THE KING IN THE CLASSROOM

Silverclaw Academy looked nothing like Mooncrest.

The moment Maya stepped through the front gates; she felt the difference. Mooncrest was polished and perfect but Silverclaw felt alive.

Tall pine trees surrounded the campus. Students laughed loudly across open courtyard. some of them sat on the grass eating breakfast.

Nobody stared at Maya. For the first time in weeks, she could breathe without feeling like everyone was watching her.

The leaves on the pine trees trembled under a soft wind as she walked across campus.

Her first class was Advanced Politics.

Maya adjusted the strap of her bag and headed in the direction of the academic hall.

The classroom buzzed with conversation. One by one, students slipped into their desks as they chatter across the room.

A chair creaked as Maya settled into a desk in the middle row and opened her notebook.

"You're new, right?" A red-haired girl sitting next to her asked with a grin spread across her face.

Maya blinked, caught off guard by the warmth. "Yeah. I’m Maya."

"Lena." The girl stretched out a hand and Maya shook it.

"Silverclaw’s better than Mooncrest, by the way," Lena said immediately.

Maya stared.

"You transferred from Mooncrest, didn't you? Your accent gave it away."

Maya felt a small knot tighten in her stomach. She expected pity but Lena only shrugged.

"People there, dress like they're starring in a royal documentary."

Maya couldn't help laughing.

Lena grinned. "See? You're already blending in."

Her simple kindness loosened something inside Maya's chest.

The atmosphere stayed relaxed, until the door opened.

Everything became silent instantly. Feet dragged on the ground as conversation faded and the students rose together without saying a word.

Maya’s face twisted in confusion and she slowly rose too.

When she saw who had entered, her breath caught.

Alpha King Damien Blackwood. Lucas's father. The most powerful man in Lunaris.

He was taller than she had imagined, broad-shouldered and commanding without trying. His black coat carried the crest of the royal family near the collar.

Maya's heart jumped. Why was the Alpha King here?

Damien crossed the room with calm, measured steps. Students remained standing until he reached the front desk.

Only then did he speak. "You may sit."

Maya sat slowly, trying to process this. A king was teaching her class.

Damien placed a folder in his hand on the desk and surveyed the room. His eyes drifted over the students and stopped when they reached Maya.

For one brief moment, he looked surprised. His eyes lingered on her a second too long. Then he turned away and began the lesson.

"Advanced Politics is not about memorizing laws," Damien said. "It's about understanding why kingdoms survive or fall."

His teaching style surprised Maya. She expected cold lectures and royal arrogance. Instead, Damien spoke calmly and directly, asking the students questions.

He discussed pack alliances, trade disputes and the balance between tradition and change.

As Damien continued teaching, Maya found herself comparing him with Lucas.

He was nothing like Lucas.

Lucas carried energy and charisma everywhere he went. People naturally gathered around him.

Damien was quieter and somehow, that made him even more intimidating.

He asked a question about the Moon Goddess's influence on royal succession.

A few students answered confidently.

Then Damien said, "Incorrect." His eyes drifted around the room. "Someone else want to try?"

Before Maya could stop herself, she spoke. "The Moon Goddess doesn't choose rulers directly. She creates conditions that reveal who is capable of ruling."

The classroom turned toward her.

Damien's expression changed, interest flickered in his eyes. "Explain."

Maya swallowed. "History shows that divine signs alone are not enough to keep kingdoms stable. Leadership still depended on wisdom, alliances and public image."

Damien gave a small nod. "Exactly."

Something warm spread through Maya's chest.

At Mooncrest, she often felt invisible in class discussions. Here, the Alpha King himself was listening to her.

Damien continued lecturing but Maya noticed him glancing in her direction now and then. It felt as if he was trying to remember something and that bothered her.

Even though her notebook was filled with notes, yet her mind felt crowded with questions. Why was Damien teaching here? Why was he surprised when he saw her?

The bell rang and the students started gathering their belongings.

Maya shoved her notebook into the bag, eager to leave before anyone could question her connection to the Blackwood family again.

She stood and moved toward the doorway.

"Maya Hart."

Her entire body went still. The classroom became quiet.

Damien stood near the front desk, watching her. The students standing close looked between them curiously.

Maya's pulse hammered in her ears. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

There was silence as Damien took a slow step forward. Up close, he seemed even more imposing.

For a moment he simply looked at her. "Your eyes are like your mother’s," he said quietly.

She froze. "What?"

A strange emotion crossed Damien's face. He looked genuinely shaken.

"My apologies," he said after a moment, regaining control. "You reminded me of someone I once knew."

Maya's breath caught in her throat. He knew her mother?

Out of everyone she knew, only her grandmother ever talked about her mother. "You knew her?" Maya asked before she could stop herself.

The question hung in the air.

Damien studied her carefully for a moment. "Long ago."

Frustration flickered inside Maya. That answer explained nothing.

For several seconds he said nothing. Then he nodded once. "Yes. I knew her."

Maya's breath caught. Before she could ask another question, another professor stepped into the classroom carrying a stack of books.

The interruption shattered the moment.

"We will talk another time," he said and walked out.

Maya stood there in shock while students whispered around her. She barely heard them. Her mind was spinning too fast. The Alpha King knew her mother.

Questions crashed through her thoughts. How did he know Claire Hart?

Lena appeared beside her, practically vibrating with curiosity. "Okay, what just happened?"

Maya shook her head and swallowed hard. "I have no idea."