#Chapter Fifteen: The Professor

I stood frozen in Elijah’s study, completely stunned by his words. His calm, steady tone was so casual, yet the authority behind it felt like a punch to the gut. My mind raced, trying to process what he had just said. “What?” I blurted, unable to hide the confusion in my voice. How could he be so calm about this? Elijah leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine. “A Luna doesn’t need to prove to the pack that she didn’t do something,” he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “What matters is that she knows her truth and moves with confidence.” I stared at him, dumbfounded. How could he say that so easily? That rumor had ruined me before, I didn’t see why it wouldn’t do the same now. “But if I don’t prove myself, the rumors will only get worse,” I protested, my voice rising in frustration. “That’s how I got expelled in the first place—because I couldn’t provide evidence.” Elijah’s expression remained unreadable, as if my protest hadn’t affe