Chapter 17

Anila POV

I probably should have turned away. Maybe try to find a different bathroom; not that I would even know where to start looking. But something was keeping me grounded and when I peered around the corner and saw Damien’s distraught face, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to go anywhere.

My chest tightened even more.

I was finally able to get a better look at Damien. I saw him when I first arrived after I found his wand, but with everything that had gone on, I wasn’t able to actually look at him.

His hair was a deep shade of brown, like the riches of the earth. It lay in soft waves around his features. His eyes were a darker shade of gray than mine, and hard to read. Especially through his thick-framed glasses.

I had to admit to myself that he was good-looking in a nerdy kind of way. Though, despite him appearing a bit nerdy, his body revealed that he was no stranger to the gym. He was tall, but his arms were nicely built and the white collared shirt he wore fit snug against his body, I knew his torso had abs without even looking at them.

He had the blue blazer slung over his shoulder and his wand securely in its holder on his waist.

The girl he was with looked up at him with tears filling her pale green eyes. Her mascara ran down her features and she bit onto her pink bottom lip as she stifled a sob. She was much shorter than him and her figure was petite. She was one of the girls who had her clothes shortened. Her blazer rested just under her busty breasts and her white shirt ended just above her belly button which was pierced with a green diamond.

Her skirt was very short and as soon as she shifted on her feet, I could see her white silked underpants. She wore knee-high socks and black flats.

“Damien…” she whimpered. “I… I just didn’t want to be rude.” I could hear the desperation in her voice. “I didn’t cheat on you though. I promise.”

Standing around the corner and watching them like this made me feel like a stalker. But I couldn’t will my feet to move. I felt the same familiar spark thrumming through my body as I watched them. The one that stirs within me whenever I am near Xaden. And Zach. And…. Harley.

“That’s no excuse.”

My spine shivered at the chill in his voice. That girl noticeably stiffened too.

“He gave me a gift, Damien. An expensive necklace on my birthday. I felt obligated to go out to dinner with him,” she explained in a breath. My eyebrows shot up at her words. She went out to dinner with another man? While she was with Damien?

Realization soon dawned on me, remembering my previous conversation with Penny and the others.

They mentioned that Damien had always been with his childhood friend and sweetheart. They never remember him being with anyone else.

My heart squeezed painfully in my chest; I jab of anger surged in my body and I had to take a deep breath to settle it back into the pit of my stomach.

Something was seriously wrong with me.

“I didn’t know he was going to…” her voice trailed off as I watched her wince. He was staring daggers at her, and I couldn’t blame him. “I was fortunate that you arrived on time…” she said that last part in only a whisper.

There was something about this girl that I didn’t like.

“Return the gift,” Damien said through his teeth.

Sarah’s eyes widened in shock.

“Did you not hear me?” Sarah asked, raising her brows. “It’s an expensive gift. It’s exquisite. I’ve never owned anything like it in my life. He is the son of an Alpha bear-shifter, and it contains magical stones only found in their territory. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime gift. It’s rare and priceless.”

“Is that gift worth our relationship, Sarah?”

I could hear actual pain in Damien’s voice, and it shattered my heart.

“We grew up together…” Sarah whispered. “You should know our bond is deeper than most and It’s not something that can be measured with pretty baubles.”

Damien was quiet for a moment and then he sighed, defeated.

“I wish you’d just get rid of it. But I understand your fascination with minerals and magic stones.”

This made Sarah beam, despite Damien looking and sounding like he’d just been punched in the gut.

Sarah hopped on her toes and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his cheek softly. I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists, trying to settle the overwhelming sense of rage I felt.

When she pulled back, he didn’t look any better. He looked as if he was over this conversation.

“We will still be attending classes together, right?” Sarah asked, switching topics. “I still need your help on exams.”

Damien nodded.

“Of course, I’ll help you.”

I wasn’t understanding all I had heard. I may not have a lot of romantic experiences, but I’m a sucker for romance movies, and something about this interaction, on her part, didn’t sound. It sounded like she was playing both men and keeping her dirty trial hidden from Damien.

Damien was a top student and one of the best wizards at this school; how could he allow such behavior?

Why would this man who seemed too distant and untouchable allow her to treat him in such a way?

I shouldn’t have been standing here and spying on them. I shook the thought out of my head and I went to turn and leave. But just as I did the new cellphone the school gave me started to ring loudly in my pocket.

Heat rushed to my cheeks.

“Shit,” I cursed, fumbling with my pocket before silencing the call.

The name ‘Xaden’ was across the screen, and I fought a smile.

When my eyes turned back up, hoping I cut the sound in time to not be noticed, I turned to ice.

Their eyes rested right on me, and the annoying anger that scrunched Sarah’s face had my stomach in a twist.

“I was looking for the bathroom.” I bumbled out.

Sarah ignored me.

“Were you eavesdropping on us? What are you, a stalker?” Her words bite, stinging deep as my fingers threaded together.

Damien said nothing, the distant and aloof domineer placed him a thousand miles away from me, and he certainly didn’t care that I overheard their conversation.

Sarah stepped away from Damien, drawing closer to me.

“Wait, you’re her, aren’t you? The one that was able to touch Damien’s wand,” she said, folding her arms across her chest and tilting her head at me. “How could a nobody girl like you do such a thing like that?”

I wanted to respond to her; to say something. But when I opened my mouth to speak, only air came out.

Sarah’s pale green eyes scanned me from head to toe. She was scrutinizing the way I stood, how I looked, and what I was wearing.

I’m not sure,” I finally answered, pressing my lips firmly together. “This magic stuff is new to me. I grew up with mortals and until recently I thought I was a mortal as well. I just got here when Damien’s wand hit me in the face.”

I said that last part with a slight bite that I instantly regretted when I saw the narrowing of Damien’s eyes behind Sarah. He stared at me with indifference, but there was something in his eyes that was studying me, trying to figure me out.

I wasn’t sure how I knew that, but I felt the same mate bindings that thread me together with the other guys, thread me to Damien as well.

“You’re hiding something,” Sarah said, squinting her eyes as she took a step closer. “I don’t buy your story about growing up with mortals. Not only are you a stalker, but you are also a liar. How pathetic.”

Her words were laced with malice, and I chewed the inside of my cheek as I took a small step toward her, surprising even me. But suddenly, I was done being a victim and taking crap from mean girls. I had to deal with it my entire life and now that my life was beginning anew, I wasn’t going to take it anymore.

“Nice necklace, Sarah. Did you get it from your other boyfriend?” I asked sharply, narrowing my eyes at her paling and stunned face. Then I lowered my voice. “It seems I’m not the only one who lies.”

I glanced at Damien for only a second and the surprised look on his face made a smile tug at the corner of my lips. As I tried to brush past her and head towards the bathroom, I saw from my peripheral, Sarah pulling her wand out of her knee-high sock and flicking it at me.

Before I could take another step, my entire body froze and soon gravity left me entirely. I was floating. Again.

It was the same spell as earlier, except it wasn’t torturous. It didn’t hurt and I could breathe, I just couldn’t move, and I was completely weightless.

This was seriously getting old; I really needed to learn magic.

Before anyone could say anything more, Damien’s wand that was tucked in its holder on his waist wiggled free and flew directly at me.