Chapter 292: Chapter 292

Rowan stiffened, eyes unyielding. “We were talking, Warrick. That’s all.”

“Talking?” Warrick jeered, taking a threatening step closer. “It didn’t look like just talking to me.”

“Warrick, stop,” I said as I got up to my feet, but he didn’t hear

me.

“You’ve been sniffing around her for weeks,” Warrick growled low, his fists clenched. “You think I don’t see it? You think I don’t know what you’re trying to do?”

“Warrick, that’s enough,” Rowan said, firm and controlled.

“Oh, now you’re telling me what to do?” Warrick sneered, stepping right into Rowan’s space. “You think you’re better than me? You think you can just take her.

Warrick is older than Rowan, and that made him look a bit bigger and intimidating. But I and Rowan were just age grades.

“I’m not trying to take anyone,” Rowan said over him, his voice. rising. He threw a glance my way and I pursed my lips. And he continued, “But perhaps if you were treating her with the respect she deserves, you’d not feel so threatened.”

Murmurs stirred across, all glancing between them in the corridor.

“Respect?” Warrick spat. “How dare you speak of respect.”

Chapter 287

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“Oh, then cease acting the jealous fool,” was all Rowan returned. I gulped, I can’t seem to find the strength to go out there and somehow ease this tension.

“Enough!” Aurora’s voice cut through at last, and she stepped. between them, tall. “That is enough. Both of you.”

Warrick let his glare flick to Rowan one more time, chest heaving, before whirling and stalking away.

Rowan held my gaze for a second, then turned to leave, too, leaving me there with the weight of it all pressed upon my chest.

Warrick came to a sudden stop, whirling with a snarl. “You really think this is over, Rowan? You’re just a failure, crawling on your hands and knees to try to get places you don’t deserve. her.”

Rowan clenched his fists together, and paused as he growled. “Say what you will about me, Warrick, but knock it off with bringing Piper into it.”

“You don’t get to talk about her,” Warrick snapped, his voice cracking with anger and frustration. “You don’t know her like I

do.”

“And yet here you are,” Rowan said evenly, “accusing her of things she hasn’t done, pushing her away because you can’t handle your own guilt.”

“Enough,” Aurora repeated this time coldly. Stepping between

the two men, she let her sharp eyes hold, unrelenting. “This pack doesn’t have time for petty fights. If you cannot settle this ast adults, then I will see both of you accountable.”

“I am sorry, Luna,” Rowan said, with a little bow and then with one more gaze at me, he walked off.

Warrick laughed harshly. “Petty? You think this is petty, Aurora? He’s trying to…”

“Warrick!” Aurora’s voice rose above the din. “If you cared for Piper the way you are claiming, you’d stop embarrassing her in front of everybody.”

Warrick faltered, his gaze flicking to me. His anger softened, for a moment replaced by something like regret.

“I’m not trying to embarrass anyone,” he muttered.

“Then act like it,” Aurora said, firm but unkind.

The people finally went their separate ways, but the whispers wouldn’t, until finally Aurora turned toward me: “Piper, come. with me. Now“.

Warrick would have reached for my arm, but I pulled away, my chest tight with it all weighing me down.

“Not now, Warrick,” I managed to choke, my voice firm though my body shook with emotion.