Academy Of Mates novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

At the sight of the man we were just talking about, I turned away awkwardly but he already saw me looking, his eyes widening mischievously with his lips pulling upwards.

My chest thumps as I see him from my peripheral moving closer to me, his handsomeness nearly blinding. Despite how otherworldly his counterpart Benedict is, Andrew has his own charm. He has a perfect bone structure that looks impossible for everyone else and a head of hair that can sell shampoo to a bald man who doesn’t

need it.

Everyone’s attention was on him then.

Because who could look away from him?

And because who wasn’t already looking?

He definitely was no Benedict.

But Andrew… oh Andrew.

“Hello, Varessa,” He greeted me with a smile that spoke of all the secrets of the world that he hid within those smirking lips and bright eyes.

Kelcey looks between the two of us, her sharp eyes assessing us closely before nodding to herself, as if sensing no danger and roughly takes Jeff by the scuff, dragging him away. “Well, I’ll leave you two to it.”

“Wait,” I turned to face her.

And she does wait, always willing to help me out. “Yeah?”

I didn’t know why I stopped her. Maybe I didn’t trust myself. Maybe I didn’t wanna be left alone with him.

She looks at him again and her frown deepens. “Want me to deal with this guy instead?

I find myself shaking my head. “No, it’s okay.”

Her eyes pierced through me before a kind smile pulled at her ruby red lips. “I’ll find you later. That way I can help you find all the good options.”

The way she looked at Andrew made me think he wasn’t one of those good options.

And I can’t help but agree.

With a wave and a rough pull on Jeff’s angry face, she was gone, leaving me to face the most devilish smirk I’ve ever seen.

He really is handsome. The kind of handsome that was just too irresistible and with his confidence, there was no question about what he was. He made it easy to read

him.

Chapter 22

And everyone wanted that.

Wanted him.

I picked at my dress to try and break eye contact. “What is it, Andrew?”

He leans against a tree, arms crossed. “I want to talk to you. I want to explain last night…”

“I don’t want to hear it. You’re bad news.” I told him honestly, walking towards a table filled with water in fancy glass bottles that sparkled and shined, promising that it came from the alps or somewhere or another. “You will always be bad news.”

He follows right behind me, grinning still. Everything and everyone to him was a game. Including me. “And you’re such a good girl. Always the good girl. Isn’t that right, Vareesa?”

As much as I try to keep my cool, I just couldn’t shake off how he said my name. It was teasing and pushing. Like he was daring me to answer, making a shiver run down my spine.

And I hate how my stomach summersaulted a little bit because, for all his flaws, he was the most desirable man back at home. And he is handsome. Sinfully so.

He just came with complications.

A lot of it.

He’s picking on me. And I know he picks on everyone really but nothing will ever happen to him. Similar to Benedict and his pack, Andrew and the other more powerful attendees will always be exempted from everything… even punishment.

Andrew in particular is known for that.

Pushing boundaries.

Breaking rules.

And having no consequences.

I guess that’s what being born into a high position gets.

Picking one of the glass water bottles on the table, I tried not to look at him, focusing my attention on the long row of tables full of hundreds upon hundreds of food options all laid out perfectly, looking delicious and delectable. It was all spread out in towers and big platters, from fruits to pastries to cold cuts of meat, sandwiches of every size and cheeses of every funky smell. I swear I saw a whole king crab and lobsters and oysters at the very end, dunked in what looked to be a tray of ice.

For the lack of a better word, I was impressed and deeply amazed.

I felt like I had walked into the most beautiful place in the world.

“What do you want from me?” I asked when he didn’t speak again.

Chapter 22

His answer was simple, bright eyes bearing into me. “Reality.”

But simple isn’t exactly what he was.

He’s bigger than that.

“And I want to have fun.” He continues, taking the bottle of water from me and opening the cap with ease. “Shouldn’t you be having fun too?”

I watched him take a drink of my water, my eyes on his neck, before he handed it back. to me. “Find it somewhere else, Andrew.”

He notices my mocking tone but smirks anyway, intrigued, pressing the bottle in my hands. “Is that so?”

“You have an entire semester here and it’s full of girls.” I could tell he was challenging me, testing my limits once more. If only he knew that the lines I was afraid to cross were blurring for me already. “You can have anyone you want. Anyone from your pack that’s here if you really want to. An Alpha even. Your options are endless. I’m…. I’m not

His eyes narrowed playfully. “Hmmm… you know I can always order you to do it.”

I did my best to look taller, puffing my chest out, but he was easily bigger than me and I know I didn’t intimidate him. Not even a little bit. “You can’t order me. Not here.”

“Is that what you think?” He taunted me with a lifted eyebrow.

I stopped, lips parted.

“Predictable. Predictable.” He teased, leaning closer to me. Suddenly, the playfulness leaves his eyes. “You know what I’m here to do. You know what is asked of me. You know… you know. Last night I wanted… I wanted to get to know you better even if-” It wasn’t every day that he struggled with words.

Betas are always smooth with their words. They’re sure of themselves.

Except now.

“I know.” I whispered, because everyone knows what he was here for. To choose his Alpha if no one else. He was the back up. I can’t fault him for that.

He nods, the rare seriousness of his handsome features. “So let me have this.”

It was so easy to agree, to just accept, but it was my turn to tease him. “”But you don’t need to drag me along with you.”

His lips broke into another smile. “There she is.”

And as foolish as it was for me, I wondered quietly what it would be like to leave with Andrew.

True he is a womanizer and he loved himself a little too much but he would take care

Chapter 22

of me… I think. Life wouldn’t be easy but I would never go hungry nor would my pack

and father.

But then he was this… guy.

We were two very different people.

It’s just impossible.

Our ranks are too different.

Just as he was about to say something more, his expression was suddenly resigned and dejected, a live band started to play in the middle of the gardens where a gazebo wrapped in colorful roses stood. There were at least twenty people with big

instruments dressed and painted as if they were statues. They did not sing, or hum, letting their instruments capture us all.

And with the mansion as their background, it didn’t take much to grab everyone’s

attention.

The crowd of attendees gathered around them, listening to the melodic sounds of their instruments and, like I was in a spell, I walked closer as well, completely enamored. I lost Andrew in the crowd, my eyes on the instruments.

As I listened, my heart thumped erratically from both excitement and emotions for the coming days. I did not know what was going to happen, but how could anything bad happen here?

Happen in paradise?

When the song finishes, an organizer walks onto the gazebo and bows in front of us all. “Good morning,”

A chorus of applause comes and I find myself clapping along as well, a smile on my lips.

“We are happy to have all of you this year, new and old.” The organizer smiles, looking genuinely happy to have all of us here. “Though yesterday was the welcoming of the Academy, today is when it actually starts. You see, the Academy is designed for young werewolves such as yourself, to find your mates. With challenges, grand events, special classes and meals shared together, it is our hope that you find the right one for you.”

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