Chapter 5

The Trap Springs

Grace's POV

The summons to the principal's office came during third period chemistry. Mrs. Henderson handed me the slip with a sympathetic look that made my stomach clench with dread. I'd barely been back at school for a week since my accident, and already something was wrong.

The walk to the administrative office felt endless. Students stared as I passed, and I caught fragments of whispered conversations that made my blood run cold.

"—heard she's been cheating for months—"

"—always knew there was something off about her grades—"

"—orphans will do anything to survive—"

By the time I reached Principal Davidson's office, my hands were shaking. He sat behind his desk with Mr. Peterson beside him, both wearing grave expressions. On the desk between them lay a manila folder that seemed to pulse with menace.

"Grace, please sit down," Principal Davidson said, his voice gentle but firm.

I perched on the edge of the chair, my backpack clutched against my chest like a shield. "Is something wrong? Did I do something?"

Mr. Peterson shifted uncomfortably. "Grace, I want you to know that this is very difficult for me. You've been one of my most dedicated students, especially since you started staying for extra help after your parents..."

He trailed off, and Principal Davidson picked up where he left off. "We've received some concerning allegations about academic dishonesty, Grace. Specifically, that you've been cheating on tests and assignments."

The words hit me like a physical blow. "What? No, I would never—"

"I understand this is shocking," Principal Davidson continued, opening the folder. "But we have some pretty substantial evidence."

He spread photographs across the desk—images of test papers with my handwriting, text messages between phone numbers I didn't recognize, and what looked like me copying from another student's work. My mouth fell open as I stared at the images.

"I don't understand," I whispered. "These aren't... I didn't... Where did these come from?"

"A concerned classmate brought these to our attention," Mr. Peterson said quietly. "Someone who was worried about you but felt obligated to report what they'd observed."

Amber. It had to be Amber. But how had she managed this? The photos looked real, but I knew I'd never cheated on anything in my life.

"Grace," Principal Davidson leaned forward, his expression serious. "Academic dishonesty is grounds for immediate suspension and possible expulsion. Given your... circumstances... this would also likely result in your removal from pack territory."

Banishment. They were talking about banishing me. For something I didn't do.

"Please," I said, my voice breaking. "I swear to you, I've never cheated. I study for hours every night. Ask Mr. Peterson—he knows how hard I work during our tutoring sessions."

Mr. Peterson's face was pained. "That's what makes this so difficult to understand, Grace. Your dedication seemed genuine, but the evidence..."

"Can I see my Alpha?" The words tumbled out before I could stop them. "Please, can I speak to Alpha Storm? He knew my father. He'll know I'm not lying."

Principal Davidson and Mr. Peterson exchanged glances. Finally, the principal nodded. "Given the severity of the allegations and their potential consequences, I think that's appropriate. We'll call him now."

Alpha Storm's POV

The call from Moonridge High came just as I was finishing a border patrol report. When Principal Davidson explained the situation, something cold settled in my stomach. Grace Matthew, caught cheating? The girl who'd spent every free moment studying since her parents' death? The girl who was my son's mate, whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not?

Something was very wrong here.

I arrived at the school within twenty minutes, my Alpha authority clearing the way to the principal's office immediately. Grace sat hunched in her chair, looking smaller and more fragile than ever. Her face was streaked with tears, and the scent of her fear and confusion filled the room.

"Alpha Storm," she whispered when she saw me, struggling to her feet.

"Sit, child," I said gently, taking the chair beside her. "Now, tell me what's happened."

Principal Davidson went through the allegations again, showing me the evidence. I studied each piece carefully, my wolf's instincts screaming that something was off. The photos were too convenient, too perfectly damning. And the timeline...

"When were these supposedly taken?" I asked.

"Over the past month," Mr. Peterson replied. "The concerned student said she'd been noticing inconsistencies for weeks."

I nodded slowly, filing that information away. "Grace, I want you to tell me, in your own words, exactly what you've been doing academically since returning to school."

Grace's voice was shaky but earnest as she described her study routine, her tutoring sessions with Mr. Peterson, her desperate attempts to keep her grades up while dealing with grief. Every word rang with truth.

"And you've never, not once, cheated on any assignment or test?"

