Chapter 149- Mate Madness Round 2

Chapter 149- Mate Madness Round 2
Vaelira POV

I woke up late.

That alone made me frown at the ceiling.

Late wasn’t my thing. My body usually snapped awake before the sun even thought about rising, my instincts humming, and my mind sharp. Instead, I felt loose, warm, and lazy in a way that made my wings stretch before I even opened my eyes.

I rolled onto my back. That’s when the hairs along my neck rose.

A knock sounded at the door.

I groaned and shuffled out of bed, not bothering to look in a mirror. I was wearing skimpy sleep clothes, soft and thin, the kind that barely counted as decent. The air hit my skin and I shivered, scales blooming faintly along my arms and collarbones in shimmering violet and silver. Of course my nipples hardened. Lovely. Oh well.

I opened the door. Aethren stood there. Barefoot. Shirtless. Loose sleep pants riding low on his hips. Dragon heat rolling off him in lazy waves.

He stared. I stared back. Mother of all hells the boy was good looking. Those abs. Ohhh man. I'm in trouble.

His gaze dipped, and froze, right at nipple level. Indeed.

“I have eyes,” I said flatly.

He jerked his head up so fast I thought he might strain something. His cheeks flushed instantly. “Shit. Sorry. I... you’re...”

“Finish that sentence carefully.”

“You’re gorgeous,” he blurted.

I crossed my arms. My nipples hardened even more traitorously, and I scowled harder to compensate.

He swallowed.

My human skin shimmered fully now, violet and silver scales tracing elegant patterns across my shoulders and ribs, and my wings were folded loosely behind me. My hair was a deep metallic purple/silver blend that caught the light. I knew what I looked like. All dragons can be...quite vain. I'm hot as shit. I know it.

He cleared his throat and lifted a cup. “Coffee. Peace offering.”

I sniffed automatically and my scowl cracked. “Caramel?”

His blush deepened. “How did you..”

“I didn’t. I smelled it,” I said smugly, then stepped aside. “You can come in.”

He relaxed the second he crossed the threshold, like the room itself approved of him. I took the coffee, sipped, and sighed happily. It was perfect.

“So,” I said, leaning against the desk. “What’s up?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I was hoping you’d want to hang out today. Explore. Eat. Pretend we’re not at the most terrifying academy in existence.”

My mouth opened. What came out was panic.

“So I’m a royal and a Myrren and I’m probably going to have a lot of mates and is that ok with you? I mean it kind of has to be ok but I still wanted to say it out loud and...”

He smiled. Easy. Warm. Unbothered.

“Yeah. I know,” he said. “I just wasn’t prepared to find my mate this fast.”

Heat flooded my face. “Same.”

I took another sip, then snorted. “My sister Arielle dragged the most massive Siberian tiger I’ve ever seen to her room last night. They absolutely destroyed things.”

He chuckled. “Oh ya?”

“And apparently,” I added dryly, “he made her submit, which is… honestly wild.”

The door burst open.

Arielle stormed in like a natural disaster, fully dressed, her blonde hair wild, and those insane blue eyes blazing. A massive Siberian tiger male filled the doorway behind her, broad as a wall, white-blond hair tied back, power rolling off him in waves.

She stopped short when she saw Aethren.

Her eyes narrowed.

“You,” she said sharply, pointing at him. “You flipped us off.”

Aethren blinked. “I....”

She didn’t care. She stepped fully into the room.

“I don’t like you.”

He opened his mouth, thought better of it, and closed it again. Smart.

Arielle turned to me, all fire instantly gone. “Vaelira. This is Vorak.”

Vorak dipped his head politely. “Its a pleasure.”

“He is mine,” Arielle added smugly. “I am his. The bond is sealed.”

I smiled, genuinely happy for her. She deserved a worthy mate. “Congratulations. Father Greyson will be thrilled.”

She beamed, then immediately shot Aethren another glare. “He’s bigger than you.”

Aethren straightened instinctively, his dragon pride flaring. He and Vorak sized each other up, their ancient predator instincts colliding.

They were nearly the same size. They nodded once. Mutual respect. Barely restrained violence.

Arielle sniffed. “Hmph.”

She grabbed Vorak’s hand. “We’re leaving. To eat. And possibly fight later.”

Vorak shrugged. “Both are acceptable.”

They vanished down the hall. I leaned back against the desk and sighed, coffee warm in my hands.

“Well,” I said, glancing at Aethren. “Still want to hang out?”

He smiled softly. “Yeah. I really do.”

For the first time since arriving at Aureth Vale, my chest felt steady.

Maybe this place wouldn’t break me after all.
\~~~~~

Nimira Veyne POV

Morning light filled my room in soft gold layers, warming the stone and catching in my hair. I lay still for a long moment, listening.

There was space where my twin usually was. Not emptiness. Just distance. Our shared heartbeat still existed, faint but steady, like a thread stretched instead of braided. I pressed my palm to my chest and breathed through the unfamiliar quiet. This was part of growing. I knew that. Still, it felt strange to wake without him so close.

“I’ll be fine,” I whispered to myself.

The words settled.

I dressed lightly and slipped into the halls, moving as I always did, unnoticed, silent, and intuitive. Aureth Vale was peaceful this early. No crowds. No noise. Just sunlight and the academy slowly waking.

