EZRA

Fuck.

She had grown.

How long had it been since I last saw her?

The plan had been to stay away from the pack till the next crystal anniversary, but Carden had requested my presence. And I knew he wouldn't force it if it wasn't urgent.

I definitely wasn’t expecting to run into her the very minute I stepped into the damn mansion.

Eleanor was easily five feet four, but she packed mean long legs, and the shorts she currently had on, put them on display for my helpless eyes.

I swallowed, forcing my gaze away from those legs of hers to her face.

Fuck.

Her lips had grown plumper than the last time I saw them.

I tried to focus on what she said about Zachary.

“Don’t call me that!” she snapped, her cheeks turning red as her green eyes met mine.

My wolf, Duryan jumped excitedly at seeing her, but I cautioned him.

She’s not ours.

And Eleanor was untouchable. Especially by me.

“I’ll call you whatever I want, Beetle.” I replied cooly, stepping fully into the huge library.

Carden let out an exasperated breath. “That’s enough, you two.” he scolded, then turned to his favorite person in the world. “Tell me, Ellie. Why did you reject Alpha Zachary? I remember how excited you were when you recognized him as your mate.” he moved forward and past Liv, stopping just a few meters away from her.

Eleanor flickered a guilty gaze my way, then back to Carden. “He didn’t really want me. He has taken a chosen mate..”

By the time she was done speaking, I was ready to rip Zachary apart.

I had warned him.

Hurt her and he was dead.

That bastard had not listened.

I swallowed my rage, watching her gaze flicker with uncertainty as she awaited Carden’s reaction.

When Eleanor had first arrived at our borders, he had immediately, without seeing either her or Liv, requested they be turned away.

I had been both annoyed and amused, even at seven, to hear that a little girl was demanding to see the Alpha or she wasn’t going anywhere.

And she had stayed put, even defying Liv, who had been in a weakened state.

I had snuck into Carden’s truck when he had gone to send them on their way personally, and I could testify that we had both been shocked to see the dark haired scrawny little girl who kept standing on shaky legs with her chin held high.

Nope.

She had him wrapped around her fingers.

“That bastard!” Carden bellowed. “How dare he treat one of mine like that!”

I could literally see the smoke coming off his ears.

I felt same.

I had been so pissed when I found out that of all the males the goddess had chosen for her, it had to be that asshole.

Girls pined for him, and it had gone straight into his thick skull.

Eleanor gave a small smile, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter, Carden. I have rejected him, and he is of no concern of mine anymore.” she sighed shakily, her eyes warm.

He may not be a concern of yours, Beetle, but he was certainly mine now.

“Eleanor_” Carden started to say, but she cut him off.

Huh?

“Before you say anything, I have something I wanted to tell you all.” She looked at all of us, then back to Carden, wringing her hands together. “I have been keeping this till I was sure, but now it has been confirmed, I think it’s best I say it now.”

I frowned, wondering what it is she wanted to say that was making her this nervous.

“I got into the Moonlight Academy For Gilded Bloodline.”

The silence was deafening, as we all gaped in shock.

My ears rang.

My heart dropped.

She had to be joking...

“No.”

“No.”

“Hell no, Beetle.”

Her face paled as we all voiced our disapproval at the same time. Her eyes widened, and the hurt I saw there wasn’t there when she had talked about Zach.

This one was different.

She looked like she had been slapped in the face.

“But_”

Liv placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “Look, the M.A.G.B is not for you, Ellie. They will eat you alive in there!”

Eleanor pushed her away, “Are you saying I’m not strong enough to be seen as gilded?” She snapped harshly, but Liv stood her ground.

“Think about this, Ellie. You have made enough bad decisions for today!”

“And how is this a bad decision?”

Carden stepped in. “We are not condemning you, Ellie, but there are other schools, proper for a girl like you.”

I scowled.

I disapproved for personal reasons. But Liv and Carden should have known Eleanor enough to realise they were only making matters worse.

And from the way her brows drew together, I was right.

What I didn’t expect, was to hear my name.

“But Ezra can go? I should go to a proper school for girls, but he can go to M.A.B.G? Remember how it was the topic of discussions for years until he got in? Why is it now a taboo for me?”

