CHAPTER 138: I DON’T WANT TO BE ANOTHER CONQUEST

Andria’s POV

"Ari," he said, taking bold steps toward me, "I knew I would find you here."

"What are you doing here, Sir Kaelric?" I said, re-adjusting uncomfortably in my seat.

"Finding my mate," he said, sitting on top of the council table, turning to face me, desire lacing his eyes.

I arched an eyebrow. "You have a strange way of finding people, Sir Kaelric. Most would try knocking first."

He tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk playing at his lips. "The most you refer to aren’t your mate."

The way he said the word mate, slowly and deliberately, sent an uninvited shiver down my spine. The room suddenly felt too small, too quiet, as though the air itself was holding its breath.

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms, trying to appear unbothered. "You should at least show courtesy, knowing this is a student council, not a school council. Besides, I’m alone, it’s also considerate if you knock."

He slid off the table with feline grace and closed the distance between us in three unhurried steps. His scent hit me, sharp and intoxicating. My pulse betrayed me before I could rein it in.

"Alone, could it be you were busy down there?" his voice low, almost teasing. He directed his gaze to my core, then looked back at me and shot me a devious grin.

My jaw tightened. "You presume too much," I said, pretending not to be moved by his presence. Meanwhile, I already felt a rush of heat to my core, and moisture was already gathering there.

"I observe," he corrected softly. "Your heart rate says otherwise."

That earned him a glare. "Stop listening to my heart, Sir Kaelric. It doesn’t speak for me."

"Maybe not," he said, his eyes glinting with mischief, "But your wolf does. You easily forget I could feel your mate, and even if we weren’t mates, I would still read your mind."

I felt Athena stir inside me, a low growl of reluctant acknowledgement. The pull was undeniable; his presence ignited a wild desire in me. But I wasn’t going to let him think he had any power over me.

"You’re awfully confident for someone I barely tolerate," I said, rising to meet his gaze head-on. "This is a council room, and some things aren’t meant to be discussed in here."

His smirk deepened. "Like what? You forget I own the school, and if I want it shut down, I just have to make one direct request to the king, and it is done."

"What an arrogant fellow," I muttered under my breath.

He laughed softly, the sound deep and rich, and it did a number on me. "You might be right about that," he said, shooting me a wink.

Of course, he heard what I said.

I hated that the sound of his voice sent warmth curling low in my stomach. He was dangerous, every inch of him screamed control, dominance, mystery, but I loved it.

I hate to admit this, but he is the first Alpha to tame me.

He reached out, his fingers grazing the edge of the table beside me. "Why do you fight it, Aria?"

"Because I don’t want to be another conquest."

His eyes softened. "You think that’s what this is? You think I have another she-wolf waiting somewhere for me?" he asked, the faintest expression of hurt crossing his eyes, before he quickly hid it.

I ignored the expression and continued. "I think you’re used to getting what you want," I said coolly, stepping around him, "And I’m not on your list of trophies."

He turned, following my movement, his voice dropping. "Maybe I’m not trying to win a trophy. Maybe I’m trying to beat you because you were mine even before we got mated, and that night we fought in the forest marked my interest in you.

And as fate could have it, my next point of duty, which was Ashwood, had you in it. Not only was I just an ordinary she-wolf I was interested in, but you became my mate. Oftentimes, when I felt our bond was fake, I ignored it, because whenever I’m close to you, my wolf responds."

The silence that followed was electric. His words struck me so profoundly that I became speechless. I met his gaze and, for the first time, I saw something behind the arrogance, something raw, almost vulnerable.

My heartbeat accelerated, and every fibre in me screamed "Take me now". He traced the outline of my lips with his thumb, drawing my face closer to his.

"You know, after our last kiss, I wanted to do that over and over again," he said, never breaking his gaze from me.

I bit my lips nervously as heat crept up my face. I wanted to kiss him again; I wanted to feel what I had felt the last time.

And before I could respond to him, the door creaked open.

Macy burst out through the door and stopped mid-stride, her eyes darting towards me in confusion, raising her hands slightly.

"I hope I’m not interrupting something," she asked, walking to the seat closest to me and sitting down. She dropped the stock sheet folders she was holding and turned to face me.

Sir Kaelric, reading the room, stood up, excusing us. He turned towards Macy, "You didn’t interrupt anything, but if you were as much as a second later, you might be walking into something you can’t forget in a hurry."

He studied me for the last time and headed for the door, shutting it behind him. Macy’s face was flushed for some time before it gradually cleared.

For some minutes, we just stared at each other, nobody daring to break the silence. Macy seemed to be trying to assess the situation before she spoke.

She shook her head in disbelief, and suddenly she couldn’t contain it anymore; she squealed, "What was that?" She slammed her hands on the folder she had dropped on top of the table. "Aria, do not tell me I just walked in on you flirting with Sir Kaelric."