Chapter 2
Mason
The tension in the air was thick as we trudged into the outdoor training area for our next class, Crisis Management Strategies. I could feel my skin prickling, the stone within me humming with some primal instinct that always flared when Tess was near.
My gargoyle side was on edge, heightened senses buzzing, and the gravel of my thoughts kept turning over one thing… her scent. I'd caught it earlier, that unmistakable sweetness of arousal clinging to her skin like dew. Tess had been alone when I found her, but there was something she wasn’t saying, and it gnawed at me.
I positioned myself next to her, standing just close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from her body. She glanced up at me, her lips twitching into a small, tentative smile, one I returned with a steady nod.
Tess might not have known it, but there was no way I was leaving her side today. Not when I could sense how overwhelmed she was, her heartbeat still a little fast, her breathing a little shallow.
What had happened back there?
I clenched my jaw, keeping my face blank as other trainees filed in around us.
Selena and Valen stood off to the side, watching her with expressions I couldn't decipher. I didn’t think they should be able to participate in the classes after what they had done to Tess, but I’d heard their punishment was that they couldn't attend the next two Compatibility Challenges, giving them much less time with the dragons they were hoping to bond with.
Kane had taken his spot nearby, already scanning the area like it was a battleground—strategic as ever, cold eyes flickering with judgment. Draven leaned against a tree nearby, arms crossed over his chest like he was bored.
Something didn't sit right. This wasn’t the usual Monday afternoon class, and it wasn’t just Aelar, the hard-ass Crisis Management instructor, stalking the perimeter. There were too many unfamiliar faces, too many sets of eyes here that didn’t normally bother to show up for these lessons.
My instincts prickled. Something was off.
“Dante,” Kane muttered under his breath. The vampire instructor watched from beneath a wide-brimmed hat, his sharp features shadowed by an eerie sort of calm.
“He’s not alone,” I added, following his line of sight. Standing next to him was someone I’d never seen before. Tall, pale, his tailored dark suit fitting his lithe frame perfectly. The man exuded an air of quiet, confident authority. Not just another pretty vampire face. There was something... official about him.
Kane answered before I even had the chance to tilt my head in question. “Lucien Voss,” he said in that clipped, no-nonsense voice of his. “The vampire representative of the Omnium.”
“The Omnium?” Tess asked, her gaze bouncing between Lucien and Kane. Her brow furrowed slightly, the curiosity in her eyes pulling at the corner of my mouth, though I did my best to keep my face stoic. She was always hungry for knowledge—to understand everything that was happening around her. It was one of the things I admired most about her.
Kane sighed like it was obvious. “The Omnium is the governing council of all supernatural beings operating within human jurisdictions. They make sure Supes and humans don’t tear each other apart over… misunderstandings.”
“Right,” Tess said, nodding slowly, still studying Lucien like she was piecing together a puzzle.
I grunted. “Doesn’t feel like a coincidence, them being here today.”
“It’s not,” Kane replied. His arms were crossed now, his stance calculated but relaxed, like he already had a dozen contingencies planned out in his head. “They’re here to observe her.”
She blinked, whipping her head toward him. “Me?”
Kane gave a curt nod. “Yes, you. Who else?” A wry smirk tugged at his lips, though the humor never quite reached his eyes. His voice was low. “See over there? That’s Garrick Burke.”
I followed his gaze toward the far side of the field where a tall, imposing figure stood, radiating controlled authority. The griffin-shifter was legendary—Master of the Wing, a man whose battlefield prowess was the stuff of stories whispered among recruits. Even from a distance, his hawkish eyes missed nothing.
There was another woman standing with them. She had crimson hair and a captivating elegance.
Kane’s brows furrowed slightly, his cold exterior flickering as if he were trying to place her. “I... feel like I've met her before,” he said, almost to himself.
Tess glanced toward the figure with a smile of recognition. “That’s Akira,” she said, her voice warm and light. “She’s the library’s liaison to the Far East.”
"That's right. The kitsune," Kane murmured. He straightened up. "I'm surprised they didn't come earlier. Everyone wants to get a look at the first human bonded with a dragon, apparently.”
“They’re sizing her up,” I growled, my fists clenched so tightly that the sharp edges of my nails bit into my palms. I stepped unconsciously closer to Tess. “She’s a threat. To their balance. To their traditions. Not everyone’s as invested as Thalon is in breaking molds.”
