12. CHAPTER 12
All the cadets headed into the courtyard.
The six of us females in the electric platoon decided to walk in together.
The courtyard looked beautiful. Floating orbs of light hovered overhead.
Gentle music played, and groups of people gathered.
The dining area doors were open for us to grab food and mingle.
Maybe this was the college’s way of helping us become friends before we turned against each other.
While going through basic training and being in a diverse squad with members from all branches, I couldn’t imagine wanting to hurt anyone simply because they chose a different path.
As we passed the outdoor arena, vibrant floating light orbs danced in the sky.
Groups of cadets gathered nearby. The six of us gradually separated, each finding friends to talk to.
I found Ophelia and embraced her warmly.
We had grown close during basic, and of course, she had saved my life, which meant a great deal to me.
Suddenly, I heard shrieking, and before I could turn around, someone pulled me into the biggest, warmest bear hug I had ever experienced.
I didn’t need to open my eyes. I knew it was Lili, her frantic shrieks and tight hugs revealing her identity.
She held me so firmly that I struggled to breathe.
I coughed, and she finally released me, still gripping my arms. She stepped back to look at me, her height towering over mine.
I stood at five foot three and never caught up to her.
"Oh Auri, I have missed you so much," she exclaimed with a wide smile.
“Me too. I can’t believe I am in your platoon!”
“I know, out of six Platoon Leaders, you got me!”
“And you made Platoon Leader, that’s amazing.”
“Thank you. How was basic? ”
“It was an experience. I got severely injured during the pass, but I made it out.”
“Oh Auri, I didn’t know. I am glad you are okay.”
“I am good, you know me, I am a survivor.”
She waved at someone behind me, and as I started to turn around to see who it was, I was pulled into another big embrace—Alexander.
“Ella, I’ve missed you so much. Gods, I dreamt of holding you again.” His voice dropped, and warmth filled his eyes as he pulled me close.
I pulled back from him and looked up. He reached down, and before he could kiss me, I looked down, offering my forehead for him to kiss. He withdrew, sucked his teeth, and furrowed his brows at me. “What’s wrong?”
“We are not—” I started, but a cough cut me off, and a familiar tingling crawled through me.
He eased away slowly and smiled, a look that revealed his annoyance yet masked it from others—an expression that sent chills down my spine.
He turned sharply toward the source of the cough.
My stomach clenched tightly, and I wrestled with how I would introduce him.
Oh, hey, mate, these are my childhood best friends, who are twins—oh, and we used to date.
“Zane Braegon, this is Auriella Blackcreek.” Alex introduced him to me . I was so confused.
“We’ve met,” he said with a smile.
I felt an overwhelming sense of anger rush through me. It startled me for a moment, then I realized it was not my anger, but his. Why was he angry?
“Oh?” Lili said, raising an eyebrow at me, then turned to him. “Well, Auri is our childhood best friend.”
“Alex has been one of my closest friends for the past two years,” Zane said, keeping his gaze fixed on me.
Anxiety spiked, drying out my throat and locking my tongue. My mate—destined, bound—was best friends with the man I’d dated on and off for five years. The same man who had taken my virginity. Fantastic. My stomach twisted, and I forced down a hard swallow.
“Let’s all get some food and sit down,” Lili said with an empathetic look, as if she realized Zane was more than just a casual acquaintance. She was well aware of Alex and my relationship and had witnessed all its ups and downs firsthand.
“Yes, let’s,” Zane said, his face very neutral, but also looking like he was about to throw daggers out of them.
I let the three of them lead, and I followed behind. My mind raced, and honestly, I was on the edge of a full-blown anxiety attack. Zane slowed his pace to walk beside me.
“We should talk.” His voice cut low between us, the words heavy enough to press against my skin.
“Not here,” I said, looking at the ground.
“First floor, room two. Come in through Watch Tower Two. I will leave here in an hour or so,” he told me before he picked back up the pace and stood next to Alex.
Shit. He was somehow in a leadership role, positioned on the first floor.
I refused to let it bother me. It wouldn’t kill me, and I told myself it would be okay.
I hadn’t seen my best friend in over a year.
I increased my pace and moved to stand beside Lili.
We all grabbed some food and headed to the expansive arena, where large, glowing bistro tables had been set up for cadets to enjoy a meal under the bright light orbs.
I sat down between Lili and Zane, with Alex sitting across from me.
"So, how do you all know each other?” Alex asked, glancing at me and back to Zane.
“Ah, simply around. We sparred once, and she’s a hell of a sparrer,” Zane said, looking at me.
“Yes, she is. We used to spar a lot when we were growing up. Of course, it always ended in something more.” He shot me a big smile, and I rolled my eyes.
The anger I felt earlier came over me again.
I looked at Zane, who didn’t look angry.
I placed my hand in my lap, then slid it onto his knee and squeezed it.
I was hoping he’d understand that I was silently letting him know I could feel him.
I didn’t keep my hand there long. I didn’t want either of them to notice.
He shot me a side glance and a slight smile, as if he understood.
“How did a dragon Rider become best friends with a Drusearon?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
Alex let out a light laugh and looked over at Zane. “We were in the same platoon in basic, we simply clicked. We have had each other’s asses over the last two years. We both fly, only in different ways.”
Zane looked unimpressed with this conversation, or perhaps that was his regular expression, because neither Alex nor Lili seemed to act otherwise. Every time we spoke, he was giving me subtle, devious smiles, or he displayed worry because I was on death’s door.
