Chapter 33. New Friend

ARDEN

I continued dragging Owen away with no final destination in mind, muttering curses under my breath. It was only when he pulled his hand away that I finally came to a halt. I let out a deep breath and turned to him. He didn’t say a word, but I could clearly see the relief in his eyes.

With that, I ran my fingers through my hair and closed my eyes, attempting to steady my breathing.

“Are you always this courageous?” he asked, breaking the silence that had settled around us.

A small smile crept onto my lips. “No,” I muttered, “not really.”

“That’s hard to believe,” he replied.

“You really didn’t have to do all of that, you know?” he added. “I told you—I don’t need help.”

“Let’s just say I didn’t do it to help you,” I clarified, “but because I was genuinely annoyed by Kieran.”

He sighed, crossing his arms defensively before turning to the side. “There’s no use arguing with people like him. It’s only going to make things worse. I prom