Carden hissed.

I raised my hands with a nonchalant frown. “Hey, you could make your point without bringing me into it.” I threw the words, knowing what I was about to say next would only get her to explode. “And they are right, M.A.G.B is not for a girl like you, Beetle. You should go to one of those princess schools or something.” I shrugged, then smirked when she physically moved to confront me.

It was Carden who held her back. I secretly wanted to see what she had been about to do.

Carden's next words had my shoulder's stiffening.

“Fine. You can go there. But on one condition. One academic year, and if you do not come out with the results you are supposed to come out with, you are out!”

I knew Carden couldn’t say not to her, but this was beyond being wrapped around her finger. This was straight up dark magic.

“This is bullshit!” I snapped, as Eleanor, though stunned, jumped into his arms. “You know how competitive it can get in there, and you are just going to throw her into the den? C’mon, man!”

He turned to me with a raised brow. “I’m sure she can cope. Besides, you will be there to take care of her. Won’t you?”

It was said with so much casualness, then if you didn’t know him, you would miss the threat beneath it.

I took one long enraged look at Carden, forcing myself to ignore her even if I felt her eyes on me, before turning and walking away.

“Make sure you are back here by dinner. We still have to talk!”

But I wasn’t listening to him.

I needed to be far away from them before I lost it in front of her.

How dare she?

Why did she have to be in my fucking face all the fucking time?

First my house...

And now the only place where I could escape her annoyingly angelic beautiful face...

My fucking school!

And now I was supposed to babysit the very person I had spent months getting her fucking green eyes out of my head!

“Fucking hell!” I growled, getting into my car.

I needed a distraction.

And I knew one.

Duryan, although annoyed at me leaving Eleanor's presence, took a dangerous stance.

Eleanor

What the hell was his problem?

Alpha Ezra was had and would always be a pain in the ass.

Only one person on earth, called me Beetle.

And it was the man who had stormed out of the library, clearly enraged because his uncle had asked him to look after me in a school he clearly did not want me in.

I refused to allow my thoughts to wander to how good he looked, and how piercing his eyes were.

Gosh, the last time I had seen him, we had had a fight because I had insisted on going to a pack party for young adults.

And then Ezra had gotten into a fight with a young wolf who had pulled me against him while we were dancing.

I had never been so embarrassed like I had that day. Especially when I had been about to handle it on my own.

Now he was against me going to the academy.

Why did he always feel like he had a say in my business?

I pushed Ezra out of my mind and picked up my pen and notepad, taking note of the things I needed.

I had exactly one week before the academy resumed, and that was a really short time to prepare.

I still couldn’t believe Carden had agreed to let me go, despite Liv disapproving. After trying to get her to accept and she remained adamant, he had sent me to my room and picked her bridal style to their bedroom.

Yes. Liv and Carden were a thing.

They were not fated mates, but they did love each other.

I climbed onto my bed and got to work.

~

The sound of the window shifting had me sitting up, and my wolf alert. I was almost out of the bed to attack whoever or whatever it was, when I smelled him.

“What are you doing in my room?” I hissed, aware of how intoxicatingly good he smelled.

There was a hint of alcohol though, and something...metallic_ “Oh my goodness, are you injured?” I switched on the bedside lamp but Ezra scoffed.

“Calm down, Beetle. It’s not mine.” he said casually, his tall frame occupying so much space in the room, that it made my room look too small, and warm.

Had he really gotten into a fight on his first night back into the pack?

It was not rare, and at a point, I had learned to mind my business.

I sat back in my bed, watching him with narrowed eyes. “What are you doing in my room?” I asked again, peeping at the bedside clock to see I had slept till it was almost time for dinner.

“It’s my house.” he shrugged and moved to my reading table, picking up a book. “I can be wherever I want.”

The thick hair on his head fell forward, in a way that made my hand itch to touch it.

Jeez, Eleanor! Cut it out! I scolded myself.

I searched for a retort, but came out empty. So I kept quiet instead, watching him.

“You can’t go to the academy, Beetle. It doesn’t suit you.” Ezra said after a moment, placing my book back on the table.

