Chapter 49 ckmail?

SERAPHINA

“bWhat /bthe hell is going on here?” I bslowly /basked. It did not feel right on so many levels bthat /ball of them were here.

Finn was the first bto /bspeak, his voice quiet but certain. “We were summoned by the Alpha instructor. Just like byou/b.”

I blinked, surprised. “Why? Shouldn’t you all be participating in the trial?”

Ronan said nothing. Dante’s gaze didn’t waver. But Asher finally nced my way, his expression taut

“You really want to know?” he asked with a clipped bsmile/b. “Everyone involved in the in–fighting scandal was punished. None of us were allowed to join thest two trials. Even me, despite the fact I barely had a role in it.”

I blinked rapidly, bthe /bimplications sinking in. That punishment would’ve impacted his rank too. No wonder he looked so pissedb. /b

I pressed bmy /bblips /btogether, unsure how to respond. I snuck a nce btoward /bbDante /band Ronan, but both were still staring- Dante with that cold detachment, Ronan with his usual unreadable expression.

I deliberately ignored them, especially Ronan. I refused to meet his gaze.

Crossing my legs, I sat up straighter, scanning the gathered Alphas. Why had we all been called here? Was banother /bpunishmenting? If so, it would be a disaster for my bstanding/b.

“Are you not going to apologize?” Asher’s voice cut into my thoughts.

“Apologize?” I arched a brow. “To bwhom/b? For what?”

He crossed his arms coolly, lips tightening. “Thanks to you, we were all dragged down. Some of us were stripped of rank. Others lost the chance to climb further. And you- his eyes narrowed.“–you sit here lookingpletely unaffected.”

Augh escaped me, dry and humorless. “Ever heard the bsaying/b: don’t poke your nose into other people’s business?”

1 looked at each of them in turn. “None of you had any right to get involved. Finn wasn’t supposed to go in my ce. You–1 looked pointedly at bAsher/b, had no reason to follow me into that building.

Then I turned to Dante, my tone sharpening. “Someone was never supposed to mess with me.”

Finally, my eyesnded on Ronan. “bAnd /bsomeone was never supposed to treat me like I was his sole source of entertainment.“

A heavy silence followed, thick with tension. Then Finn’s voice came, quiet and guilty. “I’m sorry, Seth. I acted on my own and only bmade /bthings worse for you.”

I softened. “It’s balright/b. I know you were worried. But please bdon’t /bput yourself in danger like that bagain/b. I’d feel terrible if something happened to byou/b.”

b“/bbOkay/b,” he murmured, lowering his eyes. He looked so pitiful, blike /ba guilty puppy. It bwas /bactually kind of adorable.

Then Asher’s cold voice came from my right. “You understand him so beasily /bHis tone bwas /bbalmost /busing. “I followed you because I knew something bad might happen. I even helped you get Finn out bof /bbthere/b!”

I couldn’t help but smile bat /bbhow /bhe was clearly bfishing /bfor appreciation. “Thank byou/b. Alpha Asher. If it weren’t for you, Finn bmight /bnot bhave /bmade it to thebat trial. You turned out to be ban /bbunexpected /bally.”

His ears flushed red, band /bhe quickly looked away. “bYeah /bwhatever.”

1 blinked. Was he actually shy? bAgain /bGods, he really was cute bwhen /bflustered.

Before I could dwell on it, a drej,zy voice rolled in like thunde

There’s a thin line between messing up and getting yourself exterminated.”

Dante’s bgaze /bmet mine, slow and steady. “Don’t get confused. One wrong step, and it might cost byou /bmore bthan /bbyou /bcan afford”

11:50 AM Pp.

Chapter 49 ckmail?

For a momentb, /bI froze.

That bvoice/b. bThat /blook. It held something dark. Something lurking just beneath his skin.

A threat?

Was I imagining it? Was bthis /bjust because of Lily’s bwarning/b? No… maybe I was boverthinking /bthings.

+8 Pearls

I pasted a smile on bmy /bface–cold, tight. “Alpha Dante seems overly concerned for me. But do me a favor. Keep your precious attention to yourself. I might bjust /breturn it–and when I do, people tend to lose bwhat /bthey never had to begin with.”