My gargoyle side stirred, the tethered presence always there, always watching. Protect her. Keep her close. Let them know she’s yours to defend. The primal urge clawed at the edges of my restraint, a deep-rooted instinct as much a part of me as the air I pulled into my lungs.
Everyone’s focus was on her—whether they realized it or not. The faint murmurs, the lingering stares, the subtle shifts in posture as they assessed her. Every fiber of my being screamed to do something— growl, stake a claim, something .
“She’s mine to protect,” I thought fiercely, a whisper not meant for anyone but me. But even in thought, the words had weight. Claim her. Mark her. Let no one doubt it, the voice inside urged relentlessly, primal, hard-edged.
I shoved the thoughts down—stuffed that voice back into the quiet recesses where it belonged. Respect. Tess deserved respect. Patience. A choice.
Still, her closeness invoked something... deeper, more visceral, something barely restrained, and the duality of it all—the need to protect, the yearning to claim, the hesitation for fear of her pulling away—kept me suspended in this taut, agonizing balance between desire and duty.
I glanced down at her, catching the subtle furrow of her brow as she studied the training field, her lips pressed into a focused line. She was nervous; I could see the tension in her shoulders and the slight, restless movements of her fingers at her sides. Aelar never made this easy. He thrived on pressure, on turning the screws until all weaknesses cracked wide open.
“You good?” I muttered, pitching my voice so low that the buzz of conversation around us swallowed it. The question wasn’t just for me—it was for her.
Her golden-brown eyes lifted to meet mine, the sunlight igniting warm flecks in their depths—and catching the faint shimmer of purple streaked through her hair. That purple, always vivid no matter the light, had a pull that felt almost maddening. “Yeah,” she murmured, and though she tried to sound certain, the edges of her voice wavered just enough for me to hear her unease. “I just... I don’t know what to expect.”
I leaned in slightly, just enough to ensure no one else could hear. My chest stirred faintly as I breathed her in—her warmth, her presence, the steadying calm that brought me back from the edge more times than I could count. “I’ve got your back,” I said simply.
Her lips parted, the faintest inhale catching her breath, and for a fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of something in her expression. A softness, maybe, but layered with something else—something deeper. Something I wanted to understand but wouldn’t press to name. Not now. Not yet.
Her small nod was all the response I needed, though the faint press of her fingers against my forearm, too fleeting for anyone else to see, was enough to send my pulse surging. My stone form stirred again, the hum resonating quiet as a whisper through my veins—but I pushed it down like I always did.
Now wasn’t the time to feel. Now was the time to stand at her side. To be what she needed me to be.
The rest of the class had gathered now, and Aelar, his silver hair gleaming like steel under the sun, stepped into the center with a commanding presence that silenced any lingering chatter. His piercing blue eyes swept over us with the same kind of scrutiny that made you feel like you were being sized up—or cut down—at every turn. The High Elf was no joke. And I could tell by the way Tess shifted beside me that she knew it, too.
Aelar's commanding voice carried across the field, enhanced by a subtle magical resonance that allowed all two hundred of us to hear him clearly. "Gather around," he instructed, gesturing to the wide semicircle of wooden benches that had been set up facing a large, enchanted projection screen.
"You may have noticed we have a few guests observing today," he said, his silver-flecked eyes sweeping the crowd. "Pay them no mind. Focus on the lesson as usual."
"Today's lesson is survival. You’ll be learning what it takes to stay alive when you're on your own in the wilderness. As Dragon Riders, you may find yourselves in situations where you must survive in harsh environments, either while on a mission or if separated from your dragon," Aelar continued, his tone steady and authoritative. "More importantly, you may encounter individuals in dire straits, struggling to survive. Understanding their plight is crucial to effective rescue operations."
With a wave of his hand, images flickered to life on the screen behind him, displaying various wilderness scenarios. "We'll cover the basics of survival without unnecessary disruption to nature. Remember, we are guardians of balance, not conquerors. For those of you with magical abilities, I'll also provide guidance on how to use your gifts responsibly in these situations."
