Chapter 22
Leif finally helps get Ward to calm down. Unfortunately for him, he has Mental Shielding with me, much to his horror. He refuses to get within ten feet of Zara, who is taking great pleasure in scaring the shit out of him.
“Zara! Leave him alone please,” I beg after she snaps her teeth at him for the fifth time in like five minutes, as we are walking into the training area.
“Ward sweetie, I know you aren’t a fan of reptiles, but she chose me, so you don’t really get a vote.
Not that I would have chosen differently,” I assure Zara over my shoulder, “but the bond I have with both of you is forever. It can’t be changed, so can you both please try to work through it? I promise she will stop being a brat.”
He looks between me and Zara. “I will try my best for your sake, Dove, but I make no promises. I really wish you had an owl or cat or something.” The comment makes Zara hiss, causing Ward to let out a very girly squeal.
What the fuck is my life right now. That thought is spinning on repeat in my mind like a broken record, because at this point… just, what the fuck? I don’t think much more could surprise me at the moment with everything that’s been popping up lately.
“Zara, please stop torturing Ward. Ward, please don’t antagonize her. We have got to get to class.” I grab Ward's hand and start pulling him towards the training field. The others call out their goodbyes between laughing their ass off.
Ward gives Zara the side-eye the whole walk towards class, and as bad as it sounds, I’m also trying not to laugh at the ridiculousness of this.
Zara, thankfully, is staying a couple feet on my other side so there is some distance between the two.
Supes live for a very long time–hundreds to thousands of years depending on the species–and familiars live as long as their chosen supe.
I sure fucking hope these two figure their shit out at some point, or it’s going to be a very eventful life for us all.
As we get closer to the field, Ward starts to relax, but I can suddenly feel the watch humming in my pocket, more intense with each step. Taking it out, I see the last hand is spinning uncontrollably.
Ward starts laughing and it’s his turn to pull me. “Come on, Dove, let's go meet my last brother-husband.”
I come to a screeching halt, my jaw nearly hitting the ground in surprise. “I’m sorry, your what?” I ask, choking back a laugh.
He grins proudly, beaming from ear to ear. “My brother-husband, duh. We will all be your husbands eventually, so they will be my brothers.” He starts pulling again, and I have to concentrate on not tripping over my feet since I’m still giggling; this man is something else.
The training yard is used for a couple different classes so there are still multiple scattered around as we get close to the side of the arena where our class will be held.
I immediately feel the pulling in my chest start, but I tuck the watch back into my pocket since there are so many people around.
Ward and I both look around as we make our way to our group, the tugging of the mate bond getting stronger.
The class is gathered around talking to someone, but as we get closer they break apart, and I see him.
I don’t know how but I can instantly tell which one is my last mate, even without the watch.
I stop in my tracks, causing Ward to jerk to a stop as well, as my final mate turns slowly to face me.
I know he can feel the pull as well. He’s tall, probably the same height as Ward; but where Ward is dark, he is light.
His hair is so white it’s almost translucent, his eyes a deep violet, set in a sharp jaw, and he’s biting the hoop that’s sparkling on the right side of his mouth.
He has broad shoulders that taper to a slim waist, but a very bitable ass.
Fuck me, all my mates are so fucking delectable.
Zara sighs loudly. “Can you stop drooling, and actually go speak to him?”
I glare down at her in response, subtly licking my lips to check for actual drool. “Shut up.”
He starts walking towards me, and Ward gently lets go of my hand, stepping off to the side right as the newest mate makes it in front of me.
I hear a hiss of outrage from behind him, but I can’t see who it came from, his frame blocking my view of everything in the background.
He offers out his hand, [voice] sliding over my ears like melted butter. “Hello, I’m Paxton. What's your name?”
I reach my hand across the gap, his grip swallowing mine comfortably. “I’m Magnolia,” my reply is embarrassingly breathy.
He goes to say something else, but is cut off by Zara letting out a loud hiss as another girl steps between us, putting her hand on his chest. “Pax darling, who is this?”