His expression bdarkened/b. A bsh /bof something primal crossed his face, like his wolf was wing just bbeneath /bthe bsurface/b.

But I didn’t flinch. Didn’t look away.

He started this bfire/bb. /bLet him burn in bit/bb. /b

And then-

A soft, dangerously amused chuckle slid into the air.

My heart stilled.

I turned.

Ronan.

His lips curved at bthe /bedges, and he leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees truly entertaining.”

My heart began to thrum.

“What’s so entertaining?” Asher asked, frowning.

Ronan didn’t even bnce /bat bhim/b. His violet eyes were locked on mine.

“bYou /bbare/b,” he said quietly.

Thenb–/bbhis /bbgaze /btrailed downwardb, /bunhurried, bfrom /bmy face. to my chest.

My breath caught.

“You’re bbreathing /bjust fine, right?” he asked.

My face went bcold/b.

“What?” bFinn /bbasked/b, bbrows /bbfurrowing/b. “Why bwouldn’t /bSeth be able to breathe?”

My stomach twisted bviolently/b.

Oh no. No. bNo. /b

“So entertaining, he murmured. “Really….

bRonan’s /blips curled, eyes bgleaming/b. “bYou’re /bbnot /bsuffocating under ball /bthat, are you?”

ry single day.

He was talking about the bindings. The ones wrapped tightly around my chest every

He Loew

He wasn’t guessing.

He bwasn’t /bspecting

He knew I bwas /ba woman

11:50 AM PP –

Chapter 49 ckmail?

bRonan/b. Knew. Everything.

1 couldn’t breathe. Panic rose like a bwave /bcrashing in my chest. If the others caught on… if Dante-

Ronan looked at me like a predator toying with its prey. “You should loosen up a bit, you know. Even men have…”

His gaze flicked down again, and my skin burned.

“Alpha Ronan!” 1 shot forward, grabbing his wrist before he could speak another word.

Everyone stared at us, startled. Ronan’s brows lifted slightly in surprise, our eyes meeting.

“Let’s talk,” I said, my voice low and tight.

+8 Pearls

Everything fell silent, none of us moved as the momentter a bsmall /bsmile tugged in the corner of his blips/b, “Should we?”

Next, I held his hand tighter and dragged him out of there. Everyone’s eyes followed us while Dante had a different look in his eyes that was quite unsettling. Leaving the academy training grounds, we entered the academy’s empty hall and to my surprise Ronan did not speak a word or try to get out of my hold until we were in our room.

As the door bwas /bclosed, I let go of his hand and red at him, “What the hell were you saying in front bof /bthem?!” I demanded. furiously.

“What was I saying? Did I somehow offend you?” Ronan slowly tilted his head, “I only said to loosen up a little bit. I wonder if you have arge…” he paused his eyes going to my breasts bagain/b, bthat /bit had to be tied so tight to prevent showing?” heat rushed to the back bof /bmy neck and bears/bb. /b

I clenched my fists. bCould /bI still lie to myself that he did not know my secret or that he was just suspicious? Could I really…

I dug my nails deeper into my palm and met his gaze, “Are you just trying to bckmail /bme?”

He raised an eyebrow, “ckmail”

“Then you are not doing that?” I growled lowly, “What you were saying bin /bfront of them…was not that ckmailb?/b”

He btook /bba /bpredatory step toward me, decreasing the distance between us that was not much to begin with, “ckmail is quite disturbing word you know,” he murmured.

“Then are you threatening me?” I asked, my breath bing slightly uneven as his chest slightly brushed against my breasts.

“You think I want to expose byou/bb?/b” he bwhispered/b, his hand raising but stopping just a inch away from my cheek.

“Don’t byou/b?” I whispered back.

“Sure I bwant /bto, he put his finger under my bchin /bband /btitled my face bup/bb. /b“But to bmyself/b.”

I was taken aback to see the possessiveness in his beyes/bb. /b

“All to myself. Only bto /bbmyself/b,” he whispered.

My breathing hitched and my heartbeat quickened. “What do you mean?”

“I would strip this disguise off band /bbsee /bthe breal /byou…” he leaned down towards my bface /band whispered close to my blips/bb. /b“bSeraphina/b”

My heart skipped a beat.

He knew bmy /bname.