For the next hour, Aelar shared crucial survival skills, his centuries of experience pouring into every word. He covered essentials like locating and purifying water, constructing shelters from natural materials, foraging for food, fire-making, navigation, and basic first aid—all while emphasizing harmony with nature. Aelar stressed understanding the environment, whether it was tracking animals to find water, knowing which plants are safe to eat, or creating shelters without disturbing habitats.
He underscored the responsibility that came with magical abilities, urging mages to use their powers wisely—fire mages to prevent wildfires, water mages to avoid disrupting ecosystems, and plant manipulators to conserve resources. "Nature is a delicate balance to respect, not exploit," he reminded us, his tone firm. "Magic is a tool, not a crutch. Your actions must leave minimal trace, even in survival's gravest moments."
As the lecture portion neared its end, Aelar paused, allowing his words to sink in. "Now," he said, his voice taking on a challenging edge, "we put theory into practice. On Wednesday you will be expected to put everything you've absorbed here into practice."
I tensed beside Tess, my instincts already telling me we weren't going to like what came next. Even Draven, with his casual stance, shifted slightly as if sensing the impending challenge. Kane's jaw tightened, his sharp blue-violet eyes gleaming with interest, always ready for a test of wits and strategy.
"You will report here at 0600," Aelar continued, pacing slowly in front of the bench semicircle, "fully prepared for a survival exercise that will last from Wednesday morning through Friday morning."
A low murmur spread through the group, but a heavy silence followed almost immediately when Aelar raised his hand.
"You will be excused from your other classes during this time," he said, his gaze locking onto a few students who had started whispering amongst themselves. "This is not optional. Complaining about it will not change the fact that you will be out there for two full days… with no outside aid."
Tess swallowed beside me, and I instinctively brushed the back of my hand against hers—a fleeting touch, but enough to ground myself in the fact that I'd be there with her, no matter what we faced.
"You’ll be grouped into teams of four," Aelar continued. "Team assignments will be randomized, and each team will be dropped off at separate locations some distance away from the Guild. Your objective is to survive and make your way back here by Friday morning, 0800." His lips curled into a thin, almost cruel smile. "With as few injuries as possible."
I could sense Tess’s resolve, even as the tension radiated off her like heat from sunlit stone. Her breaths were measured, her gaze fixed forward, and while a flicker of doubt lingered in her posture, it wasn’t fear that I saw—it was readiness. Tess didn’t back down, not from this, not from anything. She was too damned strong for that, too damned stubborn.
I leaned in slightly and whispered, low enough for only her to hear, "We’ve got this."
She met my eyes, her brow tightening just a fraction before she nodded, her jaw set in quiet determination. Tess might not have spoken her mind, but the fire in her eyes made it clear—she wasn’t just standing here to prove something. She was ready to rise to the challenge.
Aelar's voice cut through my thoughts. "You will have your basic supplies—water skins, knives, etc.—and nothing more. You’ll need to forage for food, build your shelters, and navigate back to the Guild." His eyes flicked to the mages scattered among us, as if daring anyone to call him out. "You will be allowed to use your abilities sparingly —for survival purposes only. But every use of magic will have consequences."
Next to me, Tess’s fingers twitched. I wanted to reach out, wanted to pull her into the safety of my arms and promise her that nothing would happen, but I knew better than to cross that line right here, right now.
Aelar gave us all a long, measuring stare before adding, "The wilderness is unpredictable. And so is this exercise. Stay prepared. Stay alert. And remember… not all hazards come from the elements."
With that, he turned and began walking toward the exit. The other "guests" followed. None of us moved for a moment, a thick silence hanging over the group.
Kane was the first to speak, breaking the tension with a low chuckle. “Looks like we’re in for a fun little trip.”
I let out a slow breath, glancing around the crowd of applicants as they started murmuring amongst themselves. My eyes naturally scanned the faces, cataloging who I trusted, and more importantly, who I didn’t.
A few feet away, Valen was grinning like a predator who’d just found his next meal. His fangs glimmered under the sunlight, and I had to fight the urge to crack my knuckles. Selena stood nearby, her eyes gleaming with that same cruel amusement she always wore around Tess. They’d already bullied Tess—what would they do if they were alone in the wilderness with her?
I could feel the stone beneath my skin pulse, a familiar sensation of readiness to shift, to protect. I didn't know what I'd do if I wasn't able to keep her safe.