His stare flickered between Alister and me, and his jaw bunched up. The commotion from everyone chatting faded into static. I didn’t want anything to do with Grayson, but the matebond wouldn’t stop pulling me toward him. Jealousy leaked through the bond, telling me something else I didn’t want to know.
It didn’t make sense that he was jealous in any scenario.
The blonde next to him tugged on his sleeve, breaking whatever trance he’d been in and he gave all of his attention to her without missing a beat.
Grayson showing me even a shred of attention made the pain all that much worse. It sparked a fire within the bond, relighting it and making it rage with anger at being rejected.
But rejection was inevitable when it came to him.
Letting out a sigh, I adjusted my skirt and rested my arms on the desk as I fiddled with the big ruby on my finger.
Pushing Grayson from my mind, I couldn’t help but notice the ring on my finger almost matched the one on Alister’s, minus the engraved portion on his and the stone itself.
“Please take care of your stones and keep them on your person or they're completely useless,” Alister called out, and I jolted, glancing around the room to find that everyone had chosen their stones and sat back down. “Have a good first term, and remember, hierarchy doesn’t exist in Fate Hollow.”
How did I zone out for so long?
I sighed, rubbing my forehead with my palm. The heaviness of the ring was noticeable, but I didn’t mind it. I found it comforting. With what Alister said about our birthstones enhancing our powers, I held on to hope that wearing it would trigger a special power for me.
Being accepted to Fate Hollow Academy without any power was discouraging. Especially since every other student had amazing powers that made them stronger than the average supernatural.
I wanted that too. I needed to be strong.
“Girl, are you okay?” someone asked, and I whirled around to see Trixie standing beside my desk with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
Shaking my head, I grabbed my tablet from the desk and shoved it into my bag. I stood up and gave her a smile. “Nothing. I was just lost in thought is all.”
“Wren,” Alister called out from the front of the classroom, “May I have a word with you?”
I glanced at Trixie, but she just winked and blew me a kiss before turning on her heels and strutting out the door.
Letting out a strained breath, I walked toward Alister as the last of the students left the room, Grayson included. Once he was out of range, the heaviness on my chest lightened up.
I hated being bonded to him. Why couldn’t the bond just break when it was rejected? Were the Fates really that selfish?
Stopping in front of his desk, I angled my head up to meet Alister’s red eyes. They were the color of a predator’s but mesmerizing at the same time.
“What did you need to talk about?”
“You’ve got an aura of sorrow and despair around you, but your disposition is sweet and innocent,” he replied, articulating his words in an addictive way. “It doesn’t make sense to me.”
“So, you’re trying to do what?” I tilted my head. “Figure me out?”
One side of his mouth quirked up as he planted his hands on the desk and leaned in. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Bad?” I nibbled on my bottom lip. “I’m not sure, Mr. Vespertine.”
The flicker of amusement faded as his lips flattened out and he stared at me, waiting for me to say something else.
When I didn’t, he frowned and pushed off the desk. He walked around it and stood directly in front of me, leaning back against the edge of his desk. “Alister,” he corrected. “As hot as it is being called Mr. Vespertine from your lips, call me Alister.”
“Hot?” My cheeks heated up as my lips parted.
He chuckled, crossing his arms. “You’re attractive, Wren. Has nobody ever told you that?”
I shook my head, my nerves buzzing. “I’m not accustomed to that kind of attention.”
“Your birthstone is a ruby, your hair is pure white and hangs down to your hips, your face is perfect, and you're barely five-feet tall.” His gaze slid over my body before he rested it on my face with a lazy grin. “You can’t expect me to believe nobody has pursued you.”
