Chapter 18 Dimitri
dimitri
. . .
The shards of Rune’s favorite mug cut into my palm as I picked each one up one by one, careful not to miss even a sliver of ceramic. My chest ached as if I’d been impaled, but worse. Worse because this wound was entirely of my own making.
Rune had looked at me with hope, with something dangerously close to longing, before Brynn opened her vicious mouth.
And I hadn’t even had the chance to explain.
To tell Rune the truth. That the arranged mating meant nothing to me, that I’d never so much as seen the woman in person and never planned to.
It was all to keep our parents off our backs.
That the only bond I wanted was the one I felt pulling me toward her every time she walked into a room, and now that I knew she still felt something for me after bonding one of her mates.
Fuck.
I shoved the last piece into a small cloth bag, tightening the strings until the fabric made a ripping noise.
“I’ll fix it,” I whispered, as if saying it out loud could undo the pain in her golden eyes.
Brynn leaned in the doorway, arms crossed, smirk carved across her lips like she’d just won something.
“If Rune doesn’t want to be a secondary chosen mate,” Brynn said, voice syrupy sweet. “I wouldn’t mind.”
My fangs punched down with a snap.
I rounded on her, fury spilling as I pushed my arm against her throat, pinning her to the damned wall.
“It’s an arranged mating, Brynn. I haven’t even met the woman.
And I don’t plan to.” My voice cracked. “The only bond I’ll ever seal is with my fated mate, and I know exactly who she is now.
It’s Rune, but you just made sure she didn’t hear about the arranged bullshit from me. ”
Her smirk faltered. “She’s your mate?”
“Yes,” I hissed. “And don’t think for one second I don’t know you’re targeting her. If you fuck with her again, I’ll kill you before the academy has a chance to.”
I blurred away from her, not bothering to stay to see her reaction, and pulled my phone from my belt, hands trembling as I pressed a name and held it to my ear. “Koa. Meet me in front of the academy. Now. It’s important…it’s about Rune.”
“On my way.” He hung up.
By the time I grabbed my shit and stepped out into the frosty morning air, the shattered mug pieces jostled in the bag in my hand.
Koa landed a few breaths later, flames still licking his shoulders before he dampened them down.
I pushed the bag with her shattered mug in it toward him. “Can you please fix this? It’s Rune’s favorite mug.”
“Her favorite mug? Of course I can fix it, but…” He scanned my face with concern as he held the bag. “What happened?”
I swallowed hard. “She found out about my arranged mating right after I found out she still felt for me after her first matebond snapped. From Brynn of all fucking people. I didn’t get a chance to explain. Rune thinks—” My chest cracked open at the thought. “She thinks I chose someone else.”
“Well, the announcement is on the fucking News Sector from both covens.” Koa’s expression hardened. “So tell Rune you didn’t choose anyone over her. It’s as simple as that, yeah?”
“It’s not simple,” I muttered, raking a hand through my hair.
“I wanted to wait for the Fates. I told her that, and then she fucking finds out I have an arranged mating that I’ve never once planned to go through with.
The woman also has a fated mate and is uninterested in me, but I couldn’t tell her because she ran. ”
Koa stepped closer, fire-flecks in his eyes burning like judgment. “I get it. I have feelings for her, too. But at least you know she has feelings for you. I still don’t know if my feelings are one-sided.”
Silence pressed between us.
My throat worked, but I couldn’t think of what to say because he was right. Because every pull in my chest, every ache in my fangs, and every time Rune’s words made my chest swell, all screamed the same truth I’d been too much of a coward to admit.
I needed to talk to her—now.
Before I could run off to try to find her, Slater appeared at the stairs, his expression dark. “What the fuck happened?” His eyes darted between us before narrowing on me. “I watch Rune through the feeds. Tell me exactly what you did to make her run and for Ominous to step in.”
Koa exhaled, fire sparking faintly as he explained for me in clipped words. “Dimitri had his arranged mating exposed to Rune by Brynn. She ran.”
Slater’s demon form bled through instantly. His horns shadowed his face, and his eyes burned with anger.
He snarled, low and guttural. “Arranged mating?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds—”
“What the actual fuck!” Slater roared, surging forward. His claws flexed like he wanted to rip me open, but he hesitated.
Too bad.
I would’ve fucking let him.
Before he changed his mind, Jesper ran toward us, his hand pressed to his chest. His face was pale and strained. “I felt her,” he rasped. “Pain first…then, pleasure.” His eyes snapped wide, golden light flashing within his brown eyes before turning blue.