"Never," she said firmly, meeting my eyes. "My father always said that honor was more important than success. I would never dishonor his memory by cheating."

The mention of David Matthew hit me square in the chest. That man had been one of the most honorable wolves I'd ever known, and he'd raised his daughter with those same values.

"Principal Davidson," I said, standing. "I'm placing Grace Matthew under official pack protection pending a full investigation into these allegations."

"Alpha?" Grace looked up at me with confusion.

"Someone is trying very hard to destroy you, child," I said quietly. "And they've made a critical error—they've involved pack business. Academic dishonesty leading to banishment affects pack membership, which makes this my jurisdiction."

I turned to the principal. "I'll be conducting my own investigation. Until it's complete, Grace will not be returning to school, and no disciplinary action will be taken."

"But the evidence—"

"Can be fabricated," I said firmly. "I've seen enough frame jobs in my time to recognize one. Grace, gather your things. You're coming with me."

Later That Day - Alpha Storm's POV

I sat in my office with Connor, the pack's head of security, spread photographs and documents across my desk. Grace was safely ensconced in one of the pack house guest rooms under guard—not as a prisoner, but for her protection.

"What do you think?" I asked Connor.

The older warrior studied the evidence with experienced eyes. "The photos are good, but not perfect. See this shadow here? And the lighting in this one doesn't match the others. Someone with decent photo editing skills could have managed this."

"And the timeline coincides with when Amber began spending more time around the school after hours," I mused.

Connor nodded grimly. "I took the liberty of asking around. Seems Miss Amber has been very vocal lately about her... expectations regarding her future position in the pack."

"What kind of expectations?"

"The kind where she's already picking out Luna ceremonies," Connor said dryly. "She's been telling people that you and Jace are just waiting for the right moment to make it official."

I felt my wolf stir with anger. "Has she now?"

"There's more." Connor pulled out his phone. "I have a contact at the phone company. Those numbers in the supposed text conversations? They're all burner phones, purchased with cash three weeks ago. Want to guess what store they were bought from?"

"Surprise me."

"Electronics Plus. The same store where Amber works part-time."

The pieces were falling into place, and the picture they formed made my blood boil. Amber wasn't just trying to eliminate competition—she was trying to destroy an innocent girl to secure a position she had no right to.

"Connor, I want you to dig deeper. Find me everything—purchase records, photo metadata, witness statements. I want enough evidence to bury whoever's behind this."

"And if it is Amber?"

I thought about Grace's tear-streaked face, about the way she'd invoked her father's memory. Then I thought about my son, and how his rejection of his mate was poisoning him from the inside.

"If it's Amber, she's about to learn that there are consequences for attacking members of my pack. Especially ones under my protection."

Connor grinned, showing teeth. "Understood, Alpha."

As he left to begin his investigation, I picked up my phone to call Jace. It was time my son learned exactly what kind of woman he'd been associating with. And more importantly, it was time he learned what it meant to protect what was his—whether he wanted to admit it or not.

Because if Amber thought she could scheme her way into becoming Luna of this pack, she was about to discover just how wrong she was.

Grace's POV

I sat in the pack house guest room, staring out the window at the forest beyond. Alpha Storm had been kind but firm—I was to stay here until the investigation was complete. For my safety, he'd said.

Part of me was grateful for his protection. But another part wondered if this was just delaying the inevitable. If Amber had managed to fabricate evidence this convincing, what was to stop her from doing it again?

A soft knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. "Come in," I called.

To my surprise, it was Mia who entered, carrying a tray of food and wearing a determined expression.

"Thought you might be hungry," she said, setting the tray on the small table by the window. "And I wanted you to know—not everyone believes those lies about you."

I looked up at her with surprise. "You don't?"

"Grace, I've seen how hard you study. I've seen how much you care about doing things right. The idea that you'd cheat?" Mia shook her head. "It's ridiculous."

For the first time in days, I felt a small spark of hope. Maybe I wasn't as alone as I thought.

"Thank you," I whispered.

Mia squeezed my shoulder gently. "My father will get to the truth. And when he does, whoever did this is going to regret it."

As she left, I allowed myself to believe, just for a moment, that maybe things would be okay. That maybe Alpha Storm would find the truth and clear my name.

I had no idea that the web of lies surrounding me was about to unravel in ways that would change everything.