Chapter 3

The spacious cafeteria of Alexandrite Academy was one of the places where the Elites flaunt their influence and achievements. Rather than students normally eating their meals, they were talking about business as if they were at a party, widening their connections and searching for future partners.

Leath was no different from those students. Piper was walking by her side, reading to her what were her appointments after class while they were walking through the cafeteria, finding the best seat to eat their lunch. Every student was looking at their phones and at Leath as she ignored Leatrice who was constantly calling her and tried to focus on what Pipe was talking about. Aric was greeting every man they passed by and so did Avery with everyone she knows.

The twins have a lot in common, unlike her and her sister who was following them—her. Leatrice was a big ball of sunshine while Leath was serious and stays on schedule. Leath noticed a lot of people trying to approach her but because of the twins, Piper, and her sister, no one even dared to call her name.

"Leath, please listen to me," Leatrice called Leath again when Piper paused to answer a phone call.

"Can't you see I'm busy, Leatrice? Stop it," Leatrice pursed her lips and her sister scolded her when she made a face.

"But this is important!" Aric and Avery looked at Leatrice when she yelled. 

"Watch how you act, Leatrice. Stop being childish," Leath calmly told her. Leatrice's eyes reddened and buried her face on Avery's back.

"But it's important!" Avery faced Leatrice to console her and Aric just smiled at anyone who was staring at them. Leath heaved a heavy sigh and took Leatrice from Avery. She gently wiped away the tears from Leatrice's eyes with her handkerchief and playfully pinched her red nose.

"I'm sorry. What is it? Can it wait until I'm done with my classes?" Piper called Leath before Leatrice answered.

"Lady Leath, your father wants to talk to you," Leath froze for a moment when she heard of her father. 

"I'll talk to you later, Leatrice," she told her sister and took the phone from Piper. Leatrice glared at her sister again before storming off the cafeteria.

Leath went to an empty room while Piper waited outside. She took deep breaths before putting the phone near her ear.

"This is Leath," she answered with a careful tone.

"What do you think you're doing?" Leath shivered when she heard her father's voice.

"I don't think I'm following, father."

"There's a photo of you circulating around the internet and if I heard correctly it was with a professor. Is this the kind of thing you're into? A forbidden romance?" Leath moved the phone away from her and called Piper.

"Piper, what is he talking about?" Piper gave her a tablet and her eyes widened when she saw a website that some students made with the sole purpose of exclusive gossip, Weekly Goods, they called it. It was a picture of her and Professor Moreau by the pool, the photographer was skillful enough to bring out a different meaning to the picture when they were just merely talking. 

"Father, this is not what you think. That professor's up to something—" her father's cold tone cut her sentence off.

"I don't need excuses, fix this before it gets any bigger. You're better than this, Leath," Leath gulped before answering.

"Yes, father," she obediently said.

"If you don't fix this in three days, you know what'll happen to you, right?" She nodded as if they were talking face-to-face.

"Yes, father," without saying anything, Leath's father ended the call. She calmed her breathing and looked at the blog again.

"Do you want me to handle this, Lady Leath?" Piper offered but Leath shook her head and searched for someone in her contacts. 

"Thank you but I think I have to handle this one myself, Piper," she handed the tablet to Piper and dialed a trusted acquaintance. 

Leath's father often associated his teachings with the traits of wolves. He often referred to Leath as an alpha wolf, the leader of the pack. She must know what's best for the "pack" and would be able to solve any challenge by herself. But how can she be the alpha when she was raised as a lone wolf?

"Hello, Juno—" it was not his real name, "—help me take down a website," the man on the other side of the line chuckled and the sound of fast keyboard typing was heard.

"Another one, miss Mayfair? You sure are a hot topic every month," he said then asked for other details.

This was not the first time Leath asked Juno to take down a website but why is she more agitated this time? Maybe because this time, her father personally contacted her and not one of his assistants. Taking down a website is one thing, she must do one thing so the rumors won't worsen. She needs to discipline her own professor.

It was already evening, some of the students were strolling around the school premises, some were hanging out near the night market where stalls stood, selling some inexpensive food and products. Not many of the students went to buy at the night market, most of the academy's staff was there, spending the last day of the week to loosen up and drink until they drop.

One of the senior staff, Mrs. Bryan saw Hayden eating by himself with his phone in hand. Hayden looked in their direction when Mrs. Bryan called and told him to sit with them, the young professor couldn't help it and dine with the other staff.

"How's your first week in Alexandrite, Moreau?" Mrs. Bryan asked and handed Hayden a bottle of beer. Hayden could tell that she was already tipsy.

"It's been great. The students were welcoming and fun to talk to," He answered then took a sip from the bottle.

"You must be having fun then?" Another professor asked him, he was one of the few sober teachers. Hayden remembered the professor's name was Sir Louie.

"Yes. It's just a shame that I'm only teaching for a semester," that was what he said but he really wanted to get away from Alexandrite as soon as possible, he wanted to go back to his original job so badly.

"Then just be careful, you might lose your job in a blink of an eye if you don't act like a professional," Sir Louie told him and took a beer away from Mrs. Bryan.

"Sorry, I don't follow," Hayden said.

"If I may speak in an informal manner, you are fucking with the wrong student."

"Louie, don't scare the new teacher!" Mrs. Bryan yelled at Sir Louie while still trying to take the beer from him.

"If you haven't noticed, the students here treat Lady Leath Mayfair in high regard. A small gossip is a big deal for her reputation. She's the reason why professors quit or were fired within the length of time she's been here. What you did was unethical and unprofessional, fix this if you want to stay here longer," Sir Louie looked at him seriously before asking the other staff to take care of the staff who were making a huge mess.

"Make your decisions wisely, Moreau," Sir Louie told him before carrying a drunk staff and left him.

If this was his original job, Hayden would've been scared to death after being scolded by one of his seniors but he just smirked and lit a cigarette. Why would he be scared of Leath Mayfair if his employer is more influential than her? He held his cigarette in between his fingers and sent a file in Weekly Goods. 

"How would you react to this, Lady Mayfair?" He asked himself while watching the admin of the website type a response.

"Very badly, I would say," Hayden's eyes widened when he heard a familiar voice behind him. He looked at the person behind him and saw the coldest pair of eyes he has seen.