Cynthia Dion: Reluctantly, I followed Liam. I hadn't planned on losing my virginity, but I was open to the idea of discovering the proper way to awaken my inner wolf through passion. We entered the empty room and stood facing each other in awkward silence. "Wait! The expression on your face--what do you think we're doing here?" He inquired, releasing a small chuckle and shaking his head. I couldn't help but wonder what he meant by that. "You will not ask for my virginity, right?" I should have kept my lips sealed because when I asked him that, he abruptly stopped moving and responding. "Wait! No!" He shook his head vigorously and said, "I'm not suggesting we engage in sexual activity. I believe it's Mr. Orian's fault. He's old and thinks he knows everything better. He needs to understand that the world has evolved, and our generation might be very bold, but everyone learns differently, and there's a need for a proper explanation for everything," he explained, gesturing for me to join him in the center of the room. "I'm lost. If 'bodily' doesn't mean that, then what does it mean?" I asked him as I walked to the center, as he had requested. "When you have a mate, it means sex, but when you don't have one, it's just about touching and applying pressure to specific points." He compelled me to stand in front of him by grabbing my wrists, which filled me with fear about what he might do next. "Now what?" I whispered into his ear, seeking answers. After a few seconds of him standing behind me without taking any action, his fingertip gently brushed against my back, causing my body to jolt. "There's a pressure point on your back, if I can locate and apply pressure to it--," he murmured softly. His finger traced my spine, and when he reached the base, it slipped beneath my shirt, gradually lifting the fabric as it moved upward. I didn't enjoy it, but I remained silent because I was determined to awaken my wolf and go through this transition at any cost. Just as his finger grazed the hook of my bra, the door swung open, and someone entered with a forceful stride. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Liam?" Holt's voice was louder and angrier than ever. Liam quickly withdrew from me as Holt approached him, shoving him back so forcefully that he nearly knocked him down. "Mr. Holt!" I cried out fearfully in defense of Liam. "Not a word!" Holt pointed a finger at my face and sternly instructed me to remain silent. "I was just--" Holt silenced Liam with a decisive headshake."He was only assisting me," I managed to whisper, but by this point, Holt appeared extremely angry with both of us. "I'll see you in my office in an hour," Mr. Holt told Liam, "and you, come with me." He then pointed in my direction and led the way. I entered his office and stood silently as he paced around restlessly. The gray and black furniture and paint gave the room a somber atmosphere. There were noticeable empty picture frames on the walls. "I understand you two were attempting the heat technique for awakening your inner wolves, but your approach was incorrect. You need to grasp the fine line between someone helping you and someone taking advantage of you," he said with difficulty, avoiding eye contact. "I don't think he was taking advantage of me," I responded somewhat naively. After all, Liam was a stranger, and yet I found myself defending him. "Cynthia! You've just joined the academy. Do you believe it would be that easy for your wolf to awaken? On the other hand, his is already awake, and he needs body heat to encourage his wolf," Mr. Holt explained the situation more clearly to me. I couldn't help but frown and clench my jaw. "So, he was actually helping himself?" I inquired, and when Mr. Holt didn't respond, I knew I was on the right track. I wanted to storm out of there and confront Liam, but this place was still new to me, and I didn't want to make enemies. "I'll be more careful from now on," I conceded in a defeated tone. "Your father allowed you to join under my responsibility, Cynthia. I know he can be difficult, but the rules for rogues are not lenient either. You need to be cautious," he began lecturing me. When I rolled my eyes, he noticed and asked, "What was that about?" "I'm not saying you're wrong or anything, but I thought this academy would help me, but our first session was a disaster," I paused, and he understood what I meant. "I needed my wolf this morning," I explained, revealing the reason behind my sour attitude. "I understand you're eager, but everything requires time. You can't simply come here and leave with a awakened wolf," he said, appearing somewhat disappointed that I was questioning his academy's methods. "I'm not--criticizing you or the teachers' methods--" I began to feel like I had offended him. I hadn't even properly thanked him for saving me on multiple occasions. "Or convince your mate to accept you," he shrugged, then pushed back his chair. "What would that achieve?" I frowned. "Have you found a mate yet?" he asked while toying with a paperweight. Since there was a video about it, I didn't see a reason to hide anything from him. "Two," I mumbled, offering my apologies under my breath as I noticed his muscles tense. "Oh!" He turned around and regarded my face with sadness. "I mean--," he paused, clearly pondering something. "Alpha Enzo and Alpha Atticus," I added, but he appeared perplexed."Hm!" His sudden change in mood left me bewildered. He looked lost, as if he hadn't expected me to find a mate, let alone two mates. "I know it's crazy that I ended up with two alphas. Even I don't understand how it's possible," I attempted to make light of my situation, but his head shake silenced me. "You shouldn't have," he muttered, "nobody is supposed to have multiple mates unless--" his silence piqued my curiosity. "Am I some kind of powerful creature or blessed in some way?" I joked once more, although deep down, I wanted his confirmation. As I waited for his response, I noticed how agitated he appeared. "Come with me to the basement," he demanded, and as he spoke, my heart raced in my chest.