"This patient—designated Gray—has been non-verbal since his arrival. During Miss Orlav's heat, he spoke his first complete sentence in months. He asked where she was. He demonstrated concern for her wellbeing." Neal looked around the chamber. "This is not destabilization. This is the most significant improvement we've seen in any feral patient since the program began."
"Improvement triggered by an uncontrolled biological event," Twilson interjected. "An event that could have gone very differently."
"But it didn't." Neal's voice was firm. "The heat completed normally. No one was harmed. And the ferals are measurably better than they were before."
"This time." Twilson's pale eyes narrowed. "What about next time? What happens when Miss Orlav's biology triggers another event? When the ferals she's supposedly 'stabilizing' respond to her pheromones in ways we can't predict?"
"The bonds are complete now," Cole said, standing. "The heat won't recur the same way. The biological imperative has been satisfied."
"And we're supposed to take your word for that?" Twilson's smile was cold. "The word of a man so compromised by his connection to Miss Orlav that he broke a dangerous feral out of containment to bring to her bed?"
"I brought Stone to her because she needed him." Cole's voice was hard. "Because the heat wouldn't break without all her mates present. Because leaving him behind would have caused more harm than including him."
"You made that decision unilaterally. Without consulting security protocols. Without informing the council." Twilson spread his hands. "This is exactly the kind of compromised judgment I'm talking about. Miss Orlav's influence extends to everyone around her. It clouds their thinking. Makes them prioritize her needs over institutional safety."
"That's not influence—that's pack." James was on his feet now, his whole body vibrating with anger. "That's what mates do. They take care of each other."
"At the expense of everyone else?"
"No one was harmed—"
"This time!" Twilson's voice rose, finally cracking his smooth facade. "But what about next time? And the time after that? How many risks do we take before something goes catastrophically wrong?"
"The data shows—" Neal started.
"The data shows what you want it to show." Twilson cut him off. "You're bonded to her. All of you. Your judgment is compromised. Your objectivity is gone. You'll say anything to protect her."
"And you'll say anything to destroy her." Tomlinson's voice cut through the chaos.
The room went quiet.
The professor stood slowly, deliberately. He'd been silent throughout the proceedings, watching with those sharp eyes that missed nothing. Now he stepped into the center of the room, positioning himself between Twilson and the rest of us.
"You've presented a compelling case, Headmaster. Lots of scary footage. Alarming statistics. Dire warnings about what could happen." He tilted his head. "But you've left out one crucial detail."
"And what's that?"
"Why you're really here."
Twilson's expression flickered. "I'm here because the safety of Frosthaven Academy—"
"You're here because you're afraid." Tomlinson's voice was calm. Almost pleasant. "Not of what Miss Orlav might do—of what she already is. Of what her existence means for the council's carefully maintained order."
"That's absurd—"
"Is it?" Tomlinson turned to address the chamber. "The Headmaster has focused entirely on risk and danger. But he hasn't mentioned the potential benefits of having an Omega at Frosthaven. The first confirmed Omega in three decades. A wolf who can calm ferals, stabilize broken bonds, anchor entire packs."
"Alleged abilities—"
"Documented abilities. Dr. Neal's data is quite thorough." Tomlinson gestured at the screen, where Neal's charts still glowed. "The question isn't whether Miss Orlav's abilities are real. The question is why the Headmaster is so determined to frame them as threats instead of assets."
Twilson's composure cracked further. "Because Omegas are dangerous. History has shown—History has shown that Omegas were eliminated!"
The word landed like a bomb.
Twilson froze.
"That's an interesting choice of words," Tomlinson continued softly. "Eliminated. Not 'died out.' Not 'disappeared.' Eliminated."
