Chapter 8

– two really good-

Chapter 8

“Would you get up!?”

I start awake to see Rafe’s face peering over the edge of the bunk, frowning at me. “Seriously, Ari! The

bell rang like ten minutes ago – I have no idea how you’re still asleep!”

I glare at my brother a little, already in a bad mood, wondering how he’d feel if he got about two hours

of sleep after getting the crap beat out of him the day before. Rafe rolls his eyes at me and hops down,

getting ready for the day.

I was up for hours after I got back in bed last night, trying to figure out how I feel about all of this. At the

core of me, I know that keeping my secret is the most important thing. But still…

Two mates, in the same place, at the same time! And me here by what feels like chance –

God, it’s almost like…fate or something.

I mean, our family does have a history of this sort of thing happening – mom and Aunt Cora’s mother is

the Goddess, after all, and she definitely threw some twists into their lives. But still – it’s all just so…

bizarre.

had almost drifted off to sleep again last night when the barrack door opened and a tall figure came in –

his shoulders almost wide enough to fill the doorway itself. He’d moved slowly across the room in

complete silence, but when he laid down in his bed his body language was…miserable.

Luca came in a little later, not bothering to be stealthy. He too had moved to his bed, but had paused

for a second, looking towards my corner of the room.

I had hastily whipped my covers over my head, holding my breath, desperately praying that he wouldn’t

come over to me.

Because even though my wolf howls for him – for them? I am so not ready to face this. Not with

everything that’s at stake – and not with my enrollment at the Academy at risk, and certainly not with

how…

Well, I blush to think of it, but how naïve I am about all of this boy stuff. I mean, I know that I was

supposed to get married, but part of what I had thought was so appealing about Edward was that he

didn’t push me for anything more than a chaste kiss. Even though he revealed that he had other plans

once we were married, I had thought that he would give

me the slow–burn romance I need.

But mate stuff?

From everything I’ve heard, it’s like lightening.

And I am…not ready to be struck. I mean…am I?

“Seriously, Ari!” Rafe shouts, reaching out and grabbing the front of my uniform. I gasp as he hauls me

off my pillow. “Get up! We have to get to breakfast in two minutes!”

“I’m already dressed, Rafe!” I snarl, batting his hand away and throwing my legs over the side of the

bed. “I just have to put my shoes on

99

Rafe’s eyes go wide and he grabs me again, hauling me down off the bed and bumping my body hard

against the metal rails as he does. I give a shriek as I go down.

“Ari,” my brother growls, holding me tight against him. “Where the f**k is your hat!?”

I gasp, my hand going to my head as I realize that my hair is still tied in a bun at the base of my head

not exactly spilling around my shoulders in a way that screams girl but certainly

visible –

–

“It’s on my bunk!” I squeak. Rafe glares at me and takes his own cap off, shoving it hard on my head

before jumping up to grab my cap. Then he grabs my boots off the floor, shoving them against my

chest. “Put your shoes on, you idiot,” he growls, “and learn to be more careful!”

I’m blushing hard now as he pulls my cap onto his own head. I pull on my boots, not bothering to tie

them before beginning to tuck my hair up beneath the brim of my cap.

“Heyyy cousinnnns,” Jesse says, coming over to beam at us way too cheerfully, clearly aware that

there’s drama but ignoring it. “Did you guys sleep well?” He turns his wicked grin on me. “I had a really

weird dream.”

“No time,” Rafe snaps, grabbing my arm the second I finish tucking my hair in and hauling me to my

feet. “We go now or we miss breakfast. And if we miss breakfast, we miss rankings, which we

desperately need to know. So, let’s move!”

Jesse still smirks at me as we both hurry along behind my brother, raising an eyebrow and clearly

demanding an explanation for my midnight assault. But I just hastily shake my head and glance at

Rafe, silently begging Jesse to keep it a secret. Jesse shrugs, tacitly agreeing but letting me know he’s

not happy about it.

The three of us barely skirt through the door before it closes. A few candidates call out behind us and

bang on the door, but the Captain clearly wasn’t kidding about getting to breakfast on time. I move

through the line with my brother and my cousin, filling my tray with food, but being last through means

slim pickings. I get a sausage, two cartons of apple juice, and a very sad little orange.

When we take the final three seats at the edge of a long table, Rafe rolls his eyes at me and shoves

two biscuits onto my plate.

“Hey!” I protest. “I don’t even like biscuits –“

“It isn’t about like, Ari,” Rafe mutters, tucking into what looks like a bowl of cold oatmeal. “It’s about

calories, and you need them, so eat up.”

I do as I’m told, forcing myself to chew the dry biscuits and washing them down with apple juice.

Passively, I hope that the food at the Academy is way better than this. As I eat, I look around, and as

much as I pretend that I’m not looking for them…

Right over there, my wolf cheerfully points out, focusing my eyes immediately on Luca, who laughs at

the center of a group of guys two tables down, and then the other one, who sits by himself, moodily

eating a gigantic plate of food.

I quietly peel my orange, letting my eyes drift between both of them, studying their movements,

wondering why on earth my grandmother the Goddess picked them out for

me

–

When Rafe stands up to get a napkin, Jesse elbows me, making me jump.

“What the hell is going on with you?” Jesse hisses, and I blush, shaking my head.

“Nothing,” I murmur, concentrating on my orange. God, I can’t believe I just let myself stare at my

mates

what was I thinking –

–

–

“I know something’s up Ariel,” Jesse growls, and I spin to look at him wide–eyed, not only because he

used my real name but because my sweet–tempered cousin never growls.

“Jesse,” I say, my eyes pleading. “Look, I’ll tell you, all right? But…” I nod hastily at my brother, who is

on his way back.

Jesse sighs, clenching his jaw. “You promise you’re all right? And you’d tell me if you weren’t?”

“I promise,” I say, my voice pleading. Jesse sighs, nods once, and then turns back to his

nearly empty tray. Rafe sits down with a fist full of napkins, looking suspiciously between

1. us. But before he can say anything, all heads in the room turn towards the Captain, who has just

stood up at the head table.

“Candidates,” he says, his voice booming out over us. “Today we will post the first ranking.” He points

above his head at a giant black screen, indicating where the ranking will be listed. “Rankings will be

calculated according to your performance in all training activities, as well as aspects like adherence to

the rules, prompt attendance, and decorum. At the end of the first two weeks, the bottom 20% of

candidates will be dismissed from the academy. As this is an entering class of 120, that is the bottom

24 candidates. I suggest you take your rank seriously.”

The Captain glares around at all of us and then nods once. “Agility training is next. You have five more

minutes for breakfast, and then will report to the gym at 08:00.”

Without another word the Captain leaves his place at the head of the table and, as if on cue, the screen

flashes on, our names already arranged.

My eyes fly over the board and my heart sinks to find my name exactly where I thought it would be.

Spot 120. Ari Clark.