

Now that she remembered all of him, she was always thinking about him. She missed him so very much.

During Gravemont’s last break, she had visited his grave. It’d been a little difficult since he was buried in the South, but Ashbourne had given permission that she was allowed to visit anytime.

She’d also met Simon, Liam’s brother.

He was doing just fine and planned to enroll at Gravemont next session.

"Ugh, my leg is starting to hurt," Thaddeus groaned from where he stood.

There were about ten people between them, but she still heard him.

"I don’t think they would be done anytime soon," The guy next to him replied.

"Well, they better be. I can’t wait to hold my girlfriend,"

Theo rolled her eyes and looked at Ava again. The girl was entirely focused on the speech an Alpha was giving at the moment, and Theo shook her head this time. Ava looked so perfectly normal. How could she be blind?!

Speaking of blindness, she wanted to laugh at herself at how blind she’d been a year ago. She was still crushing so hard on Eric like some fangirl. She hadn’t seen him since that evening they’d spoken at the east, and she honestly didn’t think they needed to say anything to each other again.

Sylas told her he was locked up somewhere.

She didn’t bother again.

That was the end of her and that scheming, spying jerk!

The speeches finally looked like it was coming to an end, and then the Commandant climbed onto the podium again. His hands clasped behind his back, and then he began the usual.

His gaze swept across the rows of students, and Theo still wasn’t listening till she heard him say, "However, before we conclude this ceremony, there is an announcement I believe deserves your full attention."

Something about his tone told her this wasn’t part of the usual graduation speech.

"For centuries, Gravemont Academy has trained the next generation of Alphas. We have taken pride in our traditions and upheld the laws that govern our society." He paused, "Some of those traditions, however, were built upon beliefs we can no longer defend."

The murmuring began almost immediately, and the commandant waited for it to settle.

"We were taught that women belonged behind the warriors. That their greatest contribution to our packs was to provide heirs, maintain our homes, and offer emotional support to the men who fought our battles."

A few Alphas shifted uncomfortably in their seats, and a few others looked downright offended.

Theo’s lips twitched.

*Oh, this is going to be good.*

"During the recent war, we witnessed something many of us would have considered impossible. Women who had never been permitted to train as warriors stood alongside our strongest fighters. They entered the battlefield when our forces were falling apart, protected our wounded, and fought against the demons threatening to destroy us all." His voice grew firmer, and the place became incredibly silent, "They did not ask whether they were permitted to fight. They did not wait for someone to tell them their lives were worth risking." He then looked towards the visiting delegation from Luna Academy, "And we owe them more than our gratitude."

Ava sat a little straighter, getting very anxious.

Beside Theo, one of the first years whispered, "Is he actually going to say it?"

"Shut up," Another whispered back. "Let him talk." ℴ

The commandant placed both hands on the podium, "Effective from the next academic session, Gravemont Academy will officially open its admissions to female students."

Silence. Instant SHOCK!!

Theo expected objections now. She expected arrogant Alphas to get up and speak their minds... but not a single one did. They definitely wanted to... but it’s as if they had already accepted that the topic wasn’t for argument.

That it was a given. A fact.

Wow!

A few students exchanged stunned looks, and others began whispering excitedly.

Theo bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. At the front, Zeke had turned halfway around in his seat.

His eyes found her immediately, and she could see the grin spreading across his face.

Look at that, His expression seemed to say. You actually did it, Hellcat.

Theo rolled her eyes at him, but the smile tugging at her mouth betrayed her.

Sylas sat among the professors, his expression composed as always. Yet his gaze had settled on her, and there was something unmistakably proud in his eyes.

That night during the play, she had challenged a system that had existed long before she was born and changed Lyra’s fate. That was exactly what made the chain reaction begin...and now it was exploding.

And it would probably never stop.

The Commandant continued speaking about admission requirements, training standards, and the preparations that would begin immediately.

Then, just before he stepped away from the podium, his eyes travelled towards the first years and stopped on her.

Only for a moment.

It was brief enough that almost nobody noticed, but she did.

His expression didn’t change. He merely inclined his head, so slightly that anyone else might have mistaken it for an ordinary movement, and Theo nodded back.

A feeling of euphoria was spreading through her veins now.

This was happening!

This was actually happening!!

Fuck, it felt so unreal. So unreal that she kept pinching herself.

The ceremony finally ended, and the first years were allowed to move. The first thing Theo heard was Ava screaming on the top of her lungs as she ran up to her and threw her arms around her.

"You did it!! You did it!!!"

Theo laughed and hugged her back, "We all did it,"

Ava suddenly burst into tears, "I can’t believe this is happening. I just can’t believe it. We are finally...we are.."

Thaddeus appeared from behind and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her flat against his chest, "We are finally equals. Is that what you wanted to say?" He whispered.

"Something like that," She smiled.

He wiped her tears, and then she faced him, "Tell me, will you be enrolling next session?"

"I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet," She was grinning excitedly.

"Looks like you want to," He said and chucked.

Thaddeus leaned in to kiss her lips, and Ava dropped her head and silently pulled out of his hold. Theo noticed the awkwardness that settled between them and turned away, pretending she didn’t see anything.

Was something wrong?

Ava was usually excited to see Thaddeus, so what was that reaction?!

"I have to return to the delegation now," Ava said, breaking the silence. She had a forced smile plastered on, "I ran off the moment I got the chance, so they must be looking for me."

"Alright. Bye, Ava," Theo waved, "Let’s make plans during the holiday,"

"Bye, babe," Thaddeus kissed her on the cheeks.

Ava looked uncomfortable for a second, then she was off.

The moment she left, Theo attacked her cousin, "What did you do??!"

"Beats me. I don’t know why she is behaving like that, I swear,"

"Well, you better find out and make it right before I—"

Arms wrapped around her belly, and she forgot what she was saying.

"You are incredible," Zeke whispered into her ear.

She wanted to lean back and melt into his touch, but she was Thomas now, "Thank you, but I’ve told you not to do this while we are in public!" She said and pulled his hands away from her.

"I couldn’t help myself," He shrugged, now staring at her like she was the most beautiful thing in existence.

She felt shy and ducked her face, "Thank you,"