The Shareholder meeting

Leah POV

The next morning at Blood Moon College felt strangely normal.

The sun was already high when I walked through the main gates. Students moved between buildings like they always did some laughing, some half asleep, others rushing to avoid being late for class.

If someone had looked at the campus from a distance, they would think nothing had happened. But I could still feel it.

The quiet glances.

The whispers that stopped when I walked past.

Word had traveled fast after the party and also about what happened yesterday at the corridor.

I kept my shoulders straight and continued toward the main building. Avoiding people would only make things worse, and I refused to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me hide.

Inside the hallway, a crowd had gathered around the announcement board.

That alone was unusual. Normally the board only held routine notices, class schedules, club meetings, and pack events.

Something about this one had drawn almost half the hallway. Curiosity pulled me closer.

Students were reading a large sheet of paper pinned to the board, each person reacting differently. Some looked excited.

Others looked frustrated. “What do you mean we need his signature?” someone complained.

“That’s the rule,” another student replied.

I stepped closer and finally saw the announcement. Blood Moon College Annual Leadership Competition

I had heard about the competition before. Every year the school selected a few students to compete in a series of challenges meant to test strategy, strength, and leadership ability.

Winning the competition meant recognition among several powerful packs.

But something new has been added this year.

My eyes moved to the requirement written near the bottom of the announcement.

All applicants must obtain the signature of the President of the School Shareholders before submitting their application.

A girl standing beside me sighed.

“That’s impossible.”

“Does anyone even know who he is?” another student asked. Someone behind them replied, “I heard he only approves students he personally believes have leadership potential.”

“That means most of us don’t stand a chance.”The crowd slowly began to disperse as students finished reading.

Some seemed excited about the challenge.

Others already looked discouraged.

I stayed for another moment, reading the notice again. Three days.

That was the deadline to submit the application.

Which meant three days to find the President of the shareholders and convince him to sign. That wouldn’t be easy.

The shareholders controlled most of the funding for Blood Moon College. Their president rarely appeared on campus, and when he did, it was usually for private meetings with the administration.

Students almost never saw him.

“Leah.”

I didn’t need to turn around to recognize the voice. Claire.

I slowly stepped away from the board before facing her.

She stood a few feet away with two of her friends, watching me with open curiosity.

“I was wondering if you’d come look at this,” she said.

Her tone sounded polite, but the small smile on her face told another story.

“I’ve seen it,” I replied.

Claire glanced back at the announcement board. “The Leadership Competition is important,” she said. “Especially for students who plan to become pack leaders.”

Her gaze returned to me.“Derek is entering this year.”

The name didn’t surprise me.

Derek had always aimed for positions that increased his influence.

Claire seemed to be waiting for a reaction.

When she didn’t get one, she continued.

“Of course, not everyone can enter.”

She nodded toward the requirement at the bottom of the notice.

“You need the shareholder president’s signature first.”One of her friends spoke up.

“And he doesn’t just give that to anyone.”

Claire crossed her arms.

“Only students he considers worthy.”

I held her gaze calmly.

“Then I suppose the competition will be very selective this year.”

Claire tilted her head slightly.

“Are you thinking about entering?”

The way she asked the question made it clear she didn’t expect the answer to be yes. I didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, I glanced once more at the announcement board. Three days.

Three days to obtain the signature.

Claire watched me carefully.

Then she smiled.

“Well, if you do decide to try,” she said lightly, “I hope you actually find him.”

Her friends laughed quietly.

I stepped past them. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Claire didn’t follow, but I could still feel her eyes on my back as I walked down the hallway toward my first class.

The rest of the morning passed quietly.

Classes continued as usual, but every break between lectures returned to the same topic. The competition.

Students debated where the shareholder president might appear.

Some believed he would hold meetings in Crescent Hall.

Others thought he would only meet with students recommended by professors.

No one seemed completely certain.

By the time lunch arrived, the entire campus was talking about it.

I sat alone on one of the benches in the courtyard, watching groups of students pass by.

The competition had already started changing the atmosphere.

Students who normally ignored each other were suddenly discussing alliances.

Others were already trying to figure out who had the best chance of getting the signature.

Across the courtyard, I noticed Derek standing near the training building.

Several students had gathered around him.

He looked confident, answering their questions while explaining something about the competition.

That wasn’t surprising either.

Derek had always been good at drawing attention.

For a moment, his gaze shifted across the courtyard. Our eyes met.

There was no hostility in his expression.

But there was something else.

Curiosity.

As if he expected me to react differently after everything that happened yesterday.

I looked away first.

The competition didn’t concern him. At least, not in the way people expected.

I leaned back against the bench, letting the quiet noise of the campus settle around me.

Three days.

That was all the time anyone had. Most students would spend those days trying to track down rumors or use conne

ctions to reach the shareholder president. Maybe some would succeed.

Maybe most would fail.