Chapter 10 Knotting

Chapter 10 Knotting

a

ARDEN

The chairs scraped against the pristine wooden floor as individuals faced their groups, the wide space alive with small chatter about gossip and future ns. Yet amidst the voices, I could distinctly hear the rapid beating of my own heart.

We found ourselves entrapped in an awkward silence. Cade was gazing out of the window, his thoughts drifting far beyond. the ssroom. Beside me, Rowan’s eyes were glued to the side of my face, his intense stare making my cheeks flush. Meanwhile, Tessa acted engrossed by herptop,pletely immersed in whatever was disyed on the screen.

As the silence lingered, I pursed my lips, desperately searching for an opening statement that could ease the tension. Fortunately, the moment was shattered when Miss Loveson came to our bgroup/b, her cheery demeanor breaking through the suffocating surroundings.

“Well, well… if this isn’t an interesting team. Alpha Cade of the North, Alpha Rowan of bthe /bSouth, and two beautifuldies.” she greeted, a warm smile illuminating her face.

Tessa and Arden,” I quickly added, feeling the need to assert our presence. She turned to me with raised eyebrows, prompting me to clear my throat and repeat in a quieter voice, I’m Arden, and she’s Tessa”

Miss Loveson’s smile broadened, though I noticed she still had a hint of surprise in her expression. “Alright, my apologies. I’ll remember your names.”

“bAnyway/b,” she continued, reverting to her enthusiastic tone, choose your topic.”

She handed me a small, colorful box while I turned to the rest of my groupmates. Tessa nodded in agreement, and I noticed Rowan’s faint smile, while Cade remained fixated on the view outside the window.

With nervousness and excitement, I plunged my hand into the box and retrieved a piece of paper. As I read it, my breath caught in my throat. I turned to Miss Loveson with hopeful eyes, but she merely shook her head bwith /ban encouraging smile.

b“/bbGood /bluck!” she eximed, moving on to the next group.

I ced the piece of paper on the table between us.

Knotting.

My luck seemed to have deserted me. As anticipated, Rowan bwas /brather pleased with the topic. “So, how do we start?” he asked, crossing bhis /barms across his chest expectantly.

“bAttention/b!” Miss Loveson calledb, /bcapturing the room’s focus once bmore/b. “I don’t bwant /ba half–hearted presentation. All of you are in Elite for a breason/b, so prove it. Each group will ask the presenting bteam /ba question, and every wrong banswer /bwill be deducted from your score.”

To spice things up, I’ll bgive /bba /bbprize /bto bthe /bgroup bwith /bthe bhighest /bscore,” she announced, stoking thepetitive fire in the room” “You’ll be exempt from bthe /bquiz, and plus points will be added under byour /bname.””

Murmurs swept through the ssroom bas /bwolves spected bon /bbhow /bbest to im the prize. I nced at Tessa, bhoping /bshe would speak up, but she remained silently focused on herptop.

Clearing my throat, I attempted to start a conversation “So what are we going to do first?”

Rowan leaned closer, a bteasing /bsmile on his blips /bas he scooted btoward /bme. His thigh brushed against mine, and I binstinctively /bpulled bback/b, the heat of his bskin /bsending a bshiver /bbstraight /bup my bspine/b. “You tell usb, /bsweetheart. Do you want us to do a full- blown demonstration of ”

hty eyes widened in horror; before I could respond, Tessa’s gaze darted to anything other than bus/bb, /bjust as I prepared bto /bbgive /bim a parce of my mind. Cade intervened.

Let’s divide bthe /bbparts/b,” bCade /bsaid, his deep voice resonating through the room for the first time. There was authority in his tone enough to make Rowan sit up a little bstraighter/b, arms crossed tightly before bhim/bb. /b

1042 AM

Chapter 10 Knotting.

+5 Free Cons

“Choose a number,” he said, blocking /beyes with me. My mouth fell open, momentarily at a loss. Cade clicked his tongue in impatience, muttering. “Ipetent,” loud enough for us to hear.

“Here are the parts we need,” Cade continued, tearing out ba /bpage from his notebook bwhere /bhe had been jotting down notes while Miss Loveson discussed our impending rewards. “Choose what byou /bwant to do. We’ll merge our ideas after two days,”

Rowan chuckled, ncing at Cade. “So, the rumors were right. You despise unnecessary rituals, huh?” But Cade remained unfazed.

“Fine by me. North Alpha. I’ll take the third bpart/b,” Rowan said, confidence radiating from bhim/b.

“I’ll bhandle /bthe bfirst /bpart,” Tessa quietly volunteered.

I scanned the options and realized that only one remained.

‘T’ll do the second one,” Cade said.

I couldn’t help the small frown that spread across my forehead. “So, bwhat /babout me?”

Cade shrugged, grabbing his bbag /band slinging it over his shoulder. At that moment, like clockwork, the bell rang, signaling the end of ss. He stood up abruptly, pushing his chair away. Annoyance surged in me as I witnessed his indifference.

There was no doubt about hispetence. Tessa’s assertions that he was smart and strong, embodying the essence bof /bban /bAlpha, were quite obvious. Caden Cahan was undeniably the son of the North.

But he couldn’t treat me like this. Before he could walk away, I reached out and grasped his wrist, stopping him in his tracks. The warmth of his skin beneath my palm sent a jolt through me, like touching fire and not wanting to let go.

Cade focused his gaze on the point of contact between bus/b, his jaw tense. “I can’t just do nothing.” I insisted

A deep breath escaped him bas /bhe forcefully removed my bgrip/b, his touch bleaving /bmy skin tingling. “Then find a way to contribute,” he said before he turned and walked away, oblivious as I struggled with the rush of emotions he left bbehind/b.

“And let me tell you this,” he said, walking closer to me, his fresh yet musky scent invading my senses. It was fresh, masculine. and strangely intoxicating.

I bfound /bit hard to breathe bagain /bas I nced down at bhis /blips.

He leaned down ever so slightly. My gaze wavered for a moment, but I kept the eye contact, not wanting to back down.

“Don’t touch me.