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Chapter 119
~Jade’s POV~
I did not stop walking until I was well out of the administrative wing. My mind was completely reeling from Principal Vale’s final words. Ta my mates.
It was a laughable, terrifying concept, considering I was currently holding onto a massive secret that would absolutely unleash their feral sides.
Even then, my steps were quick, sharp, almost desperate as I tried to put as much distance as possible between and that office... and him.
Two weeks. At least.
I tightened my grip around the strap of my bag, my jaw clenching. This was a disaster. No—this was worse than a disaster. This was fate deciding to toy with in the worst possible way.
"Running away already?"
My steps faltered, just for a second. Then I kept walking.
"Ah... there you are, my chaperon."
That smooth, controlled, yet infuriatingly calm voice made freeze.
Javelin imdiately perked up in my mind, swaying at the undeniable, intoxicating sound of our fourth mate’s voice. I forced her down instantly, my hands curling into tight fists at my sides.
I exhaled slowly, forcing my shoulders to stay squared, and smoothened my uniform’s pleated skirt as I continued down the corridor.
"I believe we have a free period now," he continued, his footsteps following unhurriedly behind . "Professor Cassandra is on sick leave, from what I was told."
I turned the corner—a big mistake. Because the mont I did, he moved faster. One second Drake was behind and the next, he stepped right in front of .
I stopped abruptly, my breath catching as I almost walked straight into his solid chest.
"So," Drake tilted his head slightly, his blue eyes locking onto mine with that sa unreadable intensity. "Shall we get to it?"
My fingers curled at my sides. As impossibly handso as he was, he was also breathtaingly annoying.
"Or," he added, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, "do you actually do nothing but run away?"
That did it. Annoyance flared instantly, completely overpowering the confusing, magnetic pull of the mate bond.
Without saying a single word, I shot him a lethal glare and stepped around him, brushing past his shoulder as I continued walking.
"Follow ."
Of course, he did.
I could feel him right behind again. His presence was heavy, noticeable—like the entire corridor had shifted just to accommodate him. And it wasn’t just who noticed.
Students we passed slowed down. So outright stopped. With his towering Alpha fra, razor-sharp jawline, and that dark, entirely unknown aura radiating off him in waves, he commanded the space effortlessly.
The girls whispered rapidly behind their hands, their eyes tracking his broad shoulders, while the guys quickly stepped out of his path, submitting to the heavy dominance he projected without even trying.
Whispers followed us like a trail.
"Who’s that?"
"He’s in the senior class. Saw Principal Vale taking him there and heard her introduce him as..."
"The exchange student," another voice echoed.
"He’s from Lunar Crescent..."
"Isn’t that Jade?"
I ignored all of it. Focused on walking. On breathing. On not reacting to the way my body was far too aware of him being this close.
We turned another corner. And that was when he moved again, faster.
He stepped ahead of and cut off completely. I stopped, irritation flashing in my eyes as I looked up at him.
"What?"
For a second, he just looked at . Then, sothing shifted. The smirk faded. "I apologize."
I blinked. Once, twice, even. That... was not what I expected.
"For earlier," he added, his voice quieter now, though still steady. "If my words ca off wrong."
I stared at him, trying to read him and to figure out if this was so kind of act. But his expression remained calm.
I exhaled slowly, not wanting to dwell on it.
"We should begin the tour," I said instead, keeping my tone neutral. "That’s what I was assigned to do."
Drake paused, his gaze seed to be studying . "Why are you mad at , Jade?"
I stilled. My fingers tightened slightly against my bag. Of course, he would ask that. I looked at him, eting his gaze properly this ti.
"You walk into a place you’ve never been," I said evenly. "Stare at soone like you already know them, and then corner them in a hallway." I tilted my head slightly. "And you’re asking why I’m mad?"
There was a brief silence and although we had a bit of an audience from students around but in that mont, it felt like it was just us.
Drake held my gaze, and slowly he added, "That’s not the reason," he said.
My brows furrowed slightly. "What?"
His eyes did not leave mine. "You’re not mad because of what I did," he continued calmly, stripping away my defences with an intensity that made my breath hitch. "You’re mad because of what you felt when I did it."
My breath hitched. Just for a second. And I hated that he noticed. His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Am I wrong?"
"Perhaps, if we are still talking about your stare that landed in this chaperoning deal, then..."
"No and yes."
I hated to admit that I knew where this was going, but yes, I did.
"I am talking about our kiss when you went shopping. I am talking about our matebond. And though it vexes you, I will not back down in making you accept . So yes. Our kiss."
Even as he said it, his gaze drifted down to my lips, and heaven knew he stole my breath away. Javelin, in fact, swooned.
"What kiss?"
Hearing that, all stupid fantasy quenched in my head instantly. I looked past Drake to see Sylvie leaning against a wall with her hands folded.
"Not any of your business."
"I suppose it is mine, considering he is an exchange student and kissing in school is entirely improper, let alone kissing three of the Professors’ mate."
Drake stilled, his breathing changed instantly as he pulled back from slightly, then straightened.
I was scared he would do or say sothing. Instead, he turned to look at Sylvie, that painfully handso smirk on his face.
"You read too much into things that aren’t. Makes one wonder if the Gamma’s daughter is nothing more than an insipid wallflower. And if so, I wonder what day she’d co out of it."
The look of pure shock on Sylvie’s face was more than I could have asked for.
Pure unadulterated fury.
Not being one to lose, she shot back. "Is that so? Then perhaps informing Professor Xavier that..."
"Oh, co off it already, Sylvie. What is it with you and ? Was causing discomfort at the party not enough or shall I proceed to tell Xavier, Xander and Xade, all my mates that you had a hand in humilating , as well as drugging my drink with your friend Amy and Vera Vega?"
At the ntion of Amy and Vera, her face went pale. I did not bother to stay there entertaining her and actually pulled Drake with .
As soon as we were far from her and long into our tour, Drake blocked my path.
"Not again."
"No." Drake lifted his hands a bit in mock surrender. "I am barely angry at sothing. Did you say you were drugged?"
I swallowed. "Yes, but aside from my mate and maybe my friends, nobody would believe ."
"I believe you." My heart skipped a beat. He said it with ease and I felt Javelin coming forward so hard I was sure Drake felt it.
"Y-you do not have to. It’s okay. I wasn’t hard."
"Perhaps not, but sothing should be done."
Before I could say anything else, he walked ahead. "Let’s continue the tour. Classes would soon begin."
Just like that, our tour soon ca to an end. Drake and I headed to our next class, Advanced Combat Training. But when we walked into the training hall, we were greeted by Professor Halden, my mates and Professor Aqua.
The second Drake walked to stand beside , I felt the intense glare of my mates in our direction.
As if on cue, Drake’s attention shifted to them as well.
Thankfully, at that mont, Ziva walked over to . "Thankfully, you got here on ti," she chirped away.
"Ziva." Seh turned to Drake.
"Hello, I believe we’ve not been introduced. My na’s Ziva, a friend of your ma..."
"Ziva," I cut in before she could utter the one word she ought not to.
"Oh, sorry."
Drake extended his hand for a handshake, and she took it. "Nice to et you. I apologise for the other day, and I hope I did not ruin your shopping."
"No, you didn’t. And since we are all on good terms here, I believe you both would love to know that due to the exchange program, our team now lacks one mber. As such, for our five-man team, Drake here would be replacing Kai in the anti."
Drake was pleased to say the least. "And who would the other two mbers be?"
"That would be us." At the sa ti, Dean and Claire walked over to et us. They stopped before us, and I felt Drake’s aura seep out a bit when Dean’s gaze lingered for too long on .
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