The gardens drew me in without effort.

I sat on the stone bench tucked beneath flowering branches and watched the sun climb, as warmth spread across my skin. My power hummed gently, my lunar magic adapting to daylight instead of fighting it. I closed my eyes, letting the feeling wash over me.

I wanted to run. Not from anything. Toward myself.

The desire was clear and calm, not urgent. I rose and followed my instinct past the curated paths, deeper into the forested edge where the academy loosened its hold and nature breathed freely.

When the trees thickened and the ground softened beneath my feet, I stopped.

“This is far enough,” I murmured.

I let the shift take me.

It flowed easily, silver fur blooming across my body, the world sharpening into color and scent and sound. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, turning my coat luminous. I rolled once in the grass, joy bubbling up uncontrollably, then stretched long and low, soaking in warmth.

Then my ears flicked. A scent cut through the forest air. Wolf. Male. My body stilled completely.

The scent was gold and heat and something steady beneath it. Confident, but not aggressive. Curious. A pull formed low in my chest, immediate and undeniable.

Mate?

The word wasn’t fear. It was recognition. I lifted my head slowly. He stood between the trees, his golden fur bright in the morning light, and his eyes locked on mine. He didn’t advance. Didn’t retreat. He waited.
Respect.

The forest held its breath.

Run. The instinct rose clear and firm.

I bolted.

The chase ignited something ancient and joyful inside me. I darted through the trees, my paws barely touching the ground, weaving and leaping, letting my speed sing. I could hear him behind me, controlled and powerful, close enough to be present but never crowding.

He wasn’t trying to overwhelm me. He was listening.

I twisted sharply, testing him. He followed without hesitation. I sprinted uphill, then cut sideways, my heart racing, and laughter bubbling in my chest.

Catch me if you can.

When he finally did, it was smooth and inevitable. His weight came down with care, rolling us into the grass. I snapped playfully, once, then went still beneath him.

Pinned. Chosen. Accepted.

He lowered his snout to mine, his breath warm and steady.

“You run with intention,” he said quietly. “Not panic. Not fear.”

I breathed hard, exhilarated. “I needed to know you’d follow without forcing.”

“I would never chase what doesn’t want to be caught,” he replied.

The shift back took us together.

Morning air kissed my bare skin as I knelt in the grass, with my heart racing, and my silver hair falling forward. He knelt across from me, his golden hair catching the sun, and his eyes steady but reverent.

“Are you alright?” he asked immediately. “Tell me if I misread anything.”

I smiled, warmth spreading through me. “You didn’t. You waited. You listened. That matters to me.”

Relief softened his posture.

“I’m Tarek,” he said. “Golden wolf. Second line of my pack. I wasn’t looking for a bond. I came here to learn control.”

I studied him, sensing honesty threaded through every word. “Sometimes control is knowing when to surrender to the right moment.”

He nodded slowly. “That’s what it felt like with you. Like the forest itself was watching.”

“I’m Nimira,” I said gently. “Nimira Veyne.”

Understanding crossed his face instantly. Not fear. Not ambition. Respect.

“The Veynes,” he said softly. “Then I swear this wasn’t about status.”

“I know,” I replied, stepping closer. “If it were, the chase would have felt wrong.”

He met my gaze. “I don’t want to cage you. I want to run beside you. Even if that means letting you go sometimes.”

The words settled deep.

“That’s exactly what I need,” I said.

The bond slipped into place quietly. No rush. No pressure. Just certainty. I exhaled, smiling.

The silence inside me didn’t feel empty anymore.

It felt like space made for something new.
\~~~~~

Tarek POV

We stood there in the clearing, with the sunlight filtering through the leaves, and for once I didn’t feel the need to move.

That was new.

I was aware of my body in a distant way. Bare skin cooling in the morning air, breath still uneven from the run, my heart steadying. But my attention kept circling back to her, the way my instincts always did now, gentle but insistent.

Nimira didn’t look away.

She wasn’t shy about it. She took me in calmly, her silver eyes soft but sharp, like she was memorizing me rather than judging. There was no challenge in her stance, no fear, no rush to cover herself or close distance. Just quiet presence.

I swallowed.

I’d been raised to understand power as something loud. Something that announced itself. Diremark males were taught to command space. Wyrmshard males were warned to limit themselves, to shrink where others expanded, because we could overwhelm without meaning to.

Standing in front of her, I felt all of that training hum beneath my skin. And still, she didn’t flinch.

My parents had sent me to Aureth Vale because they were afraid of what I might become if I never learned to pause. My father’s voice echoed in my head, steady and unyielding. Control isn’t weakness. It’s proof you care what happens next.

I cared very much what happened next.

“You’re thinking too loud,” Nimira said gently.

I blinked, then laughed under my breath. “Sorry. Habit.”

She tilted her head, studying me. “You don’t need to be careful with me.”

The words landed heavier than any warning I’d ever been given.

“I know,” I said slowly. “That’s what scares me.”

She smiled at that, not mocking, not dismissive. Understanding.

We stood there longer than necessary, the bond between us settling, not pulling or demanding, just… existing. My wolf was calm, his tail metaphorically thumping, content to simply be near her.

Nimira stepped closer, close enough that I could feel her warmth, and for the first time in my life, being Wyrmshard didn’t feel like a burden.

It felt like something I could carry.

With her.