“Okay, what the actual fucking hell is happening right now?”
I guess it’s best to just rip off the bandaid. “I had to run back to the dorm after class to grab a book I forgot, and I found a package on my bed. At first, I thought it was from you since you like to buy random shit. However, when I opened it, this watch was in it. When I touched it, I felt a rush of magic and all the hands started spinning. There was a letter under it from mom.” A look of pure shock passes over his face. I kind of wish I was recording, since it's not very often that I can render him speechless. Handing him the letter, I watch as all the different emotions pass over his face. Thanks to our bond, I can feel them too, which is still such a crazy sensation.
He places the letter in his lap, and just sits staring into space for a minute processing everything. Knowing him, he is working through his feelings and emotions before saying something he knows would hurt my feelings. He’s a very ‘speak before you think’ type of person normally. Finally, he turns to look at me again, and starts firing off questions. “So, I’m assuming Rehan ispart of your circle? How many mates do you have? How do you feel about this? Have you told him about it?”
I slap a hand over his mouth, pausing the flow of words. “Hold up, chatty Kathy. One thing at a time. Yes, Rehan is one of them, and no I haven’t exactly had a chance to since I found it just before I joined you for lunch. There are six hands on the watch, so I’m assuming that many mates. Honestly, I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. I’ve never seriously dated anyone, and now I’m supposed to have six mates? That’s a lot for anyone to handle, so it’s kinda overwhelming just thinking about it. However, when I met Rehan this morning I couldn’t ignore the pull to him. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. Lastly, he’s the only one I know so far, but the watch did point towards someone else while we were eating, but there were a lot of people around, so it could’ve been anyone.”
“Hmm, let me see it again.” I pull the watch out of my pocket and glance at it, Marsh staring at it intently. Right now, five of the hands are spinning at medium speed, so I'm assuming they are semi-nearby. However, one is stopped at three o'clock. Marsh and I whip our heads in that direction so fast, it’s a miracle we don’t snap our necks. Standing on the other side of the fountain is one of the most gorgeous men I have ever seen in my life. He's super tall, maybe six foot five; his skin is the richest deep brown, with eyes just as dark, and his black hair is shaved short. He’s staring right at me, and I have to fight the urge to run up and jump his bones, becauseOh my fucking gawd, this man is hot. Simultaneously, I want to run away because how the hell can I measure up to that?
He seems to break out of the trance we are both in before I do, and makes his way over to me and Marsh. I glance down at the pocket watch in my hand, and it never moves away from pointing to him. He gives me a big smile when he makes it over to where we are sitting, “Well hello there, beautiful. Who mightyou be?” Everything about this man is sex on wheels, from his deep raspy voice to his smoky scent. Marsh elbows me, and I realize I’ve gotten lost in his gaze and haven’t answered his question yet.
“Uhh, I’m Magnolia, or uh, you can call me Maggie.”
“Smooth,” Marsh cough-whispers. I elbow him back.
Thankfully, the newcomer is kind enough to ignore my brother's comment, and reaches out his hand. “I’m Dallan, and I'm guessing by the identical features this is your brother?” He gestures in Marsh’s direction.
“Yep, this is Marsh, my twin brother.”
“The better looking twin if you ask me.” Marsh chirps, grinning, looking to me like he is about two seconds away from drooling.
Ha! This one belongs to me, fucker.I send the thought through our bond causing him to choke on a laugh.
Noted.He replies.
The clock tower rings, letting everyone know it's time for the next class, and breaking the spell Dallan seems to have on me. This mate bond is no joke. I feel like a crazy person; we’ve literally just met, but knowing I have to leave his presence is unbearable.
He looks like he’s dreading it as well. “What’s your next class? Can I walk you?” he asks hurriedly. Marsh starts snickering again, so I kick his shin as I stand up.
“I have Latin, and I’d love for you to walk me, if it’s not out of your way?” Dallan gives me another blinding smile.
Marshall clears his throat. “So I guess I’ll just go, then. See you later, Mags.” He rushes off towards his class.
“This way m’lady.” Dallan waves his hand in a flourish for me to go first. “So Maggie… you’re a twin, beautiful… what else is there to know about you?”
“Oooh jumping right into the hard stuff, are we? Let’s see… I love the color green, but more dark green. I love sour candy, and–” the rest of my sentence is cut off by the beep of my dexcom.
