Chapter 48 Surrounded

SERAPHINA

The mattress dug into my shoulder as I approached the hallway leading to my room. My arms ached, my boots scuffed against the stone floor, but my mind was somewhere else entirely. On Lily’sments, on Dante’s arrival, and Ronan bthat /bI would be bsharing /ba room with. I did not know what was going to happen from this point but I knew things had changedpletely,

But why was everything so quiet in the Academy? Had he not revealed my identity? Why? Could it be that he bwas /bjust messing with me that day? Was he bunsure/b? Was he only suspicious and did not bhave /bstrong proof? Or more likely he did not have a single idea and I was over thinking?! The more I thought about it the more I felt like bgoing /bcrazy. That Alpha was incredibly mysterious and unbelievably nerve wracking-

I barely made it to the corner when a voice called out from behind me.

“Alpha Seth Darven, hold on.

I froze, instinctively tensing before turning. It was the dormitory assistant. “Yes?”

“The Alpha instructors have requested your presence at the training grounds. Now since you have been discharged from the healers hospital band /bare physically fine.

I blinked. “Me?” My voice came out lower, raspier.

He nodded briskly. “Yes, immediately. It’s a direct orderb,” /b

My pulse stumbled. My first thought–Was I now allowed to participate in a trial? But I quickly dismissed the thought. I knew today’s participants had already been chosen, and my name wasn’t on the list. Due to the punishment. So why the hell was I being called? Did Ronan finally tell bAlpha /bGideon?

My hands shook on my sides. So was it finallying? My wolf stilled in my mind bas /bwell. The uncertainty of our future made both of us still.

pu

The Academy’s training grounds were lively with the Alphas chatting. I did not move to go among them. I stepped into the shadows balong /bthe arena’s perimeter wall and immediately noticed it.

The crowd was thinner. There were fewer bAlpha /bcandidates.

“Don’t tell me

the brealization /bcoiled like a cold snake in my stomach

Puina said bin /bmy mind. bTwo /btrials have balready /bbtaken /bbce /bbover /bthe past two daysb. /bbAnd /bwe missed both.”

“shit” 1 groaned bas /bfrom afar one of the binstructors /bbgestured /bbfor /bbme /bto btake /ba seat.

My boots braped /bthe gravel path as I found ba /bshaded bench nestled to the side. It was close enough to see but far enough to remain inconspicuous. bI /bsank into bthe /bseat, bhands /bbbraced /bon bmy /bbknees/b, letting bmy /beyes scan the bgrounds/b.

The remaining Alpha candidates bstood /bin ba /bbloose /bformationb, /btheir numbers notably breduced/b. bAnd /bbthose /bbwho /bremained were sharper. Harder. Quieter Even bfrom /ba distance, I could feel the simmering tension in bthe /bbair/b.

many bhad /bfallen and been beliminated /bbfrom /bbthe /bbAcademy/b?” I wondered, looking at all of their bfaces /bbonly /bto spot two familiar ones still bamong /bthem. Reed and bCassius/b. Standing far apart but still talking with their beyes/bb. /b

They made a tluough so far,” I bmurmured /band bjudging /bby their bauras /bthey had grown bstronger /bbthan /bthey had been during the p–highting mcident. Every btrial /bbwed /bout our inner power and physical strength band /bwith each step we grew into a better nsion of ourselves. However, the moment bboth /bof then set btheir /bhateful eyes on bme/bb, /bI knew their growing strength bjust /bspelled impending danger for me. And that they had not learnt anything from their fall or punishment.

As I was lost in thoughts suddenly a shadow fell on me.

I nced up

And froze.

11:50 AM p p.

Chapter 48 Surrounded

+8 Pearls

Ronan.

His tall, broad build blocked the sun behind him, casting his sharp features into a faint silhouette. But I would’ve known that presence anywhere–too powerful, too calm, too dangerously controlled.

My pulse quickened.

His expression was unreadable. Not hostile. Not warm. Just nk–too nk. But I felt it, the tension lingering like ba /bscent only I could sense. I blinked, chest tightening as the memory of ourst encounter rushed through me: the closeness, the scrape of his bvoice /bat my ear, his fingers brushing my belly and his hand moved up to my breasts before he whispered my

secret

I was called here by an bAlpha /binstructor and he came here as well. Did that mean he finally told them about me? My heart. grew colder.

Before I could even bgather /bmy bthoughts/b, another figure bappeared /bbehind him.

Dante.

His white–bblond /bbhair /bcaught the light like fire, his gait slow, smooth, and utterly deliberate. His blue bgaze /blocked on mine, unreadable but far from indifferent. Then he stopped.

Right beside Ronan.

My heart kicked into my ribs as Ronan dropped binto /bthe seat directly across from me without saying a bword/b. The bench groaned slightly under his weight, but his posture was like carved stone–one bankle /bcrossed over his knee, hands rxed, eyes. locked on mine.

bDante /bdidn’t move at first.

He just stared.

Long enough for me to feel the burn crawl up my neck. Then, with the most infuriating confidence, he lowered himself beside Ronanb. /b

What the actual hell?

My brain short–circuited. But the universe wasn’t done.

Not even close.

Boots scuffed gravel behind me. I turned sharply just in btime /bto see Finn appear on my left, Asher on my right.

They didn’t even hesitate. bFinn /bslumped down beside me with a small smile Asher took the remaining bseat /bon bmy /bright like at

silent storm.

I bwas /bsurrounded.

Enclosed

Caged.

I stared at all of bthem /blike they’d grown second heads.

Roman Dante. bFinn/b. Asher

Why–why–wej bthe /bstrongest Alphas of the Academy now forming a perimeter around me?

“What.” I bsaid /bslowly, voice low but sharp, “the hell is going on here?”

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