Academy Of Mates novel Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

When my eyes open the next day, the immediate need to throw up comes to me and I run to the bathroom like my life depends on it. My legs didn’t work at first, feeling weak in the knees and I tripped a few times before making it to the toilet.

My mouth opened like a faucet opened all the way and as I emptied the contents of my stomach that burned my throat, my head started to pound, a hammer beating down on my cranium. I held on to the toilet, tucking my head between my legs and groaning in pain.

I was warned by one of the older girls in my pack that before drinking I should make sure I ate something first, but with the dinner I had and the drinks I drank… well. I’m certainly paying for it now.

Looking down at myself, I notice that I’m still in my dress from last night. I close my eyes, trying to remember how I got here. It was blank at first until a vague memory of the’night came back to me.

Benedict is approached by his pack member at some point and excuses himself. He calls for Kelcey to stay with me and she says things to him that make him flinch.

She took me to the bar, ordering funky looking drinks that had my head spin and dip. This is when my memory starts to be a little hazy. I remember someone, probably Kelcey, taking my hand and proceeding to walk me back to my room.

I remember being tucked into bed and then being offered cold water to drink.

And then…

“You won’t be drinking like that without me.”

What a strange thing for Kelcey to say.

When my stomach feels more stable, I strip out of my dress from last night and get into the shower. I stank of vomit and alcohol. Not the best combination for the first actual day of the Academy.

Today is when everything actually starts. The events to test us. The activities made to force interaction. The classes that will help us know more about our prospects.

Yesterday was fun and all. I let myself loose a little, but that is the end of that. It’s time to do what I’ve come here for.

To come home mated and successful.

With a new resolve, I finished showering and put on one of the dresses I brought from home. It didn’t fit right, the sleeves falling a bit, but it was good enough if I tucked them right.

I’m breathing hard from nerves by the time I make it down to the lake… mostly because

Chapter 21

I cannot shake the feeling that I was being watched. Maybe it was the Academy organizers making sure I was acting right, ready to report me to my Alpha, but something told me it wasn’t.

Something told me it was the same feeling from yesterday.

But I couldn’t let myself linger on that anymore.

I had to focus.

The organizers did another incredible set up today and, if possible, it’s even more fairytale like than yesterday. A beautiful archway of flowers greeted me at the entrance with flower petals on the floor. Wisps of lace fall from the trees, creating this mystical atmosphere. White parasols hover over circular tables, keeping the morning sun away from the attendees that were up all night partying.

The smell of mouthwatering food fills my senses and I follow the scent to a long table filled with the most delicious looking food. There’s bacon, ham, steak and other assortments of meats. There are also dozens of different fruits and salads. Pastries and breads of every kind are stacked neatly in a beautiful arrangement. I stifle a laugh when I see a cereal area too. At the end of the long table are several clear containers with different kinds of colored juices inside them.

I now understand why there’s a limit to the Academy. Some people abuse this luxury and stay longer than they should. If it didn’t cost so much to be sent here, I would come every year and it wouldn’t be to find a mate. The food alone has me on my knees.

I stack my plate high with an embarrassing amount of bacon and eggs. I try to seem healthy by taking a few pieces of fruit as well.

When I had finished filling my plate, I saw Andrew by the lake standing in front of a beautiful girl from another pack. He was frowning heavily, which is uncommon for him when in the presence of a girl. Andrew was a lover by nature and he showered women with more love than I would like to see.

Who was this girl? Is she his chosen mate? Isn’t the Alpha his chosen mate?

Suddenly, as if he felt my stare, his eyes glanced in my direction. Andrew’s mood lifts almost instantly and he waves.

I waved back, confused. It really wasn’t my business what they were discussing. Not sparing Andrew another look, I turned away and found an empty table.

No more Betas.

No more time to play those games.

I had to be serious now.

I eat quietly, eyes scanning for Benedict from time to time despite my proclamation of

no more Betas, and then when I realize what I’m doing, I focus all my energy on

2/5

Chapter 21

scanning for the boys that didn’t look to have matches yet. Enough of the Betas. It’s time I focused on finding a potential mate at my level.

