CHAPTER 34: FIGHTING MATES

Andria’s POV

Kaelric turned to the rest, "Next pair"

I sat back to watch him spar with the others. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I had seen that fighting skill and that face before.

And then it hit me. I have seen that face up close before, in the middle of the woods. I have fought him before.

He is a Dravari..., the Dravari I fought that night.

A sick gnawing feeling overwhelmed me. Just as I was rejoicing that the moon goddess gave me someone I desired, just to find out he was the Dravari who almost took my life.

"Aria!, you seem lost", Becca called on me, using her hands to pull me back to reality, "You don’t look fine. Is anything bothering you?"

She shot me too many questions at the same time, and I just nodded affirmatively.

Her concern didn’t fade, but she didn’t push further. I think she saw it in my eyes. Whatever was wrong with me... it went deeper than words.

Before I could catch a full breath, his voice cut through the air, crisp and commanding.

"Miss Aria," Kaelric said, eyes locking onto mine like he already knew too much. "Wait behind after this class."

I could feel all heads turn towards me, including the Trio’s annoyed gaze, Zade’s and the successor’s jealous expression.

"Ouu, I guess someone is being summoned by her gorgeous mate", Becca squealed beside me, and I just wanted to wipe that smug look from her face.

No. No. No.

Why? What did he want? Had he recognized me, too? Did he know I was the girl from that night?

I could’ve sworn I’d hidden my face. I made sure of it. Or so I thought.

But he was a Dravari; maybe he didn’t need eyes to remember the feel of an opponent, maybe my stance gave it out.

Is he stalking me? Did he come here for me?

And worst of all, why did I have to bond with someone who almost murdered me?

As the hall started getting empty, I sensed that Zade, Aven, Tristan and Damon had not moved.

I knew they could sense it, that I had been mated to another yet again.

The tension in the room grew, and I could feel it almost suffocate me. It felt like betrayal, even though I didn’t ask for this, even though none of this was my fault.

He moved with steady ease towards me, reminding me of that horrifying night in the woods, and my heart pounded in my chest.

"You asked me to see you after the class?" I managed to ask a question, as he got so close to where I stood.

"You felt it," he said before I could speak. "Didn’t you?" I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

And just then, the other four drew closer in a protective manner as if they sensed a threat. I could tell they sensed what I was feeling.

He tilted his head, taking a step closer, ignoring their glare. "I thought I imagined it at first. I hoped I was wrong."

"Let go of our mate," Tristan charged forward, his eyes a golden glow as if he were trying to shift.

The others mirrored his stance immediately, but Kaelaric shot them a cold stare.

"What do you want from me?" I whispered, venom laced in my tone. " I don’t know what you are driving at."

"You? I can’t recall what you are, maybe a.... " he replied evenly. "If I had, I wouldn’t have aimed to kill."

I snorted. "Oh, great, he probably recognized me, and I wanted to know what gave it away."

He didn’t flinch. "Do you think I knew you were the one? If I hadn’t paid more attention to your stance, it felt familiar, and because I remember things easily, being the creature you know I’m..." he stared intently at me " I knew you were the one."

I could tell the rest were stunned knowing that I had met him before,

"She is my mate also," he turned to face them squarely. "You have one stronger wolf to contend with."

I could tell the arrogance in Kaelric’s voice triggered Aven the most; his face twisted, and he moved aggressively towards Kaelric.

"You will lose to me," he said as his forehead met Kaelric’s forehead.

Kaelric closed the remaining gap between them and landed a blow to his stomach. "You should remember that I’m still your instructor."

Oh, finally, someone to bring these three down from their high horses.

"Nice hit, but when it comes to my mate, you are nothing but a contender," Aven growled, throwing a punch which Kaelric dodged reflexively.

The tension in the room grew, and I hoped the altercation wasn’t being heard from outside the duel hall.

Tristan and Damon moved forward on instinct, and Zade stood still for some time "I think I should leave your sorry asses," he said as he strode to the exit of the hallway.

"You are just a coward who can’t stand up for what he wants", Damon fired at him, making him stop mid-stride.

He turned and, with the speed of lightning, he lunged forward towards Damon, throwing punches at him, and then somehow he hit Kaelric and he returned the favor.

Soon, the hall was a mess, and they attacked each other, grunting and growling in every corner.

"Enough!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, "I didn’t sign up for this" Everyone stilled.

"Which?" Kaelric growled, diverting his aggressive tone towards me, "That you are a..." he smirked, "or that I have to share you with these arrogant creatures."

"Oh yes, look who calls another arrogant", Tristan fired at him.

Kaelric turned towards him, anger evident in his eyes as he shot him a glare. He folded his palms.

Oh no, here we go again.

"I don’t want any of you", I fired back at them, and just then their eyes relaxed as if they just understood the extent of what they had done. "Leave me alone," I screamed as I hurried out of the duel hall.

As I stormed past the hall, Zade and Damon hurried after me. They tried to talk to me, but I had run out of patience.

I didn’t want to talk to anyone. Not to them. Not to Kaelric. Not even to myself.

************

Later that evening, I sat on the windowsill in my dorm room, knees hugged to my chest. The moon was high, casting a soft glow through the curtains. I should’ve felt comfort. But all I felt was chaos.

I had more mates than I could handle. More feelings than I could control. And now, a bond with someone who once tried to kill me, a mate who knew I was half vampire, a creature they all detest.

I couldn’t handle it, I wanted to shed a tear at the overwhelming feeling, but I couldn’t, not after I had sworn to myself not to cry ever again.

There must be a solution...Athena, a solution for him not to rat me out.

And just then, I heard a knock on my door.

I contemplated going to get it and staying in bed, because I didn’t want to talk to anyone, especially not my roommates.

But I found myself walking towards the door, and as I opened the door, I was stunned to see who stood behind it.