Hekate’s Bride

“Come on,” Darian says, ushering me to the front of the ‘special food’ counter. I bite my lip nervously, expecting the lunch lady to haul me off the line again, but her sight is set on Darian who she smiles prettily at.

“Two plates. The usual,” Darian says with a stunning smile that has her fanning herself with the spatula.

Ugh.

It feels good to have this again. Privilege over others, however temporary it is.

My stomach growls at the smell of roast chicken and stew. I stare at the tray handed to me and joy has my eyes stinging.

I never thought I’d taste chicken again.

The Cafeteria is especially noisy tonight. It’s deafening. The chatter and laughter mix together to create a wall of sound that makes it difficult to think. It is packed with students who are gathered around, laughing and chatting with each other. Some of them are taking selfies while others are sharing their food with their friends.

I feel my face heat up as we walk past. I can feel eyes on me, staring, and some even giggle as we pass by. It’s like I’m a fish out of water in this place, and everyone knows it.

Darian leads me further toward a pair of sliding glass doors I never quite noticed before.

The noise begins to fade away, and I can hear soft whispers and the clinking of silverware against plates. The atmosphere here is different. The students are more refined, and they move with grace and elegance. The area is less crowded, and the tables are arranged in a way that gives more space to each student.

As my companion leads me towards a table, I notice that the few students present have paused in their conversations to look at us. Their eyes seem to follow us as we make our way through the room, and I can feel their stares like a weight on my back. They are all dressed impeccably, some in uniforms, some in designer clothes, but it all screams one thing.

More star students.

“What is this place?” I whisper, scared of speaking too loudly. “A cafeteria for star students? This isn’t even fair anymore. You all get the nicest things.”

“We didn’t just get gifted–”

Darian is explaining but his voice becomes a buzz in my head when I sight Rune and his two henchmen by the corner.

My steps slow, not because of the two lycans by his side.

No.

Ginevra is sitting in Rune’s lap and they are kissing.

I’m not sure which is worse. The fact that they are eating each other’s faces so shamelessly or the fact that Rune’s gaze is on me. Those eyes drop to my neck, noting the absence of the gift he had given me, and they darken.

Heat floods me instantly, following the path in which his eyes trail. Down my neck, down my shirt… I shiver, food tray shaking in my hands.

“Astrid.”

I blink, looking away from the smooching pair abruptly to find Darian staring between Rune and me.

His lips tug down into a frown that disappears the next second as his hand on the small of my back pushes me away from Rune’s line of vision.

“Hey, Dar,” a cheerful female voice chirps and I find Star Raven seated with three others who I vaguely recognize from combat classes.

Her eyes gloss over me but I’m too shaken up to particularly care. I just want to sit down. I fear I’ll fall if I don’t.

It happens like this every time he pulls an aura on me. I can’t find my bearing. I don’t know what I’m doing or how I’m breathing. It’s like I seize to have control over my body.

One look from him and my dinner is ruined. My appetite is gone.

I sit beside Darian on the table but I can hardly concentrate. Not with my eyes wandering back to the table Rune sits at, noting how high up his fingers are on Ginevra’s thigh and the fixed expression of pleasure on her face as he strokes softly.

I can’t deal.

But I can’t look away either.

And I wonder if she notices.

That the hot look in his eyes are directed somewhere else.

*****

Darian and I end up spending one hour on my shopping spree. The complex has everything. Clothes, shoes, couches, vacuums– you name it.

I picked up my gadgets as well. A cell phone and a laptop. Darian explained a little on the whole technology thingie and while I didn’t grasp all of it, I think I understand a little of it.

The school’s technology is unique, with a limited database and search capabilities. It’s not connected to the outside world, meaning that any electronic devices brought in from the outside won’t be able to access the internet or connect to any external networks.

Not that I have anyone to reach.

Werewolf School wasn’t built to accommodate technology and all these strange stuff. Funny how I’d read every book I could in the castle’s library, trying to glean more of how these things worked against the consent of my tutors.

Here I am now, actually holding one of these.

“So… How does one become a Star Student?” I ask, twisting my door knob.

