Chapter 42 Grand Incentive

Chapter 42 Grand Incentive

ARDEN

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“So, all of the bAlphas /bhave approached you now?” bTessa /basked as we entered the assembly hall. For some inexplicable reason, Mr. Winters had called all students together for ban /bimportant announcement, thereby canceling our first ss of the day.

At that moment, I spotted the True Alphas sitting at the front, divided by their respective factions. It was as if they sensed my presence, for they all turned to me in unison. Rowan shot me a yful wink. Jaxon narrowed his eyes, projecting an air of possessiveness. Elias wore a smirk that hinted at bhis /bamusement.

Cad?, however… swiftly averted his gaze, appearingpletely uninterested.

“It doesn’t matter,” I replied bto /bTessa. “They’re no different from the other men in this school.”

“Even me?” Owen interjected.

“You’re different. You just want to graduate without any hassle, like me.

Qwen shrugged, a casual eptance in his demeanor. “That’s true

With that, we navigated our way to the very back of the hall. The stares of bother /bstudents were impossible to ignore. There were still subtle attempts to capture my attention, yet I maintained my focus.

The noise gradually subsided when Mr. Winters arrived on stage, though it didn’tpletely vanish.

“Good morning!” he eximed cheerfully, scanning the bstudent /bbbody /bbwith /ban approving gaze. “It’s nice to see such handsome Alphas seated here at the very frontb. /bA light ripple of bchuckles /bspread across bthe /broom.

“Anyway, I canceled the first ss for this important announcement. As you all know, this school has a unique rule that has been in ce since I became the headmaster. In a world bso /btaintedb, /bthe definition of purity has long been obscured.”

At that moment, I froze bupon /bhearing the word “purity. “Tessa band /bOwen stiffened beside me, and I couldn’t help but notice the furtive nces the bothers /bshot my way.

“However, there exists one definition that will remain objectively pure–one’s virginity.”

My heart began to race with a sense of dread. The stares directed toward me grew more pointed, apanied by whispers that dug deep into my heart.

“It has been many years since I btook /bon this role, yet it has only been a few where I have ced great significance on one’s purity. In that span of time, I have never encountered a truly pure woman.”

“Do not misunderstand me–bI /bbam /bnot bshaming /bbthose /bwho have sought physical pleasure: At the end of the day, we are all werewolves, band /bhigher education generallymences at twenty. It is in our nature to seek it.”

“I find myself utterly fascinated by this concept of objective purity. I admire it,” he continuedb. /b

I felt as though my spine had been paralyzed. He was bspeaking /bof me with such high regard, but his words veered dangerously close to fetishization.

“Anyway, that’s not the primary reason I’m here today,” heughed heartily, and for the first time since he began speaking. I felt I could finally breathe.

This announcement concerns the current ranking,” he bsaid/b, ba /bsinirk ying on bhis /blips. “Once again, this is a monumental.

Though the semester is less than halfway finished, the bscores /bhave reached unprecedented heights. It truly is groundbreaking

“Moreover, thepetition for the top spot is extremely close

That much was undeniably urate. The ranks refresh in real time, with the four True Alphas intermittently iming the top position, often with Gade holding on to it the longest. However, the difference in their scores was merely tenths, sometimes even mere single digits apart.

1:13 AM c d

Chapter 42 Grand Incentive

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“You all know me–I am ban /badvocate for healthypetition. Thus, after the preliminary examinations a month from now, I will be granting a grand incentive to the individual who secures first ce in the overall category.”

The lingering noise that seemed to always be present finally stilled, and everyone turned their attention to Mr. Winters, who was bsmiling /bso broadly that his cheeks appeared ready to rip apart.

“So, the day after the preliminary exam scores are revealed, the top student will have the chance to visit bthe /bheadquarters of the United Factions and speak among those in positions of power.”

Gasps echoed across the bhall/b, and students began animatedly discussing the incentive. However, I felt the familiar tightness coil bin /bmy stomach once more. At the end of the day, it all boiled down to points–and the reason Mr. Winters spoke about bpurity /bin bthe /bvery beginning was because he knew the stakes. The points tied to my virginity still held the most value, and beven /bthe highest–ranked contenders in the preliminary examinations would not be bable /bto reach the top without iming my purity,

“That is all,” Mr. Winters bsaid/b, beaming with satisfaction. “For the remainder of the first period, bgo /bahead band /brest! Our school, while prioritizing excellence, also values your mental health! Have ba /bgood day, everyone!”

With that, he descended the stage to the sound of students pping in approval. Sensing my difort, Tessa grasped my wrist and pulled me out of the bhall/b, disregarding the calls of my name. Owen trailed close behind, ready to protect me. 1 WILL grateful to have them there.

