(Akilah's pov)
My shoulder still throbbed where he'd slammed me against the alley wall.
Every time I turned my head, pain shot through my neck.
It reminded me exactly what kind of monster fate had chosen for me.
Finding your mate was supposed to be magical, like something out of this world. Your mate is your soulmate, your other half, but my mate—haaaa, my mate was literally sent straight from the pits of Tartarus
He was nothing but a jerk who apparently manhandles women.
Just thinking of him made my jaw tighten. Every part of me burned with fury.
"Akilah," Nadira's voice cut through my thoughts as we sat on the benches near the training field. "You've been moody all day, babe. You good?"
I blinked, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "Yeah. Just tired."
"You've been glaring at the floor for ten minutes," Nadira muttered.
"I'm imagining someone's funeral."
"…Whose?"
"Depends on how today goes." A small smirk tugged at my lips.
Nadira laughed softly, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous."
My gaze flicked toward the group of students assembling across the field.
Then I saw him.
Damn him.
Sunlight caught in the strands of his dark hair, turning them almost bronze.
His sleeves were rolled to his elbows.
Strong forearms.
Broad shoulders.
Standing tall, as the sun kissed his warm skin, freckles scattered lightly across the bridge of his nose and upper cheeks. His lips were full and softly parted, while his jawline remained sculpted as it flexed.
My eyes traced down his body. Practically staring at the way his shirt clung to his chest, making my throat dry as all possible dirty thoughts came to exist.
I shook my head, hating that last thought.
"Alright, listen up!"
We turned toward the field, where a broad-shouldered man stood, his arms sweeping the group with sharp, assessing eyes.
"Ahhh, I see we have new faces joining us," he said, his gaze landing directly on us.
We stood instinctively as he approached, stopping just a few feet away.
"I'm Coach Rhyder," he said, voice firm but not unkind. "Head of combat training here at Veyloria Academy."
"Welcome to hell," he added dryly.
Eria muttered under his breath, "Great. Love that for us."
Coach Rhyder almost smiled.
"Don't worry," he continued. "You'll survive. Most of you, anyway."
A few students chuckled nervously.
"Now," he clapped, startling us, "today I will be testing your strength and agility, but you can't do that without warming up, so we will start with some warm-ups.
"Kael. Lead."
My body stilled as soon as he stepped forward. At least now I have a name to match the arrogance.
"Fifteen laps," he said, voice carrying effortlessly across the field.
His eyes briefly met mine. I could see the small smirk plastered on his face. He was about to enjoy this.
"Move."
The group broke instantly.
The first lap was easy.
By the fifth, my muscles had begun to warm up.
By the eighth, I could feel the strain creeping in.
By the thirteenth, I was already beginning to slow down.
On the other hand, Kael ran through each round without breaking a sweat. In fact, the jerk ran ahead, leaving the rest of us behind.
Which was madly irritating.
By the fifteenth lap, we finally stopped. My hands were placed on my knees as I took in sharp breaths.
In Felinara, training was completely different. We used simulators for speed, but this, this was another level of pain.
I was trying to steady my breathing when Kael suddenly stopped in front of me.
"Training is too difficult for you, Princess," he said quietly. "I honestly expected more from you, yet here you are pretending like a pig."
I gasped, completely embarrassed, at his comment, raising myself to his level, which is ironic, cause I barely reached his shoulder.
"What did you just say?"
He didn't even look at me; he just kept walking.
Nadira leaned closer. "Oh, I hate him."
I scoffed. "Get in line."
"Stretch," Kael ordered.
I rolled my shoulders, forcing my breathing to steady.
But my focus stayed on him.
"Alright!" Coach Rhyder called, stepping forward again. "That's enough, everyone gather around."
We all moved around the coach, clearly sweaty and out of breath.
"This is where things get interesting," he said. "Combat training."
A ripple of anticipation spread through the group.
"This is where your strengths and abilities will be tested. For today's class, I will be pairing you into duos where you will test each other's strengths through combat," he said.
