Chapter 36 Unintentionally Revealed

Chapter 36 Unintentionally Revealed.

ARDEN

“It’s just byou/b,” I sighed.

It’s always you.

s

I unconsciously leaned my forehead against his chest, exhaling a deep breath. His fresh scent, mingled with the rain, felt even moreforting after our startling encounter.

“Why were you acting like I was chasing you?” he asked.

I looked up at him, ba /bslight bre /bbcrossing /bmy face, though itcked any real heat. “Can you me me?” I muttered. “You were running”

“bThat’s /bbecause the rain is getting heavier,” he retorted just as the sky opened up, the rain pouring down even more violently. He cursed under his breath.

He grasped my wrist, making me bgasp /bsoftly, and pulled me toward the gates of Elite and the bus bstop/b, where a shade offered refuge. “The forecast didn’t mention anything about rain,” heined, his voiceced with annoyance as we stepped back into the cover.

I couldn’t help but admire his side profile, the way his hair clung to his forehead, dampened by the brain/b. Normally, his hair was perfectly styled, balways /blooking pristine and put–together. But in bthis /bslightly disheveled state, he appeared younger and bmore /bbapproachable/bb, /ba side of him I didn’t bmind /bseeing.

Before I could stop myself, I reached out band /bpoked his cheek with my finger. He turned to me instantly, a slight furrow appearing between his brows. It was only then bthat /bI realized what I had done, and I quickly retracted my hand.

“Sorry,” I muttered, ncing away, feeling my cheeks warm despite the chill that seeped into my bones. The night was growing colder, the brain /bintensifying all baround /bus

“The bus bisn’t /bfor another fifteen minutes,” he said, stealing a nce at the schedule posted nearby.

I nodded and settled onto the bench, wrapping my barms /baround myself in an effort to generate bsome /bwarmth.

Turning btoward /bthe direction of the Elite bMansions/b, I bhesitated /bbefore turning back to bhim/b. “You bshould /bhead out bfirst/b,” I suggested softly. “Don’t you live here?” I bwas /breferring to the mansions sprawling behind us.

He sighed, running his fingers bthrough /bhis hair in frustration, still bnot /bmeeting my bgaze/b. “I’m drying off,” he replied.

I shrugged, scooting bback /bbon /bthe bench until my legs dangled freely. I began swinging them bback /bband /bforth in a bid to create more body heat.

“Can you stop that?” he asked, his tone slightly exasperated as he clicked his tongue.

1 frowned at him in disbelief. How could he bhear /bit “You’re bfree /bto leave if you bwant/b,” I shot bback/b, a hint of defiance bcreeping /binto my voice.

He sighed again, bshaking /bhis head. his silence a wall between us.

“You know–I really don’t get you.” I finally voiced the confusion that had lingered since our first meeting.

dis silence encouraged me to continue, and I found myself pressing on “You’re the True Alpha of the North. Respect is jours, even from the other bAlplus/b, because the North is truly a remarkable ce.”

feel like I understand you, but then I don’t.”

“You don’t have to understand me, he muttered, though I caught his words. “I’ve bnever /basked anyone to try and understand me. It’s just futile.

10:45 AM c

Chapter 36 Unintentionally Revealed

A lull enveloped us. Yet I waspelled to ask another question. “Why… did youe to Elite?”

He bfinally /bturned to look at me. “You’re seriously asking that?”

I pursed my lipsb, /bsuppressing ban /binstinctive response.

s

“Why don’t byou /banswer it first?” he asked suddenly, his tone somber and darker than it had been a moment before. A chill ran down my spine, yet for reasons I couldn’t decipher, I found myself speaking.

To… escape?” I bfinally /bventured, my voice quivering slightly. “I want to prove myself and show that I’m worth bsomething/b.”

“Although,” bI /badded, “it’s more difficult than I had anticipated.”

A soft, almost bitter chuckle escaped my lips. “It must be nice to live in those mansions and studyfortably,” I continued. the words slipping out before I could stop myself.

My mind raced to thoughts of my brother, bthose /bwho had bullied Owen, band/b, of course, Sienna band /bJaxon.

“In the end, they only worry about the points they have. Those at the top–they create a division among everyone else simply because they have the privilege to do so.”

I intended bit /bas a general statement, but bas /bbI /bnced back at Cade, I noticed how his eyes darkened ominously.

“That’s what you think, huh?” he muttered, shaking his head.

My brows softened, and my spine unconsciously straightened. Yet before I could collect my thoughts, he was right in front of me, his bhand /bpressed against the wall behind me.

My eyes widened as his fare moved closer, allowing me to see the rage simmering in his gaze. Our bodies were mere centimeters apart, band /bthe coldness bthat /benveloped me became even more tangible.

“It bmust /bbe bnice /bto bthink /bof escaping your reality when others are stuck here because they can’t escape it,” he said vaguely. furthering my confusion

“Cade, what are ”

“You act as if you understand me now just because we’ve crossed paths a bcouple /bof times.”

“I didn’t say that,” I replied softly, my voice bcking /bthe conviction I bwished /bbit /bbheld/b.

His eye twitched, and followed the bmovement /bas he bit his lip, bdrawing /bblood. I gasped instinctively, breaching /bout bhun/b. bbut /bhe turned away, as if I bwere /bba /bcontagious disease to be avoided.

My frown deepened, and I wondered where the conversation had bderailed/b. I was about to bspeak /bbagain /bwhen I brealized /bCade’s gaze had sluited to my neck

When he turned his head, the angle allowed him to bsee /bbthat /bsensitive bspot/b–my scent nd. My breath caught in my bthroat /bas I noticed his dark eyes puddenly shifting bto /bgold, intriguing yet rming.

I quickly tried to cover bmy /bmark, but I knew it was too bte/b. There were bno /bremnants of the concealer I bhad /bapplied thickly to hide it–it had been washed baway /bby the harsh pelting of the rainb, /band the friction from my hair had betrayed bme/b, bleaving /bmy mark exposed for Cade to ser

His beyes /blingered there for a second too long, and we stood frozen in that moment, bunable /bto move or utter ba /bbsingle /bbword/b.

Finally, he broke the silence, band /bevery racing thought bwithin /bme was suddenly bconfirmed/b.

You’re the virgin:

Summoning every ounce of strength I possessed. I ced my hand against his chest and pushed him away with all my bmight/b. bHe /bmoved back bbut /bremained steady, showing no signs of stumbling

Yet, the force of bmy /baction bmade /bit seem bas /bif I were far too fearful of his presence. And perhapsb, /bI was

10:45 AM t

Chapter 36 Unintentionally Revealed.

In bthat /bfleeting moment, bI /bbcaught /ba glimmer of desire in his eyes–not of lust, but the fierce determination to win.

That was when it bhit /bme.

In the bend/b, my body was bthe /bprize, a possession that would elevate whoever imed it to the top.

He leaned in closer, and I instinctively shut my beyes /btight, raising my hand defensively in front of me.

s

At that instant. I felt a deep rumble emanate from him–a chuckle, but one devoid of humor, intensifying the already cold hight around us.

“You’re scared,” he muttered, his voice oddly vulnerable, a tone I had never expected from him. I opened my eyes to meet his bhard /bre, one filled with an unsettling mixture of disdain and something unspoken.

Then, he stepped back, bshaking /bhis head as he ran his fingers through his hair.

My bheart /bbskipped /ba dreaded beat as he slowly backed away. For a moment. I couldn’t quite decipher the expression on his face.

However, as he turned and left the bus stop without uttering another word, the realization finally hit me.

usation.

Why did Cade look as though I had disappointed him?