Chapter Thirty-Four
She sat in the second row of Liora’s classroom, spine straight, hands folded loosely on the desk in front of her, trying very hard to look like she was fully present.
Gods, how did the days move so quickly here?
It felt like she’d only just stumbled into this world, into ether, factions, bonds, marks, and another class had already begun, another lecture unfolding before she’d had time to properly absorb the last one. Mate Bonds again. Of all topics. As if her mind wasn’t already full to bursting.
Her gaze drifted, unfocused, as her thoughts slipped backward to the night before.
After her study session with Cam, they’d all ended up having dinner together in the suite.
Casual. Easy. Almost… domestic. And she’d spent the entire time acutely aware of one undeniable fact: She had kissed one of them.
The thought sent a strange mix of warmth and nerves through her chest. She told herself, firmly, that it didn’t change anything.
It couldn’t. They were adults. It had been a moment, charged and unexpected, born from exhaustion and closeness and the quiet intimacy of studying together late into the night.
Cameron himself had said he didn’t expect anything from her.
And she was choosing to take him at his word.
Besides, none of the others had reacted any differently.
No raised brows. No tension. No knowing looks.
Either Cameron hadn’t said a word, or they truly hadn’t noticed.
So she’d decided then and there: she was going to pretend it hadn’t happened.
Not in a dishonest way...just… shelved. Set aside.
Something to return to when her life wasn’t quite so upside down.
Dinner itself had surprised her, though. They’d talked for hours. Not about classes or exams or protocols, but about themselves. Stories from before the program. Small things. Ridiculous things.
She’d learned that Joshua went quiet when conversations turned too personal, retreating into watchfulness rather than absence. That silence wasn’t distance with him, it was restraint. Consideration.
Dominik, on the other hand, had been unexpectedly talkative. Animated, even. He’d told stories with his hands, voice rich with humour and emotion, and she’d found herself laughing more than she had in days. She never would have guessed he was the one who filled silences so easily.
And then there was the touching. Gods. It was everywhere and nowhere all at once, casual, constant, natural. A hand briefly at her back as someone passed behind her. Fingers brushing her wrist when a plate was handed over. A knee pressed lightly against hers beneath the table.
Later, when they’d settled in front of the television, things had somehow become even more… comfortable.
Rian had tugged her feet into his lap without asking, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and before she could even question it, his hands were working slow, firm circles into her arches.
She’d leaned back against Joshua without thinking, his arm solid and warm behind her shoulders, grounding her completely.
She was fairly certain it was the best foot massage she’d ever had in her life.
The memory made her shift slightly in her seat, heat blooming under her collarbone. She exhaled, steadying herself.
Focus, Ani.
Just as she forced her attention back toward the front of the room, an all-too-familiar voice cut through the air like a blade.
“Well if it isn’t Snow White, front and centre again.”
Her jaw tightened instantly.
Tyson stood half-turned in his seat, smirk firmly in place, clearly enjoying himself. The irritation flared hot and immediate, curling in her stomach. She shot him a glare sharp enough to cut glass.
Before she could open her mouth and say something she’d absolutely regret, Polly leaned in from behind her, whispering urgently. “Don’t. Please. Not today.”
Agatha nodded in agreement, eyes flicking toward the front of the room. “Ignore him. We’re thinking of going out after the exam anyway. You should come. Blow off steam. Drinks, dancing, human stuff.”
She huffed quietly, the tension easing just a fraction. “You say that like my life isn’t currently one long supernatural fever dream.”
That earned her a soft laugh from both of them. She opened her mouth to respond when the sound of heels against the floor echoed through the room: measured, confident, impossible to miss.
The class stilled almost instantly, conversations dying as attention snapped forward. Tyson slouched back in his chair with visible annoyance, robbed of his audience. Anabelle released a slow breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“Alright, everyone, settle down,” Liora’s voice rang out across the classroom, crisp and commanding, cutting through the quiet murmurs and shifting chairs.
The students obeyed instantly, the clatter of pens and paper fading into attentive silence.
“Good,” Liora continued, pacing slowly in front of the board. “Now, last time we spoke about the bond, what it meant, how to recognize it, and how both dual or group parties work. Today, we’re diving deeper: dynamics. What’s acceptable, what’s not. What is expected.”
