Chapter 18

I’m almost too exhausted to notice how fast the next week passes. Jesse wakes me up early every day, and I scowl at Rafe. who snores peacefully while Jesse drags me out the door for our run. He seriously puts me through my paces, too, not even relenting when I try to bribe him.

“Please.” beg. “I’ll give you my crown –”

“Why would I want your crown. I’m a duke –”

“But dukes,” I pant, “don’t get anything pretty to wear on their heads –”

But Jesse just laughs, and makes me run harder.

The candidate lessons are no less brutal. Every other day is spent running through that damn obstacle course, and even though Jesse and Rafe make me work out every night I still can’t climb that damn chain. I mean, I am getting better, which is satisfying, I can pull myself up about three feet of it now. But still, every day, after ten minutes of trying, the Lieutenant at that point on the course blows the whistle and lets me climb the ladder, putting a further demerit on my time.

Even Ben gets up faster than I do now, looking down at me with apology in his eyes as he does. But I just scowl and wave him off.

Rafe and Jesse really put the time in with Ben and I every evening, which has actually become as fun as it is useful. Ben has proven himself to have one hell of a sense of humor, and he makes me laugh so hard it feels like my sides will split. Even Rafe, as he pushes us around and tells us to get back to work, can’t help but smile.

Still, it’s nice to have made a real friend.

Every day the four of us eat our meals together and every morning our eyes go immediately to the ranking list to see what the previous day’s exams – if any have done to our numbers.

And while I’m never, ever going to beat out the big guys like Rafe and Jesse – I have to say, I’m holding my own.

This morning. I grin when the numbers come up to see that I’m ranked at 75 – a personal high spot. for me. Jesse slaps me on the back, laughing and grinning.

“Nicely done. Ari!” he says, smiling at me with true pleasure. “Looks like the marksmanship competition yesterday did its work.”

He’s not wrong. There are still enough hand–to–hand bouts that while my win against Jackson and my second place on the logic exam pulled me out of the cut zone above 96, I’ve been hovering right on the edge for days. But yesterday, when they finally put a crossbow and then a gun in my hands?

Then I really showed them what I could do. Because even if dad didn’t let me train like Rafe did, he always made sure I could handle myself with a gun more than handle myself, really. I came in

?

second, talling only behind Rafe ben beating Jesse, who came in at

“Thank you.” I say, preeting a little as 1 digitory pancakes. But when my eyes all on Bere’s blank

expression. I feel instant galt. Because here I am celebrating, and I didn’t even look to see how he

“We’re going to get you there. Ben,” Rafe says as my eyes fly back to the hoard, where Ben is ranked at 100. Four spots. That’s nothing”

“You really are getting faster, Ben,” I say, nodding to him encouragingly.

“Don’t fuss over me. Ben says, his face breaking into a smile as he waves a hand around at us. “I’m fine. Seriously, it’s fine, it’s way better than 119, where I was So Progress is a good thing

I smile at him, nodding, even though a knot twists in my stomach. Because there are only 5 days left until the final ranking, and both of us are still in a great deal of trouble. None of our runs of the obstacle course have counted yet, and the one on the last day? It counts as double any of the rest of the tests, because we’ve practiced it so many times.

And Ben and I: Even despite our extra credit work after hours with Rafe and Jesse we’re still crap

at it.

Inwardly, I sigh, wondering how much better we can even get, or what the other exams will be.

We can do it! My wolf yips encouragingly, prancing around inside me. We are strong and brave! No one can stop us!

Smiling. I run a mental hand over her fur, grateful for her high spirits and constant support.

And then, once we’re in the Academy, she babbles, we can get a private room! And invite our mates over to visit us –

I sigh, shaking my head and brushing her away, ignoring her crazy

words.

But, even if she can’t stop thinking about our mates, I have to admit…the lure of the Academy itself? It’s starting to sound better and better.noveldrama

Chatter has been going around, of course, about what life is like inside. And honestly…I can’t wait to see it – presuming, of course, that I get there. It just sounds amazing – you get sorted into a discipline, and then you get to spend months learning the most in–depth, obscure, secret things about whatever that discipline is

I bite my lip, hoping to hell that I get sorted into the espionage track. Because while I am clearly not a warrior – I don’t have the brute strength for that the hours spent learning how to spy, or to craft poisons, or become an expert sharpshooter, or a master of any variety of tiny, obscure weapons?

