Chapter 10

Serena’s POV

I got to the council office ten minutes earlier on purpose. The hallways were still quiet, most of the students either just arriving or lurking around their lockers.

I pushed the heavy door open, expecting an empty room and a head start before the other council members arrive.

But they were already here. Well, all except for Nathaniel.

Do these motherfuckers live here or what?

Ryan sat with his legs draped on the long table like he owned it. Sofia had her legs crossed, phone face-down in front of her, chewing her gum with a bored expression. Megan leaned back in her chair with a thin smile she wore whenever she thought she had the upper hand.

That made my brows furrow.

Tyler, on the other hand, stood near the window with his arms folded, looking like he would rather be anywhere else but here.

I groaned as I walked to my seat. “Good morning. Do you not have homes?”

Ryan chuckled. “Funny… you’re late to your own victory, McAllistair.”

“I’m early! If you keep pushing back on the agreed time, we might as well just have our meeting at midnight— wait can you repeat that?”

Sofia gestured at a single sheet of paper in the center of the table. “Your policy passed. Five to none. We took the vote twenty minutes ago. We didn't think it was necessary to wait for you since it was your proposal after all.”

That tickled my brain. I threw Sofia a false sweet smile. “Hmm… I don't know… maybe showing an ounce of respect for your president might have been a reason?” My voice dripped with sarcasm.

Sofia didn't back down. “Don’t get too cocky. We only voted because Nate approved.”

“Crazy way to call yourself a dickrider.”

I saw a vein pop in her forehead. Ryan actually snorted.

I take my seat very princessly while my inner goddess twerked and did a split.

As much as I wanted to be angry that they had voted on MY proposal without ME in the room, on purpose, the fact outweighed their malice. My proposal passed. I won. My first real win as president.

They could stay mad for all I cared.

“It’s in the official record?”

“Signed and filed…” Ryan said. “The Principal will get her copy once she arrives. Congratulations.”

“Thank you…” I said, and I actually meant it, even though none of them ever made anything easy for me.

Then I settled back in, resisting the urge to jump and scream. My chest bubbled up with giddy excitement. Katie wasn't in school yet. I would have crash landed on her the moment I saw her.

So I just sat there, soaking up my small victory.

Is this what fulfillment feels like? I could definitely get drunk on this.

For a few seconds the office felt less hostile than usual. And I swore i would have a good day.

Then Tyler’s voice cut through my brief reverie. “You should read the final version before you celebrate too hard.”

I sighed and brought out my glasses. I picked the paper up, and skimmed through it with focus. All I had written was still there— the clear reporting lines, the confidentiality rules, the structure of the union.

But then I reached the last paragraph and my face fell. This… wasn't mine.

Oversight Committee Amendment: To guarantee institutional accountability and prevent the formation of isolated secondary-gender blocs, the Omega Support Union shall include four assigned Alpha representatives appointed by the student council. The same rule shall apply for the Alpha Support Union.

These members will hold seats on the steering group, review all quarterly reports, and possess equal voting rights on structural and funding decisions.

“Who added this?” I snapped.

The room snickered.

Tyler glanced back at me, giving me a sheepish grin. “Storm. He submitted the revisions today. He said pure Omega spaces would get overlooked by the school administration. His small… oversight gives the union formal weight and keeps the funding from disappearing before your term is even over. The rest of us agreed it made the policy stronger on paper.”

Ryan’s smile widened a fraction. “Balance, McAllistair. You’ve been preaching inclusivity since the first day you sat on that chair. Now you have it built in. Congratulations.” He clapped, a mocking sound.

The rest laughed.

I was struck speechless.

“Oh… you poor thing.” Sofia cooed with her venomous tongue. “This actually benefits you, you know… Both unions gets equal funding and MIGHT actually not be a complete failure since you have the heir of a top legacy family backing you now.”

“What a pioneer you are.” Megan added, cackling.

I read the clause again. And again.

Free autonomy. Equal voting rights as other committee members. Counselling and Educational responsibilities??

Huh?

What is this shit?

The same people who had spent years treating Omega complaints as overreactions or causing them would now help decide what counted as a real problem and what got set aside?

None of that sat right with me.

“This ruins my proposal. The whole point of the union is to create a protective space for both secondary genders. Omegas won’t show up if they see Alphas on the committee. They need a place that feels like theirs first. Real inclusivity can come later, once people trust the door enough to walk through it. Right now this just hands the old structure another seat at the table. Everything will fail before the first meeting.”

Ryan only shrugged. “Then convince them to show up anyway. You are their president. Isn't it your job to unite all of us?”

I swallowed tightly, my throat knocking my jaw. The first win of my presidency now carried a hole right through the middle of it.

They hadn’t blocked the policy, no. They had simply made sure it arrived with a built-in reason for Omegas to stay away.

And they had done it without me in the room so I couldn’t argue before the ink dried.

I folded the paper hard enough for it to crease. “Where is Storm?”

Ryan tapped on his phone like the question bored him. “He said he was going to the garden. He didn't want to hear ‘whatever you had to say...’”

I didn’t wait to hear anymore. I stormed out of the office, the proposal still clenched in my fist.

The slight of the vote taken without me now stung, even while my anger over the amended clause burning hotter.

Nathaniel Storm had fucked with me.

And he was going to hear all I had to say.

EVERY. GODDAMNED. WORD.

I would drag his ears open if I needed to.