Chapter 18 18
RANDOM FACTS: Riven Draken owns exactly three sweaters that are ‘accidentally’ too large. He bought them specifically because they slip off his shoulder. The saleswoman tried to suggest a smaller size. He bought larger ones instead.
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I cannot think properly with Kael Veyne around me.
It’s a realization… that I’m not sure I hate in total.
Even after he made me float into the heavens and cut off the sex so abruptly, I came from how hard he choked my neck and demanded an answer from me.
He disappeared after that. I haven’t seen him since then.
He tends to do that a lot. Disappear when we fuck.
But I suppose in his defense, I slipped this time.
Because what the fuck is Aranel?
“You look hot by the way.” Aaron Voss’s voice, I’ve come to realize, was never my cup of tea. It’s boring. And simple. Like a dog barking without a good reason.
He’s driving slow too. I wonder how Kael drives. Does he have a car? Why do I know nothing about him? “Don’t I always?”
The sweater I have on is larger than the usual one someone would see me in. It’s also falling off my shoulder, revealing my pale and unblemished perfect skin. I have on baggy pants, the entire outfit feeling like a lazy put together thing but I know I look perfect.
I never not look perfect.
Does Kael think that?
My ass burns from him. And every movement I make reminds me that he accompanied me down on his dick while the world stopped existing for a while. He made me feel like I was the one thing he could pretend to care for.
I mean, sure, I was angry before he came.
He was ruining my life. And my mind. So I needed to feel like there was one thing I could control.
Him.
But what the fuck was I thinking? He’s fucked me once and I know im addicted to that stupid thing attached to his ends. It’s lovely looking and he smells nice and even though he fucks md like I’m a brainless little whore, I like it.
And I want it more.
I want whatever magic he does to stop all my anger and my anxiety to go away.
By magic, you mean his dick?
I ignore the thought.
“You’re different now. By the way, Less… angry,” Aaron reaches out for my thigh. I watch him place his hand on it and gently squeeze. Gently. Like a fucking pussy. “Is this because you’re no longer talking to that weird friend—”
“Finish that sentence and I’ll make sure we both get run over by an incoming truck.” I cut in.
He takes his hand away and stays quiet.
I want to kick my shoes in his face but I hate how right he is.
I still haven’t sucked up my nerves to talk to Claire since yesterday and I didn’t even bother going to school today. I just called Aaron over, told him we needed to go to the Academy now and he came.
There’s been a certain raven bird following me and as much as I want to show it my middle finger, the last thing I want is to freak poor vanilla Aaron.
Plus, it’s my fault. Aaron thinks that talking about Claire in that manner is alright because I’m avoiding her which could not be far from the truth.
I just… need to fix all of this and it’ll be us together again. Forever. As it’s meant to be.
It doesn’t take us too long to get to the Academy which looks like something that walked out of a gothic horror movie. Stone walks. Black gate with ivy crawling all around it. Gargoyles and a dome like roof.
The raven perches right on one of the latter.
I ignore it.
The gates open when Aaron gets close to it, closing only after we’re in. I walk out of the door, my arms folded. The entire place sounds quiet, like it’s almost abandoned but when Aaron pushes open the metal doors and I walk in, I understand that the noise is just restricted inside.
It feels like I just walked into a locker room— with the smell of masculinity that hits my nose.
But glory be to the heavens, I cannot smell any pheromones.
But I know it won’t last too long before something happens so I’m on a timer. “You should go check your Educator guide or whatever. I’m fine here.”
He doesn’t look sure. “You… you know you’re not supposed to be here, right?”
“Are you really asking that question now when I’m already here and there’s nothing you can do about it?” I fight back the urge to roll my eyes. “Go. Shoo.”
He’s an obedient pup so he leaves. The second he’s gone, I walk up one of the random stairs I find, keep turning till the smell of sweaty males gathered in one room, then I open the door and say to the first person I see. “You. I need to see Cain and Aidan. Now.”
The Alpha I've grabbed— because that's what I've done, my hand is literally wrapped around his bicep— stares at me like I've grown a second head.
He's huge. They're all huge here, which is apparently the point. Broad shoulders. Damp skin from whatever lifting they were doing. He smells like soap and effort and something distinctly male that would probably do something for me if my entire body wasn't already wrecked from yesterday.
Plus, he’s bigger than all of them combined.
"You're—" He blinks. "You're an Omega."
"No shit."
"You're not supposed to be in here."
"I'm aware." I release his arm. Step back. Tilt my head so the sweater slips a little more, because old habits and also because watching his eyes dart to my bare shoulder and then away is deeply satisfying. "Cain and Aidan. Now. Or I start screaming."
His eyes widen. "Screaming about what?"
"Haven't decided yet. But I'm creative, and this place is full of Alphas who haven't had their suppressants today I’m assuming." I smile. It's not a nice smile. "Want to find out together?"
He's already moving.
I can feel the gaze of his other little friends as I make my way to sit, crossing my legs as I stare up at the ceiling. Their gazes are penetrating, but it’s nothing I’m not used to.
I don’t know how long I’m there but my attention returns when I hear a very familiar voice say softly, “Well, hello, pumpkin. I didn’t think I would be seeing you anytime soon. Especially in a place like this after what happened the last time.”
I sit upright, my eyes on Cain. He looks different during the day. Nothing like the kind of Alphas I see.
He has blond fluffy hair that sits on top of his head with some ringlets falling over his face with moles scattered all around it. And blue eyes. Sparkling blue eyes that look like the sun leaves little sparkles on it.
And a constant smile.
Aidan is not here. “Something… happened the night we met?”
He holds his hand out. “May we go somewhere safer, my dear?”