Chapter 87: Need Your Cooperation

Hayley’s POV:

“Mandy, that wretch actually did something so despicable,” Trista burst out, her anger igniting as she shifted into a brown she-wolf on the spot. “I’m going to teach her a lesson she’ll never forget!” She growled, baring her sharp fangs.

“She must have fled out of guilt, afraid the police would find her fingerprints,” Lillian added sternly. “I never would have believed Mandy would stoop this low.”

The gathered crowd finally understood that they had wrongly accused me. It became clear that I had nothing to do with it—it was Mandy who had tried to frame me. Apologies glimmered in their eyes as they looked my way.

Trista stepped forward and said, somewhat embarrassed, “Hayley, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken so harshly earlier.”

She was a decent girl. Despite her higher status as a Beta, Trista had always been kind enough to befriend an Omega like me. I didn’t hold it against her and replied, “It’s okay. What’s important now is finding Mandy.” I turned to the officer and asked, “Officer, do we have the right to press charges against Mandy?”

The officer explained, “If you can provide clear evidence proving she committed the act, you can indeed press charges. The sentence will depend on the value of the stolen item, and with an item of this worth, she’s looking at serious consequences—potentially up to a year or more.”

“That’s the problem; we don’t have any evidence!” Lillian sighed, her shoulders slumping. I flashed a confident smile at her and said, “Don’t worry; we’ll get the evidence we need.”

Turning back to the crowd, I spoke sincerely, “I hope everyone here will help us bring the truth to light.”

There were murmurs of agreement. Jeremy, standing nearby, met my eyes. “What do you need me to do?”

I was about to decline, but then an idea sparked in my mind. Leaning close, I whispered my plan into his ear. His eyes lit up as he listened, and he nodded eagerly. “Got it. Let’s do it.”

Mandy’s POV:

The moment I heard that Jeremy was going to call the police, I panicked and shifted into my wolf form, sneaking out quickly. I rushed to the school gates, only to see a police car driving in. I panicked and dove behind a tree.

When I was sure the car had continued on toward the classroom, I dashed outside and ran to the waiting car. My driver was already at the entrance. I jumped in and ordered him to drive as fast as possible. Even as we sped away, my heart refused to settle, pounding relentlessly.

The thought of police investigating terrified me. They would find out it was me in no time. I grew increasingly terrified at the thought. If they found out it was me, not only could I go to jail, but they could also demote me to an Omega like Hayley, a fate worse than any punishment.

Frantic, I grabbed my phone and called my father. My voice was shaking as I explained everything. By the end, I couldn’t hold back my tears. “Dad, what should I do? I can’t go back to the classroom. What if they match my fingerprints?”

My father’s voice sounded cold and sharp. “Where are you now?”

I glanced around and said, “I’m just outside the school and want to head home.”

“You fool! Why are you running now? Leaving will only prove you’re guilty! Get back there and act like nothing happened. Trust me, even the police won’t be able to trace this back to you. And even if they suspect you, they won’t have any evidence.” Before I could say more, my father exploded with rage, his voice thundering through the phone as he reprimanded me.

I was too shaken to argue. “Alright, Dad. I’m heading back now.” I hung up and instructed the driver to turn around.

When I returned to the classroom, everyone was back in their seats, as if nothing had happened. Relief washed over me. It seemed Hayley and the others hadn’t discovered the truth. I found an empty seat in the middle and sank into it.

Just as I started to calm down, I overheard the murmurs behind me.

“I heard the police are checking the surveillance footage. They’ll find the culprit soon.”

“We can’t let whoever did this get away with it. It’s shameful to stoop to such sneaky behavior.”

“Seriously. Using these underhanded tactics, like a petty human thief… We wolves fight directly when we have a problem, not like this. Is this person part human or what?”

My heart sank at their words. I quickly excused myself, claiming I needed the restroom, and rushed to the security room. Thank goodness for my wolf form; I sprinted to the security office at the gate in no time. I pushed open the door, but the security office was completely empty. A sense of confusion washed over me.

“You finally showed up.” Hayley’s voice came from behind me.

Sweat drenched my back as I spun around. “You?! What are you doing here?”