009. Loud Mouthed Dragon

~Bethany~

Jayan Salazar’s caption on his social media post says that I’m his mate!

He didn’t stop there. He announced that we’re a pack; I'm mated to not just him but the other three princes!

Why is that dragon shifter so loud-mouthed?

Over the last couple of days, I’ve avoided drawing unnecessary attention to myself and even avoided running into the princes who have persistently become my shadow.

My routine is set in stone: wake up, go to classes, speak only when spoken to, brew potions, keep my head down, and return to my dorm to bide my time.

I’ve gone to Torah with Zuri to get outfits she considers beautiful and feminine-flattering enough for me. Outfits I'm very sure would never be seen on my body while I'm here.

Not when I’m carefully crafting my reputation for being a forgettable nobody. But I do love all the outfits we got.

Over the past days, Zuri and I have become comfortable acquaintances. She and her Werewolf-shifter ‘boyfriend’, whom she has refused to acknowledge as one, check up on me at least three times each day.

The Dean has made it mandatory that newly mated Nobles should be seen attending general classes and trainings together in preparation for this year's Crestbane sweep, which he hinted would be coming sooner than later.

Unmatched Nobles are all terrified of the incoming ‘sweep,' and have started walking around in groups of threes and fours.

I notice the fear in Zuri’s eyes each time she comes around with Hellion, who has refused to let her back to our dorm after that Vampire’s death. He doesn’t trust Blond and Berret, and that’s fine by me.

As long as his decision keeps Zuri safe, I’m good.

Zuri now calls me her bestie and makes her werewolf boyfriend and me binge-watch steamy romance shows with her whenever she visits and we have the time.

I occasionally explore Crestbane Forest and hide from the princes in the University Libraries in search of any information I might need to achieve my purpose.

So far, my reputation as a forgettable nobody has been solid until the photograph of Jayan Salazar that outs me as the princes’ mate.

…

Since I hadn’t bothered getting a smartphone, Zuri had come first thing in the morning to tell me about Jayan Salazar’s social media town crying.

Again, I had to tell Hellion to take her with him while I get ready for the day, convincing both of them that I'll be fine.

But this time, it doesn’t take much to convince Zuri because she ffor whatever reason, believes I'm completely safe now that I've been revealed as the princes’ mate.

In her words, the Blond and the Beret Nobles from the other night can't do shit to me. Not when I'll soon become the princess of Crestbane.

Eww

After getting ready for the day, I make my way through a crowded corridor toward my first class of the day.

I rarely take this route since I prefer passing as few students as possible, but I quickly realize just how terrible an idea it was to take it today of all days, right after my gods-given identity reveal.

I think everyone knows who I am now.

It's painfully obvious with the number of stares tracking my every step. I can hear whispering, and a few people even wave and try to say hello. Others size me up.

Since glowering at them or using choice words would be seen as a challenge and drum up power struggle drama, I decide to take the easy way out and stare at my feet as I walk, pretending none of it is happening.

Just a couple more weeks until everything goes down. If I don’t fulfill my mission by then, I’m leaving Crestbane anyway.

Stepping into my Introduction to Soul-craft class, I climb the stone steps to get to my spot in the back, where people always leave me alone.

But when I arrive at the section of long desks and benches, I pause at the sight of the annoyingly dragon-shifter, Jayan Salazar, already waiting for me.

Jayan’s smile is dazzling. “There’s my Babe.”

“You’re in my seat, and I’m not your anything.”

He points at his thigh and winks. “I’ve got a better one right here for you.”

Infuriating dragon.

When I just stare silently at him, carefully avoiding letting my emotions seep onto my face, he scoots over slightly to make room for me on the bench.

“I’ve never been to a Soul-crafting class before, but I’m excited to sit through the torment for you, Babe. Do you know that I've made it clear to everyone that I now belong to no other person but you? Right now, I plan to be the Mate you need and deserve. I'm going to love you, make you happy, protect you, worship you, praise you, be your…”

I pull my palms across my ears, almost crying to Deskar and his gods and goddesses to save me from this emotional loud-mouthed dragon shifter.

I want to remind him that he has his own classes, but noticing a few other senior Nobles in the class exhibiting PDA with their new mates, I recall that the Dean permitted new mated Nobles to attend GENERAL classes and trainings together.

Yuck!

All this shit is so inconvenient, but whatever. I’m nothing if not adaptable.

I sit on the edge of the bench, as far away from the shifter as possible, while Professor Rodry starts his class.

The rest of the Nobles present quiet down, but there is still a stomach-churning amount of soft arm caresses and cheek kisses.

gods, just looking at it all makes my skin itch.

I try to focus on the lesson, but I quickly learn that dragons sitting on the same seat with a dragon shifter isn’t a good thing, ever.

First of all, Jayan is too damn handsome and exhibits warmth without meaning to, and that makes me continuously aware of his presence.

Plus, he’s keeping his hands to himself but not his eyes. I can practically feel his gaze memorizing my profile as I look straight forward, purposefully ignoring him.

“I didn’t sleep all last night,” he says suddenly.

Ignore.

“So, to pass the time, I made two very long lists.”

Ignore.

To show him just how little I care that he’s made me the center of all his attention, I pull out a notebook from my bag, open it, and start jotting down my notes.

He adjusts on his side of the desk to face me slightly more. “The first was some questions I want to ask you. Promise me you’ll answer at least three of them.”

“Not happening.”

“Awe, come on,” he pouts.

Pouting is so childish, yet somehow, this dragon makes it so flirtatious as he leans over to catch my eye.

“Little questions. Questions that don’t even matter, like your favorite color, favorite gemstone, or the three most important people in your life. I just want to get to know you, even the insignificant things you think I’ll forget. I won’t pry or ask uncomfortable questions. I mean it, Bethany, cross my heart that now only beats for you.”

“Are all the Salazars this annoying?”

“The word you’re looking for is amazingly charming. And nope. I’m one of a kind, and I’m all yours."