My ears rang at his words.

He turned so his eyes were now on me, and I was suddenly aware of them.

“Why?” I asked, swallowing my annoyance. I was on the brink of losing it, though.

“Because I said so.”

My mouth gaped open. “You don’t get to decide that!” I snapped, getting off the bed. "It is my decision to make!"

Ezra growled, moving with the speed of light until he was inches away from me.

His icy blue eyes flashed and pierced into mine. “Well I am telling you the truth, Beetle. Why not go to the other schools? There are a few out there that would be suitable for you. Why do you have to come to the one I am in?” He sounded pissed.

But his words hit me. And I actually felt a sliver of hurt slide up my spine.

We had never gotten along.

For the years since I got into Nairethorne, Ezra had mostly avoided me. And in the times where we couldn’t avoid each other, it had been a tug of war.

I blinked, his scent hitting me as I inhaled sharply. “Do you really hate me that much, that you can’t stand to be in the same school as me?” A hard lump formed in my throat.

My voice was way too small and shaky for my liking.

I saw his blazing eyes dim slightly at my words, before he broke our gaze, slipping his fingers through his thick hair. “Eleanor, I don_It’s not like that_I just..” he sighed. “I just_fuck!”

I was right.

He didn’t want me with him.

I took a step back, and Ezra flashed me a look. “I have made my decision. And Carden has accepted. So whether you refuse or not, it’s none of my business.”

He looked at me for the longest time, his eyes hardening.

Had he been expecting me to say I wouldn't go again because he didn't want me there?

“Fine. But once we cross those gates, you stay the fuck away from me.” he advanced towards me, and instinctively, I took a step back. “I don’t want you in my space, Beetle. And I mean it.” my back hit the wall, and Ezra stalked nearer, placing a hand on the wall over my shoulder. “You want to be at Moonlight? Fine. But know that you are on your own.”

There were very few times I had been up close with Ezra. But not like this.

This was too much.

This was sending a huge swarm of butterflies fluttering low in my belly.

His face was barely two inches away from mine, and I could feel his breath on my lips. His lower chest grazed the tips of my breasts, and I fought a gasp as my nipples instantly hardened.

Oh dear. What was happening to me?

I blinked rapidly, forcing myself to think.

“Ezra Nairethorne, Even if I am paid ten million dollars, I wouldn’t still want to be in your space. I have no business with you, so quit being a cry baby and man up to the fact that I was able to get into the best academy for our kind.” I heard myself say, still painfully aware of him.

His eyes fell to my lips, and flashed red, then back to their original color. A smirk formed on his lips, and he raised his gaze back to mine. “Okay then. Goodluck at the academy.”

And then he was gone, taking his warmth with him and sliding back out of the window from where he had entered.

A heavy gasp left my lips, and my heartbeat accelerated, making me slide down the wall until I was sitting on the floor.

What the hell!

Since when did I care about Ezra Nairethorne’s hair, eyes or lips?!

And since when did he have any kind of effect on my body?!

And why was that so hot?!!!

Eleanor

“Get down.”

The order was curt and cold, just like the source.

I blinked at Ezra, who had his eyes trained ahead of him, his fists wrapped tightly around the steering wheel.

We had driven in quietness with him ignoring me the whole of the four hours it took to get to the academy. We had only spoken when we got to a gas station and he nonchalantly asked if I needed anything.

Now though, four hours later, we were parked a small distance away from the entrance of the Academy.

“Why? Did something happen to your car?” I asked, even if I already had a sinking feeling of exactly why he was asking me to get down.

“I will not repeat myself, beetle.”

I swallowed. “I know you said to stay out of your way, but this is too much, Ezra. You don’t expect me to walk all the way in there_”

The slamming of the car door was what alerted me to the fact that he had gotten out and was now walking towards the back.

I got out of the car in time to see him pull out my suitcases from the trunk.

“You wanted to come to Moonlight.” He slammed the trunk shut. “Welcome to the Moonlight Academy for Gilded Bloodlines, Beetle.”

And then before i could come up with a reply, he had gotten into his car and zoomed off, leaving me standing there, my mouth hanging open in awe.

