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Tessa didn’t say another word after that. I wanted to ask–had Rowan known all along? What were they to each other now? But the way her fingers twisted nervously in her lap and her eyes steadfastly avoided mine told me that pressing further would only cause her to retreat into herself. It had already taken so much for her to admit it.
Still, it made my chest ache. Mates weren’t supposed to be secrets. Mates weren’t supposed to hurt. I had hoped she would have a different fate than mine. In the short time I had known Tessa, I had come to realize she was a remarkably kind girl, devoid of sharp edges.
We didn’t speak of it again, and I allowed the silence to linger. Tessa would open up when she was ready.
By the time the third period rolled around, I was halfway through a textbook on the political dynamics between packs when the announcement buzzed through the speakers overhead.
“All students, report to the assembly hall. Immediately.”
Students shuffled in their seats, hastily gathering their belongings. Tessa and I exchanged a look before slipping out of our chairs and joining the crowd heading towards the hall.
When we arrived, the assembly hall was buzzing with chatter, packed shoulder–to–shoulder with students and instructors.
“Hey, glad I caught you!” Owen chimed, making his way through the crowd to find us. He had been discharged from the hospital, and since that day, it seemed Kieran had finally backed off–well, for now, at least.
I caught sight of Sienna off to the side, and our eyes met momentarily, but instead of her usual fierce gaze, there was a flicker of anxiety in her expression as she nervously scanned the room, refusing to hold my gaze.
Just then, I felt a hand on my wrist–gentle yet firm. Cade.
He didn’t utter a word, merely offered a small tug, inviting my friends and me to join his group in the corner of the hall.
A smile tugged at my lips.
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A few paces away, I noticed Rowan taking a hesitant step in our direction. His brows were drawn furrowed, his lips parted–but after a second, he hesitated. Then, without uttering a word, he retreated into the crowd, vanishing behind a wall of students.
Finally, Headmaster Winters took the stage.
He stood tall and proud, wearing that signature cheerful expression that seemed like a mask fixed to his face. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” he began, his voice echoing across the hall. “I promise not to take much of your time. As many of you know, our school has always valued performance, discipline, and strength–qualities that prepare our young leaders for the future of our world.”
I crossed my arms, watching closely, feeling Cade’s shoulder brush against mine.
“We have just finished tallying the latest results of the semester, including preliminary exams. I am pleased to announce that our top–ranking student, in terms of academic excellence, combat scoring, leadership evaluations, and tactical performance…,” he paused dramatically.
“…is Alpha Cade Callahan.”
The entire room erupted into applause. Cade stood, bowing to acknowledge the crowd, but as he settled back into his seat, he turned to me, our eyes locking for a brief moment. In that instant, I knew–we were both thinking the same thing.
This was one step closer to uncovering what Winters was really hiding.
“Due to his exceptional ranking,” Winters continued, “Alpha Cade will represent the Elite Order at the upcoming United Factions Council Meeting during the break. This is a rare honor–one typically reserved for only the most promising leaders of our generation.”
It was a door we desperately needed. Cade nodded in my direction, and I let out a deep breath of relief.
Some students began preparing to stand, but it seemed Winters wasn’t done just yet.
He stepped forward, gripping the edge of the podium with intention. “There is one more announcement.”
The room stilled once again.
“As many of you are aware, our current Praetor, Bethany Vorell, has served our country with strength and grace for over two decades. However, for this term, she has decided to step
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down from her position.”
A murmur spread through the crowd like wildfire.
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“I would like to formally announce,” Winters declared, “that I will be running for Praetor of our precious country, Fenra.”
Every inch of me froze.
The title alone–Praetor–signified ultimate control over the entire werewolf territory. Not just Elite. Not just one faction. All of it.
Next to me, Cade went as stiff as stone.
As applause erupted around us–mostly excited, with some hollering mixed in–I felt my head spin, and a wave of nausea washed over me.
A man like him does not deserve this country in any way. But it seemed only a handful of us were aware of that.
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After the assembly, my head was still spinning. I was still processing everything when someone suddenly tugged at my hand.
