Chapter\u00a0561<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Dean\u00a0stepped\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0podium,\u00a0her\u00a0aura\u00a0bright\u00a0and\u00a0strong\u00a0as\u00a0everyone\u00a0silenced,\u00a0waiting\u00a0for\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0speak.\u00a0When\u00a0she\u00a0did\u00a0speak,\u00a0her\u00a0tone\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0as\u00a0strong\u00a0as\u00a0her\u00a0aura.\u00a0She\u00a0spoke\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0accomplishments\u00a0of\u00a0each\u00a0student\u00a0that\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0noticed\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0first\u00a0year\u00a0as\u00a0our\u00a0dean;\u00a0she\u00a0spoke\u00a0about\u00a0how\u00a0proud\u00a0she\u00a0is\u00a0and\u00a0how\u00a0honored\u00a0she\u00a0is\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0here\u00a0with\u00a0us\u00a0this\u00a0evening.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0eyes\u00a0scanned\u00a0each\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0graduates\u00a0until\u00a0they\u00a0landed\u00a0on\u00a0me,\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0smile\u00a0tugged\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d\u00a0like\u00a0to\u00a0call\u00a0Judy\u00a0Montague\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0podium.\u00a0Judy\u00a0is\u00a0graduating\u00a0top\u00a0of\u00a0her class,\u00a0though\u00a0most\u00a0of\u00a0you\u00a0know\u00a0her\u00a0as the Gamma\u00a0Completion<\/p>\n
victor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everybody\u00a0went\u00a0nuts\u00a0as\u00a0they\u00a0called\u00a0my\u00a0name.\u00a0I\u00a0grabbed\u00a0my\u00a0speech\u00a0from\u00a0my\u00a0purse\u00a0and\u00a0took\u00a0a\u00a0deep\u00a0breath\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stood.\u00a0Their\u00a0cheers\u00a0grew\u00a0louder\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0walked\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0center\u00a0stage,\u00a0ascending\u00a0the\u00a0steps\u00a0and\u00a0joining\u00a0the\u00a0Dean\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0podium.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood\u00a0luck,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0whispered\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0nod\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0stepped\u00a0away,\u00a0giving\u00a0me\u00a0room\u00a0to\u00a0say\u00a0my\u00a0speech.<\/p>\n
All\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0on\u00a0me;\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0good\u00a0at\u00a0competing\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0an\u00a0audience,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0great\u00a0at\u00a0speaking\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0people.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0eyes\u00a0kept\u00a0drifting\u00a0to\u00a0Irene\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0empty\u00a0seat\u00a0beside\u00a0her;\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0had\u00a0shattered.\u00a011<\/p>\n
Gavin<\/p>\n
Gavin\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0show\u00a0up.\u00a0Which\u00a0meant\u00a0he\u00a0truly\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0care\u00a0about\u00a0me\u00a0whatsoever.\u00a0[3]<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0looked\u00a0gutted\u00a0as\u00a0well;\u00a0tears\u00a0welling\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.\u00a0She\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0meet\u00a0mine,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u00a0made\u00a0me\u00a0wonder\u00a0if\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0thinking\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0thing\u00a0I\u00a0was.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0given\u00a0me\u00a0her\u00a0blessing\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0father,\u00a0but\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0with\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0fought\u00a0back\u00a0the\u00a0tears\u00a0that\u00a0threatened\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0and\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0crowd,\u00a0who\u00a0were\u00a0eagerly\u00a0awaiting\u00a0my\u00a0speech.<\/p>\n