Groans were heard around the circle.
"When you hear your name, please step forward," He said.
"Akilah"
I stepped forward.
"And…kael"
"Wait…what?"
"Now, I want a clean fight. Kael, take it easy on her," the coach stated.
"She's done for."
"That's not even fair."
"He's going to destroy her."
That was what everyone was saying, but ignored them.
The jerk just smirked, but what he didn't know was that I wasn't planning to go easy on him.
Students crowded around us.
I stepped forward, rolling my shoulders, grounding myself as the familiar weight of the ground settled underneath my feet.
I could feel Vee stirring inside me, clearly upset that I had to beat up her precious mate.
My grip tightened slightly at my sides.
"Begin." Coach said, blowing the whistle.
We circled each other, waiting for the other to strike first.
"You got it, Akilah," Eria shouted, which caused me to lose my focus for a second.
This gave him enough advantage because he was now standing in front of me.
His strike came fast, precise, and heavy with intent. I brought my arm up just in time to block, but the force of it shot through me, causing me to slide back.
He kept on landing hit after hit, after hit. Each hit feels more intense than the last.
My breath tightened as I twisted away from a blow aimed at my ribs. His next attack came instantly, catching me of gaurd and knocking me down to the ground.
Groaning, as I clutched my side, I could see a flicker pass through his eyes. He was enjoying seeing me hurt.
That seemed to piss off Vee as she was trying to push forward and gain control.
I got up, getting back into position. I ran straight at him, throwing both punches and kicks.
He was able to dodge every single strike. I raised my leg, nailing him straight on his abdomen, causing him to bend over, which allowed me to knee him straight in his face.
His weight dipped just slightly before he regained his balance.
He reached his hand over his nose, wiping a little blood that started to trickle down.
"Oops," I said, shrugging, a smirk playing on my lips.
His arm came toward me again, but this time I was able to catch every single hit.
I tried to kick him again, but this time he caught it, flipping me over, and I was able to land.
Not sparing me a minute, he tried to throw a punch again, but I took a clean sidestep to the side.
His strike cut through empty air.
His eyes narrowed at my swiftness.
He adjusted instantly, attacking again—but now I was ready, and I was going to let him win. I ducked beneath his arm, pivoting smoothly, slipping out of his reach.
He turned around just in time for his fingers to close around my wrist.
Heat exploded beneath my skin. Which caused me to lean into his touch.
I nearly stumbled because of it.
Rage flooded through me.
"Traitor," I hissed at Vee.
He yanked me forward before he kicked me underneath my foot, causing me to fall. My back hit the floor with a soft thud as he pinned my arms above my head.
I struggled to get out of his grip. I looked into his eyes and suddenly the world…stopped.
His face was inches from mine. Close enough that I could feel the heat of him. His breath brushed my skin as our eyes locked together.
I wasn't struggling anymore. I was just watching him.
A flicker of confusion crossed his face before it disappeared. It seemed like he was studying me. Then his grip loosened around my wrist.
Releasing a soft chuckle, my fingers curled around his wrist and squeezed, causing his expression to change.
I felt an odd strength surging through me before twisting out of his hold. I head-bumped him, causing him to lean back in agony. Kicking him off me, I got off the ground in one swift flip, landing on my feet.
He blinked a couple of times before lunging at me, only this time I caught his fist mid-punch.
For a split second—my eyes flickered.
"What—" he started.
I moved.
I twisted his arm, using his own momentum against him, flipping him hard onto the ground. The impact echoed through the field, sharp and loud.
He rolled back to his feet instantly, faster now, sharper, his entire demeanor shifting.
The amusement? Gone, now it was replaced with anger.
He came at me again—harder, faster, stronger. This time, I met him head-on. Our strikes collided, force against force. In that moment, all I could think about was beating him up.
He didn't seem to be backing down either. His attacks grew more aggressive.
We moved faster than the crowd could track, blows landing, blocking, countering in rapid succession.
He grabbed me again—
I twisted free.
I struck—
He blocked.
He pushed—
I didn't move.
