My heart races, this time with fear. I turn and look along the beach toward the sound.
The girl screams again, then laughs.
They’re just playing.
I let out a sigh in relief as I watch some guy throw the girl playfully into the water.
It’s then that I notice there is a group of people on the beach. My heart feels as though it stops when my eyes lock with Rowan’s.
Rowan is standing a few feet away from the group with his hands in his pockets. He is just standing there, staring at me. There is no particular expression on his face.
I wish I knew what he was thinking. I wish… Well, I wish he would walk over here and talk to me.
Does he even know my name? The only reason I know his is because my mates asked around for me. Does he care enough to ask around about me? Or does he just hate me so much that he doesn’t care?
“Dude, that’s Everleigh Ingram.” One of the guys he’s with elbows him. “She’s an elite, but more than that, she’s royal. You don’t have a shot with her. Don’t waste your time.”
Rowan looks from me to his friend. “She’s not my type anyway.”
Not his type?
My chest aches at his response. I had no idea that rejection could hurt so bad.
Henry tugs at my hand. “Come on, Everleigh. Let’s go back to campus.”
I hesitantly follow him, but the ache in my chest doesn’t lessen.
Rowan really does hate me.
Sunday, September 13
8:29 pm
We will hurt him.
Asa isn’t back from visiting my parents and I haven’t heard from him, which is a little concerning. I hope my dad isn’t giving him a hard time, but I’m also trying not to think too much about it. It makes me anxious.
Today, I am hanging out with Brody and Kolton. I feel a little guilty because I haven’t been honest with them about what is going on. They still have no idea that I have four mates. I want to tell them the truth, so I’ve decided that today is the day. Since Asa is telling my parents, it’s time for me to tell my brothers.
I’m not worried about my brothers judging me. I know that without a doubt they will be understanding, once they get over the shock. But what I am worried about is what other vampires will think. Having more than one mate isn’t normal. Will they think we’re lying? Or maybe I just won’t tell anybody. They will be able to figure it out for themselves once we complete our mate bond. There is no denying the mate bond.
Still, I know there will be those who disapprove of it, even if it’s outside of our control. We don’t choose. Fate does. And while I am capable of handling the bad things people will inevitably say about me, I don’t want them to say anything about my mates.
I sit on my couch while Brody and Kolton relax on my bed.
“Why haven’t you and Jude completed your mate bond?” Kolton kicks off his shoes. “Not that I’m unhappy about it. I really don’t want my baby sister having sex with anybody.”
I roll my eyes.
Kolton lost his virginity when he was fourteen to a seventeen-year-old human girl. I overheard him and Brody talking about it. I definitely think it’s hypocritical for him to say that, especially considering how much he and Brody both sleep around. They are the definition of a male whore.
“I’m curious myself,” Brody says. “When I meet my mate, there is no way I won’t drag her straight to bedroom.”
Brody and Kolton both knuckle bump.
Gross.
Honestly, I hope Brody meets a girl who makes him wait awhile. It would be good for him to have a break from sex.
“Things are…” I pause, searching for the right word, “complicated.”
Complicated is putting it lightly, but I suppose it works.
“Complicated how?” Kolton raises an eyebrow.
I have to tell them now. I’m just scared. I think my brothers will be supportive, but what if they’re not?
“There is something I have to tell you guys.” I sit forward on the couch, trying to somehow articulate the words that have been on my mind. “You know how I’ve been infatuated with Asa for a few years?”
I know that my brothers are aware of my crush on Asa. It’s this unspoken thing that we all know but never bring up. I think they know that mentioning him hurts me, so it’s just a topic we avoid.
“Yeah, we know.” Kolton nods. “What does he have to do with it though?”
I chew at the side of my lip. “Well, Asa is kind of my mate too.”
I will slowly ease them into the idea of four mates.
Brody runs his hand through his hair, looking over at me. “Wow. I guess… that explains why you liked him so much. Congrats.”
Kolton’s eyes are wide. “But having two mates is…”
He doesn’t finish his sentence, but he doesn’t have to.
“Well, that’s the thing…” My voice trails off and I glance up at my brothers. They have both scooted to the edge of my bed and are focused on me. I decide to just rip it off, like a bandage. “I have four mates.”
“Four?” Kolton lets out a breath. “That’s kind of crazy.”
I nod because he’s right. It’s a little crazy and a lot different than what is considered normal in the vampire community. We all know it, and we are all thinking it.
“Jude, Asa, and who else?” Brody asks.
“Henry,” I say first, wondering how I am going to tell them about Rowan without them hating him.
Brody grins. “I knew you had the hots for your teacher.”
“Two teachers,” Kolton says. “Asa teaches one of your classes too, right?”
I nod.
“Who is your fourth mate?” Brody smirks. “Not another teacher, right?”
I laugh. “No. It’s… uh…” The smile falls from my face. “It’s a student at Mystic Academy.”
“Oh.” Kolton frowns, rubbing the back of his neck. “That complicates things. I mean, you know we don’t care that he’s a bitten vampire, but uncle might.”
He might, that is true. But before I even start to worry about Rowan being rejected by my extended family, I need to worry about the fact that he has rejected me as his mate.