Soulmates might be relatively extinct, but I still believe in destiny. Who knows, maybe destiny will come and crash into me?

“Good morning, party animal.” A plate piled with five pieces of thick steak slams down onto my table. Kelcey is wearing thick black shades and a loose tank top with some shorts. It wasn’t exactly the proper attire for a ‘mate finding event’.

I squinted up at her. “You look like you had quite a night.”

“I definitely went through it.” She answers while covering her mouth and burping, all while turning a different shade of pale.

“How was your night?” I asked, trying to hide my smile at the fact that I must look exactly like her. To distract myself, my eyes scan the male attendees. Not many held my stare.

Kelcey shook her head like she was shaking off a nightmare. “I can barely remember. I’ m too hungover. I vomited four times this morning and that’s not counting the ones from last night.”

“Oh, yeah. I feel the same way. Which reminds me, thank you for taking me back to my room last night.” I told her, remembering the night before.

Kelcey frowned. “What? What do you mean?”

I yawn tiredly. Kelcey must really be hungover. “I got drunk and you took me back to my room last night.”

The frown on Kelcey’s face deepens. “Vareesa, I didn’t. I was practically a fountain of womit yesterday.”

I froze, knowing well that someone had helped me walk through the halls and place me in bed.

“I didn’t even make it to my room. I woke up on top of the bar.” Kelcey explains, now looking protective. “No one… did anything to you, right? Cause if someone did, I swear to the Alpha’s life I would kill them.”

“Don’t swear on our elderly Alpha’s life, Kelcey.” I tried to scold her but was too busy trying to remember what happened last night. “He’s had a hard enough life as it is.”

Kelcey lowered her head. “I’m sorry. You and I… we’re supposed to protect each other. Did someone-”

I cut her off. “No. I wasn’t. I’m sure I wasn’t.”

And I am sure. I still had my dress from last night on when I woke up and none of my undergarments were compromised. I’m also positive I heard my door close before falling asleep.

Chapter 21

Kelcey let out a heavy breath. “If you’re sure…”

“I am. Don’t worry.” I reassured her by patting her arm softly. She was gripping the table so tightly I feared it would snap in two.

Kelcey and I weren’t friends before this. We barely spoke back at home. It was nice to know that if the Academy doesn’t give us mates, it still gives us friendship.

She opens her mouth to say something when another plate joins our table. We both looked up to find Jeff standing over us. “Hey.”

Kelcey scowls, stabbing her steak as if she was stabbing Jeff. “The only thing more horrible than returning home empty handed is coming back to the pack with you, Jeff. Leave us.”

Jeff ignores her, turning to the lake with narrowed eyes. “That Beta keeps looking over here. Unless he’s interested in me, he must be eyeing you.”

“He’s probably interested in you.” I said with a shrug, looking at the other attendees again.

“What are you doing here, Jeff? Shouldn’t you be eating someone’s face right now?” Kelcey all too nicely says. “I can’t stand you. Maybe you should leave the pack. Be a rogue. Or better. You can die.”

My so called best friend leans down and gives me a pointed look. “Did you sleep with

him?”

“Fuck’s sake, Jeff.” Kelcey growls warningly. “That’s none of your business. Vareesa can do whatever she likes and she doesn’t have to tell you about it.”

“Everyone’s been talking about how he’s rejecting every girl that’s asked to be with him.” He tells us, sitting down uncomfortably close to me. “See? I can hear him rejecting that girl right now.”

Unable to help myself, I looked towards where Andrew was. True enough, the girl is in absolute tears and Andrew is looking at her apologetically. “He’s promised to his Alpha. He’s probably rejecting everyone for her.”

The girl is in hysterics now, screaming and jabbing her finger at Andrew’s chest. Maybe she slept with him.

Maybe he made her feel special and made her think he was going to choose her.

“Yikes. Push her into the water, Andrew.” Kelcey mutters under her breath.

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