For a moment, we stood there, locked in place, neither giving ground.
Vespera surged.
More, she whispered.
My control slipped. Allowing Vee to take control.
I could feel my claws starting to break free. I stepped forward—ready to end it.
"ENOUGH!"
The coach's voice slammed through the field.
I straightened slowly, forcing my breathing to steady, forcing Vespera back down.
Across from me, Kael didn't move.
He just stood there.
Staring at me.
I couldn't believe I lost control. If the coach hadn't blown the whistle, I wouldn't have known what I would have done.
All possible thoughts came crushing in. Whether they all noticed, and what they would think of me now. A weirdo for a princess who can't control herself.
In this moment, everything my father had said was replaying in my head, and I was starting to become terrified.
—————
Training ended with one final whistle.
"Before you go," Coach Rhyder called.
Everyone paused.
"Since it's the beginning of a new school year," he said evenly, "and since we have… new blood among us, it's about time I remind you what you're really training for."
"As you all know, every year a selected number of students are chosen to join an elite team here at Veyloria called the Vanguard unit. For those of you who don't know, it's a team of the highest-ranking students in Veyloria Academy," He said.
"You are chosen to join it because you've proven you have potential and can survive what the rest of this academy can't," he continued. "We select the strongest, smartest, and the ones who can adapt under pressure. The ones who don't break when things go wrong and the ones who can make decisions that others don't have the stomach for."
"What does the Vanguard do? They assist in real missions beyond the academy grounds. As well as protecting everyone in the school."
"Anyone can apply," he said. "But only a few make it. So if you think you're ready for it, registration will be open, you're dismissed."
With that, everyone started to grab their things as they left the training grounds.
I was grabbing my bag when I felt someone pat my shoulder.
I looked back over my shoulder.
"Walk with me," Coach Rhyder demanded.
I exhaled quietly and turned, falling into step beside him as we moved toward the opposite side of the training grounds.
For a moment, he didn't speak.
"You held back," he said finally.
I didn't respond.
"There were at least three openings where you could've ended that match faster," he continued.
"You chose not to."
I crossed my arms lightly. "He didn't need to be humiliated."
The corner of his mouth twitched faintly.
"Control?" he asked.
"Mercy," I corrected.
We stopped near the edge of the field where the trees began—tall, dark-barked, their leaves glowing faintly under the midday light.
He turned to face me fully now. "You adapted mid-fight," he said. "Most students take months to learn that. Some never do."
His eyes sharpened slightly. "You didn't just react to him. You read him."
I held his gaze, expression neutral.
"So?" I was confused at the point he was trying to make.
"What exactly did you call me for, Coach?"
"I want you on the Vanguard Unit."
"No." The words came out flat.
"You didn't even consider it."
"I don't need to," I replied.
"Everyone considers it."
"I'm not everyone." The word came out flat.
"Listen, Coach Rhyder, I mean no disrespect. I am sure being on the team is a great opportunity, but I have a lot on my plate right now, and I don't think joining the team will be a good idea," I said.
"Do you understand what you're refusing?" he asked, voice quieter now.
"It's your elite unit," I said. "Top students. Real missions. Real danger. Real expectations. And a leash I'm not interested in wearing."
That made him pause.
"You think it's about control?" he asked.
"I think it's about ownership," I replied calmly. "And I don't belong to anyone."
He exhaled slowly, shifting his stance.
"You're looking at it the wrong way," he said. "The Vanguard isn't about owning you. It's about trusting you with things others aren't ready for."
"I didn't come here to be trusted," I said. "I came here on an alliance set by both my kingdom and Lycaria. I'm just here to finish what I need to do and leave."
"And what exactly is it you think you need to do?" he asked.
"Make my kingdom proud," I stated.
He exhaled, "You have instincts most fighters would kill for," he said. "You don't hesitate. You assess, and that's what we need."
My jaw tightened slightly as I started to get irritated.
"I've seen enough students with power," he continued. "Power means nothing if you can't use it properly."
