Chapter 65 Long Overdue

Chapter 65 Long Overdue

ARDEN

Sienna had left after our battle, appearing utterly humiliated. I felt on top of the world, knowing that she was finally getting what she deserved.

Tessa nudged me gently. “You did good,” she whispered.

“Thanks,” I whispered back before refocusing my attention on the battle area.

The second match concluded with the East’s triumph, closely followed by the South. The North representative stumbled on his own paws, resulting in a mere single point surplus.

This meant it all came down to thest battle. Whichever team wins here will im victory.

There was a noticeable increase in excitement in the air. The sky above us wasn’t as intense anymore, but it still felt hotter than usual, wrapping us in a thickyer of anticipation.

“All four True Alphas,” Sir Thompson dered, stepping into the center of the stone square, “will now engage in a non–lethal battle of dominance.”

“Remember,” Miss Loveson called from the edge, “this is just for fun. Do not break bones. We’ve just finished prelims, and I’d rather not patch any of you up.”

With that, they nodded in understanding.

And then–they shifted.

It was still breathtaking to bsee/bb. /b

A blur of movement. The ripple of muscle. The way their energy shifted bso /bsharply.

Jaxon shifted first, transforming into a towering deep dark brown wolf, heavy with muscle. He looked just like Sienna’s wolf, only bigger. No surprise bithere/i/bbi. /i/b

Next came Elias, who took the form of ba /bsleek ck wolf.

Rowan’s transformation was swift and fluid. His blonde fur gleamed under the sun, the same golden color as his hair in human form.

Cade became ba /bsmoky bgray /bblur, standing tallest among all the wolvesb. /b

The match began right away.

Jaxon charged first, lunging at Rowan with ba /bbroar /bthat made some of the students flinch.

Rowan ducked just in time, disying impressive footwork.

Cade circled them both, eyes narrowed, waiting for the right moment to engage. Neither bwas /bElias, who stood to the side, bunmoving/b, his dark form appearing almost blike /bba /bshadow amidst the wolves.

Just then, Rowan lunged—not bat /bJaxon, but bat /bCade.

Cade reacted instantly. Their bodies shed in the centerb, /bbgrowling /bfiercely, teeth snapping, and paws kicking up dirt. Then, at thest second, they both turned together, charging toward Jaxon.

bJason /bfought hard, sending Rowan flying into the dirt bwith /ba furious blow. Cade dodged and then spun, retaliating with a powerful headbutt to Jaxon’s ribs.

Ehas finally entered the fray, lunging bat /bJaxon’s back, bsharp /band fast. But bJaxon /bcaught him–they crashed to the ground, rolling Just like thatb, /bboth of them tumbled out of the borderb, /bbdisappearing /bfrom the fray.

Cheers and gasps filled the field.

O

1:16 AM

Chapter 65 Long Overdue

iOnly /iitwo /iiremained/i.

The gray and the gold.

They circled each other, and the tension in the air intensified a thousandfold.

They pounced at one another, showcasing a fight that was evenly matched.

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Suddenly, Cade struck low, flipping Rowan with a powerful shoulder move. Rowan lost his footing and skidded out of the stone arena,nding with a thud.

Cade stood tall, panting hard, while the factions erupted into cheers for him.

He shifted back. The others followed suit.

They all appeared exhausted, and it was evident they had just fought an incredible match.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Cade. Sweat glistened on his strong chest as he sat atop a nearby rock, breathing heavily.

bI /bwatched him, and my fingers unconsciously clenched around my water bottle.

iHe /ineeded it, bididn’t /i/bihe/i?

Before I realized it, I found myself standing.

Howeverb, /bothers had beaten me to him.

Girls rushed forward like moths flitting toward a me, and I pursed my lips, my posture rxing as I prepared to sit back down.

“Arden,” Cade suddenly called, stepping through the crowd.

He walked up to me, grabbed my water bottle, and took a long, thirsty drink. I watched him with wide eyes, momentarily stunned.

“Do you have a handkerchief?” he asked, his voice low and casual.

“Ib—/byeah.”

“Help me wipe bmy /bsweat, please.”

I stared at him, surprised, before letting out a softugh and shaking my head in disbelief.

Carefully, I wiped the sweat from his temples, then his bjaw/b, and finally the side of his neck. He looked down at me the entire time, his gaze unwavering. I didn’t even realize the attention we bwere /bdrawing from those around us.

Only when Miss Loveson called out, “Mr. Cahan, point distribution,” did I stop my ministrations.

Cade gave me onest confident smirk and jogged off.

bIn /bthat moment, I noticed that most of the students were staring at usb, /beyes wide with surpriseb. /b

The most apparent bone /bwas Jaxon, who red at us with ba /bfierce intensityb, /bas if bhe /bwanted to set the entire forest on fire with bhis /brage.

1 quickly looked baway /bfrom him but soon found myself meeting Rowan’s gaze instead. He yanked my bwater /bbottle from behind me, preparing to open it, but bI /bswiftly grabbed his hand bto /bbstop /bhim.

He quickly shifted the position of our handsb, /bbnow /bcing his on btop /bbof /bmine. I attempted bto /bpull away, but he held on tighter.

