Chapter 3
Chapter Three
“Not everyone can just spot their fated mate, you know,” Jamie stated confidently next to me.
We were sitting in our very first shifter class which focused on how our shifted forms differed and how each shifted form’s strengths and weaknesses showed.
Because of the size difference between our forms, we were having an outside lecture on the grass field behind the school.
“I’m well aware,” I drawled, already having had this very conversation with him several times over the week.
I’d been able to remain friendly with Casey, but I sensed he felt the shift I had toward him.
He didn’t outright ask me or anything. But ever since I met Harpy, he’d stopped talking about his boyfriend, soon to be ex-boyfriend.
He must’ve known from the way my dragon reacted. The only question was if Harpy knew.
The day after we were summoned, we were all gathered in the courtyard once again to be introduced to our teachers, one by one they stepped onto the balcony and introduced themselves. I found I looked forward to Willa’s lessons the most, purely because I would see what forms the other students had.
We were currently in Willa’s class now. She stood with a wide grin as she swept her gaze over each of us sitting in front of her.
“First up,” Willa ordered, clapping her hands, “…is bird shifters. Come on, everyone that has a bird form.”
Willa was a peacock shifter and even in her human form it showed. Her robe was a bluish emerald shifting shade, her dress under it a deep blue that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, her hair in a sort of updo that made a statement, I was just unaware which sort of statement she’d gone for.
Several students rose from the ground, Casey too, since he was a raven shifter. I’d yet to figure out what Harpy was, and since he seemed to steer clear of me, I was still clueless.
“I want all of you to stand in a line and shift. If you’re bigger, stand back a bit before shifting,” Willa instructed.
Our classes were sorted into groups so there were only around thirty in this one.
It was also my first time being in the same one as Harpy, much to my dragon’s dismay.
It was pleased to be so close to Harpy now, though.
I couldn’t figure out why it had taken us this long to be in the same spot for longer than a few minutes.
The bird shifters all changed their forms, each bird so different from the next, even those that shared shifted forms. It was fascinating to watch. Seeing the same shifted forms next to one another was rare, mostly because the form you were given was random, not genetic or anything.
“Look closely,” Willa said, walking up to two owls that were both a brown color.
“Look how obvious their differences are. One is clearly bigger than the other, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the more powerful of them.
” She stood in front of the two owls and ordered, “Fly as fast as you can straight up and catch the red ball. On three. One. Two. Three!” She threw the ball on three, her throw spectacularly strong.
The two owls flew up, one of them—the smaller one—was way faster than the other, soaring straight up and catching the red ball easily. They flew down, the winning owl with the red ball in its talons.
“Very good! See class, this is a clear example of how power works in shifted forms and how it can be seen more clearly. The biggest one will likely be the most powerful one in battle, but the smallest is the fastest. No one can be the best at everything, which is why it’s crucial for you to learn where your powers lie.
” She took a second to let that sink in before yelling, “Next up are canines!”
The class went on for another hour, the students who had shifted were pushed to sit further back, making the rest of us move closer to Willa for our turn.
Harpy had yet to shift, meaning we were closer to one another, a fact that made me almost purr with glee.
I’d never been like this before, not even close, but I truly couldn’t be mad about it.
My dragon liked Harpy and so did I. We were in perfect agreement about wanting to be as close to Harpy as possible, so when Willa told all feline shifters to stand and Harpy did, I almost followed along, my body aching to stay close to my fated.
I had to force my butt to remain seated, glad that I could at least watch Harpy without it being considered creepy now.
Willa spoke but I didn’t listen. No, instead I focused on the fluffy white cat in front of me.
He was so damn cute! Harpy was a cat shifter, a fluffy white cat shifter.
His eyes were blue and bright, his fur so soft, I itched to pet it, to stroke him and hear him purr.
My dragon would love to snuggle with the precious cat, keeping it safe from the world.
Protect the fluffy ball of cuteness.
Harpy’s cat eyes met mine and something shifted in them, almost like recognition. I dared hope his cat knew, that he somehow saw what I was to him.
Then the cat was gone and Willa was now ordering the rest of us to stand and shift, making me realize I was about to shift again. Could I control my dragon? Fuck, I hoped so.
“Now this last group will be a mix, but perhaps we’ll still have some of the same forms,” Willa continued, watching us stand in a line, I kept moving further away from the others, needing my space.
“Shift!” Willa ordered, her smile wide as she watched us all change forms. I was a tad reluctant, mostly because I could feel Harpy’s eyes on me, his piercing brown eyes almost looking through me and into my very soul.
I let the change happen, allowing my dragon to take over. My wings flew out, my dragon wanting to show off to his mate, the damn bastard. Many ooohed and awed, having clearly never seen a dragon shifter before today.
“Yes!” Willa cheered, clapping her hands. “I’d hoped we would get two dragons this time.”
Wait?! Two??
Looking to my left, I spotted a huge black dragon who was showing off too. It’d better not be for my mate! My gaze snapped to where I knew Harpy was sitting, and I relaxed when I found his eyes were on me and not on the show-off next to me, who sadly was bigger. Much bigger.
“Let’s see who’s the most powerful dragon, shall we?
” Willa’s tone was teasing and full of amusement.
I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d phrased her question like that on purpose, especially after clearly stating how we each had our strengths and weaknesses.
She threw something shimmery up into the air. “First to catch it wins. Now go!”
There was zero hesitation on my side, I simply flew straight up and eyed my target, the shimmering ball flying every which way it wanted, clearly not going straight up like the red ball had done previously.
The black dragon was close on my tail—literally— chasing me through the clouds as I swiftly moved in the direction the ball led me.
Harpy was watching. And that meant I had to win.
Simple as that. It was almost like I’d gotten a second boost when I realized I was somehow doing this to show Harpy I was the perfect mate.
The perfect dragon. It spurred me forward, eager to prove myself to the man I still didn’t know, but wanted to make mine more than anything.
Out of the blue, something black came from my left, hitting me straight in the face.
I knew I was falling. The pain was excruciating, the wind around me, as I fell, hit me hard and piercingly.
I heard screaming in the distance, but my head was throbbing too much to care.
Somehow my eyes found themselves closed and then complete darkness took over.