“Okay,” I agreed easily, shifting back to my human form, glad that even in my claiming frenzy I’d stopped myself from completely ruining my clothes. Harpy’s was a little worse than mine, which was why he was wearing my robe. No one got to see my mate’s bare skin. Only me.
Hefollowed my lead, shifting back and smiling with embarrassment. “Maybe I need to practice a bit more before I try to lift off.”
“We can practice tomorrow,” I agreed. Then shifted into my new cat form, feeling the world around me as I got closer to the ground.
Harpy was smiling with joy as I began rubbing against his legs, purring up a storm. I couldn’t stop myself, it seemed. My mate was simply too irresistible.
“You are too precious like this,” he grinned, kneeling to pet my fur, making me purr even louder. Gods, it felt amazing to be petted. I wanted cat cuddles daily now.
“Harpy?” Casey’s concerned voice reached us and we both turned to face him as he ran closer to us, the dark night air almost disguising him completely from view. I doubted Harpy could even see him. I at least had cat vision.
“Everything okay?” Harpy asked, concern lacing his tone.
“Y-yeah,” Casey replied, now standing in front of us with a timid smile. “I got worried when Nym never returned to our room.”
Casey wouldn’t meet either of our gazes, instead staring at the ground like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
“I didn’t realize it had gotten so late,” Harpy said softly. “We’ll come back with you now.”
I reluctantly followed, still in my cat form because I couldn’t quite part with it yet. I’d waited until Harpy and I were together to shift into my new form and now I wasn’t ready to let go of it yet.
Harpy gave me a soft smile as I padded along next to him and the next thing I knew, a startled ‘meow’escaped me as I was lifted off the ground and held close to Harpy’s chest. I couldn’t stop it; the purring took over. I was engulfed in my mate’s lovely orange scent and arms. I was so lucky.
Separating from Harpy was horrible. Stupid school rules that had to be obeyed. I still couldn’t believe I’d been fine with it before because I felt like I was dying right now.
Casey groaned from his bed, likely tired of me tossing and turning for hours. Not my fault my dragon was agitated over this forced separation. It couldn’t be healthy. Could it?
“If that is how it is when you seal the mating bond,” Casey began, his tone annoyed. “Then I don’t want to find my mate!”
I laughed at that. Poor Casey would soon realize just how much he would love and treasure his fated mate. My dragon wasn’t irritated by Casey’s past with Harpy anymore, satisfied that Harpy had been fully claimed as mine now.
“Stop laughing! I’m serious!”
That only made me laugh even harder. “I can’t wait to see how you react once you find your fated.” And I truly couldn’t. Casey was sweet and kind, awfully kind. The fact that he was so accepting of me being fated to his ex-boyfriend spoke volumes about his character. He loved Harpy and wanted to see him happy. Now it was his turn to find his happiness.
“Ugh!” he grumbled. “Just stop fussing and go to sleep!”
So, I did, with a smile on my face as I recalled my precious mate in his cat form. Damn, he was just too cute.
Chapter Twelve
“You need to feel your mouse form, Julian,” Niels instructed, showing poor Julian the best techniques for him to embrace his shifted form. I would hate to have that sort of attention on me from a teacher. Niels seemed to zero in on the students who needed him the most, almost as if he had a fifth sense for it, sniffing out the students who had a strained relationship with their forms. I respected Niels for wanting to help them out. Their forms were such a huge part of themselves so it couldn’t be healthy feeling so detached and annoyed at what was basically an extension of themselves.
“I’m trying!” Julian wailed, the intensity of Niels’ attention on him suddenly too much to bear. Julian ran out of the classroom, crying the whole time in despair.
“Oh, dear,” Niels mumbled, his eyes wide and surprised. He did a quick glance at us other students with a sheepish smile. “I guess he needs more time to process things…” Niels cleared his throat and walked with purpose towards a tiger shifter in the corner. Her eyes widened with trepidation as he zeroed in on her, but soon her shoulders slumped in defeat. She knew better than to ignore Niels.
An hour later, I found myself doing some breathing exercises with Jamie, both of us trying our best to seem busy so Niels would leave us alone. We eyed the crying students with horror as Niels found his next victim. Who knew so many shifters weren’t content with their forms?
“Aha!” Niels exclaimed, now standing in front of Damon with a smile that made me fear for my friend’s life. “You truly need my guidance.”
Damon’s eyes widened with horror, his eyes searching the room frantically, likely seeking out his escape route. Why so many studentsfeared facing their issues was confusing. Why wouldn’t they want to be content within themselves?
“Two forms, but the one most shifters would die to have, is the one that troubles you the most,” Niels said, walking in circles around a terrified Damon like he was assessing an art piece critically.
“Twoforms?” I heard several students mutter, most now staring in awe and confusion at Damon. Jamie and I already knew one shifter who had two forms before mating, my father Xavi had both a wolf and an owl form.
“Fascinating,” Niels exclaimed, then grabbed Damon’s arm and walked out of the classroom with him, the door closing behind them.