“Can I talk to Arden?” Cade’s voice was soft.
I turned to see Owen and Tessa exchanging amused glances.
“She’s all yours,”
Said, her grin stretching from ear to ear.
“Take her,” Owen added, pushing me gently forward.
Cade chuckled under his breath. “Thanks,” he said, and the moment he flashed a grin, they both froze mid–step.
“Dazzling,” Tessa muttered, but we still heard it.
I sighed as Cade’s fingers wrapped gently around mine, pulling me away from the bustling crowd.
He didn’t say a word as he guided me through the halls and out past the South wing until we reached a path I hadn’t ventured down in quite some time.
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The Maze Garden.
“It’s been a while since we’ve been here,” I said quietly, letting my fingers brush against the tall grasses that swayed gently in the breeze.
“Yeah,” Cade replied. “Nobody really comes here.”
We stopped at the very heart of the maze, allowing the heavy silence to envelop us.
“He’s going to run as the Praetor?” I finally blurted, the words bursting forth like a dam unleashed. “Seriously?”
Cade nodded slowly, biting the inside of his lip.
“That’s what he said. And unless someone intervenes… he’s likely to win.”
My heart plummeted at the thought.
The Praetor.
Bethany Vorell had been the name we grew up hearing in stories. She was the woman who had instigated the Breaking thirty years ago a bloody civil war that nearly tore our kind apart. She wasn’t a soldier, a royal, or even had an Alpha bloodline when she started… just a girl with an audacious vision. She became Praetor at the age of twenty. She was the one who divided yet
united us simultaneously, breaking the tradition of solely having one royal family without democracy.
Her name was synonymous with peace.
She’d been reelected twice. Now, at just fifty, she still had many years ahead of her.
“Why isn’t she running again?” I asked softly. “She’s still strong. The people love her.”
Cade was quiet for a moment.
“She’s sick.”
I didn’t say anything initially. The breeze picked up, rustling the tall hedges surrounding us, as if nature itself was mourning.
It felt akin to hearing that the moon was on the verge of falling from the sky.
Bethany was our constant. She was the reason our world remained intact.
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“She was the best leader we ever had,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
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“I know,” Cade replied. “That’s why it’s terrifying. Without her, Winters sees an open path to seize control. And with his polished image and the reforms he’s falsely claimed credit for, people think he’s the obvious choice.”
I loathed how accurate he was.
I exhaled slowly, allowing my back to rest against one of the stone benches near the entrance of the garden. “I can’t lie, Cade. I used to think the same thing. If I hadn’t discovered what we did, I probably would’ve voted for him, too.”
Cade sat down beside me, his gaze scanning the horizon, searching for clarity. “A lot of people will. And if he wins, he’ll have complete control–not just over Elite, but over everything.”
I swallowed hard, the implication settling in my chest. “We can’t let that happen.”
“We won’t.” He turned to me. “But we need evidence. Real, incontrovertible evidence. The kind that cannot be twisted or denied.”
I nodded slowly, digesting his words. “You think you’ll find something during the United Factions visit?”
“I have a feeling,” Cade replied, a determined glint in his eyes. “There are too many things that don’t add up. The funding changes, the abrupt disappearances, and the fact that Winters keeps pushing for centralized control over the council. Something’s brewing beneath the surface. I’ll be vigilant, watching everything–every conversation, every hallway. If there’s anything amiss, I’ll find it.”
I stared down at my hands, wrestling with a surge of anxiety. “Will it really be alright?”
Cade didn’t answer immediately.
Then, gently, he reached for me. His hand found the back of my head, and he pressed a soft kiss to my
forehead.
I froze, caught off guard.
His lips lingered for just a fraction longer than necessary.
My heart raced, lodged in my throat like an unsteady drumbeat.
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“I’ll make sure it is,” he murmured. “I’m determined to expose him.”
His words sank deep, steadying the turmoil within my chest.
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Yet, even as I looked up at him, my heart aching with a sensation too fragile to name, one question refused to leave my mind.
Why was he still so gentle?
Why was he still so sweet?
And what was I supposed to do with the way it made me feel?
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