Academy Of Mates novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Chapter 46

The sun had barely risen but already it’s like it never even rained in the first place. It was a new day, a better day… I hope.

Our walk back to the mansion was eerily quiet. The kind of quiet that comes before a storm, a terrible storm. And in this case, Benedict.

It was as if the entire world was waiting as the man in front of me stomped his way through the woods. He has not said a word since we left the quaint garden shack… since Andrew kissed me.

In front of him.

But he had a lot to say, I am sure.

I was with his rival, the other Beta that he has been fighting with for all his life.

With the way his back was unnaturally straight, the way his muscles were tense and pulsing, the way his breath was so, so quiet.

My doom was inevitable.

Was I being a pushover again?

Had I been overthinking?

Wasn’t it normal for some attendees to spend most of the School of Love away from everyone else and with a specific person?

Andrew was right. No one will look for us. Though there are schedules, some attendees don’t participate in that but they do participate… in something else.

Not that we were doing anything else.

The quiet went on. I felt like I was going deaf with how silent he was. The mansion was just up ahead as well, taunting me of how close we were.

Something inside me knew that if we didn’t speak about what happened before we made it to the mansion, Benedict and I… we would be like everyone else in the School of Love.

Strangers- no. Worse. He would be invisible.

And I don’t know why, but I couldn’t take that.

My hands were on his wrist before I could think more. “Wait,”

He stops but doesn’t turn to face me.

I could feel the heat coming from his skin, seeping into mine, but I did not let go. “Can we talk?”

Still, he refuses to look at me and when he speaks it’s cold and sharp. It was the same unfriendly and dismissive tone that he used for everyone else. “There’s nothing to talk about. You had all the right to be out, to vanish with whoever you desire in the Academy.”

“Don’t make it sound like that. You know that’s not what happened. I didn’t.” I don’t know what I was saying or why I was defending myself to him when I didn’t need to, but the words came without me thinking about it. “It was raining, hard, and I wanted to go back but the storm was intense and it just wasn’t safe.”

This time, he does look at me.

And I swear my lungs shook at the sight of him.

With the sun on his back, creating this halo of light around his head, I was stunned by his handsome face all over again.

He wasn’t like Sebastian who is all harsh and strong and rugged, the kind of look that parents disapprove of. He wasn’t even that kind of devilish handsome that Andrew was, promising mischief and other sinful things.

Benedict is like the sun. He shined brightly. He is handsome beyond words and nothing else could explain how gorgeous he is with his baby blue eyes and his soft blonde hair.

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Chapter 46

He’s dangerous too.

But more so he is untouchable. Almost impossibly perfect.

“I’m sorry if I worried you,” I continued, my voice really small. “I know you’ve been looking for me all night. I truly didn’t want to cause any trouble-”

I wasn’t able to finish what I was about to say as I was pulled against a strong, muscular chest with arms like steel embracing me and holding me to him tightly.

He felt good.

To be held by him felt incredibly good.

So good that I do not want it to end.

He rests his chin on top of my head like he was meant to be there, meant to hold me the way he was. “I’m just glad you’re unharmed.”

Promising myself that it was just this once, I let my arms wrap around his back, feeling tight muscles and years of hard work on them. “I am. I swear I am.”

We stayed in that embrace for a very long time, long enough that the sun was high above the sky and I could hear music playing from a distance- the mansion finally waking.

He took the deepest of breaths, like he was trying to convince himself that I was alright, before lowering his hands to my waist and taking a step back.

Already, I miss his arms on me and I have to fight myself not to jump back into his embrace.

“You have terrible taste in men.” He says flatly, humorlessly. “The absolute worst.”

And just like that, we were back at it. “I’m about to chest kick you.”

The man actually had the audacity to smile. “Will you now?”

“Do you want to get hurt?” I threatened, feeling my chest tighten with the sight of his handsome face and that rare smile. It felt like a gift to be able to see it.

His eyes burned then. “That’s not how you’re going to hurt me.”

The way he says this weakens my knees, the meaning behind his words is too deep and I brace myself against a tree. “I don’t know what to do with you Benedict. You leave me so confused every single time. More so than the last. You make things so hard.”

He leans against the same tree with me, our shoulders touching. “It’s not easy for me either.”

“But you don’t want to make it easy.” I argued, breathing hard.

Benedict stares down at me. “Because it’s not. And with you? It will never be.”

“You do realize that I’m in a race to find my mate and the clock is ticking. Time is literally not on my side. If you’re not choosing me, I have to find someone that will.” I let out a sigh, blinking away the thoughts that haunted me. “I just… I just want to make my pack and my father proud.”

The laugh he lets out is mocking, effectively causing a chill inside me. “And you think Andrew, that piece of shit, is the one for you?”

“I don’t know.” I told him honestly, staring into his eyes, hoping he saw the desperation in them. “Maybe. But you’re not helping my situation.”

He leans closer to me until we’re an inch apart. “He doesn’t deserve you. All of them don’t deserve you.”

I want to ask him; who deserves me?

But I didn’t say it, fearing his answer.

“You don’t even know me.” I tried to say this as confidently as I could but the way he was looking at me made it very difficult to breathe.

His next words sent shivers down my spine. “I know enough to know they don’t.”

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Chapter 46

Silence goes through us but it is not as uncomfortable as before.

A bell rings within the mansion then, bringing us out of our thoughts.

Benedict pushed me a little forward, his hand on my waist, the thin dress I wore doing nothing to keep away the warmth and electricity that his fingers gave as he motioned to the mansion, and I tried my best not to sway too much as I walked towards the sound of breakfast. It proved to be difficult as I kept thinking of his hands on me… how good he looked and how better he felt.

The School of Love is ending soon, I reminded myself. I cannot be distracted by Benedict any longer, knowing that I’m running out of time.

With a deep breath, I straightened my back and walked on despite how hard it was to ignore the man ten steps behind me.

Breakfast was in full swing by the time I got there, attendees in various stages of throwing up were chasing away hangovers with an unhealthy amount of mimosas and sandwiches.

I knew the exact moment Benedict left my side, getting lost in the crowd before appearing beside his pack members.

“Vareesa! Where have you been?” Kelcey asks from the mimosa fountain. She was wearing the thickest black sunglasses ever made. “I was looking for you all night. You missed an unbelievable party. People were doing body shots on Christy and I was dancing on top of a table.”

“I got caught up.” I gave her an apologetic smile, not knowing how to explain. “I wish I could have seen you dance and did a few shots on Christy.”

“Don’t worry. She’s still doing body shots now.” She pointed towards a table at the far back where Christy was lying down like she was a meal that was served, wearing a bikini as girls and boys alike licked salt from her.” Though I wouldn’t recommend it. She hasn’t showered like… you haven’t showered.”

Her eyes widened, looking at my disheveled appearance.

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