"Professor Mcloughlin laughed in our faces," Sean adds helpfully. "And Professor Clarke pretended not to know who we were, even though Killian sits in the front row of his class."
"He also pretended he didn't speak English, which is especially egregious, considering he's the English Professor," Rowan says with a weary sigh.
Perfect. Absolutelyperfect.
I take a deep breath, forcing myself to think past the frustration. There has to be a solution here. Someone who might be willing to help, even knowing the pack's reputation.
The answer comes to me immediately, and I already know how the wolves are going to react.
"I have an idea," I say slowly.
All three of them look at me with almost all wariness and the slightest hint of hope.
"Villeneuve."
The hope dies a quick, ugly death.
"No," Micah says immediately.
"Absolutely not," Rowan agrees.
"Have you totally lost your mind?" Sean demands. "Killian will combust. And not in a silly way. He will go nuclear."
"Villeneuve helped with the ritual," I point out. "He was present for the bonding. He's already involved."
"Being present for a ritual and taking legal responsibility for our entire pack are very different things," Rowan counters.
"And he's scary as fuck," Sean adds. "We still don't know what he is and my money is a demon in a nice suit."
"He'snota demon."
"How do you know?"
"Because demons don't teach Ancient History and Occult Studies."
"That soundsexactlylike the kind of shit a demon would teach," Sean argues.
I resist the urge to rub my temples again, because demons physically cannot teach Occult Studies. As in, it's literally impossible. But I don't have the mental bandwidth to infodump onwhy.
Their distress flickers through our fresh bond at the suggestion. It's not just competitive alpha posturing. They're genuinely worried about having him more involved in our lives. Especially around me. Like dragons with a treasure.
But I'm also practical. And right now, Villeneuve might be our only option.
"Do you have a better idea?" I ask pointedly. "Someone else on the faculty who might actually say yes?"
Silence.
"Right," I mumble.
"We'll find someone," Rowan says finally. "We'll ask around. There has to be somebody willing to help."
"Professor Styles seems to like Killian," Micah offers. "Maybe she'd?—"
"She's the one whose lectures he keeps skipping out on," I remind him.
More silence.
"We'll figure it out," Sean says, scratching his head. Oh, he'snervous. There goes all his usual confidence. "We've got a week, right? That's plenty of time."
