Andria’s POV
"Your ’best interests’ involve secrecy, manipulation, and leveraging an expelled student for your personal desires," Kaelric said calmly, but every word landed straight to the point.
The headmistress, together with the other council mbers who had been silent until now, exchanged quick, decisive glances. One of them, the senior mber with a stern face, spoke.
"Professor Garrich, based on this information, your position as vice headmaster is hereby revoked. Effective imdiately, you are relieved of all duties at Ashwood and are no longer allowed on school grounds."
Garrich froze, eyes wide. He opened his mouth, closed it, tried to speak again, but nothing ca out.
The council mbers nodded at each other. The principal stood up, satisfied with the decision of the council mbers, and she waved so that the gasps and noise that accompanied Professor Garrich’s verdict could die down. "eting dismissed."
I exhaled sharply. Relief and tension battled inside , leaving lightheaded. Without a word, I bolted from the chamber, not stopping even for Allison, who called my na anxiously behind .
I didn’t want those awkward questions, and I for sure didn’t want to have to face Sir Kaelric or any of the Alpha successors
By the ti I reached the locker room, my chest heaved with effort. I leaned against the lockers, closing my eyes, trying to calm the storm of emotion rolling inside .
Professor Garrich’s accusations, the council’s judgnt, Kaelric’s protective gaze in the chamber... it was all colliding into a whirlwind in my mind.
I pressed my palms to my face. "Breathe, Aria. Just... breathe."
The silence of the empty locker room was almost deafening. My heartbeat slowly steadied, though my mind still raced faster than ever.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Sir Kaelric and the way he had looked at , the way he had defended so fiercely in front of everyone in the council, the barely restrained power behind every word.
I steadied my breath before noticing my environnt. I was stunned to see him watching the whole ti.
"What are you doing here? I thought the other students were asked not to co to the school building?" I asked Zade.
"Well, I was already in the school building even before the announcent, so I had to remain here and observe," he said, flashing his usual arrogant smirk. "You look like a ghost is chasing you."
I chuckled a bit, and then caught myself. I can’t be laughing at Zade’s joke again; that can’t be possible, but it was already late, and he had already noticed laughing.
"Oh, you laugh? Never knew that I could hear you laugh soday, especially at my joke," he said, standing up from the corner where he sat.
Just as he got closer, the door opened, and the Alpha successors walked in.
"Not again," I muttered under my breath, as a sense of de ja vu hit .
Damon leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Aven and Tristan walked in, Aven with his usual stoic, and an expression, Tristan studying Zade and carefully.
"Breathe, Aria," I muttered under my breath, almost mocking myself. I ca here to catch my breath, and here I’m in another tense situation.
"Locker room with Zade, the knight in shining armor?" Aven teased, stepping closer. "Fighting Felicia left you frazzled, so you felt Zade, who rescued you from our hands yesterday, could calm you down?"
I swallowed. "That is not how it is; he just happened to be here. Besides, I just wanted to be alone after the tension back there in the school council room."
Tristan’s eyes glinted as he leaned slightly forward. "Well, speaking of the council chamber and the council. You must be thrown off balance knowing that Professor Garrich knew about you and Sir Kaelric."
I stiffened. "Yes. And it wasn’t pleasant."
Damon’s gaze softened, not much, but enough to make my stomach do sorsaults. "I saw the way he defended you. The way he looked at you... I get it now."
I flushed, unsure how to respond. The closeness of the four of them, the energy radiating off their bodies, the way they each seed to command the space... it was suffocating.
Aven stepped closer. His voice was low, teasing and intimate. "But you know, we were here first, Aria. Before Kaelric ever even... appeared in your little world."
I felt a shiver run down my spine. His words weren’t just teasing; they were claims. They were jealous about everything that had happened today, and they were trying to make claims, as possessive as ever.
Tristan circled slowly, like a predator, watching my reactions. "We were your mates, Aria, before all of a sudden, Sir Kaelric ca out of nowhere as our new combat teacher, and suddenly, he was also your mate."
I backed up slightly until my back pressed against the cool tal lockers. The tension was heavy, almost too much to bear. Damon leaned in on the other side, his lips nearly brushing my neck, close enough to feel the warmth radiating from him.
My pulse thundered in my ears. I was trapped, literally and figuratively, between them. Their presence, their intentions, their energy... every nerve in my body was on fire.
Aven’s lips grazed the side of my neck. Tristan mirrored on the other side, a whisper hot against my other shoulder. "We see what Kaelric is doing... but we have always been here."
Zade stepped out from the corner, "Sir Kaelric is still her mate, and sohow you three would learn to share her."
I gasped softly, caught in the heat of their closeness and their words against my ears, and the tension and anxiety of the day heated .
My eyes grew heavy with desire and lust.
Then Damon’s voice, low, rumbling, yet gentle enough to anchor , cut through the haze: "Aria... rember what Liara said? About you... not having an identity?"
The words hit like a blade. I wasn’t ready for that conversation yet, especially not in front of Zade.
Reviews
All reviews (0)