Chapter 3

• VALTOR’S POV
• "Mate!" The word slipped from my mouth before I could stop it.
• The pull was immediate, instinctual. Without a second thought, I closed the distance between us, grasping her arm and tugging her behind me. Her skin was warm against mine, and the jolt of the mate bond I felt coursed through my veins like fire.
• Lyriq growled, a sound low and threatening, as his golden-brown eyes locked onto mine. The challenge was clear.
• "What are you doing…naked... with my mate?" I growled sizing him from head to toe, my voice cold but laced with barely contained fury.
• He didn’t answer right away, glaring at me. There was a reason I hated elementals. Lyriq had always been arrogant, and his silence only stoked the flames of my anger.
• This was the reason I didn't like elementals. They were just a bunch of arrogant idiots who believed that they controlled life itself.
• And lyriq was clear evidence of just how stupid elementals could get.
• The power dynamics in this academy was tough enough but the elementals liked to behave like they were the strongest members of the Academy and Lyriq had even more arrogance as he was a member of the Sanctum.
• There was no difference between him and Gage. Bunch of fools who I had to unfortunately see through my years of teaching here.
• "Your mate? She’s mine," he finally said, his voice steel and defiant.
• The red-haired girl whimpered softly behind me, the sound so faint it was almost drowned by the tension between us. But I heard it, and so did my wolf. It clawed at me to take control, to protect her, to show this elemental wolf his place.
• A growl ripped from my throat.
• He shifted first, his wolf barreling forward, all claws and teeth. My clothes shredded as my black wolf erupted, meeting him out the empty hallway mid-lunge. We collided with a thundering crash, my claws finding purchase in his side as we tumbled across the ground.
• He snapped his teeth near my neck, but I twisted, pinning him beneath me. My jaws closed inches from his throat when a piercing scream shattered the air.
• She was my mate and this elemental thought he could come claim her because he thought he was more powerful? He didn't have to get everything he wanted because of his rank in the academy and especially not when the thing in question was mine.
• "Stop! Just stop! Both of you!"
• Her voice rang clear, trembling but resolute. It shouldn’t have held the power it did, but it froze me in place. My wolf hesitated, growling softly, its attention shifting entirely to her.
• Lyriq shifted back first, his brown eyes glaring daggers at me. I followed, my human form standing tall and broad.
• "Stay out of wolf business, Little Red," Lyriq said gruffly, his tone dismissive, though I could see the tension in his jaw. My wolf growled in frustration at my restraint. She was ours.
• Without another word, I stalked back into the classroom to put on a new set of clothes hoping that Lyriq would have left with his bad luck by the time I came back. The bell rang sharply, and the room filled with the sound of students pouring in.
• I came back out to see the students pouring in and I scoffed seeing as Lyriq had gone. Good.
• I cleared my throat as they settled down, discreetly searching for any sign of bright red hair. I was disappointed when I didn't see her, but I still started the class.
• "Today, we’re going to learn about channeling."
• My ears suddenly picked up the soft shuffle of feet entering the classroom. I knew it was her. Had she gone somewhere with Lyriq? She slipped into a seat at the back of the room, her small frame almost blending into the shadows.
• I didn’t like it.
• I strode purposefully toward her, and her forest-green eyes widened as I stopped by her desk.
• "Miss…" I let the word hang.
• "Larkspur," she whispered, her voice like silk, sending an unwanted shiver down my spine.
• "Right. Miss Larkspur, since you’ll need to catch up on what you’ve missed, I suggest you sit in the front row where I can keep an eye on you."
• Her lips parted, ready to argue, but I cut her off with a raised hand.
• "That wasn’t a request," I said firmly, turning my back on her. I didn’t need to look to know she was reluctantly moving to the front. Her scent grew stronger as she passed, filling my senses and testing my self-control.
• "Like I said," I continued, addressing the class, "channeling your powers depends entirely on control. Without it, your abilities will spiral out of your grasp, leaving chaos in their wake."
• I glanced at her briefly, only to find her staring at me, wide-eyed and curious. She broke eye contact first, her blush spreading like fire over her cheeks.
• It wasn’t until I felt the pencil in my hand snap that I realized my grip had tightened.
• I needed to focus.
• "Miss Larkspur," I called out sharply, halting her whispered conversation with the student beside her.
• Her head snapped up, her blush deepening. "Y-yes?"
• "What was the last thing I said?"
• She stammered, her eyes darting around the room. "I... uh..."
• "Exactly what I thought. If you’re too busy talking, how can you expect to learn anything? This class is vital to your survival, and yet, here you are, distracted. Stay after class."
• Her mouth opened as if to protest, but she closed it again, nodding meekly.
• I forced myself to turn away, continuing the lesson with precision. But her presence lingered, a constant weight that refused to be ignored.
• When the bell rang, the room emptied quickly, leaving only her.
• "Alpha Valtor," she said softly, standing before me.
• "Miss Larkspur," I replied, leaning against my desk. "This class is crucial for every student, but it’s even more so for you. I know the conditions on which you were sent here.”
• “Conditions?” She asked with knitted brows. She didn't know.
• “Fail, and you’ll be expelled. And when you’re expelled, you won’t have the protection of this academy. Do you understand what that means?" I shrugged off her initial question.
• She swallowed, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes."
• "Good. Then pay attention. I don’t care who you talk to outside these walls, but in my class, you will focus."
• Her brows furrowed yet again, and for a moment, she looked like she wanted to argue.
• "I get the notion that you might hate me?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly.
• The question caught me off guard. What had the bastard been telling her? Was he really feeding lies to her so that she could hate me and he could have her to himself?
• "I don’t hate you," I said after a moment. "You’re my mate, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on you. I’ve trained the strongest wolves in this academy. You’ll be no different. Mated or not, I’ll push you to be the best. And you will be the best."
• Her green eyes searched mine, and I felt something tighten in my chest. My hand moved of its own accord, cradling her cheek.
• The bond surged between us, her warmth seeping into my palm. Her lips parted slightly, a soft sigh escaping.
• It was too much.
• I pulled back abruptly, stepping away as if burned. Her eyes widened, confusion and hurt flashing across her face.
• "Leave my class, Indigo," I said coldly, ignoring the urge to call her back.
• She hesitated but eventually turned and walked out.
• The door closed behind her, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
• This was going to be a long semester.