Chapter 3
“We should really head back to the academy,” I yawned.
It was getting chilly and even though I didn’t want to leave my mate’s side, I knew we had to.
Classes would start early in the morning and I needed to be alert if we ended up in Niels’ class.
Now that I was fully mated to Damon, I was in my full right to sneer at the judgmental teacher.
It was actually sort of weird behavior for a teacher who seemed determined to help us students feel comfortable in our own skin and with our forms. Why would he judge Damon so much for seeing them as two forms and not one?
I would need to ask Damon about it once we’d grown closer.
I knew Niels had taken him aside a few months ago, but what they’d talked about, I had no idea.
“I’m not ready to let you go yet,” he whispered, holding me closer.
“Neither am I,” I smiled, kissing his chest. “But it’s getting late. You can fly me back down and then I can walk you to your room once we’re back on the ground.”
He looked confused. “Like to escort me home after our claiming? Is that a thing?”
I laughed. “Well, I could escort you home and kiss you goodbye at the door, but I meant it mostly so I could carry your bunny. Your clothes are all ruined and I’m not letting anyone see you naked.”
“Oh,” he blushed. “I hadn’t thought about my clothes.”
“It’s no problem. I love your bunny form and wouldn’t mind a little cuddle before we separate.”
It was as if my words spurred on the change, because Damon’s body shifted into the cute little bunny. “Hi my bunny,” I cooed, picking him up. “You couldn’t wait to be held, could you?”
He looked so damn pleased in my arms, and gave no indication that he was about to shift back. I chuckled, “Fine, I’ll go find my clothes and then I can fly us back. But I warn you, if I suck at flying, you better not tell a soul.”
He nodded his cute little white head at me; a silent promise made between us as mates.
I carefully placed him on the ground as I stood and looked around for my clothes, the moonlight my only light to guide me around.
My tunic was ruined, but my robe and pants were intact and so were my boots.
I hurried into them, then looked over at Damon.
“I’m gonna shift to my dragon now.” It was mostly for myself that I said it out loud.
I was a tad scared of flying, but I sensed Damon didn’t want to be in his dragon form right now, and I would do anything to make him happy.
I closed my eyes and felt my new form inside of me, nestled right next to my lion and bunny.
My dragon form took over and as I felt my claws sink into the ground, I finally opened my eyes.
I could see clearly now. Like my lion form, this dragon had perfect night vision.
My mate sat and waited patiently for me, his ears a little dropped.
Was he afraid of me, or was it weird seeing me in his form? “Are you okay?” I asked, using the telepathic link dragon shifters shared with their mates.
His adorable ears perked up while his eyes widened with wonder. “We can talk while shifted?”
“Dragon shifter thing,” I replied, approaching him slowly.
“I didn’t know that was a thing,” he said, sounding embarrassed.
“I only know because my father is a dragon. And Nym told me he could do the same with Harpy.”
Leaning down, I sniffed his fluffy little body, noticing he smelled faintly of vanilla. A sweet scent for a sweet mate. Perfection. “Are you ready?”
He nodded.
“And if I suck at flying?”
“Then no one will ever know,” he replied, tone amused.
“Perfect,” I grinned, then carefully grabbed him in my arms and held him close. My wings spread out on both sides and I jumped.
“Holy gods this is terrifying!” Damon shrieked in my mind.
I chuckled, the sound deep and raspy in my dragon form as I glided down the mountain. Flying was the easiest thing ever; I had no idea why Harpy had struggled so much with it.
“You’re safe in my arms, my bunny,” I promised him.
“I know, but it’s still terrifying!”
I laughed at that, spotting the academy where it loomed in the distance. We’d been as far away as possible, something I actually liked.
It took five minutes before I circled over the academy’s courtyard, descending carefully in the middle of it. Once I was back on firm ground, I shifted to my human form, still holding Damon in my arms. We couldn’t talk now, or I could, but he couldn’t talk back.
“I hope my magic light will guide me to your room, if not then you’ll need to guide me with your cute little feet.”
