Taming the Hybrid Mate: Desired by Five Alphas-Chapter 129: Can this day get any worse?

Andria’s POV 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

I scanned the room. "All in favor of including the kissing booth as one of our fundraiser activities, raise your hands."

Macy and Jason raised their hands and then directed their gaze at me. I hesitated, then lifted mine too.

All eyes shifted to Allison.

For a long moment, she sat frozen, glaring at each of us as if sheer willpower could make us retract our decision.

But when it was clear she was outnumbered, she let out a low exhale through her nose. "I still won’t give my vote, suit yourselves. But when this turns into a disaster, don’t say I didn’t warn you."

Mel’s smile glimmered like victory. "It won’t. You’ll see."

"You are dismissed then," I said, waving my hands at her.

Jason leaned closer to me, voice dropping to a mischievous whisper. "You think she’s secretly volunteering?"

"Jason," I warned.

He chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"All right," I said, drawing everyone’s focus back. "Next proposal, please."

The meeting continued for another hour, with ideas ranging from a talent show to a charity match, but none sparked as much debate or energy as Mel’s kissing booth.

Except for the talent show, of course. We all agreed to go to the talent show and the kissing booth.

"In the absence of any other suggestion, I adjourn this meeting," I stated, and then looked towards Allison to second the motion for adjournment.

"I second the motion for the adjournment of this meeting," Allison said, rolling her eyes. She was obviously displeased with the result of the meeting.

"Quite the meeting," Macy said as we packed up the papers.

"You could say that again," I replied, stacking the files.

Jason slung his bag over one shoulder, grinning. "You have to admit, Aria, it’s genius. I think it’s going to get a lot of students talking, and raise enough funds too."

"I wasn’t arguing in the first place. I’m not Allison. I think you should be saying this to her," I snapped back at him playfully.

"Easy now, Feisty president," he said, snapping his fingers. "Just trying to tease you."

I rolled my eyes at him, not bothering to reply to him.

Allison rose from her seat, gathering her things with sharp precision. "This is going to end badly," she said quietly, more to herself than anyone else.

"We haven’t tried it yet, besides, it may not turn out so bad, except you are referring to yourself," Macy replied, giving her a wry smile.

This was not getting us anywhere good. Allison was glaring dangerously at Macy, and Macy was looking intently back at Allison.

The tension between them was so great that, if no one intervened in time, they would clash. "I think that’s enough today, we shouldn’t be fighting over a suggestion, that’s petty," I stated, trying to ease off the tension.

"Coming from the pettiest she-wolf I’ve ever known," Allison retorted, before closing the student council door behind her, to avoid more confrontation.

I wouldn’t say she was outright wrong; I was very petty at times.

When Allison left, the room seemed to lighten, the heavy air lifting a bit.

"She really doesn’t like you," Jason commented, amused.

I shrugged, brushing invisible lint off my sleeve. "I’m used to it. She doesn’t like anyone who disagrees with her. Besides," I glanced at Macy, eyes gleaming, "I’m not here to be liked. I’m here to do my duty as the student council president."

Macy cleared her throat. "You know, if this kissing booth actually works, we might have a shot at breaking the Academy’s fundraising record."

Jason grinned. "You’re welcome."

"You didn’t come up with that. It was Mel’s idea, so don’t try to hijack it." I shot back at him, and he just smirked, obviously satisfied with my reaction.

"I’m still endorsing it. That counts for something," he replied.

"Endorsing chaos, and don’t forget, you aren’t the president either," Macy murmured, gathering her notes.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

By the time I left the council meeting, the late afternoon sun had already begun dipping behind the tall academy walls, painting the sky with streaks of orange and gold.

My head throbbed faintly from all the arguments and back-and-forth during the meeting. Mel’s kissing booth had stirred more chaos than I’d expected.

I tucked my folder under my arm and headed for the training field. Michaela had texted that they were already warming up, and I didn’t want to be the one showing up late.

The halls were nearly empty, save for a few students chatting or laughing as they passed. My heels clicked lightly on the polished marble until I reached the end of the corridor that opened into the back path leading to the field.

That’s when I felt that familiar mate pull again. Who is it this time? I really didn’t want to face any of them now, but deep down, I wanted to know if it was Damon or Sir Kaelric.

But unfortunately, it was Zade. Can my day get any worse?

"No. Not now," I whispered to Athena.

"He is your mate too, regardless of the past," Athena whispered back softly.

"A mate I reject," I retorted, bile rising in my throat.

"You don’t mean it, Andria," she weaned.

"It’s an already done deal, Athena, you wouldn’t be able to bear the weight of his betrayal, therefore it is better we reject him first," I replied to her, my voice softening.

He stood at the other end of the hallway, hands tucked in his pockets like he owned the world—his usual posture.

Broad-shouldered, tall, his silver-blonde hair falling slightly over his forehead. Those storm-grey eyes found mine immediately—sharp and piercing.

It’s been a long time since I had an encounter with Zade; it’s as if he just got swallowed up in the events of his final year in the Academy.

The air between us thickened. For a moment, the world fell silent. Just his eyes. Just that pull. The mate bond thrumming between us like an electric current that refused to fade.

My heart betrayed me first, leaping before I could stop it.

"Aria," he said finally, his voice deep, low, and too calm for the chaos he always caused inside me.

"Zade," I replied evenly, though I hated how my voice trembled at the edges.

He took a slow step forward, and I instinctively took one back.

"You’re avoiding me," he said.

"I’m busy," I replied to him.

"That’s your excuse every time, and you know that’s not true. Why are you so distant? Have I done anything wrong to you, Mate?"

The word ’Mate’ stung like a bee’s sting. I still can’t believe that I’m mated to Zade of all the Alphas or male wolves in this academy or the far walls of the kingdom.

"That’s because it’s true, I’m now the student council president, remember?" I snapped. "Some of us actually have responsibilities that don’t involve breaking hearts or disappearing for months without a word."

His jaw tightened. "Of course," he said, nodding his head slightly as if the excuse wasn’t enough for him.

Typical Zade, expectant as always.

We stared at each other in silence, a thousand unspoken words pressing between us.

I’d told myself a hundred times that what we had was over the moment he walked away from me without a backward glance.

Athena didn’t care about my despair when it came to my mates; she wanted them so much that she didn’t even care if she got hurt in the end.

Every time he was near, she clawed to the surface, desperate to run into his arms.

His eyes darted to my neck, a sense of recognition hitting him.

"That can’t be true...