She's pretty, I’ll give her that much; tall and leggy, she’s a good five to six inches taller than me, with long straight blonde hair and blue eyes. While I am curvy everywhere, she is slim other than her chest and ass. She’d be a lot prettier if she wasn’t currently glaring at me.
Paxton removes her hand from his chest and steps around so he’s between us, almost as if shielding me from her.
“Sienna, I’m not sure why it matters to you who I’m speaking to, or why you are suddenly calling me darling.
I’ve made it clear I’m not interested.” With that last comment he turns away from her and faces me again.
She lets out an annoyed growl and stomps away.
“Is this your familiar?” He asks, smiling down at Zara.
I grin, watching her preen at the attention. “Yes, this is Zara, and this–” I gesture to Ward who is still standing off to the side, “--is Ward. He is one of my mates, and… to rip the band-aid off, so are you.”
The stunned look on his face is mildly funny, though he doesn’t get a chance to respond since the professor chooses right then to call class to a start.
“Good morning class, I’m Professor Aliza.
I’ll be teaching Mental Shielding. While this class is pretty straight forward, it's only a single semester required class. Next semester will be Combat Tactics, which I also teach. I find that the key to having strong mental shields is having good endurance, so after today you will need to be dressed for a run or bring clothes to change into. For now, you’ll need to pair up or form groups to practice feeling each mind, testing the shields each other has.
I’m hoping most of you have been taught how to create basic mental shields.
Let me know if you have any questions.” She walks towards the bench on the side as everyone decides their partners and finds somewhere to sit on the ground.
Ward, Paxton, and I find a spot away from everyone; Zara follows and finds a place to bask in the sun.
“So… mates, huh?” Paxton starts when we get seated.
“Yeah, mates. Pretty crazy, right?” Ward replies, sounding more like an excited puppy than his so-far serious self.
“It is, but like… how do you know? I mean I feel drawn to you, but how are you so sure?” Paxton asks, rightly confused.
“Well, other than the fact I have this fluttery pulling feeling when I meet one, I also have this–” I pull out the pocket watch and explain everything to him and tell him about the guys.
After that, we do manage to spend the next hour practicing like we are supposed to, plus playing fifty questions in between.
The professor dismisses us, and the four of us including Zara–who apparently took a nice nap–head to the courtyard to meet up with the others.
My other four mates and Marsh are waiting by the fountain, so we walk over and do the introductions, Rehan and Leif bouncing around excitedly. “Ha! We knew you’d meet the last one today!” Leif claps. “Time for a family group hug!”
As soon as we are all touching each other, it feels like I’m being electrocuted by the amount of power that pulses through me.
My vision goes black, almost like a dream but a vivid one; the kind where you can hear everything but see nothing.
I can feel the guys' hands holding me, feel them breathing next to me.
It gives me a sensation like we are floating in the air.
None of us are speaking, but we can hear the panic and chaos from everyone else; the only thing I can make out for sure is Marsh screaming my name.
A hush flows over us, then a loud voice booms out:
When twin flames born from the same womb
Come together and unite the realms.
Cities will fall, kingdoms will be born.
A Queen of them all, shall we bend the knee.
Six knights to protect, for darkness will come.
The High Priest must submit, or history shall repeat,
The magic of the worlds will forever be lost.
Darkness will win, and the Kingdom will fall.
As the voice chants, magic builds unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. When the last word becomes a whisper through the wind we are dropped, everyone blown back; it looks like the whole school came to the courtyard to see what is happening.
Marsh runs over to help me up. “Did you hear that?” I ask him breathlessly, my guys pulling themselves up around me.
“I did… but what the fuck was that? It tossed me away from you!” Marsh pulls me into a tight hug, crying and shaking.
Before anyone can say anything else, a portal opens up, right in the middle of the courtyard.
A group of men dressed in some type of military uniform step through in front of us, looking around.
When their eyes end on me, all but one drop to one knee.
The one who is still standing wears a uniform that looks more like I imagine an officer’s would.
“My queen… At last.” At that, he kneels as well.
And that's when the world goes black, and I pass out again.