“Best grades all round.”

I drop the bags by my bed and collapse on the floor beside them, taking the things out one by one. “That’s it? It’s that easy?”

Darian chuckles, sitting on the ground beside me. “That’s only a requirement for the application.”

“Application?”

“Yeah,” he grunts, tearing off a label from my new boots. “This was a very strange choice to spend a thousand points on.”

They are shiny. I like shiny things.

I make a face and take them from him. “What else does it entail?”

Turns out they don’t have to pay for anything. Every student is given a total of two hundred thousand points to start off the session. They can be replenished solely by performing well in test exercises and examinations. They can’t be stolen or transferred. Star students don’t have to pay with their points. Everything they need is at their disposal. Like what the humans call fully funded scholarships.

The points are an odd form of currency, but it excites me. Makes me want to actually try.

“It’d take a duel with one of us to take our spots,” he mutters and cusses under his breath when my new pair of tweezers prick his finger.

I flush and take it from him. “Sorry.”

He only shakes his head and pushes the rest of my things my way, giving up on helping me arrange.

“There can’t be more than twelve star students?”

He grins. “Twelve’s the magic number.”

Never heard that one before but I laugh, minding whirling with ideas. The gears in my head are shifting to accommodate this idea. The possibility of being one of them.

But it seems farfetched. I can’t beat a lycan in a duel. At least not yet.

“So, do you and Wilder have something going on?”

I choke on my spit.

It is an unexpected question and it came from nowhere, tearing at me like a knife.

“What? Hell no. I’d rather have something with the Hekate than with the stupid prince,” I blurt, unable to stop the words from tumbling off my lips.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

For some reason, I need to convince Darian that Rune and I have nothing going on. Even if we truly have nothing going on. He’s not even my type. I like my men… I like my men to be everything Rune isn’t. He is a measure of what I’d stay away from. A measure of everything that is bad for me.

I’m pretty sure I’m not his type either. He hates my red hair so much, he tried to cut it off. He hates my guts. He hates that I do not swoon like the rest when he shows up. He hates that I don’t drool after him, begging him to take me. I’m sure the list of things hated goes on and on, longer than that.

We aren’t anything to each other. Never will be. Goddess forbid that anything comes of the both of us.

“That’s a very strong claim to make,” Darian says and his golden eyes search mine for signs that I may be bluffing.

But I’m not.

So long as the Hekate’s hot, I’d take him anyday over Rune. That’s how much I hate him.

Darian shrugs, taking his intense gaze off me. “Good to hear. I’d hate for you to end up like the others.”

My ears perk at that and I pause. “What others?”

“Rune tends to rebel against his father in whatever ways he deems possible. It doesn’t matter who gets hurt in the process. He has a duty to the throne, and as such his betrothal was fixed the moment he turned twenty five. To the Princess. Gin. To breed more powerful heirs that’ll aid the fighting force against the–”

I could not have heard that correctly. That can’t be right. I’ve known him all my life. I would know if he was betrothed. He turned twenty-five three years ago. Surely, mother would have told me. Or father. Or Aria who seems to have all the news before anyone else does.

But why would they have?

I’ve never showed interest when it comes to him. I made it clear on more occasions than one that I didn’t want to hear his name.

“I… uh… I’m tired. Can we talk tomorrow?” I ask Darian as I suddenly feel ill.

I think I just need to rest. It’s been quite a lot. Today. I’m emotionally drained from all the crying over Orion and trying to keep my shit together. Then Rune coming to give me the necklace and… everything has my thoughts haywire.

“Is it what I said?”

I shake my head sharply. “No. I just… it’s been a long day and… thank you for today, Darian. I’m exhausted. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He observes me for a bit before rising to his feet. I rise, following him to the door, but at the last moment, he turns faster than I can follow and kisses my cheek. “Good night.”

He doesn’t wait for my reply before slipping out the door and leaving me gaping like fish out of water.

Perhaps, Darian was right about claims. Maybe I shouldn’t have said the thing about Hekate out loud.

I think he might have heard me.

Why? Flip the page.