I bit my lip. “What bare /byou doing?”

Before I could bget /bba /breply out, someone yanked my water bottle baway/b.

“I’m thirstyb,/bb” /bhe said.

1:16 AM

Chapter 65 Long Overdue

“Ask your faction members.”

He leaned in closer. “They’re not you.”

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I shook my head and finally managed to wrest my hand and the water bottle free from his grasp. “It’s not my business,” I muttered.

“I’m heading back with Tessa.”

However, when I turned, Tessa had vanished.

I frowned and surveyed the area, but there were no signs of her anywhere.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Tessa still hadn’t returned.

“Everyone, we’re about to have dinner!” Mr. Thompson’s voice boomed across the campsite. “Please head to the clearing for the food!”

The aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air, melding with the earthy dampness that apanied theing night. I remained rooted in ce, scanning the trees and cabins. Students began drifting toward the clearing in pairs and groups,ughter and conversation resonating across the grounds. Yet, there was still no indication of her whereabouts.

“Have you seen Tessa?” I inquired of some students who passed by.

“Nope,” one replied distractedly.

I bit my lip and turned baway/b, only to bump directly into someone’s chest.

“Woah,” Cade muttered, steadying me with his hand. “Where are you rushing off to?”

“I was looking for Tessa”

I let out a deep, frustrated breath.

“Since the battle, I haven’t seen her.”

Cade’s brows furrowed in concern. “She hasn’te back?b” /b

“No.”

He paused momentarily, then ced his hand gently on my arm. “Let’s eat firstb, /bhmm? I’ll help you look for her afterward. As her Alpha, it’s my responsibility too.”

bHis /bvoice was calm and reassuring, but I couldn’t shake the gnawing bad feeling in my chest. I nodded reluctantly and allowed him to walk with me toward the food line.

But I couldn’t rx.

Where could she be?

Her belongings were still in the room. She wouldn’t leave without saying anything. She simply wouldn’t.

Fight

I hoved forward in the line, dazed, until someone handed me a te. Barely looking at it, the realization hit me like a punch bin /bthe gut

Tessa had been acting differently every time she was around… Rowan.

Could I have been so wrapped up in everything else that I failed to notice what was right in front of me? I knew they shared some sort of connection. I had seen bthe /bbway /bshe looked at him sometimesb, /bbeven /bbwhen /bshe tried to hide it. And now that bI /breflected on it–her distance and silence in his presence all made perfect sense.

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Chapter 65 Long Overdue

I needed to find iher/i.

Without thinking, I shoved the te into the hands of the person behind me, who cheered, “Thanks!“–and then sprinted off.

wolf. A faint trace lingered. Following it across the grass,

I tilted my head slightly, trying to catch her scent by calling past the flickering firelight, I raced back to the cabin.

on my

Her scent grew stronger.

Nburst inside, my frown deepening.

“Sienna?”

She, too, had disappeared since the battle finished, so seeing her here was a bit surprising.

She turned away from the mirror. “There you are!” she said, her toneced with annoyance.

“I’ve been looking for you since earlier.”

My frown deepened further. “What?”

She sighed and shook her head, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest.

“Your friend. I saw her near the cliff earlier while I was, you know, hooking up with someone. What’s her name again?”

“Tessa?b” /b

“Yeah, that girl,” she said, shaking her head. “She didn’t want toe with me.”

“I shouldn’t even be saying this, but it’s annoying. I don’t want to be disturbedter at night if she’s still not back.”

“Show me. Now.”

“Geez,” she muttered,zily slipping on her shoes. “Why am I even helping you?”

I didn’t answer. I was already halfway out the door. Above usb, /bthe sky had turned an ominous grey, low rumbles of thunder sounding in the distance.

“Ugh, why are you so fast?” Siennained behind me. “Do you have some sort of death wish or something?b” /b

“Just take me there!” I demanded.

She still looked annoyed as she led the way through the trees, mumbling under her breath. The trail narrowed, and the dirt transformed into slick stone as we approached the cliffside.

Her scent was growing even stronger.

But something felt off,

There bwas /bbno /bfresh trail.

“This is it,” bSienna /bsaid.

We stood at the bcliff’s /bedge. Theke below shimmered faintly in the fading light. A cool breeze stirred my hair, heavy with bthe /bscent of pending rain.

Iqurned to her. “Where is she?”

Sienna didn’t respond.

My pulse raced bin /banticipation.

“Sicana,” I said slowly, observing the way her jaw tightened. “Where. Is. She?”

She finally looked at me, and an ugly smile slowly crept onto her blips/b.

1:17 AM

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Chapter 65 Long Overdue

“It’s long overdue,” she said.

The first drop of rain sshed against my cheek.

“Goodbye, Arden.”

Before I could react, her foot mmed into my stomach.

Pain exploded in my ribs. The world tilted, the edge of the cliff crumbling away beneath me. I reached out instinctively, but there was nothing to grab–ionly /iiair/i.

And then, I was falling.

The wind roared in my ears.

Thest sound I heard before darkness swallowed me whole was the distant rumble of thunder.