Chapter 39

Then next morning, I trekked across campus with my hoodie over my head. I arrived at the gym a little past seven to see Valentin standing on the middle of a sparring mat. His arms were crossed over his chest and he looked anything but pleased.

“You’re late,” he bit out.

“Sorry,” I shrugged my hoodie off and threw it on the floor before starting into some stretches. I knew our schedule by now. “I didn’t expect to be here.”

Valentin blinked at me. “Why?”

“Dunno,” I shrugged. “I didn’t see you all last week. I thought you were done with me.”

“I’m not,” Valentin said sternly. I watched his jaw tick. “Especially after hearing about what happened yesterday.”

I groaned. “Is this about shifting class?”

“Professor Valencia told me about your outburst,” Valentin snapped. “How could you let your anger towards Kairos get the best of you?”

Anger? Yeah, no. Something more like… hot and bothered, My wolf snickered.

I’m not telling him that, I threw back at her. Of course, she swished her stupid fucking tail.

A little jealousy never hurt anyone, she mused.

“He continues to rile me up,” I said, switching to hamstring stretches. “It’s not my fault he’s a massive dick.”

Valentin’s expression turned smug. “You cannot let your emotions get the better of you,” he said. “You are a young wolf. It could wind up hurting yourself or someone else. Need I also remind you that you are the Princess and heir to the throne?”

I snorted. “No need,” I mumbled. “It’s an ever-present looming thought in my head.”

Valentin ignored my comment and waved me back to the sparring mat. I dropped my stretches and went back to face him. I put my hands on my hips and raised my eyebrow.

“We’re going to practice voluntary shifting today,” he said. “Tell me what you know about the Shift.”

“It happens,” I said plainly. Valentin stared at me as if he wanted me to continue. I shrugged. “That’s all I know.”

“The Shift is a result of the chemicals within our bodies and the High Magiks colliding,” Valentin went on. “It’s very much so charged by the specific chemicals that emotions release. However, you can focus on your Magik to be able to shift without a high emotion.”

“Okay,” I drew the word out. “I’m acing Magiks right now so this should be easy.”

Valentin shook his head. “The Magiks they teach you in class are lower level Magiks,” he continued. “These High Magiks are harder to control. They directly correlate with the strength of your bond with your wolf and it’s overall strength.”

And my wolf was weak and annoying.

Great.

Rude,

I crossed my arms over my chest. “So how do I strengthen my bond and my wolf and my shifting all at once?” I asked. “Seems like they all feed into one another.”

“They do,” Valentin said. “Acception is the first thing. Learn to stop fighting the wolf. You and her are one within the same body. See her as she sees you. Equal.”

You must certainly do not think I’m your equal, do you? I asked my wolf.

You are, she surprised me with. I am you. If you were not equal to me, I would not see myself as highly as I do.

Still with the sass. Was I this sassy?

“Okay,” I said to Valentin. “I think we’re working on that.”

“Good,” Valentin walked so he was standing next to me. “Second, is touching the high Magiks. Close your eyes and focus on the feeling under your skin. It should almost feel like a flame.”

So that’s what that was.

I slowly let my eyes flutter shut and sucked in a deep breath through my nose. I focused on the burning sensation, trying to remember how it felt the first and second time I shifted. If I dug deep enough, there was a flicker of heat behind my lungs.

“I think I feel it?” I mumbled, eyes still closed.

I felt Valentin move besides me. “Where do you feel it?” he asked. “You should feel it—” He lifted his hand and pressed it right on my sternum. “—Here.”

All at once, the fire that was a flicker turned into a roar as the High Magiks flooded my body along with the electricity I’d come to associated with the fated mate bond. The sensation was insane. I gasped and stepped back, eyes flying open and hand coming to my chest.

Valentin stepped back from me as well. Eyes wide yet dark with exploded pupils. His mouth was slightly unhinged. A wave of desire washed over me. I pulled my lower lip into my mouth and bit hard to keep from moaning.

“Sorry, I—” Valentin sputtered. “I forgot. That – sorry.”

“You forgot there was a bond you were ignoring?” I spit out.

Valentin frowned. “Zora—”

“No, I can’t be here right now,” I sputtered. I grabbed my hoodie and took off out of the gym.

My emotions were all over the place as I fumbled my way out of the gym. People were starting to walk to the cafeteria and caught me looking distressed walking from the gym. The whispers started up again around me. I ignored them and ran off towards the forest.

I needed space. I need to be able to breathe without being succumbed to lust or electricity or whatever other nonsense was going on in my brain. I darted into the forest and found a clearing. I sunk to the floor with a massive sigh.

My heart was beating erratically in my chest. I placed my hand over it and tried to take a few calming breaths but it was no use. All of the thoughts of the past few weeks were swirling in my head like a storm cloud. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wipe them from my conscious.

Then, the fire started within me. Right where Valentin had touched my sternum. I shook my head. This was the last thing I wanted right now.

Just let yourself live as you should, my wolf soothed. Let me take over. Let us run.

I stopped fighting. I let the fire consume me as the High Magiks took over my body and shifted me from a human to a wolf. The dirt under my paws felt nice. It felt right. I sprung up from my hind legs and tore off into the forest.

I ignored all responsibilities and let myself run until I couldn’t taste the air in my lungs. When I finally stopped, I gasped as the fire consumed me again and threw me back into my human form.

I collapsed on the ground and passed out.