Thornhill Academy (By Sheridan Hartin) novel Chapter 51

My dragon pressed hard against my ribs, urging me to shield her, to take wing and cover her with our body instead of risking this walk.

Mine. Hide her. Protect.

“Head down, pet,” I muttered, shifting her in my arms until her face was buried against my neck. She resisted for half a heartbeat, then

gave in, her breath warm against my skin. We made it halfway before the boys laughed at something, one of them turning in our direction. My spine went rigid, every muscle ready to shift at the first sign of recognition.

“Shit,” I hissed under my breath, pivoting hard and using my bulk to angle us behind the training racks that lined the field. A wall of

wooden dummies and broken spears shielded us from their line of sight. Her fingers dug into me, tense.

“Evander, if they see-”

“They won’t.” The promise came out like a growl.

I kept moving, fast but silent, boots hitting the dirt with deliberate speed. The change room doors loomed closer, carved oak with the academy crest etched deep. Just a few more steps. The boys’ voices carried again, this time closer. My dragon snarled, and I snapped my head back to see them heading toward the racks. No time. I dropped my shoulder and turned, shielding Ally entirely with my body. I pressed us both tight against the stone wall just shy of the doorway, my pulse hammering.

Her breath hitched against my throat, and she whispered, “They’re going to-”

“They won’t,” I said again, lower this time.

The footsteps passed, slow, careless, the boys still muttering to each other as they veered off toward the far exit. One laughed loudly, the sound bouncing harmlessly away. I didn’t move until I was certain. Then, finally, I exhaled and pulled the door open with my free hand, pushing us inside. The heavy oak slammed shut behind us with a muffled thud, sealing us in the safety of shadow and soap-scented

steam.

Only then did I look down at her. Her cheeks were still flushed, hair wild around her face, chest rising and falling against mine. She looked up, wide-eyed, and whispered, “That was too close.”

I smirked, brushing my thumb across her temple. “Close doesn’t count. You’re safe.”

“Um… you can put me down now.” Her voice was small, uneven, her blush creeping high on her cheeks.

I bent my head and pressed my nose into the curve of her neck. The scent of her hit me like smoke and lightning, wild and intoxicating. My chest rumbled low without my permission.

“Not yet,” I murmured against her skin. “Just… let me hold you a little longer. Please.”

Her breath caught, and for a moment she didn’t move. Her fingers twitched against my chest, not pushing me away. The silence stretched, broken only by the quick rhythm of her pulse fluttering against my lips.

Ours, my dragon whispered, curling around her scent like it was already branded into us. Don’t let her go. Not yet.

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12:47 Tue, Dec 30

Just A Little Longer.

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I tightened my arms just a fraction, memorising the exact weight of her against me, the warmth, the way her skin hummed faintly with the echo of shared magic. I knew she was tired, raw from the shift, and still wary of me. But gods, it felt right, like I’d been waiting my

entire life for this weight in my arms.

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3/3

12:47 Tue, Dec 30

Thornhill Academy.

What I Never Thought I Deserved.

Allison

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Evander finally lowered me to my feet, his hands lingering a heartbeat too long at my waist before he stepped back. His eyes were softer than I’d ever seen them, gold still flickering faintly at the edges like his dragon wasn’t ready to retreat fully.

“I’ll leave you to get dressed,” he said quietly, voice rough but gentle, and then he turned his back. No teasing, no smirk, just the sound of his boots moving away. The door clicked shut behind him, and I was alone. I exhaled hard, my knees a little shaky, and reached for the uniform I’d left folded on the bench earlier. My fingers trembled as I pulled the fabric over my skin, the cool cotton a sharp contrast to the warmth of his hands still ghosting over my waist. A mate. The thought slammed through me again, louder now that the room was empty. I have a mate. Me, Allison Rivers, the girl who’d spent her life fighting for scraps, the girl who swore she’d never need anyone. I’d never wanted this before. I’d told myself that mates were for other people, people who weren’t built like me, who hadn’t been left behind like me. But now? Now that I had one, it felt strange. Alien. Like a missing piece of me had been slotted into place without permission. Warmth where there had always been cold. A voice where there had always been silence. It was mine. He was mine. That part was undeniable. But underneath that warmth, a slow dread coiled low in my stomach. This tied him to me. To whatever happens to me. And knowing me, knowing the way my life had twisted so far, fate had a lot more in store for me-big, dangerous, terrible things. And that thought terrified me more than anything. I tugged my shirt straight and stared at my reflection in the mirror, at the faint golden shimmer still ghosting through my eyes. A dragon. A mate. A secret that could destroy both of us if it came out too soon. I wasn’t sure if I wanted

to laugh, cry, or run.

Evander was leaning against the wall when I stepped out of the changing rooms, one hand shoved into his pocket. His golden eyes flicked

up the second he saw me.

“Do you want to try and get some food in the hall?” he asked, voice soft but hopeful.