Chapter 57: Earned

Chapter 57 — Earned

The entire academy had gathered in the main courtyard by the time the principal stepped up to address the crowd, and Roxanne could feel the anticipation buzzing through the students around her. The Alpha Challenge review had finally concluded, and everyone knew it.

"After a thorough investigation," the principal announced, his voice carrying easily across the packed courtyard, "the academy has found no evidence that the Moonstone team received any competitive advantage during this season’s Alpha Challenge."

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

"The disciplinary matter involving Kai Moonstone remains part of his individual record," he continued, "but it has no bearing on the team’s competition results."

The massive scoreboard overhead flickered and refreshed itself.

MOONSTONE TEAM — OFFICIALLY REINSTATED.

The courtyard erupted. Liam threw both fists in the air, shouting something that got lost in the general noise. Roshan smiled quietly beside him. Lucien simply nodded, satisfaction settling into his expression without any need for theatrics.

Kai’s eyes found Roxanne in the crowd, but she wasn’t looking at the scoreboard at all. She was watching the students around them, the same faces that had whispered about her being carried by royal status only weeks earlier, now cheering without a hint of that old suspicion.

The individual rankings followed shortly after, scrolling across the same board one name at a time. Lucien placed near the top. Kai followed close behind him. Roshan and Liam trailed just after.

Then a new line appeared.

ROXANNE SILVER — TOP INDIVIDUAL SCORE AMONG FIRST-YEAR FEMALE COMPETITORS.

The reaction around her was louder than she expected, students turning to look at her with genuine congratulations rather than the guarded curiosity she’d grown used to. A younger student she barely recognized approached shyly, twisting her hands together. Her eyes were so full of life as she spoke.

"Can I train with you sometime?" she asked.

Roxanne blinked, caught off guard. "Sure," she said, and the girl’s face lit up before she scurried back into the crowd.

The brothers made a production of celebrating her ranking the moment they reached her, Liam practically vibrating with excitement.

"I always knew you’d end up famous," he announced.

"You called me a liability the first week I was here," Roxanne reminded him.

"That was constructive motivation."

Roshan handed her a small snack without a word, already prepared for the celebration before anyone had asked. Lucien offered a simple, genuine, "You earned that."

Kai said nothing for a moment, then finally spoke. "I told you."

"You told me a lot of things," Roxanne said.

"And you finally listened."

It was light, teasing, nothing heavy behind it, and Roxanne found herself smiling despite the eye roll she gave him.

Joanna approached later that afternoon, and for once she didn’t arrive with a folder of complaints or a carefully worded accusation. She simply acknowledged the ranking, reluctant but genuine.

"You earned that," she said.

"Thank you."

Joanna’s expression sharpened slightly. "I still intend to beat you."

Roxanne smiled. "Then train harder."

It wasn’t friendship, but it had shifted into something Roxanne could respect, a rivalry built on actual competition rather than manufactured scandal.

Dorian found her near the edge of the courtyard as the crowd began to disperse, watching from a short distance before finally approaching. He didn’t try to reclaim anything between them, didn’t bring up their past or attempt to insert himself back into her life the way he might have weeks earlier.

"Congratulations," he said simply.

"Thank you," Roxanne said.

He nodded once and walked away, and the exchange felt almost strange in its simplicity, no argument, no lingering tension. Whatever Dorian had been working toward with his small, quiet gestures of help, he seemed to understand now that it wouldn’t buy him a way back into her life on his own terms.

She watched him go, expecting the old ache to follow him, the one that used to flare up whenever he was near. It didn’t come. What she felt instead was something quieter, almost like relief, the last loose thread of that old Chapter finally settling into place instead of snagging every time she saw him. She wasn’t angry anymore. She wasn’t waiting for an apology that fit her expectations either. He’d said the one true thing he had, and for once, that was actually enough.

Later, before the next training session began, Roxanne sat alone on the field, waiting for the others to arrive. Roshan joined her a few minutes later, settling down beside her without announcement.

"Are you happy about the ranking?" he asked.

"I am," she said.

She reached into her bag and pulled out the handmade bookmark, showing him the worn edges where she’d been using it steadily since he’d given it to her. Roshan’s eyes lingered on it a moment longer than necessary.

He didn’t say anything about it. He just smiled, quiet and satisfied, and the moment settled between them without needing to become anything larger than what it already was.

The rest of the team arrived shortly after, and the coordinator called everyone together for the next major announcement. Students gathered in loose clusters across the field as the coordinator raised his voice to be heard.

"The next stage of the Alpha Challenge will be a pack-versus-pack endurance trial," he announced. "This trial will last a full day. Given the recent shift toward mixed-team competition, students will be permitted to choose one partner from another team for this stage."

Liam’s face lit up immediately. "Well, that’s easy."

Roxanne raised an eyebrow at him. "Is it?"

"Obviously," Liam said, grinning at her.

The coordinator wasn’t finished. "One additional rule. No student may choose a partner from their most recent team roster."

The grin slid off Liam’s face.

All four brothers turned to look at Roxanne at once, and she looked back at them, the same realization settling over all five of them simultaneously.

For the first time since the mixed-team assignments had scattered them apart, none of them could simply choose each other.