ARDEN
After I uttered those fateful words, the world around me froze.
The first person I noticed was Mr. Winters. I couldn’t help but notice how his pleasant, polished smile faltered, giving way to confusion. The other teachers exchanged stiff, silent glances—each one a reflection of the disbelief coursing through the room.
In an instant, whispers ignited like wildfire.
“She didn’t choose?”
“Can she do that?”
“She’s mad—what on earth is she doing?”
The crowd began to shift nervously, faces turning toward one another, and then toward me. Some appeared confused, others curious, but most looked wide-eyed with shock, as if I had just torn the sacred fabric of this place in two.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the True Alphas. Each one stood still, yet none appeared the sa
