Chapter 24 Need A Ride?
ARDEN
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Everyone turned to me in an instant. I could see how Jaxon attempted to walk over, but Sienna held him back. I glanced down at my dress and noticed it was stained with the wine sloshing in Sienna’s hand.
“I’m so sorry.” she exclaimed amidst the noise of the party. “I didn’t see you there.”
I pursed my lips, choosing to remain silent as I grabbed Tessa’s hand and started to walk away from the scene. Their laughter lingered behind me like a bitter echo, but I tried my very hardest to tune them out.
I wasn’t a stranger to such antics. When I was in high school, I had experienced even worse bullying. However, it stung even more when it was your past best friend orchestrating this kind of chaos.
We made our way out of the sprawling mansion and onto the empty streets. There weren’t many signs of life; it seemed all the excitement was contained within the confines of that party,
“What a bitch” Tessa muttered under her breath, reaching into her bag for a handkerchief and beginning to wipe the stain off
my skin
“Is Jaxon really your mate?” she asked.
A small smile appeared on my lips as I nodded. “It’s hard to believe, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” she murmured, her expression growing more serious. “He’s supposed to protect you. A mate only comes once in a lifetime.”
“That’s what I thought too. But then again,” I added, an attempt at humor creeping back into my voice, “I dodged a bullet, don’t you think?”
Even my joke couldn’t completely mask the trauma I was feeling. Tessa’s eyes softened with empathy, and she pulled me into a warm hug.
“You don’t have to pretend that you’re okay when you’re not. You’ve endured so much, haven’t you?”
Her words triggered something deep within me–emotions I had hidden for far too long. A tear escaped my eyes, and before I knew it, I was crying into her shoulder.
“There, there,” she soothingly murmured, comforting me like a mother would a child. “Those losers are nothing but losers.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her bluntness, and after a while, we finally separated.
“Well, it seems my concealer isn’t waterproof after all,” she said with a wry smile, glancing at the smudges on her makeup. “Or at least, it isn’t tearproof”
1 chuckled once more, dabbing the corners of my eyes with the back of my hand.
Tm sorry about the dress,” I said.
She stepped back. “You still pull it off really well. Anyway, it’s not something that bleach couldn’t fix. We need to soak it ASAP, though.”
“Let’s go back to the dorms,” I suggested, eager to escape the remnants of that painful encounter.
She nodded in agreement, wrapping her arm around mine. We began our walk to the bus stop, but again, the streets felt remarkably deserted, like an unsettling ghost town. Tessa glanced down at her watch “Why aren’t the buses coming at regular
“Could it be because of the party?” I ventured, looking at her with curiosity.
She sighed. “It must be. The intervals are probably longer because they assume nearly all the students are at the Elite
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Chapter 24 Need A Ride?
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Mansions
“I don’t mind waiting,” I said with a small smile, trying to lighten the mood.
Just then, a luxurious car–a striking all–black model with tinted windows–pulled up right in front of us. I turned to Tessa. confusion etched on my face, but she mirrored my bewilderment.
I instinctively stepped back, feeling a sense of wariness. The window rolled down, revealing Alpha Rowan, leaning casually against the frame.
“Need a ride?” he asked, a playful wink accompanying his words.
I pursed my lips, glancing at Tessa, who appeared to be frozen in place, I hadn’t fully noticed it before, but there was a certain tension about her, especially every time Rowan was near. But then again, she was from the South, too. It only made sense that she might feel some awkwardness around the True Alpha of her faction.
“The buses aren’t going to come until midnight, he stated matter–of–factly. “They do this during parties. Unless you want to stand around for another hour, I suggest you come with me,”
Right?” he added, now turning to Tessa for confirmation.
She cleared her throat and nodded, “Yeah, it’s getting cold out here.”
1 let out a resigned sigh and nodded in agreement. “Alright. But you better not do anything weird.”
Rowan raised both hands in mock surrender. “You don’t have much faith in me, teammate?” he teased, referring to our group project for Miss Loveson’s class.
I didn’t respond, simply following Tessa to the backseat. “Only one person can ride in the back,” Rowan remarked casually. “It’s filled with my stuff.”
Tessa glanced at me before biting her lip thoughtfully, “You can take the front seat,” she suggested, a hint of hesitation in her
voice.
I sighed, finally entering the front seat, where Rowan greeted me with a disarming smile that showcased his perfectly white teeth. The moment I settled in, his scent enveloped me–it was intoxicating. But alongside it lingered something more provocative, an overwhelming aroma of desire and… Just, which prompted me to instinctively cover my nose.
He chuckled softly as he began to drive. “Sorry about that,” he said, amusement twinkling in his eyes. “Someone wanted a quickie before I left. I can’t really turn down someone when they’re in the mood, you know?”
i laughed hollowly at his comment, a dry sound that only seemed to amuse him further.
Where to?” he asked.
“Hades dorm,” I muttered.
Rowan let out a low whistle of surprise. “You live in that place?”
“Yes,” I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral. “Not everyone can afford to live in the Elite Mansions like you, Alpha”
The glint of amusement never left his gaze. “You’ve really got a sharp tongue, hummm? It makes you rather intriguing”
“Tim glad you’re interested in something other than sex, I retorted, injecting a hint of sarcasm into my voice.
Woah,” he chuckled, feigning shock. Have I really built that kind of reputation already?”
I answered bluntly. “A playboy Who else would suggest a knot for a presentation!”
was merely a suggestion,” he replied, the smile sull lingering on his lips. “Besides, it’s not my fault that others want me so much. I just can’t deny them their quest for real pleasure”
“It’s not like I have a mate l’im tied to, either,” he murmured, his tone surprisingly softer now. I glanced at him, noting the,
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Chapter 24 Need A Ride?
tension in his jaw. I tilted my head, sensing a vulnerability there that I couldn’t quite place.
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However, just as quickly, that vulnerable expression vanished as he turned to me, his cheeky demeanor resurfacing. “What? Do you find my side profile handsome?”
I pursed my lips, suddenly feeling flustered. “We’re here,” I said, exhaling a sigh of relief.
Tessa wasted no time in opening the door, offering a small “thanks” before hopping out.
Iattempted to leave the car as well, but Rowan grasped my arm, his touch surprisingly warm against my skin, causing me to gasp in surprise.
“No goodbye kiss?” he teased, a smirk dancing on his lips.
Tessa stood outside, shifting awkwardly.
I nudged him away with a glare. “What’s with the attempts when I’m clearly not interested?”
“Nothing,” he replied, tilting his head like an inquisitive puppy. “It’s simply intriguing how you seem completely uninterested in me.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “Of course,” I snapped back.
“Not everyone will like you, Alpha Rowan.
“I know,” he replied, the smile never faltering. “But that just makes it more fun to change those people’s minds.”
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