Academy Of Mates novel Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

When we separate for air, he smiles at me with his blue eyes shining bright. “Vareesa,”

“Benedict,” I said, licking my lips and tasting him in them.

A heartbeat passes before he splashes me with water, laughing as he did. “Got you.”

I gape at him as he swims away. It takes another heartbeat before I swim after him, splashing around while I do.

A battle ensues and at one point, Benedict swallows an entire mouthful of lake water and sputters. A mischievous look crosses his face and he rushes towards me. Muscular arms circle around my body and we tumble into the water together.

We gasp for breath, coughing and laughing and having the time of our lives. He lightly pats my back to help me breathe.

“You alright?” He says, his hair wet and dripping with water.

I nodded, feeling genuinely happy. My worries, the pressure and everything else are momentarily forgotten. I’ll let myself have this first. This moment.

Whatever happens this weekend, at least, I’ll have this.

“What are you thinking, Vareesa?” Benedict asks when things have calmed down.

What does one say to a man that has changed me forever?

“Have you mated?”

Was not what should be said, but was exactly what I just said.

Benedict blinks. And blinks again. He chuckles lightly and scratches the back of his head. “What? Here? Or?”

I covered my face in embarrassment. “I’m sorry I don’t know what I’m saying.”

He grins, a boyish grin that makes me smile. “It’s okay. I completely understand. I’m

nervous too.”

What would Benedict be nervous of? He’s a powerful man, strong and capable, he’s handsome and kind. People should be nervous of him.

Benedict swims closer to me. “I haven’t mated with anyone here.”

But he has before.

Of course.

“I’m glad you decided to go this year.” I told him honestly, smiling as I did.

“I’m glad I did too. Got to see you, didn’t I?” He jokes, looking up in the now dark sky.” For some people the School of Love is really easy. They have it all planned out with business deals, childhood loves and such.”

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Chapter 16

“Are you one of those people?” I asked curiously.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know. We’ll find out tomorrow. What about you?”

I pursed my lips trying to find the right words. “Honestly? I’m here to fulfill my duty to my pack and my family. Where I live, it doesn’t really matter who it is, I just need to be.” Benedict furrows his eyebrows but nods in understanding. “I understand. This Academy,” He says for my benefit. “It means differently for everybody. I respect that.”

“What about you?” I asked, touching his wrist where my identifier is. “Andrew said some things… but they don’t sound like you.”

The furrow of Benedict’s eyebrows is instant. “Of course he spoke to you. He’ll talk about me to anyone that would listen.”

I chewed my lip. “Your mother-”

He cuts me off with a bitter laugh. “She abandoned me the moment she could, re- mating with the first guy that would take her who was of high enough rank for her. She doesn’t even know my name, I think. She forgot it in favor of her new life.”

I immediately felt foolish for bringing it up. I know a thing or two about mothers leaving and forgetting their children.

“I know what he told you. I can guess. He says I’m upset I wasn’t considered to be the next Alpha or Beta and threw a tantrum before leaving.” Benedict shakes his head, a look of sadness in his eyes. “That’s not what happened. They made fun of me. All those city folks. I was a disgrace, a dirty half breed and I wasn’t a child of rape. My mother had an affair in the School of Love. She was having ‘fun’ with ‘low quality blood’ and accidentally had me. It’s… whatever. That’s all in the past. I don’t care about that

anymore.”

Funny how stories change from the truth to lies.

“I left because I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted to be done with the blood ranking and I wanted to be done with them. If that’s what they call a traitor, then I’m happy to be one.” He says proudly, looking genuinely happy to be away from his old pack. “And I didn’t join my pack because I was made Beta. The Alpha found me, he made me into something.”

His Alpha. Now that’s someone I heard a lot about. “He sounds like he’s quite a guy. Much different from what I’ve been told.”

“Because you’ve been told lies. At least, most of them are lies,” Benedict says almost

ominously.

For there are some truths.

Something in his tone tells me that I don’t want to know which ones were the truth.

“He’s a good Alpha?” I decided to ask instead. “To you?”

Chapter 16.

“I would do anything for him.” The devotion is clear in his words. “I will follow him until the end of my life.”

My relationship with our Alpha isn’t the best, but I respect him. With Benedict… it sounded more than just respect. It was loyalty to a fault. It was devotion beyond

everything.

“We should head back. Dinner is about to start in a few.” He says, noticing that it was now dark. “You’re cold.”

I didn’t even notice I was shivering.

Together, with shoulders touching, we swim back to land and find our clothes with only the moon as our light. I find my ruined dress beside Benedict’s clothes and slip it on, still shivering from the cold uncontrollably.

Benedict, who’s zipping up his pants, sees this and rubs his hands up and down my

arms.

“Better?” He asks, his voice low and husky.

I smiled, looking at him. Whoever Benedict chooses will be the luckiest girl. He’s the perfect guy. “Much better.”

Benedict touches the side of my cheek and an explosion of butterflies erupts in the pit of my stomach.

Absolutely perfect.

“I have to meet with some of my pack members in the woods. They’re contacting me nonstop about some important news that I have to hear. Will you be able to find your room alright?” He asks, pulling his shirt on.

I nodded, trying to tie the back of my dress. “Yes. I’ll be okay.”

He smiles in a way that makes his eyes crease a little and goes to stand behind me to help fasten the strings of my dress. “Save me a seat?”

I feel his hands on my back, his fingers trailing down my spine. “Definitely.”

My voice was breathless and my cheeks were heating up.

I have no doubt that I was as red as a tomato.

With my dress all fastened, he twists around. “I’ll see you later, Vareesa.”

“See you.” I told him, slowly backing away to make my way to the brightly lit manor.

Benedict waves goodbye and I return it before rushing away.

Darn him for making me feel so giddy.

I trudged up to the manor feeling like I was walking on clouds. My thoughts swim with Benedict and his touch, his sweet smile and his tender words. My skin tingling with

Chapter 16

the ghost of his touch, I hug myself and take deep breaths.

It was starting to get darker now and lanterns were being lit around the gardens and pathways. Quietly, I find the back doors of the mansion and pass by there so I don’t track water at the entrance. I was still dripping wet from the lake with my dress clinging to me. It didn’t exactly help that I forgot my underwear, the thin see through dress not really covering much.

Remembering that I didn’t know what my room assignment was, I made my way to the board where it was posted. Despite my plan of looking for my room, I spotted Benedict’s first.

A smile plays at my lips when I see he’s not that far from me. Giving myself a few seconds to squeal internally, I search for my name and see it at the very bottom- not surprising. Following the map and hopefully remembering where it was, I went up the nearest staircase I saw.

This place is a palace with high ceilings and beautiful winding staircases. There were paintings on the walls, colorful flowers in vases, twinkling lights and soft carpets on the marble floors. The curtains were drawn, which gave me the perfect view of the woods and the blue crystal lake that shimmered. The reflection from the big, bright moon is absolutely breathtaking.

Funny how not an hour ago I was in that lake…

I take my time walking through the halls. My eyes focused on the view. It’s so enchanting here. How can all this be real? The entire scenery is straight out of a dream.

There are never ending doors in the countless hallways, white and carved. Eventually, I found my room. I open the door and, with one last look at the window, I go in.

It’s pitch dark. If there were curtains in the room, they were closed, covering the natural light that the moon gave.

I feel my way around trying to find the light switch. The only light that I had currently came from the open door. My bad luck strikes when that said door decides to close and I’m enveloped in darkness.

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