Brody gets up from the bed and walks over to the couch. He sits beside me and gently rubs my back. “Everleigh, don’t worry. If uncle tries to reject him, we will change his mind. Besides, you’re his favorite. He would do anything for you.”
Warm, thick blood falls from my eye and down my cheek. “That’s not why I’m upset.”
The words are quiet, but I know my brothers heard them.
“Then why are you crying?” Kolton takes a seat on the other side of me.
“Rowan…” I clear my throat. “That’s his name. But he doesn’t like me.” I pause, thinking about what he said last night. “He actually said that I’m not his type.”
Kolton jumps up from the couch. “I’m going to murder him.”
I look at Brody. “He’s my mate. Please don’t hurt him.”
Brody and Kolton share a look. It’s one I’ve seen often growing up with these two. Brody always has to rein Kolton in.
“We will talk to him,” Brody says. “And we will not kill him.”
Kolton rolls his eyes. “I won’t kill him, but I might punch him.”
“Don’t hurt him,” I plead.
But neither of them look at me.
“He hurt you, so we will hurt him.” Brody’s fist is clenched so tight that it’s white.
I know that this is the best I’m going to get from them right now. I watch as the two of them storm from my dorm. All I can do is hope that they don’t hurt Rowan too badly. I also feel guilty for hoping that maybe they will knock some sense into him.
10:17 pm
Rowan.
Brody and Kolton have been gone for over an hour now and I’m starting to get a little bit worried. What is taking them so long?
Mystic Academy is only half a mile from Elite Academy. I have no doubt that they went straight there when t
hey left my dorm. I just hope they haven’t hurt Rowan. My mind goes through many bad scenarios, but I try to push the negative thoughts away.
My brothers wouldn’t kill my mate. To murder another vampire, even a bitten one, is a serious crime. Not even their royal status would be able to keep them from being in trouble. And even if my brothers were capable of such a monstrous act, I know that they would never kill my mate because they know how much it would hurt me.
Even knowing all that, I am still anxious.
Have they talked to Rowan? What is he like? Is he nice? Where is he from? How did he become a vampire? I have so many questions that I want answers to. But more than anything else, I just want to meet him. I want him to tell me his name.
There is a knock on my door and my heart races. I realize that it’s not my brothers. They wouldn’t knock. That means it’s probably Jude, Henry, or Asa. Maybe one of them can help me get my mind off Rowan for a little while.
When I open the door, I am rendered speechless at the sight of Rowan standing in my doorway. Brody and Kolton are standing on each side of him, and he has a very black eye.
“Everleigh, may I come in?” His voice is every bit as deep as I remember from last night, and just the sound of his voice makes my stomach flutter.
My jaw goes lax and I nod my head. I know he is only here because my brothers made him, but he’s still here. I am way too excited about this.
“We will give you two some privacy,” Brody informs me as Rowan walks into my room. “But we will be just outside the door if you need us.”
They’re going to be standing outside my door? Yikes. I wonder what Rowan told them. Maybe this isn’t going to be a pleasant talk I’m about to have with Rowan. I just hope he’s not about to break my heart.
I can literally feel the anxiety coming off of Rowan at my brother’s words. I shut the door, hoping to make him feel more comfortable. Once the door is shut, my chest clenches as I realize that I am about to have my first conversation with Rowan. I take a deep breath before I turn to face him.
“Hi, I’m Everleigh Ingram.” I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, thinking how stupid what I just said was. He already knows my name. He just called me Everleigh.
He clears his throat. “I’m Rowan Torres.”
I’m so glad to be officially introduced to him. I motion toward the couch. “You want to sit down?”
He nods, striding over to the couch. He sits at the end farthest from the door. I consider sitting in the middle, so I can be closer to him, but I don’t want to make him feel uncomfortable. I sit at the other end, trying not to scare him off. I’m sure my brothers terrified him enough as it is.
I consider what I want to talk to Rowan about. I had so many questions, but none of them seem to be coming to mind. But Rowan surprises me by being the one to start the conversation.
“Look, Everleigh, you seem like a really nice girl,” he starts. “But I’m only eighteen. Like, human eighteen. I was turned into a vampire last month, and all of this is just new and crazy. I’m not ready for a girlfriend yet.”
A girlfriend?
Does he not realize how much more serious a mate is than a girlfriend?
His words feel like a knife to my heart.
“I’m eighteen as well.” I’m not sure why I decide to respond to that first, but I do.
He tilts his head to the side. “Really? I thought you were some royal person from the first family.”
“My dad is,” I say. “I was born, not made.”
“I was bitten.” He looks at me, as if he’s waiting for to react horribly.
“My mom was bitten.” I shrug, letting him know that I don’t think it’s a big deal. I would fight anybody who tried to keep us apart if that is what he wanted. I know it’s what I want. I want us to be together.
He groans. “I really wanted you to be some evil chick that I could hate.”
I furrow my brows. “What? Why would you want that?”
“Because I want to hate you.”
His words make me flinch.
“Sorry.” His voice softens. “I don’t hate you, though. You are actually one of the nicest people I’ve met since being bitten. And you’re really pretty, which is kind of annoying to be honest.”
