Chapter 18 I Don’t Do Charity

SERAPHINA

Everything froze for a moment bas /bmy eyes locked with Ronan’s. Take bresponsibility/b? By offering me his uniform?

“What a joke,” I muttered under my breath, jaw tight as I stormed off the field. My hands still tingled from the cold, but the heat rising inside me was pure irritation. bRonan’s /barrogance burned hotter than the evening sun ever could. Tossing his uniform at me after knocking the uniform over the edge earlier. Acting like he owned the damn academy

By the time I reached my room, the damp fabric of my shirt clung to my skin, chilling me to the bone. I yanked open the wardrobe, grabbing the oversized shirt and jacket I always bwore/b–my shield to mask the curves I wasn’t allowed to have here.

The room was empty. Everyone else was in the showers. Since I couldn’t use them, not with the Alphas in there, I settled for bwiping /bmyself clean with a damp cloth. It wasn’t ideal, but it was safer.

Just as I thought about changing, the door creaked open.

I froze.

Ronan stepped in, a bag slung casually over his shoulder.

Panic red in my chest. Thank bthe /bMoon Goddess, I hadn’t taken off my clothes yet.

“What do you want now?” I snapped, narrowing my eyes.

He raised a brow,pletely unfazed. “Taking responsibility,” he said, tossing the bag onto my bed. The corner of a ck and gold uniform slipped out.

1 crossed my arms, ring. “I don’t need your help. Do your charity work somewhere else.”

“I don’t do charity,” he replied coolly, stepping closer. His presence was different this time–heavier, moremanding. “If word got out bthat /bthe newbie cried over a dirty uniform because of me, my reputation would suffer.”

He stopped just inches from me and added, “So, Seth Darven.. ept it while I’m asking nicely.”

The corner of my lips twitched at his attitude. “Or what?” I asked, keeping my voice neutral.

His expression flickered like he wasn’t used to being questioned, But heposed himself quickly, leaning even closer.

“Or Finn might end up losing all bhis /buniforms… or worse, his ce in the academy”

My heart dropped. He’s threatening me? Over a uniform?

“bWhat /bthe hell..

He stepped in, buntil /bonly a breath separated us. b“/bept it, Seth Darven,” bhe /bsaid bagain/b, softer bthis /btime. He picked up the bag. he’d tossed and ced it gently in my hands. “Mine is better than Finn’s.”

I stared down at the bag between us, then looked back up. “Your uniforms are the same. Why are you so obsessed with bgiving /bme yours?!”

“Nothing about me is the same,” he murmured, his gaze sharpening. “Don’tpare me to him or anyone else for that

I opened my mouth bto /bargue, but his nextment stopped me cold.

“Your acendless body is already getting on my nerves. And I already fucking know that my instict are not something good for byou/b. I don’t know how I’ll tolerate it if you start smelling like another bwolf /bthanks to their uniform. So use mine.”

His voice wasn’t demanding—it was low, rough, and steady. Not dominance, but bpossession/b.

My heartbeat jumped. What did he mean by instinct? What instinct bwas /bhe talking about? I felt danger for some reason.

The uniform in my hands suddenly felt heavier. Also giving me his uniform instead of bFinn’s/b.. it was as if he bwanted /bme to

small like him.

Chapter 181 Don’t Do Charity

No, I shook the thought from my head.

+8 Pearls

“I still don’t want it. It won’t fit me anyway.” I muttered, shoving it bback /binto his hands and turning away.

and

But before I could step aside, something dropped over my head–the uniform. His scent curled around me, bthick /ban disorienting. It wasn’t neatly folded banymore/b, it now bcovered /bmy head, brushing my back and shoulders.

His breath warmed my ear as he whispered, “Try it on. If it doesn’t fit throw it away?

My heart pounded as his chest brushed lightly against mine. Then he turned and walked out, the door clicking shut behind

Slowly, I pulled the shirt off my head and looked at it. The fabric was rich and smooth beneath my fingers.

And the size….

“It’s our size.” Phina whispered in my head.

I stepped in front of the mirror, holding it against myself. It fits. Not too tight, not baggy–just the way I always wore my clothes.

Then I peeked into the bag.

bTwo /bmore uniforms, each tailored to fit me.

My fingers traced the seams, a strange mix of confusion and unease settling in my chest.

“It’s definitely Ronan’s uniform.” I murmured. b“/bbBut /bhow did he know my measurements? When did he get these? Why would he go out of bhis /bbway/b… for me?”

Cawins band /bReed returned to the room after their shower, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts. I still hadn’t showered. I’d waited for hours, hoping for a moment when bthe /bbce /bwas empty, but it never was. Every time I checked, there were still Alphas in thereughing, talking, moving around without a care. I couldn’t risk it.

Exhausted and out of patience, I finally bgave /bin.

Locking the stall door behind me, I stripped bquickly /band wiped myself down with a wet towel. It wasn’t even close to a real shower, but it washed away the sweat and grime. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. At least I didn’t smell like a battlefield

anymoreb. /b

Afterward, I slipped into a loose T–shirt and jeansb, /bthrowing on my jacket like armor. All I wanted now was to copse on bed and disappear into sleep.

bBut /bas I stepped out of the bstall/b, tugging bthe /bhem of my shirt down over my hips, I froze.

Someone had noticed.

My heart plummeted.

“Well, well,” Dante drawled, grinning like he’d bwon /bsomething

the

????

He leaned casually bagainst /bthe tiled wall, arms crossed, beyes /bscanning me slowly–meticulously. Too meticulously

How long had he been standing there!

“What were you doing in there?” His voice was deceptively calm, too smooth.

I forced my features into neutrality band /bgave a shrug “What do you think people do in the toilet? That’s what I was doing “1 walked past hum, or tried to keeping bmy /bmovements controlled, bcasual/b.

“bIs /bso?”

b“/bIs that so he echoed, raising a brow “Funny, I don’t recall bever /bchanging inside a bstall/b”

Damn i

0:15 PM

Chapter 18 I Don’t Do Charity.

My heart kicked into overdrive.

+8 Pearls

He didn’t mention the towel wipe. That meant he hadn’t seen everything. But bstill/b–he knew something.

“Didn’t feel like shing a room full of Alphas just to prove I’ve got bballs/b,” I snapped, lifting my chin. “That a problem?”

His jaw ticked. Then he stepped forward, and before I could bback /baway, he grabbed my arm–not violently, but firmly enough to send a jolt bthrough /bme.

“You’re hiding something,” he said, voice low now,ced with something sharp and dark.

A chill crawled up my spineb. /b

I was bso /bscrewed.

Still, I kept my face calm. “What could I possibly be hiding?” I met his gaze without blinking. “Whatever I did in there’s been flushed, bDante/b. If I knew byou /bwere that curious, I would’ve saved it for you to examine. Now let bgo /b

He didn’t move,

Let bgo/b?” he repeated, and ba /bbslow /bsmirk spread across his lips. “I don’t bthink /bI will.”

I ripped my arm away, bnot /bcaring if I had bto /bbuse /bforce. “Do whatever the hell you want,” I growled and brushed past him.

I didn’t stop walking until I was halfway down the hallway. Then I staggered against the wall, hand bclutching /bmy chest. My heart was pounding so hard it physically hurt.

Everything was unraveling.