Clearing\u00a0my\u00a0throat,\u00a0I\u00a0spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0believe\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0here,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0began.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0wild\u00a0ride,\u00a0but\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0actually\u00a0graduating,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0prouder\u00a0of\u00a0us.\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0paused\u00a0as\u00a0everyone\u00a0cheered.\u00a0Once\u00a0they\u00a0started\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0silent,\u00a0I\u00a0continued.\u00a0\u201cThank\u00a0you\u00a0to the\u00a0packs,\u00a0our\u00a0friends,\u00a0our\u00a0families,\u00a0our\u00a0Alphas\u00a0and\u00a0Betas,\u00a0our\u00a0professors,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0Dean,\u00a0for\u00a0joining\u00a0us\u00a0in\u00a0this\u00a0celebration.\u00a0It\u00a0seems\u00a0like\u00a0yesterday\u00a0since\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0a freshman,\u00a0walking\u00a0onto\u00a0this\u00a0campus\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0very\u00a0first\u00a0time\u00a0and\u00a0getting\u00a0lost\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0find my\u00a0first\u00a0class.\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0idea\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0road\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0take,\u00a0the\u00a0friends\u00a0I\u2019d\u00a0make,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0challenges\u00a0I\u2019d\u00a0face.\u00a0But\u00a0here\u00a0I\u00a0am,\u00a0standing\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0you,\u00a0the\u00a0champion\u00a0of a\u00a0Gamma\u00a0competition\u00a0when\u00a04\u00a0years\u00a0ago,\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0barely\u00a0even\u00a0run\u00a0a\u00a0single\u00a0lap\u00a0without\u00a0getting\u00a0winded.\u201d\u00a0There\u00a0were\u00a0some\u00a0chuckles,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0help\u00a0but\u00a0smile\u00a0at\u00a0my\u00a0own\u00a0memory.\u00a0\u201cAs\u00a0I\u00a0look\u00a0around,\u00a0I\u00a0see\u00a0many\u00a0packs\u00a0being joined\u00a0together,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u00a0brings\u00a0utter\u00a0joy\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0knowing\u00a0that\u00a0we\u00a0can\u00a0stand\u00a0together\u00a0as\u00a0one\u00a0entity\u00a0and\u00a0celebrate\u00a0our\u00a0accomplishments.\u00a0They\u00a0say\u00a0that\u00a0high\u00a0school\u00a0marks\u00a0the\u00a0day\u00a0your\u00a0life\u00a0begins,\u00a0and\u00a0that\u00a0might\u00a0be\u00a0true\u00a0for\u00a0some,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0true\u00a0for\u00a0us.\u00a0Earning\u00a0a\u00a0degree\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0Shifter\u00a0Academy\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0day\u00a0that\u00a0our\u00a0lives\u00a0truly\u00a0begin.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0paused\u00a0again\u00a0as\u00a0cheered\u00a0erupted\u00a0around\u00a0me.\u00a0Just\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0to\u00a0speak,\u00a0I\u00a0heard\u00a0dinging\u00a0from\u00a0phones\u00a0all\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0ceremony,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0frowned.\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0some\u00a0embarrassed\u00a0faces\u00a0of\u00a0those\u00a0who\u00a0forgot\u00a0to\u00a0silence\u00a0their\u00a0phones,\u00a0but\u00a0their\u00a0expressions\u00a0changed\u00a0when\u00a0they\u00a0saw\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0their\u00a0screens.\u00a0I\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0Irene\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0also\u00a0frowning\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0own\u00a0phone,\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0had\u00a0gone completely\u00a0pale.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0eyes\u00a0eventually\u00a0found\u00a0Nan\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0also\u00a0looking\u00a0around\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0perplexed\u00a0look.\u00a0She\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0Chester\u00a0from\u00a0across\u00a0the\u00a0room,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0screen\u00a0too\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0he\u00a0lifted\u00a0his\u00a0gaze\u00a0to\u00a0meet\u00a0hers,\u00a0gesturing\u00a0towards\u00a0his\u00a0phone.