[Elise’s POV]Phantom faces haunt my dreams, making my skin break out in a sweat and my body toss and turn. They’re calling to me, and their clawed fingers are beckoning me, but I fight with all my might to stay away until my eyes fly open and I find that I’m in my room in the girls dorm of the academy.“Fuck,” I sigh, sitting up and wiping tendrils of stray hair away from my soaked forehead. “What the hell is this?”This was the second night that these phantoms haunted my dreams. Although I knew that they were something important, I couldn’t make heads or tails of what I was seeing.Letting out a grumble of annoyance, I untangle the blanket that is wrapped tightly around me and then get up.Peeking at my phone, I find that it is still fairly early and classes won’t be starting anytime soon. Although I would have loved to go back to sleep, I already know that won’t be possible, not with the anxiety I was feeling.‘Some fresh air should help.’ Anna offers.‘You’re probably right.’Deci
[Elise’s POV]Eyes widening, I realize too late what the hell is coming out of my mouth. Fuck. Why did I go and say such a thing when there were plenty of other explanations? Was I some sort of idiot?‘Probably,’ Anna chuckles, not making matters better. ‘Or you were speaking from the heart.’At her words, I feel my heart squeeze painfully as I look at William, who is watching me carefully. Sure, maybe that was right, but there was no fucking way we could ever be together now.“You’re spying on me because you like me.” He says now, snapping me out of my head. “Do you really expect me to believe that?”Shock rolls through me at his words, but in a way, I’m happy that he doesn’t actually believe what I said. However, if he wasn’t willing to believe that I liked him, then what did he suspect?“I’ve thought this since the day that you approached my niece, but you have a secret agenda for getting close to not only her but even me, don’t you?”Opening my mouth, I prepare to argue, but I kno
[Elise’s POV]I wait as Denali examines me, a look of longing in her features, and when she rushes toward me, pulling me into a hug that damn near smothers me, I can feel just how badly she missed me. And even though I know I should be hugging her back, I’m left motionless, as for the first time in my life, I feel the feeling of family.“I knew it.” She whispers, slowly releasing me so she can stare down into my eyes. “I felt it the minute I saw you.”Nodding, I consider her words as I try to get my emotions in check and ignore the nagging fear that I will die.“But why did you lie before?” She continues when I don’t speak. “Is there a reason that you’re hiding it? Is something going on? Is someone possibly chasing you?”“Woah, there,” I sigh, stopping her before she can go into full panic mode. “It isn’t anything like that. Instead,” I continue, wondering if I’m actually allowed to speak of the deal I made with the goddess. “I had my reasons.”For now, I would keep that reason close
[Maverick’s POV]I watch as Serenity nods in agreement with my request, but even now I can tell that she is hiding something from me. Usually she would tell me everything, like I was her closest confidante, but here she was hiding things from me for the first time.“Deal,” she says. “We should get going before we’re late for class.”“You go ahead of me.” I say. “There’s something I need to do first.”At my words, Serenity gives me a look of confusion, but she doesn’t question me, which also isn’t like her. This alone was proof that she was distracted.“Don’t be late.”It’s the last thing she says before she turns and disappears into the sea of students who are heading toward their classes. Once she is out of sight, I turn and begin to move, heading toward William’s office so I can have a word with him.Although I knew that it was probably for the best that I be separated from Serenity and placed in the boys dorm, I just couldn’t stomach the idea of not being near at all times. Maybe i
[Serenity’s POV]I arrive at battle class just as the bell rings, but despite that, Maverick is still nowhere to be seen. Frowning, I find myself wondering where he could possibly be.“Don’t just stand around,” Professor Alex announces. “Change into your battle gear and get out here.”As she speaks, Maverick’s warning about a combat test taking place returns to me. However, didn’t he know that he would also be participating in this test? If he so much as failed anything, then he would be kicked out of the academy and wouldn’t be beside me anymore.“Where are you?” I whisper as Professor Alex glares at me.“Now!” He snaps, narrowing his gaze. “Why are you just standing there?”“Sorry,” I grumble before turning and heading to the changing rooms, where the rest of the girls in class are already changing.While I move, their gazes come to rest on me, and I can see that familiar look of hatred on their faces that I have grown used to. Ignoring them, I continue to move until I spot Eleanor
[Maverick’s POV]I rush down the hall, my irritation growing. Because of my discussion with William, I was running late for class, and I was certain that Serenity would be worried about me.“Dammit.”As I move, William’s question races through my mind. Why was he even asking me such a thing when he was subtly making it clear that he didn’t think I was good enough for his niece? Was it some sort of joke on his part or something more? And why didn’t I just outright say how I felt?Because Serenity should be the first to hear it. The small voice in the back of my head screams at me.Right. How could I possibly go around admitting to others just how special and precious she was to me when she didn’t know? But there was no fucking way I could say such things because that alone would ruin our relationship entirely.Deciding that now wasn’t the time to be focusing on such things, I quicken my pace, and when I reach our combat class, I burst inside and begin to look around, taking in the stud
[Serenity’s POV]I keep my gaze fixed on Maverick’s retreating form. Even from where I sit, I can feel his emotions slamming into me, and although I want to comfort him and tell him that whatever it is that he is thinking is wrong, I don’t move. Instead, I continue to watch until he heads out of the infirmary and slams the door behind him before turning my gaze to Eleanor, or rather, Aunt Elise.“Wow,” she whistles, tearing her attention from where Maverick disappeared. “He’s pretty sensitive, huh?”“About certain things,” I admit.As long as I had known Maverick, the only times I really saw him show any type of emotion was when I attempted to hide something from him. There were also the rare moments when he would show his gentle side and even laugh or smile with me, but those didn’t happen often.“Why didn’t you just let him stay and listen to our conversation?” She pushes, drawing me out of my head as my heart begins to hurt over my inadvertently hurting the one closest to me just t
[Serenity’s POV]“Spell it out?”Frowning, I try to make sense of what it is that Maverick is getting at. Was he talking about his duty to protect me? I was more than aware of that, but for some reason, this seemed like something totally different.“Yes, little fool.” Maverick sighs, giving me a gentle smile. “Figure it out.”Stepping back, he watches me, waiting as I continue to try to figure out what exactly it is that he is saying, but when I come up empty, he just sighs and collapses.“You know,” he huffs, giving me a smirk. “You really are oblivious to so much if it isn’t related to pack matters or battle.”“Are you insulting me?” I growl, still feeling like I was missing something important.“Not at all,” he responds.Growing quiet, he just takes me in with that unreadable expression from before that makes my heart kick up speed and my stomach erupt with butterflies. I swear, it felt like he was almost seeing right through me, and I didn’t necessarily hate it, but I didn’t like