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Jeremiah, Griffin, Alaric, Roman, and Elsie were gathered in Principal Jameson’s office, making the air inside feel suffocatingly tense. If anyone dropped a lit match in there, it might have erupted in flames given the hostility crackling among them.

None of the alphas were speaking. Each of them stood at their own corner, wearing scowls like armor, positioned as far from one another as the room allowed.

All except Elsie Lancaster, who sat primly in the chair before Jameson’s desk, legs crossed, looking unbothered and bored. She alone seemed immune to the atmosphere, her expression far too composed for someone at the center of a brewing storm.

Then the door flung open and in came Principal Jameson, her heels echoing sharply like war drums against the tile. She came around her desk and paused, taking one long, disbelieving look at the fractured scene before her.

There was disunity among the cardinal alphas. Something that had never happened in Lunaris Academy’s history, until now.

Then her gaze landed on Jeremiah. They narrowed. "Where is your Alpha?"

Jeremiah merely shrugged. "Out on alpha business."

It was the one excuse no one, not even Jameson included, could challenge. An Alpha on duty was untouchable.

Roman scoffed audibly from his spot near the bookshelf. Everyone in the room knew that was a lie. Perhaps Jameson knew that too judging from the way her jaw ticked. But then, she said nothing.

Instead, she exhaled slowly, tamping down her rage. "So," she said tightly, "what the hell is going on?"

Elsie arched a brow. "You’ll have to be a bit more specific, Principal Jameson," she said, her voice light with mock innocence.

Jameson didn’t respond right away. Instead, she pulled out her phone, placed it on the desk, and hit play. The video began to roll, showing the exact moment Elsie spat in Violet Purple’s face.

"Care to explain that?" Jameson asked tightly.

Elsie barely glanced at the screen before looking up again, offering a sugary smile. "Oh, that? I was simply dealing with a rogue who didn’t know her place." she said dismissively. "It’s nothing to worry about."

"Really? Nothing to worry about?" Jameson nodded her head, seeming to consider the words for half a beat before she lost it.

With a sudden burst of fury, Jameson swept her desk clean, the papers, files, and her phone scattering across the floor with a thunderous crash. Everyone in the room flinched. They had never seen her this furious.

She advanced toward Elsie who remained seated. Given Jameson’s height, she loomed over her like a tempest about to break.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now?!" she barked into Elsie’s face.

"This one—" she jabbed a finger toward Griffin, "nearly tore the school apart.

And this one—" her hand shifted to Alaric, "would’ve electrocuted everyone if he’d lost control.

Do you understand what that means? STUDENTS COULD HAVE DIED UNDER MY WATCH! "

At that moment, she didn’t even care that her fury was close enough to spray spit on Elsie’s face.

However, Elsie’s initial calm vanished, her eyes flashing with anger as her wolf rose to the surface. In a low, threatening voice, she said, "It would do you best to step away from me. Now."

Jameson’s jaw tightened, her pride as the principal and a higher authority flaring in response. But self-preservation kicked in and she backed off, anger brimming slowly.

Elsie smoothed her skirt and adjusted her tie like she hadn’t just threatened the principal.

Jameson took a shuddering breath, then turned to the rest of them, scanning each one of the alphas with a look that could blister steel.

"You realize how much effort it took to keep this quiet?" Jameson said. "The only reason your parents, or the Alpha King, haven’t caught wind is because we have Parents’ Week next week, and I refuse to let them think I can’t control my own school!"

At the mention of the Alpha King, the atmosphere changed. Griffin, Alaric and Roman visibly tensed. Only Jeremiah and Elsie remained unaffected.

And yet, Elsie had the audacity to speak again. "Perhaps you have indeed lost control. And maybe you won’t have any until Violet Purple is removed from this academy."

Jeremiah snarled before he could stop himself. "Shut the fuck up, you awful bitch."

"No name-calling in my office." Jameson snapped, though she didn’t even look at him, her eyes fixed on Elsie.

Elsie ignored Jeremiah’s insult and said to Jameson. "Don’t you see it? Everything was fine until Violet Purple showed up. She’s the one wreaking havoc among the cardinal alphas. She. Has. To. Go."

Roman laughed harshly, "They call me the fox, but you’re ten times more crafty. Maybe I should give you my crown, it fits you correctly." he remarked drily.

Griffin chimed in, his voice cold. "It’s not Violet that’s driving us apart, Elsie. It’s your jealousy and toxic attitude."

Elsie’s face contorted with rage, stunned that they would speak to her that way. Especially Roman of all people. Fine, they would sort this out later.

She turned her attention back on Jameson. "A competent principal would already know what to do by now," she said coldly, implying Violet’s expulsion.

The corners of Jameson’s mouth set in a grim line. "Oh, so you want my job now?" she challenged.

Elsie sniffed. "God, no. I’d never stoop to such a lowly position. But come to think of it, maybe it’s time for a new principal. Perhaps a werewolf this time who understands our ways. After all, how can a human possibly run a werewolf institution?"

The room fell deathly silent. Jeremiah’s voice cut through the silence like a knife. "Damn. You’re one cold bitch."

Jameson didn’t react to the curse this time. Her expression had become borderline terrifying

"Get. Out," she said, her voice like steel.

Elsie rolled her eyes, "Gladly." She rose with all the grace of a queen, and strutted toward the door.

The alphas took that as their cue. But before any of them could follow, Jameson’s voice stopped them briefly.

"I don’t care how you do it, but I want unity back in my school. This is your only warning. Now go."