Princess was in Class 11B when she saw Faye passing through the hallway and entering Class 11A. She had been staring out the square glass window of the door, her fingers tapping a slow rhythm against her desk.

Faye’s class hadn’t been decided yet, so they had placed her in a random class, which happened to be A. The sight of her girlfriend’s slumped shoulders made Princess tighten her grip on her pen, her eyes tracking the brown hair until Faye disappeared inside the room next door.

The two girls hadn’t seen each other since that morning when they arrived at school.

The teacher wasn’t done with the class, so Princess had to wait before going to meet her because she had seen Faye’s face, and Faye was clearly not in a happy mood. The instructor was still droning on about European history, drawing lines across the board that Princess wasn’t even pretending to note down anymore.

Kiara also happened to be in the same class as Princess, while Beam and Malo were in Class A. Kiara was sitting two rows ahead, her long hair perfectly straight as she scrolled through her phone behind a massive textbook, totally ignoring the lecture.

After class was over, Princess packed her school bag. She shoved her notebooks inside the black canvas bag, zipping it up with a quick, sharp tug. In 6 minutes, she had another class, her private class.

But first, she went to meet her girlfriend and ask about the long face. She walked out into the crowded corridor, navigating through the sea of shouting students until she reached the entrance of Class 11A.

"Hey, are you alright?" Princess asked as she sat beside Faye. She slid into the empty chair next to her desk, her voice dropping into a soft, concerned whisper.

The moment Faye saw her girlfriend, she immediately rested her head on Princess’s shoulder. She let out a long, exhausted breath, her body going completely limp against the familiar warmth of the Alpha.

"I don’t like school... it sucks," Faye muttered. Her voice was muffled against the fabric of Princess’s jacket, her fingers picking loosely at the edge of her desk.

Princess gently lifted Faye’s head from her shoulder. She placed a hand under Faye’s chin, tilting her face up so she could look directly into her eyes.

"What happened? I heard your name earlier," Princess said.

"It turns out that I’m not qualified to be in this class because I didn’t write the exams," Faye said. She slumped back against her chair, a massive scowl taking over her face.

"Oh, I heard about that. But there’s an exam for that, right?" Princess asked, trying to find a positive angle to fix the issue.

"Yeah. Like 18 fucking papers."

"Hey, there are some new changes to the school, and one of them is no foul language," Princess said. She checked the hallway through the open door, making sure none of the hall monitors were lurking nearby with their little infraction pads.

"I know. I was given detention for that. Is leaning on my partner’s shoulder part of it too?" Faye muttered, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Princess.

"Yes. No acts of intimacy within the school premises." Princess explained softly, her hands resting flat on her own knees to keep herself from reaching out to hold Faye’s hand.

"Leaning on someone because you’re trying to find comfort is not an act of intimacy." Faye grumbled, rolling her eyes toward the ceiling in absolute disbelief.

"There are a lot of rules now. You’re not aware of them because you weren’t present during orientation. You can ask your friends; they’ll tell you everything. But as long as we’re inside the school, we can’t hug, kiss, or do anything that might be considered inappropriate. I hope you understand," Princess muttered. She gave a small, helpless shrug, her jaw tightening at how ridiculous the new administration was being.

Then she opened her mouth again to speak.

"I wish I could, but I’m not the school president anymore. Even if I was, I wouldn’t be able to change it because the principal has absolute control. Neither Beam nor I can change it. But I’ll find a way if you need my help," Princess said. Her wolf inside was practically roaring to smash the principal’s desk, but she forced herself to keep her voice perfectly level.

"No, don’t worry. I’ll find a way to handle it. Just don’t do anything," Faye replied. She pulled her book closer to her chest, her jaw setting into that familiar, stubborn line that meant she was locking everyone out.

Princess checked her digital watch. The small screen flashed with the remaining time, showing that she only had 2 minutes before the late bell rang. She had to go to her next class.

"I have to go, Faye. I wish I could kiss you, but that’ll have to wait until after school, okay? Bye." Princess stood up from the chair, gave a small wave, and walked out of the classroom toward her private class. She moved quickly down the turning corridors, her shoes clicking sharply against the tiles.

The moment she entered the classroom, the teacher was already waiting for her. The private room was completely quiet as always, a heavy desk sitting right in the center under the bright white fluorescent lights.

The teacher was more of a therapist who helped Princess with her mental health and happened to be the one who prescribed her medications. She knew every single detail of Princess’s emotional triggers, tracking her pulse and stability for years.

For almost three years, the teacher had been abroad, so their sessions had been virtual. Princess had never missed a class. Whether at home or at school, she always attended with her tablet whenever it was time.

But when Faye was kidnapped earlier that year, Princess stopped attending, putting all her attention on her girlfriend and their unborn pups. She had completely ghosted the digital meetings, refusing to leave Faye’s hospital bedside for even an hour.

Today, however, she had to resume because of the new school rules: no one was allowed to miss a class. That wasn’t the only reason. The teacher was also back in town.

"You’re late, Alpha Princess," Dr. Silviana Kings said the moment Princess settled into her chair.

There was a large screen on the wall, and in front of it stood the woman. She was adjusting the cuffs of her blazer, her glasses catching the glare of the room lights.

"I-I had something to do," Princess said, pulling her tablet out of her bag. Her voice hitched slightly, her usual Alpha confidence wavering under the woman’s heavy, freezing stare.

"I arranged for the four little Alphas to have proper care and their own classroom so you and your partner wouldn’t be distracted during school hours. I don’t see what else you needed to do. Your last class ended ten minutes ago, and it only takes five minutes to get here. Why?" Silviana questioned, her tone completely dry and demanding.

"I saw Faye was in a bad mood, and I wanted to talk to her. That’s all," Princess said. She lowered her eyes to her tablet screen, her fingers gripping the edges of the case.

"Faye is a grown woman. She is a mother now, and she can take care of herself."

"But I also want to take care of her." Princess muttered, her jaw clenching as she tried to defend her bond.

Silviana walked over to Princess’s desk and placed a hand on it.

"Look at me, Alpha Princess," she said in a low tone.

Princess looked up at her teacher. Her eyes met the cold yellow ones behind the spectacles, her chest tightening with a sudden wave of anxiety.

"Faye doesn’t need your care. You have asked her multiple times if she needed your help. What was her answer?"

Princess paused, remembering all the times Faye had rejected her assistance. Just on Saturday, Princess had offered to handle Bambi after hearing Faye complain about her, but Faye had refused. Minutes earlier, she had done the same thing, pushing Princess’s help away regarding the strict study schedule.

"Sometimes she says she can handle it," Princess muttered. Her shoulders dropped slightly, the harsh truth settling heavily into her stomach.

"You see, that’s the issue with being a Moon Wolf. They don’t need an Alpha by their side." Silviana stated coldly, her voice echoing off the empty walls of the classroom.

She let the words settle in Princess’s mind. She turned away, walking back toward the large monitor with a slow, deliberate pace that felt like a victory lap.

"That’s why you’ll never truly be needed."