His voice lowered. "But you—you can."
I shook my head once.
"I'm still not interested."
He studied me for a long moment, then said
"Professor Halvarion recommended you."
That… made me pause.
"He doesn't recommend students lightly," he added. "In fact, he rarely recommends them at all."
"He also said," he continued, "that if there's anyone in this academy capable of leading under pressure—"
His voice sharpened slightly.
"—it's you."
Leadership.
That wasn't something I wanted.
"Look I have yet to choose a team leader for the team since the last one graduated, I already had someone in mind but you came along and now I'm thinking of reconsidering. "
"I'm not joining," I said again, quieter this time. "And that's my final answer."
He nodded slowly.
"Well if you happen to change your mind, in a couple of days, the trials for students who want to join will take place and you are welcome to join," he said before walking away leaving me standing there.
Well I wasn't going to change my mind, I said no and I meant it and I had bigger things to deal with and its name is Kael.
————-
That night, I could not focus. I tried studying, but my books were lying open on my desk, and I had yet to read a single word.
That jerk's face kept flashing through my mind.
"Argh," I grunted, slamming my book closed. I stood up and walked to my balcony.
I stood along the railing, elbows resting against the cool steel, my gaze fixed on the moon above.
The cool breeze is slamming against my face.
I took a deep breath, finally feeling at peace.
A soft sound drifted up from below. It sounded like laughter.
My brows pulled together as I leaned forward slightly, peering over the edge of the balcony. At first, I scanned the area, seeing nothing but shadows stretching across the courtyard—until my eyes adjusted to what seemed to be two figures standing near an old lamppost.
The golden light flickered softly over them, just enough to catch movement— I narrowed my eyes trying to make sense of who the two figures were, it clearly was a guy with a girl. I could tell by the way her hand brushed against his chest… and the way his body angled toward hers.
I squinted my eyes even more, trying to identify them.
The girl shifted, giving a clear glance at the guy, causing my stomach to tighten.
Of course, it was him.
Kael.
Even from this distance, I could see his broad shoulders, sharp posture, that effortless stillness as the world moved around him, not the other way around. Standing next to a blonde girl.
She was laughing again, her fingers trailing up his chest as if she belonged there. Like she'd done it a thousand times before.
Something hot twisted inside me. My fingers gripped tightly against the railing.
He didn't push her away. He just… stood there.
Her hands slid higher, looping around his neck.
Then she pulled him down into a kiss.
He could have stopped her, and yet he didn't, and that told me everything.
Yet I also felt a slight sting. It actually hurt seeing him so affectionate with someone, someone who wasn't me.
I shouldn't have cared if he was kissing other girls. He's made it clear to me that he doesn't want me, and I should accept his decision.
She pulled back before moving away from him, saying something to him before walking away, leaving him standing alone.
A slow, humorless laugh slipped past my lips. Which was a big mistake cause he clearly heard it, causing him to look up in my direction. I quickly ducked down behind the railing.
"Of course," I murmured under my breath.
Now it makes sense.
The arrogance.
The indifference.
The way he looked at me was like I was an inconvenience.
He already had someone.
Someone he chose. Not the bond we shared.
My jaw tightened. Something colder settled beneath the heat now.
I peed over the railing, realizing he wasn't standing there anymore. I scanned the yard trying to find him, but could see nothing.
I re-entered my room. If I were going to spare myself the heartbreak, I was going to have to do something about this bond.
Then it clicked. I would reject him. Setting us both free from this misery. Grabbing my hoodie hanging from the chair and headed down to the courtyard. As I reached down, I sniffed the air, trying to catch his scent, trying to figure out which direction he went.
I caught the scent of rain and mint following it through the dark campus, all the way to the boys' dormitory.
I pulled my hood lower to cover my face, glancing around, making sure no one saw me as I entered the building. I then made my way up the stairs.
Every step felt heavier.
I'd turn back, thinking this was a terrible decision, but I would ignore the voice and keep walking.
By the time I reached his floor…
My heart was pounding harder than it had during combat training.
