Chapter 35

Anila POV

I sulked the entire way to the bookstore.

I knew I was being pathetic.

My own behavior was making me annoyed, but no matter how I tried to ignore it, push it away, or bury it with delicious thoughts of what I was going to make Xaden do later, it was still there.

Persistent. Painful. Annoying.

Shadowing every action and thought, a layer of possessiveness that not only shouldn’t even be there but grew worse every time that image of Zach whispering sweet nothings to that woman pinned beneath him rose to mind.

She wasn’t even that pretty.

Ugh no, that’s a lie, she was fucking strikingly beautiful.

Stop it, Anila.

It didn’t matter what, or who, Zach did.

I shook my head to quiet the thoughts. I was in a relationship with someone I was starting to… truly love, with my whole being. It was the first time I had openly admitted that I might actually be falling in love with Xaden.

Something warm and fluttering, new and beautiful. Something I wanted to experience to the fullest.

I hadn’t thought much about love. I had never been in love before. I never had the opportunity to be in love. But when I did think about love, it was Xaden that came to mind. Which was insane because I hadn’t even known him for a week.

How could I even be thinking of someone else? Who was I kidding? It was this stupid thread in my chest that tied me not only to my love but to other people who I don’t even freaking know, let alone should care about at all.

I felt fucking stupid.

I shoulder open the metal door to the bookstore which was located in the same building as the dining hall. The bookstore consisted of everything we’d need for a successful school year. Which included the backpack Xaden had gotten for me. There were also journals, notebooks, pencils, erasers, and oddly enough, art supplies.

I didn’t even know art was a class that could be taken here.

There were also small ‘emergency wands’, first aid kits, fur coat shine, claw buffers, crystal balls, and tons of different charms, each labeled for a specific purpose such as ‘divination charm,’ ‘summoning charm’ ‘love charm’, whoa those exist?

Everything a magical student could possibly need was right here in this perfectly categorized room. When I first came here, I didn’t really have a chance to look around because I was in a hurry to get to breakfast before it was too late. But now that I had time, I noticed that the carpet didn’t have a speck of dirt, nor did the shelves have a speck of dust. Immaculate.

“Hello, sweetheart. What brings you back here?” I heard such a sweet and fragile yet familiar voice, creaking like the old bones of the woman it’s attached to as I smiled in her direction.

Agatha Wills.

“Oh, hello,” I said in return, holding out my schedule for her. “Principal Rapport changed some of my classes.” I let my backpack slide off my shoulder and I opened it, taking out the books she had given me earlier while she took my schedule and scanned it with her eyes. “Some of these books I won’t need anymore.”

Agatha’s brow creased as she read my new schedule and then her eyes shifted to meet mine.

“You are in an advanced magic class?” She asked, sounding a bit suspicious.

I nodded, not wanting to get into it.

“Principal Rapport thinks it’s better suited,” I confessed.

“Your name is Anila, right?” She asked, studying me.

“Anila Montgomery,” I answered.

She hummed, peering at the paper through her thin gold glasses that hung on the tip of her nose.

“That werebear course is also advanced. How interesting,” she breathed.

I felt my cheeks reddening and I was ready for her eyes to look at me with judgment.

She cleared her throat.

“Well then, let me return these books and get you your new ones,” she said, that smile returning to her lips as she grabbed the books from my arms and brought them to the front counter. She went around the counter and toward her computer to type something in before scanning each book and placing them in the return pile on the floor beside her chair.

She then walked back around the desk and motioned for me to follow her across the store and over to the large rows of books that sat neatly on shelves across the back wall. I noticed all the different categories and different sections the books were placed in.

With ease, Agatha found each book and I held out my arms as she gathered the books into them. Some of the titles were written in languages I couldn’t read, and some were just… absurd. ‘Werebear physiology’, ‘Werebear magic rituals’, ‘Werebear sexua’-nope not reading it. Just shuffle forward behind the nice kind lady.

She stacked a few books labeled ‘Werebear history’ and ‘Werebear proper stamina management’, into my arms, before leading me somewhere else.

I didn’t realize this one class would have so many books.

“Why such a diverse schedule, if you don’t mind me asking?” she asks as we come down an aisle for Werewolf books. “It’s unusual to have classes for werewolves, werebears, and wizardry.”

I sighed.

“I think it’s because I had reactions to three other students when I first got here. Like, fated mate reactions, I guess. That, and I don’t know who my father is, and all I know was that my mom was a witch, but my fated mate, Xaden, is a werewolf. My other fated mate, Harley is a werebear. It’s all very confusing.”

