Submitting to My Lycan Prince Mate

45 Royal Academy

I'm a person of action. After deciding to move to Forest Castle, I went to school the next day to handle the leave of absence procedures. Louis initially wanted to accompany me to school. However, he had an event to attend tomorrow, so he could only have Hawk protect my safety along the way and reminded me to be cautious of strangers approaching. While walking on campus, I didn't even notice where Hawk was hiding. I attempted to call him in a low voice. Since it was lunch time, there were students passing by, engaging in occasional conversations. I thought he might not hear, but unexpectedly, he appeared in front of me again like a ghost, hanging upside down from a tree branch above my head. "Hawk!" I shouted his name sharply. But he didn't seem to feel guilty at all. On the contrary, he found my reaction somewhat amusing. "What's wrong? Didn't you call my name?" "But I didn't ask you to appear like this!" I patted my chest, still shaken, feeling like I might have a heart attack at that rate. Hawk smoothly jumped down from the tree, tilted his head to "look" at me for a moment, and his voice suddenly carried a hint of amusement. "You're quite strange," he said with a husky voice that sounded like he had just woken up, his pale pupils resembling dull glass beads, "Even though you're scared, you're not angry. Generally speaking, even if it was Louis, he would get angry if I scared him like that." I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him, anger in my voice, "So you also know that scaring people like this is not okay?" "But it's fun," Hawk showed no sign of remorse, "So, did you call me for something? There's only weaklings around here who couldn't harm a fly." "Because they're all students, thank you," I said to him expressionlessly. I intended to have him just follow me without playing hide-and-seek anymore. But when I noticed the way other students were looking at us, I changed my mind. Hawk's attire was too out of place here. His gray cloak resembled that of a medieval monk, not to mention he was wrapped in bandages from head to toe and was visually impaired. Although I believed that even someone with normal vision—like me—couldn't move as agilely as Hawk, others who didn't understand his abilities probably wouldn't think the same. Hawk could sense people's emotional shifts, and being exposed to public attention might not be a good thing for him. "Sorry," I then said, "I just wanted to confirm if you were with me. Can you go back to that... I mean, the 'invisible' state you were in?" "That's not invisibility. It's just adjusting my breathing, heartbeat, and footsteps to blend perfectly with the surroundings," Hawk corrected me somewhat discontentedly. But he stood there for a few seconds, not knowing if he sensed something or just nodded at me. "If you wish." This time, I widened my eyes in an attempt to figure out how he concealed himself. Regrettably, even as he disappeared from his spot, I still couldn't discern anything. It's like magic, and I marveled in my heart. "Remember to call my name if you encounter danger, Claire." A faint voice echoed in my ears, brushing over my cheeks like a breeze. I turned my head abruptly to look behind me, but there were only two startled students staring at me blankly. When I arrived at the office, my professor of economic law happened to be there as well. He expressed regret about my decision. However, he also said that, due to safety concerns, he understood my choice. "During these two years, I hope you can polish the paper I assigned you," he pushed his glasses up and fixed me with a sharp gaze, "Although you've completed the leave of absence procedures, you will still need to attend my class when you return. If you want to graduate with enough credits, don't forget to fulfill your assignments. You can email me if you have any questions." I initially thought I might not have to write that paper anymore. But now, I could only agree with a despondent nod. After bidding farewell to the professor and other teachers, I left the office with my leave of absence certificate and a series of documents. "Claire!" Olivia and Kyle were standing at the end of the corridor, waving to me. Seeing them, a radiant smile unconsciously spread across my face. I had already informed their family about the news over the phone yesterday. At first, I was a bit apprehensive because I wasn't sure whether they would agree to Prince Louis's suggestion. Although the Werewolf Royal Academy had a strong faculty and ample funding, making it a prestigious and noble institution, I had never heard that they had an exchange student program. I wasn't entirely clear about the internal workings of the academy. For regular werewolves like me, this academy was probably as mysterious as Hogwarts. It was said that everyone in the academy, including both the faculty and students, were essentially heirs from various packs. They were all future Alphas or Lunas. Beta students made up only a small portion, needing to be exceptional and have at least one recommendation letter from a prominent figure to enter the school. With my status, I could have been admitted to this academy. However, my father didn't want to pay exorbitant tuition. It didn't offer scholarships, only a grant system for financially disadvantaged students. Therefore, I ended up choosing my current university and relied on the inheritance my mother left me, along with a partial scholarship, to support my education. Last night, I nervously informed Olivia about this over the phone. Upon learning that she could become an exchange student at the Royal Academy, Olivia's scream nearly pierced my eardrums. "Moon Goddess bless!" She exclaimed excitedly over the phone, "Claire, I absolutely love you! You're my lucky charm!" I couldn't help but laugh, "It's not that exaggerated. So, are you willing to go as an exchange student?" "What are you talking about," Olivia exclaimed in astonishment, "It's the Royal Academy we're talking about! And the prince himself wrote me a recommendation letter! Who wouldn't want to go, Claire?" After a brief pause, she hesitated and asked, "Claire, can Kyle go to school with me? Sorry, I'm not demanding anything from you. I just want to ask." "Of course he can," I reassured her, teasingly adding, "I've known you for so many years. Olivia, do you think I'm unaware of the strong bond between you two?" "Who said we have a good relationship!" Olivia's voice suddenly shot up. I could even imagine her holding her phone with a red face. I was about to console her when I heard a commotion at the other end of the line, accompanied by Olivia shouting, "Give me the phone back!" I was puzzled, and just as I was about to ask, Kyle snatched the phone and said to me, "Claire, are you going to school tomorrow? We'll come find you." His tone was slightly serious. I rarely heard Kyle speak in this manner. Most of the time, he maintained a nonchalant facade, except when it came to matters concerning Olivia. That's also why I ended up bumping into the two of them in the hallway today. We were on our way to Olivia's home together. Due to the exchange student matter, Olivia's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lucchese wanted to talk to me about it. They wished to understand the specific details of this situation. Of course, I understood the concern parents had for their children. I'd say I've always admired their family dynamics, so I was more than happy to visit their home. Mrs. Lucchese had always been kind to me, so before moving, I felt it was appropriate to pay them a visit. In the car, I told them about Hawk. Olivia was clearly astonished. She sat in the backseat, looking around warily, and then in a more relaxed tone, she said, "Come on, Claire, that's impossible. Even if we're werewolves, we can't just disappear in the blink of an eye like that." I glanced at Kyle, who was driving ahead, "Do you also not believe me?" "I'm skeptical," Kyle said, "I know that the royal family has a unique set of training methods for their guards. That Hawk you mentioned might have undergone that kind of training." "We've been discussing him for a while now, why hasn't he appeared in front of us?" Olivia asked in disbelief. "And we're in a speeding car right now! He can't just drop from the sky, can he?" I also found it impossible. But recalling the various miraculous abilities Hawk had displayed in front of me before, I hesitated again. I cleared my throat and once again called out in the enclosed car, "Hawk? Are you still here?" Olivia gave me a look that said she thought I was acting foolishly. I felt a bit silly myself until there were two knocks from above, coming from the sunroof. Kyle swiftly opened the sunroof. To our astonishment, Hawk gracefully jumped into the car from the roof. He sat in the passenger seat, calmly turning to me and asking, "What do you need, Claire?"