Chapter 45 Beneath The Vent

Chapter 45 Beneath The Vent

ARDEN

45 Free Coins

That kind of man was ced in power in the United Factions? I couldn’t believe it. All the stories I bhad /bbheard /babout bhim /bbeing an advocate for students‘ rights slipped through my fingers like water. It was clear he was just another man in a position of

power.

As I stepped out of his office, I suddenly understood bwhat /bI had be. Fodder. A factionless freak.

Still, I held my head high as eyesnded on me. The badges on everyone’s cors glimmered like silent warnings, signaling thand was an outsider in a world where conformity bruled/b.

By the time I reached our first ss, the atmosphere hadn’t improved.

“Hey!” Rowan greeted, wrapping ban /barm around my shoulder. I sighed, turning to meet his gaze, trying to muster as much. sincerity as I could. bHis /beyes showed something–concern? With that, he slowly withdrew bhis /barm.

Thanks,” I muttered, redirecting my attention to the board. I couldn’t bshake /bthe feeling that I was an unwanted presence.

By the first break, I found myself all alone. Tessa bhad /banother ss, leaving me bwith /blittle choice but to grab a drink from the vending machine before escaping to the gardens.

However, before I could even reach the door, a cold ssh bhit /bmy back first, soaking my button–up and the white tank top underneath. The sticky scent of fruit juice filled my nostrils, andughter echoed in the halls,

I turned slowly, my heart racing, to see Sienna and her friends giggling. “Sienna,” I muttered.

“You’re factionless,” she said sweetly. “Who are you going to tell? Hmm?”

“What’s the matter?” another girl chimed in, striking a pose indicative of exaggerated pity. “You think you’re better bthan /bus now? Just because the Alphas want you

They don’t want her,” Sienna sncered, her eyes narrowing. “They bwant /bher body. That’s all. That’s what you’re good for, isn’t it. Arden?”

I met her gaze head–on, swallowing the bitterness rising in my throat. “Then maybe you should be d to take my ce.” Her smile faltered–the tiniest bcrack /bin her facade. And that was enough for me to turn and walk away before things turned for the worse.

My clothes bclung /bufortably to my skin. I pushed open the heavy bathroom bdoor/b, relief flooding through bme /bas I found myself alone. For a brief moment, the bsilence /bfelt like oxygen, lifting the weight off my bshoulders/b. I stood under the bharsh /blights, staring at my reflection in the mirror

I sighed, removed my button–up, and ran it under the cold water. The coldness sent a shiver down my spine, but I scrubbed everyst drop of the pink drink they had flung onto my back.

Then I leaned forward, uùng the hand bdryer /bto try and dry my tank top. The hot air sted the damp fabric, intensifying the way a clung to my skin.

I fuse the cotton ringing to my fingers forgotten as the voices of two guys grew closer. bPanic /bsurged through me bas /bI walked to the door leaning slightly to listen. olliwh. biezuia said she went inside /li/ol

The scents were approaching so I bquickly /blocked the door and backed away, covering my mouth with my hands to stifle any

outd

1:13 AM c

Chapter 45 Beneath The Vent

1

The doorknob jiggled, band /bI shut my eyes tightly for a moment, bracing bmyself /bagainst the wall as their teasing voices filtered through

“You’re filming, right? Go live on the Aftersound already.”

My heart raced as I desperately hoped for theirughter to fade away,

“Come on. bArden/b, a low voice bsaid /boutside. “You don’t have to throw yourself at bAlphas/b. I’ve got a decent score too. I’ll make you feel good.”

My blood went ice cold. I opened my eyes bas /badrenaline coursed through my veins. The doorknob continued to jiggle, persistent as a dog barking bfor /battention. “She locked it!”

Bang.

A loud m reverberated through the room, making my heartbeat quicken.

“Don’t worry. I’ll break it bdown/b.”

bPanic /bwed at my throat like a desperate animal. I backed away instinctively, my eyes darting around. I spun in ce, frantically searching for anything bthat /bmight help me escape.

Then, in the corner of my eye, I spotted a glimmer of hope–ban /bair vent. It wasn’t particrly wide, but I could squeeze through.

With urgency surging through me, I yanked off the cover and scrambled up, wincing as I scraped my arm in the process. Just as the door creaked behind me, I slithered into the duct, pulling the grate half–shut in an attempt to shield myself from bthe /bimpending intruders.

Their voices echoed faintly below, a cruel reminder of the danger I was in. But I was already crawling away from them, pushing myself deeper into the darkness of the vent.

The metal felt cold against my bhands /bband /bknees, a contrast to the heat ignited by fear. I crawled forward, breath by shallow breath, whispering curses under my bbreath /bto keep my mind upied. The stench of bdust /band regret was suffocating. My elbow throbbed from the scrape, and every tiny shift in the duct sent creaks reverberating back into the stillness, making me hold my breath.

Suddenly. I passed an open grate, and my eyes widened in shock at the sight below. bIn /ba bdimly /blit ssroom, were caught in a heated moment. I recoiled instinctively, shoving myself forward.

two students

It took what felt like an eternity to find another bopening/b, but I pressed on. A few momentster, relief surged through me bas /bI spotted a vent that opened into ba /bshadowy room.

I kicked it open, my heart racing, and dropped down,nding sofily on my feet with a muted thud.

The room was lined withputers–though these looked nothing like the ones we worked with in our PC rooms. They were different, custom–built with multiple GPUs band /bcables sprawled across the bfloor/b,

“What the hell is this ce?” I murmured, stepping cautiously deeper into the dimness.

Just as I turned toward the glowing monitors, a hand shot out and yanked nie back.

My breath caught in my throat, and a second hand mped down over my mouth, silencing my scream before I could even

atte it

I’m 1 excaped only tond in another trap!

i futdrly, my elbow hiring a solid body. Nothing worked. Whoever had me was strong–far stronger than I bwas/b. I take a sound, thar pressure of his hand muffling even the slightest whimper of protest

Eity brata st chest, and I was pushed gently, yes firmly, against the wall behind a cluster of desks. My breath stuttered in

ry that. The star blue lights cast shadows on the floor, bbut /bhe remained hidden within the bdark/bb. /b

“Be quiet for whispered.

1:13 AM c bc /b

Chapter 45 Beneath The Vent

Free Coins

That voice

My eyes gradually adjusted to the gloom, capturing the outline of a familiar face. A sharp jawline. Tousled bhair/b. A scent that sent a thrill through my veins.

Cade?”

I managed to whisper, my voice muffled against his palm, but he must’ve heard me. Slowly, he removed his hand, his warmth lingering bagainst /bmy skin.

Turning to face him, I felt my mouth part in disbelief, my heart still hammering away. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, in bthat /bcramped, narrow space between desk and wall, he drew me binto /bhim.

My body stiffened instinctively, but I didn’t pull away.

His lips brushed against the shell of my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “Someone’sing, he murmured.

Suddenly, I heard it too.

Footsteps.

Heavy, ominous ones.

The door creaked open, and I felt my heart skip a beat as I squeezed my eyes shut.