Once outside, Tessa swiftly enveloped me in a hug. “I used to admire Mr. Winters for this system, thinking it would be fairer bthan /bbthe /bprevious one, but now I see it for what it really is a cruel, cruel game. You are a person, not a prize.

Owen bit bhis /blip and nodded in agreement. “bYeah/b,” he bmuttered/b. bJust /bbas /bI thought the bchaos /bhad subsidedb, /bOwen was bsuddenly /bshoved to the side, causing him to fall hard onto the grass with a loud thud

“Owen!” My eyes widened in brm/b, and I quickly helped him up before pivoting to confront the bculprit/b, who turned out to be none other than Kieran

“There byou /bare,” he smirked at Owen, his expression self–satisfied. “It’s been a while since Ist saw you. So, it turns out you’re hanging out with this virgin, huh?”

I bit my lip, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. “Kieran, haven’t I beaten some sense into that thick skull of yours already?”

“bWhat /bmind?” Kieran shot bback/b, braising /ban eyebrow. “I don’t bhave /bone, ording to your words.

He then turned his attention back to Owen, who had directed his gaze to the ground in embarrassmentb. /b“Are you hoping to get lucky too? Is that why you’re hanging around this bunch? Well, of course,” he chuckled darkly. “Why else would you be

“Kieran, stop it,” a voice chimed from behind. We all turned to see Jaxon striding toward us with ba /bslight frown. However, night behind him bwas /banother person I was not beager /bto see.

“Arden,” bElias /bsaid, bypassing Jaxon, who scowled at the sight of him approaching me. “Let’s study before the next ss.”

“I bdon’t /bthink so, another bvoice /binterjected from my right. Rowanb, /bapanied by bsome /bof bhis /bfriends from the South, arrived, dering their bim /bto my attention. “Arden needs to check my cafe’s inventory with me.”

*30 ?hat is happening?” some began to whisper, bncing /bbetween us.

” has started”

would give up everything to be in her shoes–being fought over iby /ithe Alphas, I were in her ce, fit surrender to all of them!”

official. The peaceful, quiet life I had longed to maintain had gone down the drain.

Kwan was the first to touch me, his hand curling around my wrist with a boyish grin. “We need to talk,” he said, his voice derpavely l?da. “Just the two of us. I have something important-

She has scene thing important with me Elias cut in smoothly, yanking my other wrist in the opposite direction. “We’re reprearning the school together, remember?”

1:13 AM ? ? ·

Chapter 42 Grand Incentive

“You’re just

“Oh,e off it,” Rowan scoffed. “You’re just trying to keep her to yourself.”

“You’re literally doing the same thing-

“I’m the bone /bshe needs to speak bwith/b.”

+5 Free Com b+5 /bFre

Jaxon’s voice cut throughb, /bbadding /bmore to the bchaos/bb. /bJaxon’s bhand /bslid firmly around the small of my back. “This isn’t how we settle things. You,” he looked pointedly at the others, “are bmaking /ba scene.”

I could barely understand what was happening. Everything was too loud–voices blending together, people watching, whispering, judging behind their hands.

Tessa tried to step in, positioning herself protectively in front of me. “Back off!” bshe /bsnapped. “Let her breathe!”

bI /bcouldn’t breathe.

It was all pressing in on me. I closed my eyes, trying to retreat inward, but even bthat /bsmall haven felt like it was copsing under everyone’s attention.

And then everything stopped.

A hand closed around mine. I didn’t have to look to know who it was.

Code.

He pulled me gently out of the circle of noise, away from the grabbing hands and venomous stares. No one said a word. Even the Alphas fell silent, stunned that he had stepped in.

I didn’t say anything as he guided me behind the admin building, grasping at the calm he offered, bhowever /bfleeting it was

We stopped beneath the trees, the leaves rustling in the breeze. For the first time that morning, I could hear myself think.

“Why are you talking bto /bme?” I finally basked/bb, /bsounding confused. “After everything you said to mest week?”

He didn’t meet my eyes. He gave me a little bit of time to calm my breathing before he asked a question.

-Can you… sleep

with me

I froze. It was like ice water p poured over my entire body. I stared at him, disbelief washing through every limb, every nerve ending. “What?”

His jaw clenched, but he didn’t look away. “It would benefit the two of us

I let out a softugh. bThen /banother. And another, until it turned into something hollow.

I shook my head slowly. “I thought byou’d /bbe different.”

He finally looked up, eyes shadowed.

“But you’re all the same,” I whispered, stepping back from him.

You all want my body as a prize.