A Mate To Three Alpha Heirs-Chapter 29: Oud and Black Pepper

{Elira}

~**^**~

The silence that followed Zenon’s command felt heavy enough to crush bone.

My breath snagged. All around me, pencils paused mid-air; I could almost hear the pounding hearts of the candidates seated closest to the girl. She stood there, stunned, colour draining from her face.

"Now," Zenon’s voice was calm, cold, and final. "Show them."

Her lips parted as if to argue again, but nothing came out. Shame rolled off her in waves so strong I could almost taste it in the air.

Then, trembling, she lifted the hem of her skirt just above her knees.

The gasp that swept through the hall felt like wind. Even from where I sat, I could see faint markings inked onto the pale skin of her thighs: notes, scribbles—answers.

Her cheat sheet, hidden in a place she thought no one would dare ask to see.

For a breathless moment, I forgot I was holding my pencil. My heart lurched painfully. Part of me felt pity—she must have been so desperate to get in. Another part felt fear.

Zenon had caught her without flinching. His sharp gaze didn’t waver, not even now.

"Escort her out," he said to the invigilators.

They didn’t drag her. Instead, they surrounded her, gently but firmly guiding her toward the aisle.

Her face crumpled, shoulders hunched in defeat as she left, the shredded remains of her paper still in Zenon’s hand.

Then, as if nothing had happened, Zenon turned and strode away, back down the rows, his coat swaying faintly with every step.

Silence clung to the hall even after he was gone. Then pencils began to scratch paper again, whispers died out, and the room’s pulse returned to the exam.

I swallowed, my throat dry as dust.

’This is what ESA expects of its students,’ I thought. ’Unshakable discipline. And maybe that’s why it truly isn’t for the faint-hearted.’

But before my mind could wander, my gaze shot up to the big timer on the stage.

Ten minutes left.

I forced my thoughts away, gripped my pencil tighter, and bent over my final question.

I had to finish. I had to prove—if only to myself—that I belonged here.

---

The bell rang sharply, cutting through the air like a blade. The exam was over.

I leaned back in my seat, chest heaving, my hand aching from writing. Around me, chairs scraped against the tiled floor. Some students rose with relief, their faces bright, while others rose with pale dread.

I gathered my answer sheets and followed the slow tide toward the exit.

Outside, the same male invigilator waited with a small box at his feet. He glanced up as I approached.

"Miss Shaw," he said, voice even. "Your map."

He picked it out and handed it back to me.

"Thank you," I whispered, my fingers curling around the card.

---

I stepped into the sunlight spilling across the courtyard. The air smelled faintly of stone and roses, and the ornate water fountain shimmered as droplets caught the light.

From this close, I could see how the building’s pale walls curved gracefully, etched with old runes. Beyond the archways, groups of students in neat uniforms walked past, heads bowed in quiet conversation.

So this is ESA...

Every detail—from the grand steps to the orderly trimmed hedges—radiated something almost sacred—a place of history, discipline, and promise.

A place where, for the first time, I felt an odd tug in my chest. It was a certainty that dwelt in my heart.

Like maybe... just maybe... I belong here, too.

---

Zenon’s black Jeep was parked where he’d told me to meet him. He stood outside it, arms crossed, gaze ahead, not on me.

For a moment, I wondered if he had come here immediately after he left the door because, honestly, I was expecting to wait in the scorching sun for some minutes.

I approached quietly, the crunch of gravel under my shoes giving me away.

Without a word, he circled the car and got in himself, then lowered the window a little, letting in the breeze.

"Get in," he said, voice flat.

I obeyed, climbing into the front seat. The leather felt cool against my palms. As I secured my seatbelt, my mind itched with questions:

Why had he watched me during the exam?

Why did he force me to practice that essay topic? Why did he help me?

But his expression gave nothing away.

He started the engine. The hum of the car filled the silence between us.

Ten minutes into the drive, I dared to glance at him, searching his face for something—approval, disappointment, anything.

Instead, his gaze stayed on the road, his profile sharp and unreadable. freewёbnoνel-com

"I...," I almost whispered, but the words caught in my throat.

’Thank you,’ I wanted to say. ’For helping me prepare. For waiting.’

But something about the cold calm in his posture warned me he wouldn’t welcome it.

So, I swallowed it down.

Then a few moments later, he said to me, eyes on the road. "If you can’t wait until you get home for lunch, there is a bun and a small yoghurt in the back seat."

His words were like a two-edged sword. And no matter how hungry I was, I didn’t dare to reach for the snacks.

I didn’t even know if he had bought them for me or himself.

But deep down in my heart, I was touched he had offered me something to eat and drink, even though he said it in his unique way.

"No, thank you," I murmured a reply, not daring to meet his gaze, just in case he got mad that I politely rejected his offer.

As I started to relax with the thoughts of the exams and the preparation that came with it, I smelled it.

Oud and black pepper.

Instantly, my gaze widened as realization dawned on me.

---

We arrived at the Alpha’s residence. Zenon pulled the car to a stop and turned off the engine.

That was my cue to leave, so I opened the door and stepped out. The gravel crunched under my shoes again, grounding me.

Before I closed the door, I turned slightly. "Thank you... for today," I whispered.

He didn’t move, didn’t respond to me or even glance at me. But somehow, that didn’t sting as much as I thought it would.

Just as I was about to walk away, he told me to take the snacks with me, in his usual cold tone.

I didn’t hesitate. I quickly grabbed it, thanked him and shut the door before scurrying inside.

Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om