Filed to story: Shifter Academy: Taming Her Wild Mates (Ivy) Book PDF Free
With a final burst of speed, I launch myself into the air over Jackson’s head, my right foot landing on flat of his back between his shoulders, and I shout as I straighten my knee and push – Jackson lets out a yell and stands, acting for anyone who is watching like I did this without his consent – shouting after me and cursing like a damn sailor at the little Shrimp who used him like a damn step stool.
But the leverage, and the fact that Jackson shouted and stood just as my foot hit his back – it only pushed me up higher. And the boost is everything I need. I grab the chain about eight feet off the ground, and I grit my teeth, putting every ounce of effort and will into my biceps as I haul myself the final two feet onto the platform at the top.
But two feet? Two feet I can do.
I ignore Graham’s shouts behind me as he calls me a cheater, and Jackson’s pretend curses, grinning like an idiot as I sprint forward on to the next obstacle.
But the rest is cake -And as I cross the finish line ten minutes later, my breath coming in short pants, and glance up at the time?
I grin, because it’s absolutely the best time I’ve ever made – a whole fifteen minutes faster than I’ve ever made it before.
Which means…
I start to laugh a little hysterically now. Because I mean – it’s not a good time, the obstacle course is still by far my weakest test, and it counts for so much in the final ranking.
But I think…I think it just might be good enough.
And as Jackson crosses the finish line a second after me, I swear there’s a little smile on his lips as he glances my way.
I fall in at Jackson’s side as the Lieutenants nod to us, letting us know they’ve got our times, my breath coming pathetically short in comparison to Jackson’s even, controlled breathing.
But neither of us acknowledge it or even say a word as we pass through to the barracks.
Because whatever is done is done.
And only the rankings truly matter now.
Inside the barracks, Jackson still doesn’t speak to me as he moves to his bunk and I go to mine. I glance around, looking for Jesse and Luca and Rafe – Ben won’t have come out yet – but none of them are here. Lieutenants move around the room, barking at us to hurry, and as much as I’d like a second to run to the bathroom and clean up, there’s just no time.
So, I gather my pack, which really just has my spare blanket and my toothbrush kit in it – I didn’t come with any personal belongings, like everyone else did – and head anxiously for the front door and out into the sunlight.
Like everyone else, I head immediately for the line of candidates who already stand in formation, organized according to our ranking yesterday. Everyone stands looking forward, their hands clasped behind their backs like the soldiers they hope to become, their feet shoulder-width apart.A Lieutenant directs me to my spot, a little black dot with a small number 70 painted on it. I exhale, tucking my hands behind my back and lacing my fingers together, assuming the position. As soon as I do, though, I start to peer around, looking for my family and my friends, hoping to hell that everything went okay for them.
We’re all pretty spread out on the wide lawn at the base of the cliff on which the Academy castle is built, the entrance just a black door built into the wall of rock directly ahead of us. I curse my short stature again as I try to see between shoulders and torsos, but luckily we’re far enough apart that I get a glimpse of Rafe’s dark head rising high above pretty much everyone else’s. Near him at the front is Jesse, and down the line to their right is Jackson.
I spare a glance for Luca, and consider looking behind me to see if Ben has emerged yet, but then my eyes return to Jackson and I consider, again, why he helped me today.
But then my stomach sinks as I wonder…god, did he help me today?
I go over the events again in my mind.
Jackson waiting for me at the starting line.
Jackson telling me about a vague rule in the handbook – a handbook I’ve never heard of before.
Jackson kneeling at the base of the chains, which he must know is my worst obstacle – And then the way he looked at me before setting his shoulders flat, basically inviting me to use him as leverage.
But…was it even real?
If it was – Jackson just gave me the boost I needed to get into the academy.
But if it wasn’t…I go white as I realize that Jackson – who basically tried to kill me twice – he may have just gotten me disqualified from candidacy. If it is actually illegal to use another candidate’s body as leverage, which seems like it should be…
Then Jackson just fooled me into breaking the rules during the last test.
My face goes white as I realize the risk I just took, and I curse myself heartily as a fool as I realize that I trusted him because he’s my mate – But Jackson – he has no idea that I’m his mate. As far as he knows, I’m just the shrimp who is somehow keeping his mate from him – precisely the person he’d want to eliminate, precisely the person who he’d want to lure into complacency with an awkward apology and by accepting an invitation to eat at breakfast.
I press my eyes shut, stifling a moan, realizing just how stupid I’ve been today.
God, I shouldn’t have trusted him – I should have just tried to do it on my own, taken the penalty for being so slow…
Unless…
I mean, isn’t it just as possible that Jackson, like Luca, does sense a connection between us? That he might want to help?