“How has the ice wielding been going?” I asked Lili.
When she came home for summer break after her first year, she beamed with happiness that she got the ability to throw ice. Alex could wield fire making them a deadly combo. It was also ironic as they could balance each other out, as they had their whole lives.
“It is going really well. I always have to have some sort of water in order to manipulate it.”
“I love to hear that, that first summer home was a little rough.”
“My fire wielding is going great too. Thanks for asking—” Alex added.
“I mean I didn’t, but that’s great for you.” I said to him. Lili let out a laugh.
“Hey man, are you good?” Alex asked Zane. Well, maybe this wasn’t his usual expression.
“This is the face you usually give your wing, the unimpressed, unfazed Zane,” Lili added.
“Your wing?” I looked over at him.
“I am fine, merely have a lot of things going on in here.” He looked between them and tapped his head. He turned and looked at me. “I am the Executive Officer of the Black Wing.”
“Oh, that’s cool,” I said, smiling.
“I am going to go get another drink. Want anything?” Zane said, looking over at us .
“I’ll join you,” Alex said, standing up. Both of them strolled back towards the dining facility.
“What the hell is going on between you two?” Lili said, in a lowered voice.
“I mean, it’s nothing new. He broke my heart over and over again. I refuse to go down that path again.”
“I didn’t mean you and Alex, I mean—”
“Nothing,” I cut her off, before she could finish.
“MmmHmm, yeah, that’s what you said about you and Alex at first.”
"Alex broke parts of me that I am still trying to fix. What happened to us five years ago really messed with me, especially since I arrived here."
“I understand what you mean. When I arrived here, the winged Fae—I mean Drusearons—triggered my anxiety attacks, all of them were him. I’ve learned that there are so many incredible Drusearons here, and we shouldn’t judge them based on the actions of one.”
“Yeah,” I said, looking down at my plate and pushing my food around.
Zane and Alex rejoined our table, drinks in hand. Zane handed me one, and Alex handed Lili hers. I took a sip and realized it was a sweet mixed drink with a strong pineapple flavor. It was delicious, but I knew I should keep it at one.
“Let’s dance,” Alex said to us, “I get Auriella first.”
Great, I was a possession.
“I’ll spin Zane right on around,” Lili said, afterwards grabbing Zane’s hand and pulling him to the center where everyone else was dancing. A twinge of jealousy ran through me. I’d never been jealous of Lili before, but I mostly dated her brother.
I walked beside Alex as we approached the dance floor. We faced each other, and damn, this felt so awkward. To make it worse, the music changed to a slower song. Alex reached for my waist and pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, and we began dancing slowly.
“Now that you’re here, maybe we can give this another shot?” he told me softly.
“No. Please, let’s remain friends. We are better as friends,” I pleaded with him.
“You weren’t saying that last year when I was home on leave.”
“And as soon as you fucked me, and I told you I was still going to become a dragon Rider, you told me you couldn’t do a relationship.”
“I didn’t want a long distance.”
“You just wanted a good fuck.”
“I didn’t want you to join the military, but you did. I still love you.”
“I don’t.”
“Have you moved on? It’s only been a year.”
“A year is a long time, people grow and change, but you left me crying…”
The song changed into another slower one. Fuck me.
“Let’s swap,” Lili said as she moved over and took her brother’s hand, seemingly sensing where it was headed.
“Can I have this dance, Auri ?” Zane asked, smiling at me and clearly enunciating my name.
I simply nodded my head and smiled. He grabbed my hand and pulled me closer before wrapping his arms around my waist. My heart skipped a beat. It always felt like home when he was touching me.
“That was sounding a little tense,” he said, looking down at me, but I was avoiding eye contact.
“Yeah, it always is with him.”
“Look at me,” his voice dropped low and sounded so stern.
I looked at him, my eyes meeting his, and electricity coursed through me, as it had done so many times before.
“Good girl.” He growled at me. My heart skipped a beat or five. Fuck. I wanted to kiss him so bad right in that moment and I couldn’t.
“Do you feel a shock through your body when we look at each other?”
“Yeah, I am guessing you do as well,” he smirked.
“Will that ever fade or stop?”
“I don’t know, but I do know I am holding every restraint from kissing you and caressing that beautiful tongue of yours. ”
I immediately felt my cheeks flush with heat, wetness seep between my legs, and my thighs tingling.
“That’s the response I like to see,” he said, giving me that beautiful, devious smile.
“Let’s dance!” Lili shouted as the song jumped into an upbeat rhythm.
She seized my hand and Zane’s, yanking us toward Alex before spinning free and breaking into motion.
Her body flowed with the beat, loose and wild, every step daring the rest of us to follow.
I lingered at the edge, shy, my feet heavy while hers seemed made for music.
“I’m actually going to head in, I need to do some paperwork,” Zane said. Gave us a nod and walked towards the courtyard.
Lili held my hands, and we continued dancing. For a brief moment, I forgot about the dire situation I was in. Alex left at some point. I didn’t notice when or where he went. We danced to several songs, and then I realized I needed to find Zane. I was certain he had questions. I knew I did.
“I am exhausted, so I'm going to head in," I said.
“Yeah, yeah, it’s been a long day. If you need me, I’m on the second floor, eighth room.”
“Thanks.”