Page 60 of For What It's Worth

“Do you care to tell me what went through your mind when you bonded with a student?”

“Respectfully, Chancellor Kelly,” Aidan said, pulling the Chancellor’s attention. “We don’t need to justify to you, or anyone, who we decide to bond. Our pack is our private matter.”

“This alpha is a professor who marked not only a student at this academy but one of his own students. Respectfully,” Chancellor Kelly said tauntingly, “how should I handle this situation?”

“There’s nothing to handle,” Aidan said, shrugging.

Kelly snorted, obviously displeased and amused by Aidan’s answer. “And that’s why you were not fit to be Chancellor. Tough decisions need to be made, and you’re ill-equipped to make them. This whole situation is unprecedented.”

Aidan didn’t seem bothered by Kelly’s words and actually ignored the attack on his character to defend our relationship. “It’s not against any of the academy’s bylaws.”

“Because no one needed to state an alpha and beta at this academy shouldn’t bond.”

“If you’re worried I will give special treatment to Koda’s grades, then we can have another professor review and grade her work,” Jenson suggested. “I have plenty of friends in the faculty that would be willing to grade a single additional assignment.”

“And what? Your relationship with a beta should simply be allowed to stand?” Kelly demanded. “Do you not worry about the toxic environment you have created for a bonded beta? Think of how the other students will treat her.”

“Are you incapable of protecting your students?” Enzo asked, his voice threatening.

“Of course, we will do our best,” Kelly said. His eyes slid toward me for only a moment before he looked back at Enzo. “But the students on campus are plentiful and outnumber the staff considerably. We won’t be able to protect her fully.”

Jen’s grip on my hand tightened.

I squeezed his hand back, reminding him I was okay, that I still wanted this. Potential threats were not going to stop me after years of hard work.

“Her other mates are willing to guard her during her other classes for the time being.”

“And if she is threatened?” Kelly demanded. “Who is going to protect the other students from her mates?”

No one spoke, having nothing to add to Kelly’s comment. I didn’t think adding that if a bully targeted me, he or she would receive whatever they deserved as a punishment from my alphas because I didn’t think that would’ve been helpful. Though it was true.

It was Enzo that finally broke the silence. “You are basing all the scenarios as worst case. The students might be more curious than aggressive about Koda’s relationship. Do not let your own opinions cloud your judgement on an innocent student.”

Chancellor Kelly growled, the sound dangerous before he quickly stopped himself. “And what about you?” Chancellor Kelly asked Jenson.

“What about me?”

“Are just going to allow your bonded mate to trapeze about campus? You have responsibilities here, and I will not be permitting you to take a leave of absence since your mate is not an omega.”

I hadn’t considered that alphas were technically allowed a month’s leave after bonding with their omegas. It wasn’t technically a law, but most work environments found it necessary since alphas separated from their newly bonded omegas were typically aggressive.

“If you aren’t going to allow it, then there’s nothing more on that topic to discuss.” The words sounded pulled from Jen, like he hated to admit it.

There was another pause before Chancellor Kelly leaned forward on his desk. “Fine. If Professor Jenson can find a faculty member to grade Koda’s work, without the additional pay that comes from another student, and the majority of the other students do not protest, she can remain at the academy.”

All the air seemed to rush from my lungs, making my next breath full, clean and filled with happiness. I smiled at Jen first and then Aidan and Enzo, content with the outcome. I hadn’t been aware my position at the academy was already kicked out, but I’d been reinstated so I tried not to think too much about it. Because this was actually going to work. I was going to get my alphas and my degree.

I missed the last part of whatever Chancellor Kelly said, but considering he hasn’t spoken to me at all during this meeting, I didn’t really care. Maybe I should’ve been more assertive, but I didn’t want to draw any more attention to myself than was necessary. I simply wanted to fly under the radar, and if that meant letting my alphas fight on my behalf, I was all for sitting still and looking pretty.

My alphas moved to leave, and I stood with them, but when I stopped to toss my empty coffee cup away, I couldn’t help but look back at the chancellor. I didn’t see the disgust I’d expected when I met Chancellor Kelly’s eyes. It was there when he looked at my alphas, but when his eyes meet mine, there was a softness to them. Maybe he felt bad for the action he took against me, or he thought the same as Knox—that as soon as my alphas tired of a beta I would be tossed out.

It was harder than I thought to push away the concern following that train of thought. I wasn’t really a beta, but I wasn’t really an omega either. Would my alphas tire of dealing with a broken omega? Or maybe become too frustrated with dealing with the students here? Was I even strong enough to deal with a broken heart from Jen—let alone all three alphas?

No. That was an easy answer. I wasn’t that strong.

“Stop worrying,” Jen said, wrapping me up in a tight hug when we got outside Kelly’s office building. His scent calmed me more than his words, so I got up to my tip toes, wrapping my arms around his neck to pull him down, taking deep breathes. “Kelly tried to scare us with what he assumed were logical question we hadn’t considered, so we should take the whole encounter as a win.”

The negative voice in the back of my head that had been warning me my alphas would tire of me was quickly drowned out with each inhale of Jen’s calming scent and his soothing words. Typically, Enzo’s scent had a drug-like feeling to best combat my emotions, but being able to scent the confidence coming from Jen was calming in its own right.

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