He nuzzled into my chest, seemingly content to just trust me as I entered the academy. My light appeared and I followed it, pleased when it steered me away from where my room was, but that all changed when I found myself outside a purple door with the headmaster’s name on it.
“It led me here,” I whispered, making Damon blink his tired eyes up at me. He’d been napping in my arms and I tried not to preen too hard at that.
“Enter,” a voice boomed from inside.
“Fuck,” I muttered, but did as we were told, turning the handle and peering inside.
Headmaster Wren sat behind his desk, the only light a single lamp next to him. It was a terrifying sight, seeing someone as powerful as him in almost pure darkness. “Have a seat.” He then gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. “Oh, and I need you in your human form, Damon.”
I hurried out of my robe, not caring that I was only in pants and boots at the moment. My poor mate was stark naked in his human form. He needed the robe more than me. I sat Damon down on one chair, then placed the robe over him.
Damon shifted, tugging the robe close to his private parts. The headmaster just seemed amused at the sight and not at all angry like I’d feared he would be.
Wren cleared his throat. “As you both know, we have a curfew here at the academy. Can either of you tell me what time you returned tonight?”
I eyed the room, trying to find a clock or any indication, there was nothing so I shook my head. “I apologize, but no,” I said, not even looking over at Damon. I didn’t want the headmaster’s attention on him.
“I can inform you that it's now half past two, and you should’ve returned before eleven.” I wasn’t about to remind him how my cousin Nym hadn’t been scolded when he’d stayed out late with Harpy.
I wasn’t a snitch. He sighed, “I’d hoped to avoid spilling secrets this time around, but it seems you dragon shifters can’t function without knowing. ”
Damon and I shared a worried look, secrets?
“As you know, rules are rules for a reason, but we also know how hard it can be for mates to be separated,” headmaster Wren said, looking intensely at us. I wondered if he had a mate somewhere around here, maybe one of the teachers?
He continued, “You should respect the curfew and use your rooms for when you need privacy as mates. I understand it can be hard when you have a roommate living with you, but you must stay inside during the night. I’m not saying the island isn’t safe, but the teachers need rest as well and they all know if students are missing.
I took the night watch so luckily, I’ll be the tired one tomorrow and not those who are meant to teach.
” No, just the one meant to run this place.
“We’re sorry,” I said, feeling guilty over his lack of sleep.
He held up a silencing hand. “I know dragon shifters are different, I deal with new ones every two years, often it’s just one dragon per two years, though,” he sighed. “What I’m about to tell you stays in this room, understood?”
We both nodded, maybe a tad too eagerly. I was honestly very intrigued about what secret we would be privy to.
“As you know, no one is sharing a room with their mates,” he began, and we nodded. “But that will change once we hit the one-year mark.”
Hope filled my chest. “We get to be roommates here?”
Headmaster Wren nodded. “All students will room with their fated mate for the last year of school. The Magic knows who’s fated and will pair them together.
We simply wanted everyone to have a chance at friendship before we threw fated mates around.
We also respect that every student has to have a safe space.
Not everyone would feel comfortable in a new place with new rules and be shown their fated mate on the same day. ”
It made sense. I thought of Myve and how she felt with her fated, Hans, and then I thought about Harpy and Nym; how Harpy had been in a relationship when he came to the school.
He needed time to accept that Nym was meant to be his.
Damon had seemed to need the distance between us as well.
His dragon and human form were at odds with when to claim me.
Even though they both wanted me, Damon needed the connection first. At least, that was how I’d read him.
He clearly wanted me, but didn’t want to force me to be his, like his dragon had obviously wanted to.
“So,” he continued. “Please be patient as you wait, soon you’ll have every night in each other’s arms.”
“Does that mean we get to share a bed too? Not just those single beds?” I asked, feeling giddy at the thought of snuggling with Damon each night. Holding him in my arms. Where he belonged.
“Yes, one big bed will be placed in each room for mates to share. The day the change takes over, The Magic makes it happen, transferring personal items and everything while you’re in classes. At the end of the day, your light will guide you to your new room.”