"Standard procedure for packs on academic probation." Ms. Morgan's lips thin into something that might be a smile but looks more like a paper cut. "Given Lupe Tau's... colorfulhistory, I imagine finding a willing faculty member may prove challenging."
She doesn't wait for a response, just turns and walks out the front door, closing it behind her.
The silence that follows feels suffocating.
I turn slowly to face the three wolves behind me. Sean has gone pale under his tan. Rowan's expression is blank. Micah is staring at the closed door like it might spontaneously combust.
"A faculty sponsor," I say flatly. "Anyone want to explain why this is the first I'm hearing about this?"
They exchange a look. The kind of look that sayswho's going to tell hermore clearly than actual words.
"It, uh… kind of slipped our minds?" Sean offers weakly.
"Slipped your minds."
"There was a lot going on," Micah adds. "The ritual, the bonding, Kyle and his coven showing up?—"
"A faculty sponsor is a pretty significant detail to forget." I fold my arms across my chest. "What exactly does it involve?"
Rowan clears his throat. "A faculty member has to formally agree to oversee the pack during our probation. Sign off on our activities, take responsibility for any... incidents."
"Incidents like egging the Dean's car?"
"Among other things," he admits.
"And you haven't chosen one yet because...?"
Another exchange of guilty looks.
"Like Morgan said, most faculty aren't exactly eager to take responsibility for a wolf pack," Micah says. "Especially not ours. We've kind of developed a reputation."
"A reputation."
"For being chaotic."
"And destructive."
"Aaaaand occasionally setting things on fire."
"That was like three times tops," Sean protests. "And most of them were accidents."
I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache building behind my eyes.
These idiots.
These absolute lovable disaster-prone idiots.
"So let me get this straight. You've been on academic probation for two semesters. You knew you needed both a Bondedanda faculty sponsor to stay enrolled. And you waited until the last possible moment to secure one, and completely forgot about the other?"
"When you put it like that, it sounds bad," Sean mutters.
"Itisbad." I drop my hand, looking at each of them in turn. "We have one week. One week to file all the paperwork and convince some poor faculty member to take responsibility for..." I gesture at them. "This."
"We'll figure something out," Rowan says, though he doesn't sound convinced.
"Have you even asked anyone?"
"We asked Professor Weeks last semester," Micah says. "She said she'd rather retire early."