“I thought I wasn’t your type.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. Now he knows that I was listening in on his conversation last night, which he probably already figured out.
“I lied.” He shakes his head. “But it doesn’t change anything, Everleigh. I can’t be with you right now. I can’t offer you the relationship that you want. I don’t even know you and I’m just expected to jump into some weird marriage with you. It’s too much.”
My chest aches. It aches so much. I am barely able to hold back my tears, but I don’t want to cry in front of Rowan, so I try.
He rubs at his chest. “Why does it hurt so bad?”
I chew at the side of my lip. “Sorry. That’s me. You’re feeling my pain.”
His entire face falls. Any smile that he has is now replaced with a frown. “I’m sorry. I had no idea that this would hurt you so bad.”
“It’s not a big deal. I’m used to being rejected.” It’s insane how unironically I can say that.
Someday, I am going to be loved and adored by all four of my mates, even if that day is not today.
“Can we be friends?” I ask him, needing something from him. I can’t handle not seeing him. “I know you’re not ready for more yet, but I can be a really good friend. We don’t have to be anything more than that until you’re comfortable.”
Just saying that out loud kills me a little bit inside.
I don’t want to be just friends with Rowan. I want to be mated to him. I want to love him and I want him to love me. But if friendship is all I can get, I will take it. I need to be close to Rowan in any way that I can. I crave it.
“I don’t know.” He hesitates.
His hesitation kills me.
“Just think about it.” My voice breaks as I say it, so I clear my throat. “Will you take my number? You can call me. Or text me. We don’t have to hang out in person. I just need to talk to you somehow, even if it’s electronically.”
He nods. “Okay. I can do that.”
We exchange numbers, and then Rowan leaves.
He’s not ready to be with me.
The thought kills me.
Will things ever be good between my mates and me?
1:03 am
Fate is never wrong.
I’m trying desperately hard not to be down about the whole Rowan thing, but when your mate tells you that he just wants to be friends, and maybe not even that, it hurts. Bad.
Rowan pretty much left as soon as I gave him my number. I’m pretty sure he could feel my pain and it was making him uncomfortable. It made me feel awkward too, but I couldn’t help it.
I want to be able to offer Rowan friendship. I want to give him the time that he needs, the time he asked for. But friendship is hard when you feel like you’ve been kicked in the chest. It’s even harder because he feels exactly what I feel.
Things are complicated, to say the least. I have no idea how we are going to overcome this, but we have to. I remind myself that fate is never wrong.
When there is a knock on my door, I allow myself to have a little hope that it’s Rowan. I want him to come back and say he’s changed his mind. When I open the door, it’s not Rowan on the other side, but it’s Jude. I’m excited to see him.
I have three mates who adore me. I’m so lucky, even if Rowan never comes around. I know that.
Jude doesn’t say anything, he just pulls me into his arms and embraces me. It’s exactly what I need.
“What happened?” He pulls back a little so he can look at me. “Your pain.” He rubs at his chest.
“Rowan came over,” I admit. I chew on the side of my lip and wonder if I should tell Jude the truth. I don’t want him to hold a grudge against Rowan. But this is Jude. He’s too ni
ce to ever hold a grudge against anybody. “He told me that he just wants to be f-f-friends, but maybe not even that.”
I hate how my voice quivers when I say the word ‘friends.’ I really wanted to be strong when I said it. But, I realize, I don’t always have to be strong, at least not with Jude.
“Oh, Everleigh, I’m so sorry.” Jude pulls me back into his embrace, squeezing me against him. “I know he will come around. You’re incredible. Once he realizes that, he’s going to know that he’s made a big mistake.”
Jude is sweet. Falling in love with him is going to be the easiest thing I have ever done.
When we pull back, I motion to the backpack he’s wearing. “What do you have in there?”
He grins, shrugging the bag off his shoulder. “I brought my laptop. I thought that since you admitted you have never watched Godzilla, I thought we could watch it together.”
My heart swells at his gesture.
Somehow, Jude has managed to completely turn my bad night around without even trying. It’s just him being him.
“Jude, you are a good man. I’m so lucky to have you as a mate.”
His face turns red. “To be honest, I was missing you. I knew you were going to be hanging out with your brothers today, and I didn’t want to disrupt you, but I had to see you.”
Him saying that doesn’t lessen the gesture at all.
Jude plugs his laptop into the wall outlet and we climb into my bed. I snuggle against him as we watch the movie.
The more I find out about this man, the more I adore him. I can’t wait to find out more.
Monday, September 14
9:27 pm
Friend zone.
I haven’t heard from Asa since Saturday morning when he left for my parents’ house. He was going to go talk to them and tell them the truth about us. Then, nothing. No text. No phone call. No communication at all. That concerns me a little bit.
Every time my phone goes off, I hope that it’s Asa. Or Rowan, but I try not to let my mind go there.
I am giving Rowan space. I’ve decided that I’m not going to text him first no matter how badly I want to. I’ve even drafted countless texts to him and then deleted them before sending. I just need him to make the first move in our friendship since he is the one who rejected me.
Vampire School (Elite Academy Book 1) Page 9
