Filed to story: Shifter Academy: Taming Her Wild Mates (Ivy) Book PDF Free
“Can’t you just trust me?” I ask, looking up at him with big pleading eyes that usually work.
“Normally I would, cousin,” he says, bumping his shoulder into mine. “But when tackle me in bed and make me scent mark you at 2 AM, panting like you’ve just run a race? I’ve gotta know.”
And I sigh, realizing that there’s no way out of this, and I…tell him.
Well, I tell him some of it – about how I wanted to get clean, and how the showers were gross, and so I went out to the hot springs –
Jesse groans when I say that, covering his face with his hands and falling back on his mattress. “Who caught you?” Jesse’s words are muffled by his palms. “Did they figure out that…”
“No,” I say, shaking my head even though he can’t see me. “Secret’s safe.”
“So?” he asks, dragging his hands down a little so he can see my face. “Who was it?”
I bite my lip for a second, deciding whether or not to tell him, but I’m bursting to talk to him about it. When my wolf gives me an encouraging little prod with her nose, telling me to trust him, I lean forward. “Jesse,” I whisper, “it was my mate -“
Jesse stares at me in shock, his mouth hanging open for way too long – until I start to worry that he’s like…frozen like that or something. “Jesse!” I hiss, giving him a sudden shove on the shoulder. “Ivi,” he says, snapping out of it and sitting up fast. He grabs me by my shoulders. “Are you…are you serious? Your mate is here!?”
His face is deathly pale, his eyes wide and scared like I’ve told him the worst thing he’s ever heard. Well, my wolf says, turning in an anxious circle inside of me. At least you only told him about one of them…
I hesitate, scared of his reaction and wanting to take it all back, but before I can say anything Jesse’s eyes flick to the side. “Whatever you do, do not tell Rafe,” my cousin hisses, leaning forward to make me hear him. “He will kill every guy in this room rather than let one of them touch you, let alone claim you -“
“What?” I ask, shocked. “Why does he -“
“Promise me!” Jesse snaps, shaking me once, hard.
“Okay!” I burst out, surprised into agreeing. “Okay, I won’t tell him!”
Jesse lets out a long breath and lets me go, turning away just as a wrapped sandwich lands in my lap.
“Roast beef,” Rafe says, his face pleased. I look down at the sandwich in my lap, but I don’t touch it or say anything. I mean, I know my brother and my cousin are protective of me, but –
“What’s going on here?” Rafe says, and I look up to see him staring between Jesse and me. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head, not saying anything, but Jesse fumbles out some lie about being worried about the rankings. Rafe looks at me sympathetically, leaning forward to give me some kind of pep talk or advice, but before he can start a Lieutenant suddenly appears at the end of the bed, a tablet in his hands.
“Candidate Rafe Sinclair?” the Lieutenant asks.
“Yes?” Rafe asks, standing, suddenly all business.
“A video call,” the Lieutenant says, holding the tablet forward, “from…the Palace.”
My eyes go wide because…well, obviously I know who’s calling.
“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Rafe says, nodding to the man and dismissing him even though he clearly outranks my brother.
Rafe turns to me and Jesse, and I can see his mind working fast. He beckons Jesse forward, but I stay on the bed. When Jesse’s standing next to him and I’m sufficiently out of frame, Rafe presses the button to take the call.
“Hey mom,” he says, pasting a big smile on his face. “Hey dad. What’s up?”
“Cut the crap, Rafe,” dad snaps, and my eyes go immediately wide because dad only uses that tone when he’s really mad. “What the hell are you doing at the Academy when you told us two nights ago that you were taking your sister somewhere safe?!”
Jesse visibly gulps while Rafe struggles to keep his composure under what is probably dad’s most menacing glare. While the three of us obviously know that he loves us, he’s still probably the scariest man on the planet. Only mom is completely immune to him.
“Rafe, you look so cute!” My face bursts into a smile when I hear mom’s voice coming through the video call. “Show me Jesse! Oh my god, your little uniforms!”
“Ella -” Dad says on a sigh, reminding her that they called for a reason.
“Oh right. Yes! Boys, where is your sister!?”
“It’s fine, mom,” Rafe says, and I know that he feels more secure now, talking to her. Rafe and mom have always had a special bond, just like me and dad. “I promise you – we’ve got The Hidden Princess At All-boys Alpha Academyeverything under control, Ivy’s doing great -“
“How is that possible,” dad grumbles, cutting him off, “when you are at a military Academy and she is – Rafe! Where the hell is she?!”
I wrap my arms around my legs and stare up at my brother, wondering if he’s going to break under the pressure of dad’s glare. Deep down I desperately hope he doesn’t – I’m not done here, not nearly.
