Aria's POV.
“Aria,” Mr. Blackwood muttered, his eyes darting between me and Cassian. His tone was tight. “Keep yourself… composed.”
I pressed my hands into my lap, fingers curling into one another. Composed. Right. Like I hadn’t spent the last six weeks walking beside him, laughing at his jokes, arguing about everything, and then the private moments between us where Cassian and I made love. A lot.
Mrs. Blackwood sat beside him, stiff, her fingers were twisting the edge of her napkin. She gave me a small nod, awkward, like she wasn’t sure if it was acceptable. Jordan’s foot tapped against the floor, his gaze shifting between Cassian and me, knowing he wouldn't be picked as beta because even though he came from a beta bloodline. Maddie, across from him, didn’t meet my eyes once. She sta
