RACHEL
What does the professor know, and why wasn't he eager to tell me, considering it could be the best way to explain the reason I was in this academy and how to leave? Also, what was that earlier? The unfamiliar feelings in the pit of my stomach. The heat that spread through me as our gaze lingered, and I had even blushed! I shouldn't react to a man I didn't even know until today. But I didn't think it was me. It was his aura. Male, dominant, and powerful. I'd never sensed anything like it before. Not even faintly. Maybe because I rarely saw the opposite sex growing up. It was just my foster fathers and foster brothers. But they were always distant and closed off. A chair scraped on the floor, cutting through the moment we had. The young professor blinked. He turned back to the room, calm and composed, scribbling something on the board. “Welcome to bond ethics, I'm Professor Jaxon Steele. Here, you'll learn about mate marks, laws, history, and bondmates,” he said. “He's so dreamy—the hottest and youngest professor in school. At twenty-three, he had achieved a great deal. He’s the only thing worth noting about that good-for-nothing House Ferales because he got promoted to house master today,” Clara whispered, leaning into me. Her eyes were glazed over. She was right. He was dreamy and so young. But I never knew he was a professor and a housemaster until now. I wouldn't have known because I never attended here before. Maybe it was the reason he had saved me. But why? I wanted answers. Only he could answer because he seemed to know a lot. I noticed the class had suddenly grown quiet. The population of girls in the class was over that of the boys. So, all the girls in the room were staring, barely listening to what he was saying. While I, on the other hand, try to distract myself. I felt his eyes on me. I couldn't tell if it was in my head that he was staring at me again because each time I looked at him, he was staring at the board. Still, I felt it. “What's, mate mark, bond mates?” I asked, leaning into Clara. Professor Jaxon had mentioned it earlier. “Is that code word for something?” Clara stopped scribbling, and she turned to me, frowning. “Are you genuinely asking me that? Did you hit your head or something?” She clasped my head, shaking it. Clara laughed as she let go. “First, it's you getting changed into another house, and now you're asking me an obvious question. You're even more werewolf than most of us here. Don't play with me.” She nudged my shoulder. I shook my head. But I wasn't playing dumb on purpose. I wanted to tell her that if it weren't genuine, I wouldn't have asked her, but Professor Jaxon interrupted us. “Do you want to tell us more about the topic, Miss Sawyer? I can see you're disagreeing with me about it,” he pushed his glasses down the straight bridge of his nose. Goodness. How could he be so attractive doing that? The whole class turned their eyes on me, and I felt my cheeks heat up. I'd surely disgrace myself as I didn't know what he was even talking about. “I'm sorry,” I whispered. “Good. Now be quiet and listen, except you wish to teach the whole class.” His voice was authoritative and I could only nod. I remained silent throughout the entire class, even when students began to ask and answer questions. I had nothing to contribute to the discussion, so there was no reason to say anything. Also, Professor Jaxon didn't ask me anything, whereas he bombarded the other students. I wondered if he knew what was going on with me or if he was just being intentionally vague. Whichever it was, I was glad. The class finally ended. I went to the next class, which was scheduled to take place in the training field. It was an open arena, ringed by rough stone pillars—each one scarred with what looked like deep claw marks and blackened scorch lines. The ground was uneven, a harsh mix of cracked stone and hardened dirt, and the air reeked of sweat, steel, and blood. A few wooden benches circled the space, where students sat watching what was happening. They were fighting. Of course. After all, it was combat. What the hell was I expecting? But I had never heard of an Academy involved in such a thing! Maybe a military Academy, but this wasn't one. No, not at all. Professor Jaxon had said it was a world of werewolves. Even Clara had confirmed it as well. Lucy would have said something like that to her mother if she had such a thing in her school. She had only spoken about how her nasty teachers made her do more homework than necessary. And I was supposed to be a werewolf. That should be a joke. Bodies collided with each other, and growls rose from every direction. The trainers stood on a raised platform, barking out instructions for the students to follow. While I tried to blend in, attempting not to draw attention to myself. It was the reason I didn't follow Clara because Ivy seemed to be noticeable without putting in too much effort. “Hey bitch, Ivy Sawyer.” A voice said. It was loud enough for everyone to hear, and I guess they did as the training ceased. My stomach dropped. Great. Just great. I turned slowly. A girl stepped forward. She was tall and toned, with a bright smile on her lips. Her eyes twinkled mischievously. “How about you show me what you got? I've been waiting for the stupid winter break to be over so I can permanently damage that face of yours.” “I—” I cleared my throat. “I'm not ready to fight anyone.” I wasn't ready because I didn't know how to fight! The girl tossed her head back and let out a burst of laughter. “No one cares if you're ready. You know that, too.” She snarled. The trainer, Mr Wayne, came forward, his expression bored, and he shrugged. “Looks like we've got ourselves a rematch. She challenged you, Sawyer. Either forfeit or face her.” A rematch? That meant this had happened before. Fuck me. I’d rather forfeit because, by far, she looked stronger than I did. But the crowd seemed to anticipate it, and I wonder if Ivy would have accepted or ignored it. “What do you say, Princess Ivy Sawyer?” She sang, taunting me. My hands clenched at my sides. “Fine.” There was no reason for me to try to prove myself. I didn't know why I agreed to it. Maybe I didn’t want to get exposed. The crowd snickered. They didn't look surprised. That meant I made the right decision. Ivy might have agreed to that as well. We stepped into the circle that was formed. And Mr Wayne barked out instructions. “No shifting. Standard rules: First to pin or yield. Go!”JAXON“The last thing I ever thought you'd announce is us getting married. I mean, we've been together for a long time, and you never brought that up. When I do, you seem to get mad at me or even find a way to evade it. What changed?” Grace questioned as she stepped into the office after me.She walked up to me as I slipped out of my jacket, taking it from me. I watched as she hung it on the coat rack before coming to stand in front of the desk.