Zuko stormed in next, the bandage covering his eyes that I was sure were filled with anger or confusion or both. “Pleasure? Wait. We’re all here.” His voice dropped. “Except for Drecken.”
Jesper’s chest heaved as he stumbled back. His matebond to Rune flashed visible briefly. “It’s Drecken. The bond snapped. He mated her, and they sealed the bond.”
His words detonated in my chest like a bomb.
My knees went weak.
Rune had sealed another matebond.
Slater stumbled back a step.
Zuko cursed under his breath, rubbing his chest.
Even Koa’s fire flared from his hands, his jaw locked.
“I need her,” Zuko said, voice raw.
Slater shook his head as if he couldn’t focus, yanking his tablet out of his bag and pressing buttons.
“Wait.” His voice turned sharp. “They took a potion before the matebond snapped. To numb the feeling of jealousy. You made her jealous enough to turn to potions?” He glowered, baring his teeth at me.
My chest was caving in on itself. “I have to explain…I didn’t…”
“I swear to fuck, Dimitri,” Zuko snarled, venom leaking down his fangs. “I let Slater handle you before, but if you don’t fucking realize that she’s going to be your mate, I might have to make you wish you were dead.”
“She couldn’t have feelings for you if you weren’t a potential mate,” Jesper whispered. “I know for a fact that she feels for every single one of you here.”
The truth struck me like a blade.
Rune wanted me. She had to, or she wouldn’t waste time with me. I’d been pushing her away, pretending I didn’t already know deep down that she was mine.
“She does?” Koa choked on his breath, stumbling over his feet and tripping down the academy’s short staircase.
He broke his neck with an audible snap.
“Oh, fuck,” I muttered, the words torn from my throat. “I pushed her away.” My hands shook. “What do I do?”
“I think he’ll just resurrect,” Jesper muttered.
“He will,” Zuko assured him.
Koa turned to ash and came back as a phoenix in a wave of heat.
“Sorry.” He scratched the back of his head and walked back up the stairs to us.
“Have you realized it yet?” Slater snarled, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me hard. “You have been pushing away your fated mate, you idiot!”
Shock and shame surged like fire in my veins. All I could think of was her face when the mug shattered at her feet. She had been hurt, betrayed, and I still saw the longing for me in her eyes as she refused to look at me.
I’d caused that.
I’d let her run.
Slater turned to Koa. “And obviously she likes you, dude, come on. Do you really need it laid out for you?”
“Apparently they do,” Zuko muttered.
“Not all of us can be so confident from the start,” Jesper whispered.
Brynn’s voice cut through like a shard of glass. “Hey, Dimitri, um, I’m sorry about earlier. I’ll leave her alone. But we’ve gotta go. Finals are about to start.”
Ominous was a shadow at her back, glaring like he’d slit her throat if he wouldn’t get kicked out.
Cora stuck her tongue out at her, unimpressed and loyal to Rune in a way that made my chest ache.
“Are you seriously just letting her rest her hand on you, you fucking moron?” Slater bellowed, dragging me forward again. “No wonder my girl is so jealous!”
“I didn’t…” I hadn’t realized she had her hand on me, but her hand was placed on my shoulder.
Zuko’s fist snapped across my jaw. Pain burst through my bones, and I staggered.
He shook his tatted hand out, glaring daggers at Brynn this time. “Back the fuck off of Dimitri. Do not lay your hand on him again.”
Brynn gasped, wide-eyed. “Who are you to dictate who he talks to?”
Slater bared his fangs, and Snakey manifested, doing the same. “Unfortunately? We are his brother-mates.”
Brynn’s eyes widened at me. “Rune really is your mate?”
“Yes,” I croaked.
The air turned lethal.
Zuko snarled.
Slater’s claws dug into the suit as he grabbed my arm.
Koa even shook his head, disgust in his eyes.
Jesper’s silence was the worst of all until he talked, making it just that much fucking worse. “Her pain this morning was deep,” Jesper told me. “Deeper than I’ve ever felt radiate through her. And you caused it. Misunderstanding or not, you need to fix it.” He turned and walked away.
I felt like I’d been gutted.
Brynn hovered at my side, but I shoved past her, ignoring whatever she was saying. I didn’t deserve Rune, but, Fates, I wanted her. I’d make this up to her.
I just fucking had to.