Chapter 64: The Hour Is Up

The silence in the suite stretched out, peaceful and unbroken once Edgar’s double doors clicked shut.

Benjamin didn’t move from his seat across the room. His specialized cigarette slowly burned down between his fingers, the thin trail of grey smoke curling into the air as his purple eyes remained half-lidded, fixed on me with a heavy, sleepy intensity.

I leaned my head back against the velvet cushion of the lounge chair, crossing my legs and letting my eyelids fall shut. To anyone else, I looked like a exhausted companion taking full advantage of a quiet room to catch up on lost sleep.

In reality, my mind was sharp, calculating every move for the next few days. I mapped out my physical training schedule, calculating the exact nutritional intake required to rebuild this fragile body’s core density, and strategized how to handle the political nightmare brewing between Edgar and Benjamin.

Time passed in absolute stillness. Beside me, Benjamin’s breathing had grown long, steady, and dangerously quiet—he was practically dozing off, lulled into a rare moment of peace by the lack of wolf noise surrounding him.

Click.

The subtle internal timer in my head went off. Exactly sixty minutes.

I opened my eyes, uncrossed my legs, and stood up from the velvet chair in one smooth, fluid motion.

The soft rustle of my new compression jacket instantly woke him. Benjamin’s heavy eyelids fluttered open, his eyes tracking me with a hazy, slumberous focus.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice thick and deep with sleep.

"Home," I replied flatly, smoothing down the front of the black high-collared jacket.

Benjamin frowned slightly, shifting his broad shoulders against the cushions. "Already?"

"The hour is up."

I turned on my heel and walked toward the grand double doors of the suite. Reaching out, I gripped the heavy brass handle, pulled the door open, and paused at the threshold. I looked back over my shoulder at the sleepy Alpha sprawled on the couch.

"Thanks for the clothes," I said softly.

I was about to step out into the hallway when his deep voice called out behind me, cutting through the quiet corridor.

"Brianna."

I paused, holding my breath. "What?"

"Come back tomorrow morning, okay?" Benjamin ordered lazily, taking one last drag from his dying cigarette.

I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second, letting out an internal sigh. This guy is giving orders again.

Opening my eyes, I glanced back at him. "Fine. I’ll come back tomorrow morning."

I stepped out, the heavy doors clicking shut behind me, and rushed out of the complex.

By the time I reached the quiet suburban neighborhood where the family home sat, the sun was already dipping below the horizon. I hurried up the porch steps, knowing I was in deep trouble. Though I had carried my phone with me today, I had not checked it for calls. As such, I had missed every call from my frantic parents. That’s gonna get me another earful.

The moment I pushed the front door open, my mother practically threw herself toward me, her eyes wide with worry before fussing over my hair and brand-new six-digit athletic gear—she doesn’t have to know it costs six digits.

After a flurry of quick excuses, side-talk about my day, and assurances that I was completely unhurt, she finally went to the kitchen to fix dinner.

I turned to head toward the stairs, but a hand gently landed on my shoulder, stopping me in place.

"Brianna," my father said softly.

I paused, turning to face him. His face was weathered, lines of deep concern etched into his forehead. He motioned for me to step aside into the quiet hallway, away from the kitchen.

"I heard you were at school today," he whispered, his brow furrowing.

My eyes widened slightly. I had almost forgotten—my father worked as a janitor at the academy. Even though I hadn’t attended a single class, he was bound to hear the vicious whispers circulating among the students in the courtyard.

They had seen me in the parking lot, standing beside the Almond pack heir. So of course, word would reach him.

"Tell me," he continued, his voice tight with anxiety. "Is there something going on between you and Benjamin Almond?"

"What could possibly be going on between the Almond heir and me?" I deflected smoothly, keeping my voice deadpan and unbothered. "I’m just a wolfless Omega. There’s no way I could actually... know someone like Benjamin Almond."

I was trying to diffuse the situation, relying on the logical caste system of this world, but the lie felt hollow even as it left my lips. My assassin training made lying second nature, but seeing the raw, helpless dread in my father’s eyes made my chest tighten unexpectedly.

He didn’t look convinced. Instead, his expression grew even heavier.

"Just be careful who you mingle with, Brianna," he said, his hands coming up to rest firmly on both of my shoulders. "People like that... they might deceive you. They might trick you, make you believe you have a real chance, and then they snuff out the light. It gets really hard when that happens and the despair is real."

The way he spoke made it feel like he was speaking out of bitter experience. I wouldn’t be surprised if he were.

He squeezed my shoulders, his eyes pleading. "Brianna, please... don’t fall for their tricks."

A quiet sigh escaped my lips. He was terrified for me, viewing the high-ranking Alphas as predators waiting to destroy his fragile and weak daughter. I reached up, placing my hand over his calloused fingers.

"Don’t worry," I said, my tone grounding and resolute. "I know what I’m doing. I’m definitely being careful."

My father searched my eyes for a long moment before giving a slow, weary nod. "I didn’t tell your mother about the rumors earlier... but please, be careful. I don’t want anything happening to you."

"All right, Father. I promise to be careful."

I headed straight up the stairs, pushing open the door to my small, quiet bedroom. I locked it behind me, kicked off my shoes, and climbed onto the bed, crossing my legs into a lotus position.

Closing my eyes, I took a long, measured breath, casting aside the emotional weight of the day and sinking deep into my mindscape. I pushed through the dark, turbulent layers of my consciousness, desperately seeking the familiar, ancient frequency of my familiar.

Silas... I called out into the dark void. Silas, can you hear me?

Anarix?

A deep, reverberating voice echoed through the vast expanse of my soul, sending a jolt straight to my core.

Anarix, can you finally hear me?!