Alpha’s Mistake Chapter 05
The whole banquet hall went dead silent.
Everyone turned to stare at the messenger. Nicole’s smile froze on her face. She gripped her
skirt so hard her knuckles went white.
My parents looked at each other, wide-eyed with disbelief.
“There must be a mistake.” My mom hurried over and blocked the messenger. “Our Nicole got into the Beta Academy. That Natalie only got into some Omega Academy. How could there be a United Pack Elite Warrior letter?”
The messenger checked the envelope and confirmed the address.
“No mistake. Addressee is Natalie White. Same address. Which one of you is Natalie? I need your ID for the signature.”
Hugo whipped his head toward me.
Shock and confusion filled his eyes. Something else too. A flicker of panic.
“Natalie, what the hell is going on?” He strode over and towered over me, demanding answers. “Nicole changed your application to Omega Academy—”
I walked past him straight to the messenger.
I pulled out my ID and handed it over.
“I’m Natalie White.”
The messenger checked my ID, then handed me the heavy silver tube.
“Congratulations, miss. United Pack Elite Warrior is top tier!”
“Thank you.” I smiled politely.
My relatives started whispering. The voices grew louder.
“Wait, I thought Natalie bombed her applications?”
“Yeah, Nicole just said she got into Omega Academy.”
“The letter’s right here. Can’t fake that.”
to early labor while he toasted his mistress. He declined her call….
Nicole’s face went pale. She looked at Hugo, desperate, her voice shaking.
“Hugo, this can’t be… I watched the page submit. I saw it.”
Hugo’s face turned dark. Dangerous.
“Natalie. What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
I looked at Nicole’s twisted, scared face.
“I accepted the Elite Warrior offer about a minute before you all walked in.”
My father slammed the table and pointed a finger at me. “You ungrateful little brat! You had the acceptance this whole time and didn’t say a word? You just let us stand there and make total fools of
ourselves?”
I looked at his red, furious face and felt nothing but disgust.
“Say something?” A cold laugh. “If I’d told you, would you have stopped yourself from ruining my life?”
“I got that offer two months ago. And for a while, I actually thought about not taking it. I was scared that if I left for United Pack, I might never see you again.”
“Good thing I snapped out of it.”
My mom was shaking with rage, pointing at me and screaming.
“You’re a cold-hearted monster! Nicole’s just a poor thing. What would it have hurt to give up your spot for her? We raised you, and this is how you pay us back?”
I didn’t argue. I just pulled a plastic bag out of my purse and put it on the table in front of her.
“Sometimes I used to wonder-we’re supposed to be the closest people. Nicole’s not even blood related to you. What does she have to do with us?”
“I don’t wonder anymore. Since you don’t need me as a daughter, fine. You got your wish.
The bag opened. Inside was thirteen thousand nine hundred and sixty dollars. Every dollar I’d saved from part-time jobs and scholarships over the
years.
My dad froze. He stared at the money, his lips moving, but nothing came out.
She went into early labor while he toasted his mistress. He declined her call….
My mom kept going. “You think a little cash buys off your debt to us? You heartless piece of
trash!”
I took a deep breath and looked at every relative in the room.
“Everyone’s here. Perfect timing to witness this.”
I pulled out a printed declaration from my bag.
“From today on, I, Natalie White, cut all ties with the White family. Sick or healthy, rich or poot, none of it has anything to do with me anymore.”
I put the paper on the table, turned, and picked up my black backpack—the one with everything
I owned.
Nicole suddenly broke free from Hugo and threw herself at my legs.
“Natalie, don’t go! I was wrong. I shouldn’t have changed your application. Take the money back. Let’s still be a family. Please!”
