Taming the Hybrid Mate: Desired by Five Alphas-Chapter 119: Exam preparations

Andria’s POV

Tricia’s face burned red. "This isn’t over." She stormed off, Alexa scrambling behind her.

The crowd slowly dispersed, murmuring excitedly about what they had just witnessed.

Becca nudged me, her grin wide. "Girl, did you see that? Aven just chose you over his own sister."

I shook my head, still trying to process. "No, he didn’t choose. He just balanced it. He didn’t let either of us win."

"Balanced or not, everyone here saw it," Liara said knowingly. "To them, it looked like he defended you."

I exhaled deeply, my chest tightening. Allison was dangerous, cunning, and now humiliated in front of half the academy.

And that meant it was going to be one hell of a year with her as my secretary.

"Elections are over now, just like Prof Garrich said. Exams are next week, so we have to take our preparations more seriously now," I announced.

"Are we going to do some group reading tonight?" Michaela asked.

And before I could respond to her, Liara interjected. "Of course, there would be a group reading tonight at my place," Then she turned to look at me.

"Right, Aria?"

"That was fast, and what if I said no?" I teased her.

They all leaned in with exaggerated pouting faces, their eyes wide like pleading puppies. Even Arlo, who had just caught up with us, folded his hands together dramatically.

I pressed my lips together, fighting a laugh. "Okay, fine. I never intended to disagree either way. Exams are already near, and we need to smash them."

Becca clapped her hands once. "Good, because if I fail economics, I’ll blame Liara for distracting me with all her gossip."

Liara gasped. "Excuse me? My gossip sessions are brain fuel, thank you very much."

"Brain poison, more like," Michaela muttered, adjusting the strap of her bag.

Arlo snorted. "Don’t worry, Michaela, with Aria as President, maybe she’ll also preside over our exam grades."

"Ha-ha, very funny," I shot back dryly. "If I had that kind of power, half of you would still fail just for stressing me."

They all burst into laughter, even Michaela, who had been quiet for a while now. For a moment, the heaviness from Allison’s presence faded, replaced by the easy rhythm of their banter.

But Athena’s voice reminded me softly, "Don’t get too comfortable, Aria. Wolves like Allison don’t forget humiliation easily."

I knew she was right. Who knows what she had up her sleeves?

We made our way to the cafeteria for lunch, and of course, whispers followed us like shadows.

"Did you see the way Aven grabbed Allison and walked off?"

"Unbelievable, right? I thought he’d chew Aria alive for disrespecting his twin." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Nah, he’s got a soft spot for her. Didn’t you see the way he said ’my mate’? That was..."

The whispers about the earlier scene were becoming so uncomfortable as everyone in the cafeteria was talking about it as soon as I entered.

I slammed my tray onto the table, startling Becca and Arlo. "Do these people have nothing better to talk about?" I hissed under my breath.

Becca smirked. "Not when you and the Alpha successors provide premium entertainment. Face it, you’re the academy’s headline."

I didn’t like ’the every week, one drama that involves me’, but I guess that was my reality now.

Liara nodded. "You’ll trend until next semester at this rate."

"Great, " I muttered. "Just what I always wanted to hear, in fact, what I needed, free publicity," I replied sarcastically, and they all burst out laughing.

**********************************

For the next few days, we would often go from classes to the library to read in preparation for the exams.

"The library is busier today," Liara pointed out, "Never seen this many people in the library before."

"Because this is your first time witnessing an exam week in an institution. Get used to it," Becca responded.

"You don’t always need to point that out to her, Becca," I spoke up in Liara’s defense. "She is just surprised."

"And I’m just letting her know the realities of the outside world," Becca retorted.

"Easy now, Becca, what’s the problem?" I asked, noticing that Becca was unusually sharp-tongued today.

"I guess the exams are just making her anxious," Michaela teased

"Maybe," Becca responded, attempting to cheer up.

Tricia and Alexa were standing with Allison again, this time in a quieter corner near the library doors.

They weren’t laughing as loudly now; instead, they looked serious, whispering intently.

Hopefully, they were discussing the forthcoming exams and not me.

Allison noticed me immediately, her eyes locking on mine like a challenge.

She didn’t smile this time. She just tilted her head slightly, as if saying, ’watch your back.’

Becca caught the look and tensed beside me. "See that? She’s already plotting."

"Let her plot," Liara said firmly. "We’ll be ready."

I inhaled, keeping my expression neutral. "We are here to read for exams and not pay attention to distractions," I said, moving to take a seat.

If there was one thing I refused to give Allison, it was the satisfaction of seeing me intimidated.

Still, when I turned back to my friends, my voice came out quieter than I intended. "This year is going to test us harder than any exam."

Becca placed a hand on my shoulder. "Then we’ll ace it together."

We regrouped at Liara’s place that evening for the study session. Her room was cozy, with stacks of books scattered on the floor, and she had dragged in extra chairs.

"Welcome to the survival camp," she declared dramatically as we entered. "Snacks on the left, textbooks on the right, and sanity somewhere in the middle."

Liara has been a perfect host to us since we started study sessions at her place.

Michaela immediately gravitated toward the snacks. "Best camp host ever."

Arlo dropped onto a chair. "Let’s be real, half of us will spend the night talking about Allison and the other half panicking about economics, history and maths."

"Correction," Becca said, flipping open her notebook. "I’ll spend the night making sure Aria isn’t thinking about her mates."

My head snapped toward her, which was sudden and out of nowhere. "Becca!"

She grinned mischievously. "What? You think we don’t notice the way your cheeks turn pink anytime you see them or even hear their voice."

"Was it that obvious?" I muttered under my breath.

Liara burst out laughing. "She’s right, you blush harder than Michaela when a teacher asks her to read aloud."

"I don’t," I argued, though the heat rising in my cheeks betrayed me.

Arlo chuckled. "You totally do."

"Fine," I muttered, burying my nose in the textbook. "Can we please focus on the elasticity of demand instead of the elasticity of my face?"

The room erupted in laughter, but gradually, the chatter settled into actual studying.