Chapter 74

“Luca,” I growl, shoving uselessly at his shins, “let me up.”

Luca just glares at Jackson at the door and then over at me. He can come to you, Luca says. into my mind, possessive and predatory. I narrow my eyes at him, pissed.

But there’s no time to think any more about it, because suddenly Jackson’s smokey pine scent strengthens and I look up to see him at my side.

“Here,” Jackson says, holding out the note to me and looking between Luca and I curiously. He frowns, a little, when he notices Luca’s legs stretched out over my lap.

“Thanks, Jacks,” I say, smiling up at him.

“Jacks?” Luca asks, and I turn to see him raising an eyebrow, his eyes flicking between the two of us. “What, the two of you are on like…a nickname basis now?”

The room is silent for a long, awkward moment as my two mates glare at each other and my cheeks go red. Honestly, I hadn’t even noticed that I’d given Jackson a nickname it all happened very naturally.

“Yeah, I guess we are, Grant,” Jackson says, his voice quiet and dangerous.

–

The room returns to its awkward silence as I lower the note to my lap and awkwardly stare at it, not knowing what to do or how to mediate this. Because obviously, obviously I’m the cause of all of this and I’m the only one who knows it.

–

“Well, I for one like it!” Jesse says, grinning at the drama and leaning against the doorframe. “Are you sure you won’t stay for dinner, Jacks?”

I flick my eyes to my cousin, grateful.

“Nah,” Jackson says with a sigh before reaching out a hand and giving me a warm pat on the shoulder. I look up in surprise at the touch, and then grin at him, unable to help it. He smiles back before he turns and heads towards the door. “A little…crowded in here, as it is.”

Ben and Rafe call their goodbyes as Jesse ushers Jackson out the door, telling him to come

and spend some time with us soon. Luca is noticeably silent as I unfold my note and read through it.

“What is it?” Rafe asks, leaning towards me, almost as if he is trying to see the writing in my lap.

“It’s from Alvez,” I ignoring Luca’s jealous energy as best I can. “He wants to see me at office hours tomorrow.”

me at office hou..

“Well, have fun with that,” Rafe says, relaxing instantly and turning back to his textbook.

“What do you mean?” I ask, refolding the note and tucking it between the pages of my book.

“It’s boring,” Rafe replies, and I remember now that he got paired with Alvez for his magic homework. “Just a lot of sitting around trying to….do things to a marble. I mean, I’m sure mom hired him for a reason, but I think a lot of this stuff we’re learning is guess work at best. At least at the beginning, until you can figure out what you can do.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Luca asks, frowning and looking between us.

Jesse opens his mouth to answer, probably intending to tell Luca the truth, but I speak first, interrupting.

“Classified,” I say, snapping my eyes up to my cousin, who raises his eyebrows in surprise that I want to keep the secret from my mate.

“We’re not the only ones in that class,” I say cagily, looking between Rafe and Jesse. “It’s not right to share anything unless Jackson and Tony agree first.”

“Whatever,” Luca says, sighing and holding up his hands..

“I, for one, would like it known that I do not care,” Ben murmurs from his place by the fire, and a grin breaks onto my face at his exhausted tone. “And, further, that if any of you have any pain killers….it would be great if you crushed them up and placed them quietly under my tongue. Thank you.”

I smile at my poor friend laying on the floor and turn to Luca, eager for the opportunity to change the subject. “What did you do to him last night?”

“Nothing he didn’t consent to,” Lauca says casually, giving me a smirk. But in my mind, he takes a different tact. Don’t think we’re finished talking about this, he murmurs, his words a caress as much as warning that this conversation is not done.

I just sigh, and nod, and send back an impression of the dream state, letting him know that we can talk about it more safely there.

Luca just nods, and closes his eyes, and continues his nap.

That night, after dinner has been eaten and Luca and Ben have finally shuffled off to bed, I finally rest my freshly–showered head down on my pillow, a little anxious about how to handle this conversation

with Luca. I mean, I get why he’s jealous of Jackson – why he doesn’t want any other young men near me showing me any special attention.

We’re newly mated, after all, which is apparently a very volatile state.

But still it’s a fine line for me to walk, isn’t it? Because Jackson – he has just as much of a right to my company as Luca does.

And obviously the clearest and fairest thing to do would be to explain that to both of them – but doing that opens a whole can of worms that I’m not sure I’m ready to face just yet. I mean, I haven’t even let Jackson know that I’m a girl yet, let alone his mate I can’t just casually spring that all on him when he comes by to deliver a note from our professor, right?

We should tell him, my wolf urges, turning a circle in my soul. We should tell both of them.

I know, I murmur, stroking a hand over her silky fur. And we will…we just…we need more. time.

–

She gives a little howl of discontent but lets me be with it, knowing that I’m right that I’m trying to balance too much, and just coming out with the truth to everyone right now could make it all come crashing down.

So I just sigh, and close my eyes, and work to fall asleep, eager to meet my one mate who knows I exist in our little dream forest.

When I open my eyes again, I smile to feel the familiar breeze against my skin. And this time, for once, I don’t bother to change into my cadet uniform, instead letting my hair blow

loose, enjoying the feel of my soft white nightgown against my skin.

“Hello, gorgeous,” Luca murmurs, and I turn to see him standing right there, almost like I conjured him. His arm goes instantly around my waist, pulling me close as he uses his other hand to tuck my hair behind my car.

“Hi,” I say, wrinkling my nose in pleasure and leaning against him. “Are you feeling better yet?”

“Much better,” he murmurs, lowering his face and nudging my nose with his. “Dream forest makes everything feel great. You look very pretty, by the way – big improvement, I have to say, over your cadet uniform.”

I laugh, frowning and pretending to be offended. “I thought I looked quite sharp in cadet black,” I protest, though I don’t really mean it as I wrap my arms around his neck.

“Oh, you do,” Luca sighs, smiling down at me, his dimples deepening as his eyes rove over face. “I just…like you soft and delicate too. All stages of Ariel are very good – this one is just different from what I’m used to. The novelty is nice.”

my

“Look at you, saying all the right things,” I sigh. “They should put you on ambassador track.” noveldrama

“Hold your tongue,” he growls, narrowing his eyes at me. “I am warrior, through and through. You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

I grin then, loosening my grip from around his neck and putting my hands flat against his chest. “No,” I say, shaking my head and suddenly giving him a little push, “no I would not.”

Luca gasps, stumbling backwards, but to his surprise the back of his knees hit a very plush mattress and he falls backwards onto a bed that I’ve conjured out of thin air. It takes him a second to figure out what happened, but then he just turns his head upwards and grins at

1. me.

“Well, that’s a clever little party trick,” he murmurs before leaning forward and grabbing me by the waist, hauling me down with him.

I shriek with delight as I fall into my mate’s arms.