I quietly walked through the hallway, making sure not to be noticed. The further I walked, the more I recognized what I was about to do. It's not like I wanted to be here, but I had to get this over and done with.
I had to reject him.
I mean, I am sure he was going to reject me sooner or later after finding out the truth, that he has someone else in mind that he would rather spend his life with. I'd rather reject him than give him the chance to humiliate me.
Plus it doesn't really matter to me, it's good he found a wolfie who would put up with his crap, and besides werewolves and werecats do not mix.
Right…
I finally reached the last room. The door was large, dark, and had his name all over it. Literally, his name was plastered on it.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door.
All possible reactions started to pop into my head. Like, what if there is another girl in there, or what if he slams the door in my face when he sees it's me? Well, it was too late now I walked all this way, and I am not backing down now.
I was brought out of my thoughts when the door swung open.
Kael stood there, in nothing but grey sweatpants hanging low on his waist, exposing his V-line. His hair was messy; clearly, I had disturbed whatever he was doing.
I shifted my eyes to meet his as I realized I had been staring for too long. He stared at me with a cold, yet calm gaze.
"We need to talk," I said bantly.
He stepped back, letting me through. I looked around his room, which was dark, as I had expected, judging from the door.
"You have 30 seconds."
I opened my mouth to say something, but the words weren't coming out.
"You're re wasting my time." He said. "Curfew is in ten minutes."
"Don't rush me, I know exactly how long I have till curfew," I lied. I didn't even check the time before leaving my room.
"This situation between us needs to be dealt with. I can't focus," I declared.
"You came all the way for this." He tried to close the door, but I blocked it with my hand, stopping him.
"I'm serious."
"I'm serious too, I focus quite peacefully if you ask me," he said. He clearly wasn't taking my words seriously.
"Cut the crap, deep shit, all you're doing is playing in my face right now," I said. I was now getting irritated.
"We need to do that thing so that we can leave each other alone," I said.
"You think it's that easy?" he spat. "You think we can pretend that nothing happened, that this doesn't exist."
"Yes!" I spat back, " Look, you made it very clear you want nothing to do with me, and I am simply obliging to your request, so let's end it."
"End it, wow." Kael laughed sarcastically. " You think you have the right to just walk up here, reject me, and everything will be alright."
"Well, when you put it that way…" I started.
"Alright," he nodded. "End it then."
I felt something break inside of me. Did he really hate me that much that he wouldn't even give it a chance?
"I Akilah daughter of the Sun, princess of Felinara reject you Kael as my mate," I said without hesitation, not showing him how much this actually affects me.
I stared into his eyes, waiting for his reply. I saw his jaw twitch.
My heart pounded.
His face remained completely expressionless.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Fifteen.
Then…
He laughed.
Before he finally opened his mouth to release the words, I had already begun to dread.
"No," he said with a smirk plastered on his face.
"What?" I breathed as my blood began to boil. "You can't do that. I rejected you, and you should accept it, I command it!"
He stepped closer.
"You don't get to decide when this bond ends," he replied.
"You don't get to decide when this bond ends."
Another step.
"You found me."
Another.
"You're mine."
"And when I decide I'm done with you…"
His voice dropped lower.
"I'll let you know."
I stared at this monster in front of me, anger fuming inside of me.
"Now get out," he said, grabbing my arm, throwing me out of his room before slamming the door behind me.
I should've felt relieved.
Instead…
Something inside me quietly shattered.
I turned around to look at his door before punching it hard, but not hard enough to break but to leave a dent in it.
The door opened again as he came out and saw what I did before looking at me.
"And there are many more where that came from," I said, leaving without waiting for his reply.
By the time I had reached my dorm room, I had only one minute to spare before curfew.
I paced back and forth angrily, rethinking what had just happened.
Running my hands through my hair, I grabbed my desk chair, throwing it across the room.
If Kael wanted a war…
I'd give him one.
He thought refusing my rejection meant he'd won.
He had no idea…
He'd just made the biggest mistake of his life.