I didn’t know why I was telling her this. Maybe I did it because I’d rather she heard it from me, instead of from the gossip around the school. I knew everyone was already talking about it, so it wasn’t much of a secret.

“Oh, right! I have heard of you before I met you the first time you were here,” Agatha said, her eyes lighting up. “I can’t believe I didn’t put the puzzle pieces together sooner.”

Ugh.

“I’m sure,” I frowned, and she stacked another set of books onto my arms, similar to the werebear ones.

“Don’t sound too upset. Some people think you might be the miracle we need.” She hummed and guided me down another aisle.

My ears perked at her words. That was new; I hadn’t heard that yet.

“What do you mean?”

“Just that people still live in fear over the wars. While the newest Dragon Master doesn’t want to conquer, people hold an immense fear that he will. All this time he may have just been plotting out doom. We can’t know for sure. It’s terrifying if you ask me.”

She thumped another set of books into my arms, my muscles strained from their weight and my stomach grew uneasy from her words.

“What we need is someone unique, and able to understand things from multiple fronts. Having a miracle who can not only understand the Werewolves and Werebears separately but the wizards too. Maybe even the dragons.” She clucked her tongue, “Ah, there it is.” She plucked a few random books off another shelf, this section labeled ‘Legends and Mysteries.’

She placed them onto my already taller-than-me pile of books and then walked somewhere else, me trailing behind her like a lost puppy.

“And the other shifters?” I found myself asking. “What’s their part in all of this?”

“Other shifters live in fear over the potential doom,” she said, a timid frown decorating her wrinkled lips. “They aren’t strong enough to fight and those who are strong outside the wolf and bear shifting community are a rarity. They do what they can by keeping low profiles.”

“I see,” I murmured, thinking deeply about my friends.

“Being unique could be that miracle we need to prevent war,” She tutted.

I groaned as I heaved the books onto her counter. I certainly hope she doesn’t look at me as this some kind of miracle. Preventing anything was out of my pay grade, let alone a freaking war.

I finally got the courage to say, “I’m afraid I don’t know anything about anything, Mrs. Wills.”

Agatha pointed a bony finger into my face, “Miss, no misses.”

I nodded, “I’m sorry.”

“As for knowing things, haven’t you ever heard the term Ignorance is bliss? It paves the way for new understanding, rather than having a tainted mind filled with propaganda from parents,” She huffed, scanning each book.

She grabbed one of the novels she snagged earlier.

After scanning it, she handed it to me.

“Read that, it’s a legend about the Moon Queen and her five lovers. It explains how she was appointed queen, and a bit about those lovers as well. It’s an interesting read. Legend has it that the Moon Queen was able to speak to any shifter in their animal forms and she was respected and worshipped by all. She kept the peace for a long while before her untimely death. When she died, the supernatural world fell apart and war took its place.”

I stiffened at the word ‘queen.’ Carefully I grasped the book, looking at the faded title, and image that can’t really be seen clearly.

“Your total is $606.66, minus the return for your previous books which brings your new total to $302.89,” she said as she typed something into her computer. I handed her the card and when she wiped it, there was a small buzzing noise making her frown. “It was declined.”

My eyes widened at her words as she tried it again.

It declined again.

My cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

I must have maxed it out when I went on that shopping spree with Xaden. I didn’t even realize how much I spent. Principal Rapport said that funds get deposited into my account monthly and I wondered when it would be deposited next.

Before I could say anything, Agatha perked up.

“Oh, wait. More funds were just deposited into your account.” She smiled, “Principal Rapport certainly likes to take care of the new students, doesn’t he?”

“Principal Rapport paid for it?” I asked, raising my brows.

Agatha laughed, waving her hand “No, no. He just made sure the school paid for it.”

I blinked, what an amazingly generous thing, and with that, a new idea sparked in my mind.

“Uhm, do you have a book on herbology?” I drummed my fingers on her desk.

“Sure thing hon, right over there.” She pointed to a shelf that was dead ahead, and I grabbed a book labeled “Plants and their Purpose, Herbology 101,’ and placed it on the counter.

“I’ll pay for this one myself,” I smiled, as I took my wallet out of my bag. I still had some cash, tip money, from my job back home that Claire hadn’t collected yet. Since being here, I haven’t needed to use any of it. I figured this would be a good time to dig into it.

Agatha grinned just as wide. As I hoisted all my materials in a large box, I felt a warmth in my chest.

Somehow, I’ll find a way to pay Rapport back in kindness.