Bonds at War: The Virgin is Mine - Chapter 45: Chapter 45

ARDEN
That kind of man was placed in power in the United Factions? I couldn’t believe it. All the stories I had heard about him being 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 what I had become. Fodder. A factionless freak.
Still, I held my head high as eyes landed on me. The badges on everyone’s collars glimmered like silent warnings, signaling that I was an outsider in a world where conformity ruled.
By the time I reached our first class, the atmosphere hadn’t improved.
“Hey!” Rowan greeted, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I sighed, turning to meet his gaze, trying to muster as much sincerity as I could. His eyes showed something—concern? With that, he slowly withdrew his arm.
“Thanks,” I muttered, redirecting my attention to the board. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was an unwanted presence.
By the first break, I found myself all alone. Tessa had another class, leaving me with little 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 splash hit my back first, soaking my button-up and the white tank top underneath. The sticky scent of fruit juice filled my nostrils, and laughter 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 than us now? Just because the Alphas want you?”
“They don’t want her,” Sienna sneered, her eyes narrowing. “They want her 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 glad to take my place.”
Her smile faltered—the tiniest crack in her facade. And that was enough for me to turn and walk away before things turned for the worse.
My clothes clung uncomfortably to my skin. I pushed open the heavy bathroom door, relief flooding through me as I found myself alone. For a brief moment, the silence felt like oxygen, lifting the weight off my shoulders. I stood under the harsh lights, 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 every last drop of the pink drink they had flung onto my back.
Then I leaned forward, using the hand dryer to try and dry my tank top. The hot air blasted the damp fabric, intensifying the way it clung to my skin.
“She’s in here.”
I froze, the cotton clinging to my fingers forgotten as the voices of two guys grew closer. Panic surged through me as I walked to the door, leaning slightly to listen.
“She is?” one asked.
“Yeah. Sienna said she went inside and hasn’t come out.”
No. No, no, no—
Their scents were approaching, so I quickly locked the door and backed away, covering my mouth with my hands to stifle any sound.
The doorknob jiggled, and I shut my eyes tightly for a moment, bracing myself against 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 their laughter to fade away.
“Come on, Arden,” a low voice said outside. “You don’t have to throw yourself at Alphas. I’ve got a decent score too. I’ll make you feel good.”
My blood went ice cold. I opened my eyes as adrenaline coursed through my veins. The doorknob continued to jiggle, persistent as a dog barking for attention. “She locked it!”
Bang.
A loud slam reverberated through the room, making my heartbeat quicken.
“Don’t worry. I’ll break it down.”
Panic clawed at my throat like a desperate animal. I backed away instinctively, my eyes darting around. I spun in place, frantically searching for anything that might help me escape.
Then, in the corner of my eye, I spotted a glimmer of hope—an air vent. It wasn’t particularly 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 the impending 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 hands and knees, a contrast to the heat ignited by fear. I crawled forward, breath by shallow breath, whispering curses under my breath to keep my mind occupied. The stench of dust and 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. In a dimly lit classroom, two students were caught in a heated moment. I recoiled instinctively, shoving myself forward.
It took what felt like an eternity to find another opening, but I pressed on. A few moments later, relief surged through me as I spotted a vent that opened into a shadowy room.
I kicked it open, my heart racing, and dropped down, landing softly on my feet with a muted thud.
The room was lined with computers—though these looked nothing like the ones we worked with in our PC rooms. They were different, custom-built with multiple CPUs and cables sprawled across the floor.
“What the hell is this place?” I murmured, stepping cautiously deeper into the dimness.
Just as I turned toward the glowing monitors, a hand shot out and yanked me back.
My breath caught in my throat, and a second hand clamped down over my mouth, silencing my scream before I could even articulate it.
Don’t tell me I escaped only to land in another trap!
I thrashed futilely, my elbow hitting a solid body. Nothing worked. Whoever had me was strong—far stronger than I was. I couldn’t make a sound, the pressure of his hand muffling even the slightest whimper of protest.
My back hit a solid chest, and I was pushed gently, yet firmly, against the wall behind a cluster of desks. My breath stuttered in my throat. The dim blue lights cast shadows on the floor, but he remained hidden within the dark.
“Be quiet,” he whispered.
That voice—
My eyes gradually adjusted to the gloom, capturing the outline of a familiar face. A sharp jawline. Tousled hair. 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 against my 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 that cramped, narrow space between desk and wall, he drew me into him.
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’s coming,” 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.