“I am genuinely curious, although I am excited,” she beamed, her eyes twinkling. I guessed I had done the right thing. And even though I didn't like Grace in the way she might like me, I love it when she smiles. It gave me a sense of accomplishment.I had rejected Ivy and even made an announcement I had thought was impossible, believing that would make me stop thinking about her. I had thought it would ease my pain and give her a sense of protection. Still, why did I feel this overwhelming pain? The one that had intensified since we stepped in
RACHELI returned to the hall with Noah. After resting for a brief moment, I felt fine again, and there was nothing much to do in the room. Clara and Ruby left as they didn't see me having any health challenge, and staying with Noah in the awkward silence was weird.“Are you sure it's okay to be here? Dancing isn't really a big deal to me if that's what you're worried about. In fact, I hate it.” Noah murmured as he held my waist while we swayed to the slow music playing.How could he hate dancing yet be so good at it? I should be the one hating because I was very awful, even in the waltz that looked the easiest.I looked up at him in time to see the worry that crossed his face. I sent him a little smile before resting my head on his shoulder. “I'm fine.”It was the truth. Even though I was still trying to understand what had happened earlier, I didn't think it had anything to do with dancing.Noah said nothing. I guessed he believed me. I find it cute that he was worried about my well
JAXON‘It's because of you she's in pain. It's because of you. I hate the fact that I am your wolf!’ Ajax growled in my head as I walked away from the room Ivy was in.‘Why would you do that? You failed once, and you blew a second chance that was given to you. How miserable do you intend to make us feel?!’Maybe far more miserable than when I found Alicia choking on her blood, hanging on a thin thread between life and death, pleading for me to end her misery. The pleas and her tears still haunt me to date.‘Answer me!’“It's for the best,” I murmured, ignoring the girls who stood frozen in place with eyes wide with admiration as I walked past them.“He's so handsome,” They squealed, making me roll my eyes.‘It's nothing for the best. It's for your selfish reason.’ Ajax retorted.“Agreed,” I answered, nodding. If that were what being selfish was all about, I'd be selfish then.The mate bond, I felt it for the second time after her death. I had vowed to Alicia on her grave never to ackn
RACHELPain.It started as a pinch at my side. The type I often felt when I lay in my iron bunk bed at the orphanage home, thinking how it would be nice to have a family who'd love me for who I was. A family who wouldn't return me just at the slightest convenience, and those who wouldn't stare at me like I was some kind of bad omen that would soon befall them.The pinch turned into an ache. It was ignorable. I had done that many times. Seeing Lucy say nasty things about me to our parents, which wasn't true, yet they'd believe her. Knowing that Lucy, who was also a foster child, was given preference over me, yet I wasn't wanted.The ache lasted only for a brief second as I felt a sharp stab in my heart, gut, and all over my body. I gasped, falling over.Noah’s hands tightened around my waist, and he leaned in so I could rest my body on his as he swirled me with an expertise I had only taken a brief moment to admire before the pain overtook me.“Do you want to sit down?” He whispered in
JAXON“Professor Jaxon!” Ivy exclaimed, I saw the relief coursing through her.I heard the argument from the start.I never wanted to interfere. It was too much of a hassle butting into a lover's conversation. Or maybe it was jealousy. I had felt it even though it was subtle. The tightness in my chest and the rage that almost overtook me. Ivy had fucked Elijah. I could barely get the words said out of my head now.I didn't care about the fact that she was no longer a virgin. Half the girls in this school weren't virgins anyway. But I couldn't understand why she'd have slept with Elijah. That dickhead.I hated him. My hate for him should have propelled me to save Ivy, but I tended to avoid anything that had to do with him.Elijah was three years younger than I was. He was the school's golden boy. The co-captain of the football team and Grace's younger brother. That makes him one of the High Council's sons. His father was an alpha. He was going to be an alpha, too. He had his life alrea
RACHELMy heart warmed at what Noah said. I was his date. He was defending me. Although when you looked at it, he didn't look like he would be a match for Elijah.Elijah had toned muscles that were highlighted in his grey suit jacket, his hands were strong, and I felt them when he held me back. While Noah, it was hard to tell what he looked like because, again, just like his uniform, he was wearing a jacket that was twice his size and his slacks as well. But he was as tall as Elijah.Yet, he had jumped in my defense, knowing Elijah had enough strength to be able to hurl the two of us, tossing us away like rag dolls that weren't needed anymore.“Did he hurt you?” Noah murmured, glancing at me briefly.I swallowed, shaking my head. “No. You came just at the right time.”“And if I hurt her, what the hell do you intend to do to me? Yell or cry for me to let her go, pûssy?” Elijah goaded.“You didn't hurt her, that's all that matters,” Noah answered.“Get out of my way, idiot. Except you w