<h4>Chapter 102: Prized Alpha</h4>


    "Put me down, please, I can walk on my own." Violet demanded, her cheeks red with embarrassment. Thank the gods, she met no student out on the way.


    For a moment, it seemed ric would ignore her request; she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. But then, he carefully set her down to her surprise. And the second her feet touched the ground, Violet quickly adjusted her skirt, tugging it down for modesty, and straightened herself as if reiming her dignity.


    Clearing her throat, she said briskly, "Let’s go."


    Without a word, ric turned and started walking, his usual calm demeanor intact as he led the way out of the infirmary. Violet followed him, her head held high even with the lingering embarrassment.


    As they walked down the road, Violet felt a chill run down her spine. She nced over her shoulder and froze when she saw Asher standing at the entrance of the infirmary, his piercing gaze locked onto hers.


    There was something unnervingly possessive about the way he looked at her, as if daring her to step out of line. The message in his expression was crystal clear: <i>Be a good girl.</i>


    Violet’s heart hammered as she quickly faced forward and quickened her pace, nearly jogging to catch up with ric. How had she forgotten, even for a moment, how dangerous he was? And to think she had been shoving her tongue down his throat moments ago. What had she been thinking? Violet knew she was really courting death.


    As if sensing her unease, ric reached out and took her hand in his. Startled, Violet nced at him, her steps faltering for a moment. He didn’t look at her or acknowledge the gesture. He simply held her hand firmly and continued walking. Violet’s protest died in her throat, and she silently allowed herself to be pulled along, ric’s presence seemingly shielding her from Asher’s ominous gaze.


    The North house came into view as they walked down and for a moment there Violet opened her mouth to remind him that she was not going up to his ce, but


    ric veered off onto a narrow, winding trail that led into the woods instead. The words died in her throat.


    The air was cool and filled with the scent of pine and earth, but Violet couldn’t shake her growing unease. After all, the only sounds were the soft rustle of leaves, the asional snap of a twig and their own breathing.


    Although Violet trusted ric, walking through the woodste at night was not the brightest idea and Violet was beginning to get suspicious. The only reason she did not run away was because ric did not give her any threatening vibe — which Asher was fond of. Moreover, the assignment was legit. He had no reason to hurt her. Yet.


    "Where are we going exactly?" Violet asked, trying to be brave.


    "Rx," ric said without breaking stride. "We’re almost there."


    And true to his words, they arrived not long after.


    They emerged into a small clearing, and Violet found herself staring at what appeared to be a simple, weathered shelter nestled beneath the towering trees. It was unassuming, almost like an abandoned cabin, with moss creeping along its edges and vines drapedzily over the roof.


    "This is your workshop?" Violet asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ric shrugged, stepping forward to push the creaky door open. "Don’t let appearances fool you. Come inside, and you’ll see."


    Well, she had no choice anyway. ric went in before her and she followed him. But the moment Violet stepped over the threshold, she stopped in her tracks, her jaw nearly dropping to the ground.


    The transformation from the modest outside to the expansive, meticulously arranged interior was incredulous. It was unbelievable that Violet stepped further in, her expression full of awe.


    The space was vast and meticulously organized, and each corner seemed to be dedicated to a different project or piece of equipment while the air smelled like oil and metal, evidence of the many hours ofbor ric spent within these walls.


    At the side, steel shelves held neatlybeledpartments filled with wires, gears, and gadgets. While a massive workbench dominated the center of the room, its surface cluttered with blueprints, half-assembled devices, and an array of tools that Violet couldn’t name.


    Above the bench hung a grid of lights strung together in a pattern that resembled constetions. The soft, bluish glow bathed the room in a futuristic ambiance, giving it a peaceful yet electrifying energy.


    Suspended from the ceiling were models ofary orbits, and in the corner, a lightning globe buzzed faintly, crackling with small bursts of electricity that danced within the ss.


    In one area, an entire wall was dedicated to physics equations and diagrams scribbled on a massive chalkboard. The forms sprawled across the board like an intricate web, some of the equations so advanced that Violet’s head hurt just by looking at them alone.


    Not far from there, models of electrical circuits, mas, and coils were aligned. Books, papers, literature on theoretical physics and electrical engineering were neatly stacked against the wall, their spines worn from use.


    Towards the back, arge table featured an array of electronicponents and microcontrollers next to aptop that disyedplex simtion software. The digital monitors disyed real-time data from his experiments.


    It was safe to say that Violet was both impressed, intimidated and scared by the scope of ric’s intellect and the depth of his dedication.


    How in the world had he not gone mad from reading the volumes upon volumes of these books? If anyone amongst the cardinal alphas was supposed to be crazy, it was him. Not Asher.


    Not to mention with his incredible mind, ric could create gadgets that could potentially revolutionize energy use within the werewolfmunity. ric was really a prized werewolf. No wonder Elsie wouldn’t let go of any of them. They were incredible in their own ways, she guessed Elsie must have difficulty choosing.


    Poor Girl.