h4Chapter 123: The Sponsors./h4

    Ang swallowed hard and kept her eyes down. She had been inside her old principal’s office countless times and never once felt nervous, but with Principal Valois it was different. Her chest beat so hard she feared if she opened her mouth her heart woulde out with her words.

    The principal looked as calm as ever. She wore her usual ck suit and white shirt, neat and striking, and still beautiful enough to make anyone look at her twice. Ang could not help but wonder if it was those curves that had once caught Renn’s eyes. She did not want to think about it, yet her thoughts betrayed her.

    Whatever was between Renn and Valois was long before she came to the Academy, but her heart still twisted when she thought of them. How did Renn ever fall for her, and how did it end so badly that he carried so much hate, yet at the same time trusted her in ways she could not understand? The pain in her chest grew heavier as the questions circled her mind. Here she was, sitting in front of her mate’s ex-lover. Nothing about it felt right.

    "How are you doing, Ang?" Principal Valois smiled as she opened the file in front of her.

    "I am better each day," Ang answered softly, shifting forward on the seat as if she needed support.

    "Has anyone found out who you really are? Especially the Alphas?"

    "No, but Renn is a little suspicious," Ang replied, her words chosen carefully just to see the woman’s reaction. She caught it at once—the faint flinch when Renn’s name was spoken. Quickly, the principal’s eyes dropped to the file as though she had to study something important. Ang continued, "It was just a short moment where he doubted me. His attention moved when he saw a blonde girl from the Luna school."

    The principal’s lips tightened, her eyes betraying what she tried to hide. She forced a smile and said, "That is men for you. They are animals. You need to be careful when dealing with them. You should not be caught in any rtionship here at the Academy. It will only harm you. Avoid them."

    "I thought about that," Ang whispered, her fingers twisting against each other. The thought of leaving Kaito’s room tore at her, but Taros had made his point that morning. If she stayed, the bond between the brothers would only break more. "Can I change my room?"

    "Why?"

    Ang froze. That was the very question she could not answer. She had no excuse that would sound true, not without exposing herself. Her head searched desperately for a reason, but her mind betrayed her with silence.

    "Is Kaito troubling you?" Principal Valois asked, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward.

    "Yes, that is why I need to change my room," Ang lied, her throat tightening as the words left her mouth. If Kaito ever heard that she used him of troubling her, he would be furious, but she had no choice. She was only doing this so there could be peace between him and his brothers.

    "I will speak to him. He will behave," Principal Valois said firmly.

    "No," Ang cried quickly, her heart beating faster in panic. Kaito must not know about this conversation or that she was nning to move out. "Please, can I change the room without him knowing? I am still a girl and it feels ufortable sometimes. You know the heat ising."

    Principal Valois chuckled and shook her head with a mocking smile. "What did you think would happen when you left the Luna Girls Academy to live among Alphas? Did you expect that a room would be reserved for you like you are a princess?"

    "No, that is not what I am saying," Ang replied, shocked at how the woman twisted her words. Was she doing it on purpose? "I only asked if my room could be changed. It would mean a lot to me."

    "I am sorry to tell you, Ang, but after what happened in the Central house, where you were the center of it all, there are no free rooms," the principal said with a pointed look. "Many students were already moved around to fill the spaces. The only option left is the staff quarters, if you want that."

    "What?" Ang frowned and shook her head. What would she even do in the staff quarters? If she moved there, the Alphas woulde looking for her, and the staff would begin to suspect who she really was.

    "You have no choice. And even if you did, only Kaito can decide whether you stay or leave. I do not control the Alphas," Principal Valois said, leaning back in her chair with her eyes still fixed on Ang. "You should not be afraid. I know Kaito very well. He can be annoying but he is a good boy. He will not harm you."

    Ang blinked in surprise at the woman’s words. Did she just defend Kaito? She was right though. Kaito would never hurt her without her consent. In fact, even with her consent, he had refused to take her fully.

    But now things were different. It would be unfair to her other three mates if she stayed in his room. If the authorities would not help her, she would have to find another way to move out on her own.

    "If you say so, Principal Valois," Ang said quietly as she rose from her seat, ready to leave.

    "Did I tell you to go?" Principal Valois asked, her brows knitting together as her sharp eyes studied the girl standing before her.

    "I... I thought..." Ang stammered.

    "I sent for you, Ang. You came here, poured out your problems, and now you want to walk away?"

    "I am sorry, Principal Valois. I forgot," Ang said quickly as she sank back into her chair. She had been thinking too much and her mind wandered off, making her forget why she had been called in the first ce. "I am really sorry."

    The principal gave a small nod before speaking. "The sponsors of your schrship program are here. They want to meet you."

    Ang’s eyes widened. "Really?"

    "Yes." Principal Valois stood and reached for one of the green files on her desk. "Let us go. They are waiting for you."

    "Me?" Ang asked, surprised that she was the one they wanted to see. There were many other students under the same program, so why only her?

    "Yes, you," Principal Valois replied as she walked to the door and pulled it open.

    Ang rose slowly from her seat and followed. She did not like the thought of meeting strangers she had never seen before. Something about it made her uneasy, but Valois would be with her, so she tried to keep her nerves steady. Renn once said the principal was someone he could trust, someone dependable. But what if Renn was wrong?

    They went down the stairs together, their steps echoing along the wide corridor. Ang’s eyes drifted to the ssrooms below, but then something else caught her attention. Parked in front of the Academy was a ck van. Two men stood by it, both dressed in ck, their posture too stiff and too sharp to be ordinary. A shiver of cold ran down her spine, her stomach twisting as fear crawled over her skin. Who were they?

    The door to the conference room opened and Principal Valois stepped inside first. Ang followed behind her, her heart thudding. The room was filled with almost twelve people, seven men and five women, all dressed in ck. The moment she stepped in, they rose to their feet in unison, their eyes fixed on her.

    The man standing in the middle, who seemed to be their leader, turned to Valois and spoke in a firm voice. "Is this the student?"