“They didn’t,”
he said sharply, cutting her off. “I had to find out from a student.”
“I’m so sorry, Alpha…”
“If it were to be run by me, I’d express my concerns about having my campus graffitied.”
“It’s not graffiti,”
I found myself saying quickly. “It’s a mural for students. It’ll give the campus more life and color.”
“It’s a school; it doesn’t need life or color,”
he said through his teeth.
“It’s a school that most of us live in,”
I said in return, narrowing my eyes at him. “The students are lacking in motivation and 60% of it is because of the environment they work in.”
“And graffiti is going to change that?”
He asked, raising his brows.
“It’ll help,”
I said, not bothering him to correct him again. “The colors will make it livelier, and the students will feel seen.”
“Alpha, the mural is going to be a bunch of pictures that the students submit to the art department that will—”
“I’m aware of what this project is, Miss Prescott. No thanks to you and the board that I pay,”
Alpha Jonathan sneered, making her flinch and silence. He then turned to me, narrowing his eyes at me. “I’ll tell you what. You win this election, and you can continue with this project. If my daughter wins then this project is being thrown out. Until then, it’s on hold. End of story.”
Lila’s POV
The finality of his tone made me realize that there was no point in arguing with him any further. His point was made, and his decision was final. I stayed silent, feeling all sorts of defeated while Tiffany Prescott bowed her head to him and apologized for the hundredth time.
I felt small and I wanted to sink into the seat and disappear.
“With that being said, I’d like to be more involved in this school. I do own it after all, and I believe that’s only fair. Don’t you think, Miss Prescott?”
Alpha Jonathan asked her, much to her surprise.
She nodded quickly.
“Of course, Alpha,”
she said, trying hard not to look at me knowing how upset I was about this mural project.
“Great, I’m going to be building a house of my own here. That way I’ll have a place to live whenever I’m on campus,”
he continued to say making my heart weigh heavily in my chest. I didn’t like where this was going. “I was planning on doing some renovations around campus and I’m thinking about opening a coffee shop near the cafeteria. Just a small café that’ll be run by students.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, Alpha,”
Headmaster Prescott agreed.
“Which is why I wanted my daughter here; Sarah, get in here,”
he ordered without even looking at the doorway.
I heard Sarah’s slow and uncertain movements as she stood from her seat and made her way into the office. She didn’t bother looking at me, but she did glance up at her father with worry clear in her eyes.
“I’ve already discussed this previously with her,”
Alpha Jonathan continued. “But now I’m formally putting Sarah in charge of this Café. Of course, I still own it. But it will be her responsibility.”
Headmaster Prescott looked at Sarah with a questioning look in her eyes.
“Is that something you want to do?”
She asked Sarah.
Sarah looked at her like she wanted to protest; she opened her mouth, but one look at her father and she closed her mouth, giving a small nod.
“I’ve already connected with contractors, and they will be here first thing in the morning to take measurements,”
Alpha Jonathan continued.
“That sounds wonderful, Alpha,”
Headmaster Prescott said, giving a very obviously forced smile in return. She then looked at me, and her smile softened. “How about you get to class before you are late? I’m sorry I couldn’t be much help to you, Lila. But I’m sure you can understand why your request isn’t plausible.”
I nodded, though I didn’t like it. But I really just wanted to get out of there.
“Thank you for your time,”
I managed to say as I stood to my feet.
“What request would that be?”
Alpha Jonathan asked before I could walk away.
“We have a new student, Kayla, who just transferred from Emmerson. Unfortunately, there aren’t any rooms available for her to live on campus, so she commutes from home,”
Headmaster Prescott explained.
“A student is commuting?”
Jonathan asked, raising his brows. “What do you mean there’s no room for her? We have plenty of students that don’t have roommates. My daughter included.”
“No one wants to room with her, Dad,”
Sarah muttered, folding her arms across her chest. “She’s a fairy.”
“A fairy you say?”
Alpha Jonathan asked, his eyes widening.
“This school has always welcomed all who would like to learn, including fairies. Though, she is the first fairy we’ve had at this school and the other students have concerns about rooming with her.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Prescott, but when I’m not here, who is in charge here?”
She was taken aback by his question and her face grew red.
“I am…”
“Then why are students allowed to refuse this girl as a roommate?”
Alpha Jonathan asked, tightening his jaw.
“I don’t want to force students to—”
“It seems you just don’t want to do your job,”
he snapped, cutting her off once again. “This is a school, and you are the headmaster. The students don’t get to pick their roommates and we certainly aren’t going to deny a student a bed just because others are a little apprehensive over her. She wouldn’t be allowed at this school if we thought she was unsafe to the other students.”
“I just didn’t want this girl to be uncomfortable—”
“By dis-including her you have already made her uncomfortable,”
Alpha Jonathan snapped.
I hated agreeing with him, but he was kind of right about that.
“You’re right; I wasn’t thinking straight. I’ll connect with some students and—”
“Don’t bother. I already decided on a roommate for her,”
Alpha Jonathan said, turning away from us. Before anyone could say anything more, he continued. “My daughter will be her roommate.”
“What?”
Sarah gasped just as her father reached the doorway.
Without turning around, he said, “You have a suite with an extra bedroom and two bathrooms. You can give up the extra bedroom.”
“I’m using it as my closet,”