Anabelle’s gaze flicked sideways to Dominik, sitting to her left. Once again, he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were distant, staring somewhere far beyond the classroom walls. A ripple of unease ran through her chest. Was he okay?
Shaking the thought away, she refocused as Liora continued.
“Now, because this is very straightforward, and most of it is common sense, I want you to do the teaching for me. I’ll ask questions, you answer.
We’ll go clockwise, from front to back. If there’s something you don’t know, don’t worry, I’m here.
I’ll explain anything you don’t get. Sound reasonable? ”
“Yes!” came a collective response, loud and confident. Anabelle didn’t join in. Her attention was half on Dominik, half on the board, half on the thrum of nervous energy in her chest.
“Okay, good. We’ll start simple. What’s not acceptable behaviour if you’re part of a mate-bond?” Liora’s gaze swept across the room before settling on the girl in the front row, farthest to the right.
“Cheating,” the girl replied without hesitation.
“Good. Next?”
“Touching or allowing someone from the opposite gender to touch you,” another voice called out.
“Good. Why?” Liora prompted, turning slightly so her sharp gaze met the next student’s eyes.
“It’s disrespectful,” the student said confidently.
“And?” Liora pressed, her tone neutral but expectant.
“Umm…” the girl faltered. Liora’s eyebrow arched.
“We’ll come back to you,” Liora said smoothly, already moving on to the next student.
“Most mates are territorial,” a boy offered. “So allowing someone else to touch you is like saying to your mate that they’re not in a bonded relationship.”
“Good, but that’s the essence of being disrespectful,” Liora replied, nodding. “What other reason is it not acceptable to allow touching outside a mate-bond? You.”
A girl named Amber, sitting a few rows back, raised her hand tentatively. “It… it breaks trust, and… touching isn’t just physical. It creates emotional connections, and those connections belong exclusively within a mate-bond.”
“Excellent, Amber. Very good,” Liora said, her tone warm with approval. “I want everyone to remember this: a mate-bond is built on the certainty that your partner is emotionally and physically safe with you. Allowing outside touch creates doubt. And doubt weakens the bond.”
Anabelle’s pen hovered above her notebook, but she didn’t write. Her mind was halfway between Dominik’s distant expression and Amber’s confident answer.
“Now,” Liora continued, pacing slowly back toward the board, “what other actions are not acceptable in a mate-bond?”
“Umm…” a few students muttered, heads lowering.
“You,” Liora said, pointing to a young man near the middle row. He shook his head, unsure.
“Alright… can anyone tell me?” Liora’s tone sharpened just enough to demand attention. Silence stretched across the room.
“Gods. Okay,” she muttered, turning to the board. “Since no one’s volunteering, let’s put this down visually.”
She grabbed a marker and began writing, her movements precise and deliberate. “There are six types of bond misconduct. I’ll go through them one by one, so you understand not just what they are, but why they’re damaging.”
The room was quiet, all eyes on the board, though a few students shifted nervously in their seats.
“First,” Liora began, voice calm but firm, “your Emotional Violations, like we just discussed. Allowing intimacy outside the bond, flirting, forming emotional attachments, confiding in someone else, this is huge breach of trust. And perhaps one of the most important ones is prioritizing someone else’s needs, safety, or approval over your own mate. ”
Anabelle felt Dominik shift beside her. His posture stiffened ever so slightly. What is going on with him lately? she thought, frowning. His jaw was tight, fingers curling lightly against his notebook.
“Then we have simple Trust Violations,” Liora continued, pacing slowly in front of the board. “Lying, withholding information, keeping secrets, manipulating, or testing your mate’s loyalty. You must remember, trust is the foundation of a mate-bond. Without it, everything else crumbles.”
Dominik’s hand twitched again, brushing against his knee, and Anabelle felt an almost magnetic pull of worry. She kept her gaze forward, scribbling notes, but her thoughts kept flicking to him.
“Third: Protective Misconduct. Allowing others to threaten, harm, or challenge your mate is absolutely unacceptable. Failing to protect them, though...well, that’s more nuanced.
It depends on the mate’s abilities. But a huge violation in this category would be putting your mate in danger through reckless choices. Every decision has weight.”