Chapter 144

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Nina stepped closer to me. “Who are you to talk down to me?” She snarled in my face, but I couldn’t help but laugh.

I raised my hands again, my basket hanging from one. “Listen, who I am isn’t your concern. But it just seems very convenient that you are taking credit for something that was supposed to be anonymous.”

Nina stepped closer. “Just because Professor R stood up for you doesn’t mean I’m afraid of you. Professor R is a man, and like any man, his attention will drift, but let me make myself very clear: he’s mine. He might support you now, but he will come back to me.”

I looked up, met her glare, and started laughing. “What the fuck does he have to do with you claiming to donate money?”

She stepped closer. “I just want you to know that just because he stood up for you today doesn’t mean he will cover for you now.”

I had to bend over; I was laughing so hard. “He knows who donated the money, as do Alpha Vince and Mrs. Sandlewood. Something that could easily be determined is a very ballsy thing to lie about.”

Nina stammered. “You’re lying.”

I shook my head. “I’m not.” I picked my basket back up. “Go find out for yourself.” I stood back up and moved to cash out. “It’s easy enough to check.” I turned to face them. “And I don’t have a reason to lie. I don’t care if you like me or not.”

Nina stomped her foot. “You don’t know anything.”

I turned to look at her and shook my head. “I hate people that try to act like they are good people when, in actuality, they are claiming good deeds done by others. If you were a good person, you would shine on your own deeds.”

“I did this for them,” she screamed in my face, but I just shook my head.

“Excuse me.” A soft voice called from behind us, and we all turned. “Are you the alpha that gifted the money to me?”

Nina froze. “What?” But the girl was focused on me, and I just smiled. “I’m the only alpha here, girl.”

The girl stepped closer and held out a hand. “You are Alpha Amy, right?”

I nodded and shook her hand. “I am.” The girls with Nina gasped, and Nina looked like she had been slapped. “Who are you?”

“My name is Wendy,” she smiled up at me. “Wendy Sandlewood.”

“Are you related to Mrs. Sandlewood?”

Wendy nodded. “She is my mom. I just wanted to thank you.”

“Honestly, you don’t have to.” I waved her off, but she shook her head, and I could see the sparkle of tears.

“No, please. Let me get this out.” She clutched at my hand. “I know you didn’t have to do this, and I know you did it for the entire school. Throwing out almost four million dollars to make sure every student had enough money on their card for books and food for the semester is very generous of you. And I know you wanted to stay anonymous, but I need you to know just how much of an impact you made on us.”

“What are you saying?” One of Nina’s friends came over.

Wendy looked at her in confusion. “I’m sorry. Who are you?”

“No one.” She waved her hands. “But you are saying she is the alpha that donated the money?” She looked back at Nina with her eyebrows raised. “It wasn’t another alpha you could be confusing her with?”

“No, I’m sure. Amy and her mother came into the office on Friday. My mother helped her. She had me come in to help her load all the cards. There were a lot of cards, let me tell you. I was in the back office when she came and paid for it all.” She turned back to me and smiled. “My mom was going to take on a night job to pay for my food and books. Since my father died, it has just been us, and she wanted to make sure I had every opportunity. I told her I could cover it, that I could work, but she wouldn’t let me. But you saved us. She doesn’t have to get a night job to cover my expenses.” A tear that she was trying to hold back fell. “You really don’t understand how much of an impact you made on my life, on our lives, and I seriously can’t thank you enough.”

“Can you do me one favor?”

“Anything,” she wiped at her tears.

“Don’t tell anyone else it was me. If you hear someone claiming it was them, you can say you know who it was, and it wasn’t them. But unless someone commands you, keep it quiet.”

“Are you fucking serious, Nina?” One girl screeched. “You lied about gifting us money and said we had to do your project?” The silence that followed was deafening.