Chapter 558

We make it through our run in record time, I think each of us feeling Jackson's nearly limitless energy flowing through us and grateful for it.

"Seriously," Jesse says, beaming at Jacks. “You should bottle this stuff. Sell it on the black market. Make millions."

"I don't need millions," Jackson murmurs distractedly in reply, his hand on his hips, looking out over the hills in the distance outside the castle. "Also, don't you two get hooked," he says, turning back to aim a little glare at Jesse and Rafe. "I have a lot of energy built up in reserves but it would take work to supply four people every day. So. Only in emergencies."

"What, and Ariel gets energy on tap whenever she demands it?" Rafe asks with a smirk, gesturing towards me.

"Yes!" I say, pumping my fists into the air even as I pant, my body still recovering from the long run. I'm still not really able to keep up with them, even if I am getting better. "Mate privileges!"

"No," Jackson corrects, giving me a glare, even if he can't help smiling as he does. "Just...a little bit in the morning. To help you with your crazy schedule."

"We'll see," I say, patting his arm in an ameliorating way and giving Jesse and Rafe a wink, letting them know I'm in charge.

"All right, enough of this," Rafe says, pressing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger and looking so much like dad when he's trying to concentrate that I break into a wide grin. "So, we're agreed? Jesse goes to the computer lab to get a laptop and a router, I go to the Captain's office to request an emergency video call with mom, Jackson goes to get Luca before he can leave for breakfast so he can tell mom the plan for the gym before we have the magic chat, and Ari..."

"Cleans up the room and makes it so our mothers don't know we live like wanton slobs and my boyfriend kind of moved in!" I say this cheerfully, my hands perched jauntily on my waist.

"Voice down, Ari," Rafe murmurs, glancing around, even though we're all alone. "We're still at least pretending to operate under a veil of secrecy." "Maybe Jesse's shadows can do that," I say cheerfully, beaming at him. "Could you make like...a shadow dome?" I lift my hands above my head and spread them wide in a circle. "Though which people couldn't see or hear?" Jesse tilts his head to the side, I think intrigued by the concept.

"All right, let's go," Rafe sighs, all business, dismissing the questions about Jesse's magical potential. I laugh and together the four of us head into the Castle before breaking into different directions.

| pant a bit as I finish climbing the staircase up to our floor, my mind running through all the things I have to do. I mean, I don't think Jacks has left a lot of traces of his presence, but the whiskey bottle is sitting around somewhere half full, and the beds are certainly all unmade this morning...

I'm still thinking it through, wondering if breakfast is going to come up in time, as I push open the door and step into the room, absently shutting it behind me.

But I go still and stand straight when the lock clicks in the door.

Slowly I turn to stare at it because...

I...I did not turn that lock.

"Who knew, Ariel," a deep voice says, ringing out in our room. "That you look so ravishing in the morning after your run."

My head snaps towards the center of the room where Alvez lounges in my brother's armchair.

"I sensed the presence of new magic in the Castle," Alvez continues, quietly standing and beginning to move around the coffee table towards me. "So

I came up, expecting to run into all three of the Sinclairs at once. But what a treat for me, to find you all alone."

I take a step backwards, stunned, pressing my back against the door.

"Looks like," Alvez murmurs,

crossing the room too fast for how few steps he's taken, "we're going to have the opportunity to have our little tutoring session early, aren't we?" Quite suddenly he's right innoveldrama

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front of me, lifting a hand to press next to my head at the door, looming over me.

I stare up at my professor for a long moment, still totally shocked, when suddenly something about the way he begins to smile, his canines just peeking out from between his lips. breaks my wolf out of our stupor and sets her raging. She leaps forward in my soul, opening her teeth to let out a murderous roar, and my body moves my instinct. I whip my hands up, shoving Alvez hard, putting my whole body into it as I shout.

I take him by surprise, causing him to stumble back a few steps, and I take advantage of the time and space I've earned myself, whipping around and grabbing for the lock on the door - twisting even as I grab the handle –