Chapter 417

Chapter 9
I turn as Uncle Dane hops off the train. “Hurricane Sebastiana,” he grins, rubbing his hands together.
“Hi. Uncle Dane.” I say, forcing a smile. He tilts his head to the side, watching me, but I look away before he can look too deeply.
The other instructors get off the train, and I realize I know all of them. Alpha Benjamin, Alpha Ezra, Alpha Jackson, and finally Ryan.
Ryan, like Christian, looks and acts a lot like my father. The minute he spots me,
on me.
“Hey, Ry,” I say, forcing a smile again as he walks up to me.
his
eyes narrow
He doesn’t speak, he just pulls me into a hug. “It’s going to be okay, little sister. I promise.”
When he releases me, he says hello to everyone. Then Dane calls for all of us to get on the train.
I follow the others onto the train, waving once more at my family.
I set my luggage in the area set aside to hold it until we have our room assignment, then I make my way to the travel car with the others. When I walk in, Shane’s there, looking like he was waiting for me.
He smiles and this time, my smile isn’t so forced.
“Tough crowd,” he says, understanding without me having to say a word.
“The toughest,” I agree.
He opens his arms, and I don’t hesitate. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. They already know that my family is nearly half of the instructors at the Academy. What’s one more person that I know and care about here at the Academy.
The moment his arms wrap around me, I feel a sense of peace that I didn’t get with my family. He doesn’t say a word; he just holds me while I finally take the deep breath I’ve been struggling to take for days.
When Uncle Dane calls for everyone’s attention, I pull back and look at Shane.
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Chapter 9
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He winks at me and for the first time since the weight of what I need to achieve at the Academy landed on my shoulders, I feel like I can do this.
Shane
I knew the moment I saw her face that Tiana was struggling. She hides it well and if you didn’t know her, you might just think that she’s quiet. But I know her, very well. Quiet is NOT who Tiana is unless she’s upset.
There are five other students who boarded the Train with T; three men, two women. Not that I care, but I noticed everyone watching our exchange as I hugged her. Cassandra and Justin are already aware that we know each other and are partnered for the sex class, but the new ones seemed a bit surprised by the interaction.
As Alpha Dane started the next round of introductions, I watched the others, assessing my competition for this semester. It quickly became obvious to everyone that Tiana knows all the instructors and their mates. The Lunas didn’t hesitate to come over to hug her. Once we ordered drinks, and the instructors and Lunas separated from us, giving us time to get to know each other, they started.
“So, I guess we know who is already fast–tracked to the leaderboard,” Nicholas, one of guys who boarded with T says.
“Excuse me?” she says. I narrow my eyes at him.
“Oh, come on. We all heard you call Alpha Dane, uncle and Alpha Ryan has the same last name you do. Every one of those Lunas knows you, so don’t tell me that you won’t end up on the leaderboard,” he growls, but softly enough that the instructors don’t hear him.