“Ugh, and I’m a type one diabetic. Hold on a second.” I grab my phone to see what it says; one hundred and eighty with double arrows up. “Dammit,” I mutter to myself as I walk back over the bench. Apparently my pump failed, so I need to change that before it gets much higher. For me, one eighty isn’t life threatening, but it’s not the greatest either, and it can go from bad to worse quickly.
I grab everything I need out of my bag, since this is why I always carry enough for at least one pump and site change at all times. Dallan stands next to me quietly as I open the new pump, watching curiously. I’m juggling everything in my hands since I don’t want to put my clean medical equipment on this nasty bench. Dallan must understand the struggle, because he wordlessly opens his hands flat for me to lay stuff in. I hand him the freshly opened pump while I draw up the insulin for it, then switch it out for the vial and put the insulin in the pump. Once I get everything prepped, I rip my old one off my stomach, the catheter not in my skin anymore.Yup, there it is. Dang needle was bent. I lift my shirt again, just enough to place my pump on the other side of my stomach, while he shifts so he’s blocking me as much as possible from view.
I grab all my stuff back and shove it back in my bag, I’m glad we have ten minutes after the bell to make it to class or we would both be late.
“Thanks for helping hold some of that crap,” I mumble. I normally hate having to do that with an audience, preferring it being just my family, but I guess since he is apparently my mate, I'll have to learn to get over those hang ups.
“Of course, beautiful. I’m sure that’s difficult to manage in public, especially when you don’t have privacy.” He opens the door to the Manor Hall, and we walk right into Rehan.Fan-fucking-tastic.Today is turning into the suckiest of all Mondays. I really was hoping for a better time for them to meet and to have to deal with this awkwardness.
Both guys stop and stare at each other. Meanwhile, the watch is humming in my pocket, the power vibrating under my skin from being so close to two of my mates. “Might as well get this over with,” I mutter. “Rehan, this is Dallan. Dallan, Rehan. Apparently, y’all are my mates. Well, two out of six. So yeah, there's that. Imma go to class now. So um, bye.” Doing an about face, I all but run toward my class.
“Wait! What?” they both yell to my retreating back. Am I a coward? Absolutely. Do I feel bad? Not at all. I am so not ready to face all of that crap at the moment. I need a minute to breathe and come to terms with the fact that I've already found two mates in one day,andthere are going to be six total. How the fuck do you even process that? Thankfully, the bell for class dings right after I walk in. I find an empty chair in the back of the room, set up with rows of three-person tables.
Only one person is at this table, but whoever it is has their hood up and head on the desk, so I take the seat at the far side. The middle seat is left open between us, where I’m not sitting directly next to someone, even if I would have preferred the window. The professor comes storming in a couple minutes later, reminding me of the scene with Snape in Harry Potter,although he looks so much creeper and greasier. Actually, I think he’d be closer to Filch.
“Good afternoon class, I’m Professor Magus. This is Latin 1. If this is not where you should be, I suggest you not only learn to read, but get to where you should be. This class will be fast paced; failing is not an option, since this is a mandatory class for everyone to graduate. To begin, I’ll be passing out your syllabus. After you get it, pull out your textbook and write the vocabulary words for the first two chapters. Your first test will be in two weeks. There is to be no talking. This is not a group project.” With that he hands a stack of papers to the students in the front row, gesturing to pass them back, and goes to sit at his desk.
Okay, then. He seems like a peach. Thankfully, we learned basic Latin in high school, so the first couple weeks will be more of a refresher. It will be nice to have at least one class not kick my ass until I get the hang of a new school and class load, even if the instructor doesn’t have the best temperament.
About thirty minutes into class the door opens and I feel a tug in my chest. The already silent room somehow goes even quieter, and as soon as the guy turns around to walk towards the professor's desk, I see why. I don’t know what's in the water here, but some of the men I’ve seen look like they could be Greek gods, and he’s no different. Even from my seat at the back I can tell he’s tall; probably six foot four, dark shaggy brown hair, and the most amazing blue-green eyes I've ever seen. I’m assuming he’s some kind of athlete with his build; long, lean legs, trim waist, and wide shoulders. Dear god, I might actually be drooling, along with every other woman in this room right now. When he finishes his conversation with the professor, he glances around for an open seat. The only one available happens to be next to me. He smiles when we make eye contact and it almost takes my breath away with how perfect it is.
