They laughed harder.A couple of them whispered my name with fake concern, others mimicked the way I stood, like I was some circus act. Ava’s snort cut through the chaos like a blade, and of course—of course—she stood up, all smooth grace and smug confidence.“The Alpha bond is the final element of legitimacy,” she said, like she was reciting from the godsdamned textbook. “A wolf without a mate cannot ascend the Alpha throne. Without that sacred bond, the leadership is considered unstable, unfulfilled, and vulnerable to challenge. That’s why tradition insists the Alpha be mated before coronation.”A beat of silence.Then applause.Actual applause.I wanted to sink into the floor.“Very good, Ava,” the teacher said, smiling like she’d just solved world hunger. “Thank you.”She gave a slight bow before sitting back down, shooting me a quick smirk over her shoulder. Victory, sealed.I sat back down slowly, resisting the urge to facepalm so hard I knocked myself out. Stupid. I hadn’t hear
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