\u00a0With\u00a0hesitant\u00a0movements,\u00a0Nan\u00a0reached\u00a0into\u00a0her\u00a0pocket\u00a0and\u00a0pulled\u00a0out\u00a0her\u00a0phone.\u00a0She\u00a0swiped\u00a0across\u00a0the\u00a0screen\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0unlocking\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Dean\u00a0cleared\u00a0her\u00a0throat\u00a0and\u00a0stepped\u00a0onto\u00a0the\u00a0stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease,\u00a0can\u00a0we\u00a0silence\u00a0our\u00a0phones\u00a0and\u00a0pay\u00a0attention\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0speech\u00a0Judy\u00a0worked\u00a0so\u00a0hard\u00a0on?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0asked,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0gain\u00a0their\u00a0attention\u00a0again,\u00a0but\u00a0everyone\u00a0seemed\u00a0preoccupied.\u00a0Excited\u00a0and\u00a0curious\u00a0whispers\u00a0were\u00a0starting\u00a0to\u00a0spread\u00a0across\u00a0the\u00a0room.<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0had\u00a0quickly\u00a0gotten\u00a0up\u00a0and\u00a0was\u00a0rushing\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0exit.\u00a0I\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0chase\u00a0after\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0find\u00a0out\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0happening.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0eyes\u00a0met\u00a0Nan,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0now\u00a0watching\u00a0me,\u00a0her\u00a0expression\u00a0wary\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0almost\u00a0pale.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0brows\u00a0furrowed\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0question,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u00a0looked\u00a0away,\u00a0unable\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0the\u00a0dean\u00a0continued\u00a0to\u00a0gain\u00a0everyone\u2019s\u00a0attention,\u00a0I\u00a0reached\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0pocket\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0robe\u00a0where\u00a0I\u00a0kept\u00a0my\u00a0phone\u00a0and\u00a0pulled\u00a0it\u00a0out.\u00a0I\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0screen\u00a0and\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0breaking\u00a0news article\u00a0pop\u00a0up\u00a0almost\u00a0immediately.\u00a0I\u00a0clicked\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0link,\u00a0and\u00a0it\u00a0took\u00a0me\u00a0right\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0article.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From\u00a0there,\u00a0my\u00a0entire heart\u00a0dropped.<\/p>\n
Ciavin\u00a0Laudry\u00a0is\u00a0expecting\u00a0a\u00a0child\u00a0with\u00a0mystery\u00a0woman,\u00a0Rachel\u00a0Barron.<\/p>\n
Gavin\u00a0was\u00a0having\u00a0a\u00a0baby?!\u00a0az<\/p>\n
Sara is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 561 Chapter\u00a0561 The\u00a0Dean\u00a0stepped\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0podium,\u00a0her\u00a0aura\u00a0bright\u00a0and\u00a0strong\u00a0as\u00a0everyone\u00a0silenced,\u00a0waiting\u00a0for\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0speak.\u00a0When\u00a0she\u00a0did\u00a0speak,\u00a0her\u00a0tone\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0as\u00a0strong\u00a0as\u00a0her\u00a0aura.\u00a0She\u00a0spoke\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0accomplishments\u00a0of\u00a0each\u00a0student\u00a0that\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0noticed\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0first\u00a0year\u00a0as\u00a0our\u00a0dean;\u00a0she\u00a0spoke\u00a0about\u00a0how\u00a0proud\u00a0she\u00a0is\u00a0and\u00a0how\u00a0honored\u00a0she\u00a0is\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0here\u00a0with\u00a0us\u00a0this\u00a0evening. Her\u00a0eyes\u00a0scanned\u00a0each\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0graduates\u00a0until\u00a0they\u00a0landed\u00a0on\u00a0me,\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0smile\u00a0tugged\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0lips. \u201cI\u2019d\u00a0like\u00a0to\u00a0call\u00a0Judy\u00a0Montague\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0podium.\u00a0Judy\u00a0is\u00a0graduating\u00a0top\u00a0of\u00a0her class,\u00a0though\u00a0most\u00a0of\u00a0you\u00a0know\u00a0her\u00a0as the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21629\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}