Damn, but that sounds just like…everything I’ve always wanted to do and never knew was even an option.

Chapter is

“Well done, Shrimp!” A loud voice says, and I jump a little as an arm slides around my shoulder. giving me a squeeze as Luca sits down next to me. He’s frequently a 5(th) at our meals, or at least stops by once a day to say hello. And while my wolf turns in eager, excited circles as soon as his summer citrus scent hits our nose, I grit my teeth in frustration..

Because whenever Luca’s here? He concentrates on me, and teases me, and drops little hints about things that know. And I swear to god, one of these days

and figure out what I can’t believe he hasn’t already sense’s going to break out of his little fog

–

That Luca’s here to see me, and only me, even if he doesn’t know precisely what draws him to this table.

I don’t say anything to my mate as he reaches out to give Jesse and Ben high–fives. He offers one to Rafe, who just gives him a little glare, but Luca laughs it off as he takes his spot next to me.

“Seriously, I’m impressed,” Luca says to me alone, and sigh as I turn to look at him. And seriously, it’s not that I don’t want to look at him –

It’s just. God damn it. Every time I do. I get this stupid smile on my face, and can’t help feeling like my whole body is filled with butterflies –

Because I have this stupid, ridiculous girly crush on him-

But how can I help it? He grins at me with that perfect face, his dimples flaring, his pretty brown eyes shining at me…..

And, I mean, I basically swoon. The guy’s a celebrity heartthrob for a reason, doubled by the fact that he’s my mate and I’m unendingly attracted to him on a soul level? Oh, and tripled by the fact that over the past week I’ve figured out that he’s nice, and funny?

My wolf sits back on her haunches and howls.

I clutch my knife and fork to avoid the insane urge to reach out and run my fingers through his hair. God, I bet it’s so silky…..

“Thanks, Luca,” I say, interrupting my own thoughts and doing my best to keep my voice dry. “I noticed I kicked your ass in marksmanship. What, you can’t hit something if it’s not three feet in front of your face?”

He bursts into laugher at this, grinning at me. “Want to f**k around and find out, Shrimp?” he asks, lifting his fists into his boxers stance and winking at me.

God, f**k, yes, yes I do, I moan inwardly.

But outwardly I just give a cool shrug and turn back to my waffles. Luca turns his attention to Jesse. chatting about his own ranking of 9, while Rafe lifts his head a little and shakes it at me, because he knows I have a crush. Of course he does – he watches me like a hawk and he’s known me since I

was born

2.30 Sun,

I press my lips together and tilt my head to the side, staring at him, willing him to read my thoughts that adamantly protest that I am doing my best and that I can’t help it.

Rafe just smirks and gives a little shrug, saying without words that he knows. He gives a little nod, letting me know I’m not in any trouble.

But as I let my attention drift back to Luca? As I watch him lean forward towards Jesse, his shoulder coming dangerously close to my face, giving me just the…the perfect little sniff of that scent that makes my eyes drift shut and my toes curl?

God damn it. Even if Rafe doesn’t think I’m in any trouble?

I absolutely, patently am.

And it’s only a matter of time before this comes to a head.

Especially because after Luca leans forward to give Jesse another high–five- god, why do boys do that so much? – when he leans back in his chair, he casually, just barely lets his fingers drift across my back.

That tingle that rises in me whenever we touch rushes through my skin, tracing the pattern of his fingers as they go. My eyes go wide and I spin towards him.

And his eyes are there, waiting for me.

A little smirk on his lips.

Letting me know that he did it on purpose.

And that he knew exactly how I was going to respond.

“So,” Luca says, turning abruptly to the other three, leaving me staring open–mouthed at his perfect face. “Anyone know what they’ve got ready to torture us with today?”

I grit my teeth, avoiding my urge to either smack him or throw myself in his arms. Because the torture? For me, it’s already begun.