For the one week before we went back, Ezra had steered clear of the mansion, and while I knew it was just him being himself, this time, I knew he was going out of his way to avoid me.

The car currently disappearing from sight was evidence.

I fought the urge to kick and scream about how much I hated him.

Gosh, I hated him!

Instead, I huffed in annoyance and eyed the two heavy suitcases I had packed.

Forty-nine minutes and over six hundred silent curses later, and I was rolling the suitcase into the reception of the academy.

With no one but my map to guide me, I had gotten the direction wrong, twice!

“Your name?” The woman at the reception asked, not lifting her eyes from her computer for even a second.

I looked at her name tag to see the name ‘Cassie’, written boldly on it.

“Eleanor. Eleanor Grayerh.” I answered, stammering slightly.

The movement of her fingers across her keyboard stopped, and she raised her gaze to me. “What did you say your name is again?”

I frowned, seeing an odd expression cross her face. “Eleanor Grayerh.”

Cassie’s expression turned blank for a few seconds before she turned away and typed in my name into the computer.

She reached under her desk and produced a file. “You have been assigned to Red towers. Your room number, keys, id card, and everything you need is in there.”

I mumbled a thank you as she went back to her computer, gesturing for the next person to come.

As I walked away, I felt the urge to look back, but still saw her gaze trained on her computer, and frowned.

“Watch it!” A voice sneered, but it was too late as I crashed into a body, the envelope in my hand flying and the contents falling to the floor.

I gasped, steadying myself, and looked up to see a blonde staring daggers at me.

She was dressed head to toe in the lightest shade of blue, resembling a character straight from a barbie movie.

“A perfect example of what we do not need at Moonlight.” she hissed, dusting off invisible dirt from her jacket where I assume my body had touched. “You are lucky I’m in a hurry or I would have thought you a lesson, clumsy bitch!”

I just stared, dumbfounded as she turned and strutted away, clutching a small channel purse, while two girls hurried after her with her suitcase.

Great.

Just what I needed.

Running into queen bee on my first day.

I dropped to the ground, gathering the contents of my envelope and sighed when I spotted my key on the far left.

I crawled to it, only to stop when a pair of shiny black heels stopped next to it, and when I thought the owner would kick it or something, a small hand reached downwards and picked it right up.

“I guess you are not exactly having a good first day now, are you?” A sweet voice asked, and I looked up to see a face I could only describe as front page magazine-worthy, looking down at me with a sweet smile.

Unlike the blonde, she was dressed in a very short black skirt, and a brown leather jacket with a small white top inside. Her brown hair was tied in a high ponytail that fell in waves down her back.

She had the prettiest hazel eyes I had ever seen that was framed with equally pretty dark brown lashes.

“You guessed right.” I answered with a smile of my own and allowed her pull me to my feet.

“I can imagine.” she said. “I’m Ava.” she handed me my keys. “And judging by the room number on that, our rooms are opposite each other.”

“Eleanor.” I replied, sightly regretting the fact that she was not my roommate.

Why couldn’t it be like those books or movies where the girl who saved you gets to be your roommate!

Ava, despite my protests, took my suitcase and led me towards our tower.

“I mean, it’s just a tall ancient building, but for some reason, they decided to call it a tower.” she was saying, as we made our way through the surprisingly scanty hall.

Turns out I was quite late, even without Ezra dropping me off outside the academy.

“Maybe to sound cool?” I offered, actually impressed by the environment.

Ava laughed in agreement.

It was really a school for the Elites.

And considering the amount paid to get in, they did a great job preserving the old structures which gave it a cooler and more mysterious vibe.

“Mind you, the girl you bumped into back there, that’s Jasmine. She’s a hybrid princess and the queen bee as you may have guessed.” I wasn’t surprised. “I personally do not give a fuck about people like that, but if you do, then she is one you have to stay away from.”

I scrunched my nose. “Nahh.. I really do not care about any queen bee, Ava.”

And it was true.

Zach was the last person I was every going to let walk all over me.

Ava raised a surprised brow. “Now I definitely like you and know we would be friends.”

We got to the door of my room and I turned the key, still smiling at Ava, but what greeted me wiped the smile off my face.