That was the moment Hunter finally let go of me and backed away in thought.

“If anyone can kick the DeLoughreys out, it’s her,” Cody added.

I really appreciated how much Cody always supported me in everything.

“You guys should still get nominated.” I looked back up at my brother, who hadn’t said much about my plan until now. “You, Nash. You’re popular.”

And suddenly, I had an idea.

The guys started arguing.

I wheeled around and started walking.

“Where are you going, Emy?” I heard Nash call out.

“To see Alarik.”

Alarik shook his head, and disappointment instantly spread through me.

“No way.”

“But you make the rules here,” I returned impatiently. “And it would only be fair if we had a voice at this university. This place belongs to us.” I pointed outside through the huge window next to his desk. “It’s the last thing our family still owns.”

At least when it came to real estate, and you left out the Pavati Lake housing project and the hospital.

“I won’t support any sort of hatemongering,” Alarik replied sharply. His look was filled with...disappointment? “It’s time you learn to coexist with the other species.” Shaking his head, he turned back to his papers. “I found it alarming enough that you transformed in front of the Quatura and attacked one of them.”

I crossed my arms in indignation.

“That was Vivienna. Everyone hates that girl.”

My uncle sighed, lowered his quill and looked at his open laptop.

“Apparently, just as many people like her because she’s already been nominated with 40 votes.”

I widened my eyes.

“What?”

It had only been half an hour since Alarik had announced the elections, which would take place in early spring...

Of course, that arrogant little witch had already let herself be nominated. I didn’t even want to know what her intentions were.

I would wait until November... I probably needed the time to find someone who was willing to vote for me.

“By the way, I’m glad you want to join the campaign.” I thought I could see the hint of a smile on Alarik’s lips. “Here you can show the potential that’s drowning at home.”

I stared at him. It was all I was capable of.

“Alarik.”

I wheeled around and spotted my father in the doorway. He looked at me, but only for a split second before he looked back at Alarik. And he didn’t look happy at all.

I wonder if he had heard what Alarik had just said, or if it was still the news that was driving him up the wall.

“A word,” he demanded, looking at me again. “Emely, if you’ll excuse us.”

The formality in his voice left a tug in my chest. But before it could become more than that, I nodded.

“Of course...”

I left the office and closed the door behind me.

This time, just go down the hall and let Father and Alarik talk.

I really wanted to, but my father’s angry voice made invisible chains grow around my feet like tendrils, forcing me to look around and then put my ear to the cold wood of the solid office door.

“Do you realize who you’ve let into our university? These young men are murderers!”

I was aware of who Father was talking about. There was only one family in town he would call murderers.

“I doubt that any of these three young men are responsible for the murder in Fogs Forest,” Alarik replied in a calm voice.

The only reason Father hadn’t yet taken the Director title from his younger brother was because Alarik was the only Senseque in the pack worthy of leading a university. And he was a Beta.

“Think, brother!” Father pressed out impatiently. “The timing of their clan leader sending them here right now...”

“Bastien sent them,” my uncle replied immediately. “From what I understand, the clan leader himself was less than enthusiastic about it.”

Silence. I knew Father was struggling with himself.

“I don’t like the fact that you know these criminals by name.”

Alarik sighed. “I assure you I have nothing to do with them, yet we cannot simply exclude students. This institution is public. And having them here might help you keep the peace.”

I almost snorted in annoyance.

Alarik really was living in fairyland if he believed that.

“Don’t be a fool, Alarik!” Father snapped at him. “Even if I wanted peace, Nicolaj DeLoughrey doesn’t.”

Nicolaj. The clan head about whom dark stories circulated in the pack.

“He wants me dead; he wants my sons dead, and he intends to see the pack bleed... He can’t wait to wipe us out!” I heard Father pacing nervously. “And he proved that by almost completely wiping out our line before the witches’ treaties.”

I wondered where we would be without those treaties. If one species would have wiped out the other by now?

“Now, we have the treaties, which, mind you, have kept peace between the species for two centuries.”