Chapter One
I looked over at the waves and felt extremely at peace as the breeze brushed over me, accompanied by the salty hint of the sea. Being transported here, with no means of escape for two years, should’ve been daunting in a way, but it was hard feeling anything but at ease at the academy.
My brother Nym had found his fated mate on our very first day here,the lucky bastard,but he had dragon instincts that somehow knew things us other shifters didn’t. Nym had also refused to date anyone before coming here, simply because he felt like there was no use for it. I had gone in the opposite direction, wanting to have some fun before I found my forever person, especially since we weren’t guaranteed to ever find our fated mate (unless you were a student here). I’d dated since I turned sixteen and being a prince, I could date pretty much anyone I wanted. I was eighteen now, and stuck at Hillslane academy for two years with the knowledge that my fated was also a student here.
I should’ve been tired of dates always ending unsatisfied and disappointed, but I wasn’t. I had to date around to find my fated. Now I was even more determined than ever to do just that. The only difference was that I only wanted to know if they were mine or not. When I was younger I'd been in it for the fun parts, too. Now there wasn’t anything tempting for me if I knew they weren’t mine to keep, especially when I knew my matewasa student here.
“You aren’t having fun, are you, Jamie?” my current date asked, sounding dejected.
I sighed and returned my gaze to Brennan, giving him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry.”
His smile felt just as fake as mine did. “Want to make out?”
I blinked, having clearly heard him wrong. “What?”
“You want to make out?”
“Um, why?” I asked, having clearly missed some kind of social clue somewhere whilst looking at the ocean.
He shrugged. “Because you’re hot and why shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves?”
“Um, because it’s clear we aren’t fated?” I suggested, but he just shrugged again. “Because I feel weird about kissing someone I know isn’t meant for me?” I tried, but he just shrugged again. I sighed. “Listen, you’re great and you have a mate waiting for you somewhere in the academy. I have my own and I don’t want to offend you, but I wouldn’t get anything out of kissing you.”
I actually felt pretty disgusted by the thought alone, but I wouldn’t tell Brennan that. He was a good-looking guy, but Nym had told me I would enjoy spending time with my fated, never wanting my attention to waver when I was with them. With Brennan, I’d looked to the ocean, my mind already elsewhere. It was clear he wasn’t mine and I wasn’t about to kiss him with my fated mate so close.It felt wrong.
Brennan huffed and stormed off, leaving the sand to float around me in his wake. I batted it away, desperate to not get any in my eyes. I fucking hated sand when it wasn’t on the ground,where it belonged.
The ocean continued to move in soft waves in front of me, so I decided to stay a little longer, basking in the silence. Brennan wasn’t mine, so I mentally crossed him off the list.
“Want to share why Brennan was all huffing and puffing as he stomped away from you?” my friend Casey asked teasingly. Casey and I had grown closer ever since Nym mated with Harpy. Harpy was Casey’s best friend and ex and Nym was my brother. So it sort of seemed natural that Casey and I would spend more time together now that Nym and Harpy were busy being in love.
I smiled at him and patted the sand beside me where Brennan had just been. “He wasn’t mine either,” I said, staring back over the ocean, then returned my gaze to Casey. He looked miserable. “Another rough night?”
He nodded, biting his bottom lip. He had a lot of nights where he couldn’t sleep. I hated that for my friend, but he assured me he would be fine, so I’d let it go.
“I might need to slow down on the dating,” I confessed, feeling slightly ashamed of myself.
“Why? Aren’t you having fun with it?” he asked, sounding a tad off.
I shrugged. “I only agree to date them in the hope they’ll be mine, you know? I think some of them have been nice enough, but ever since that first guy, Hyland, I feel like they only want to date me because I’m a prince.”
“But youarea prince,” Casey pointed out with a teasing grin.
I scoffed, smiling at him. “I would like to mean more to someone than just my status.”
“You mean more to me,” he whispered, staring down at his hands.
I furrowed my brow. “I know that, Casey, we’re friends.”
He only nodded and looked out over the waves. I’d gone on my first date a week ago and Nym had been angry with me ever since. He kept shaking his head at me every time I mentioned I had a new date. Bastard that he was. Couldn’t he understand how I felt? He’d been lucky, sniffing out Harpy on the first day,literally. But I had to do the fucking work, and since I was into both menandwomen, even more could potentially be mine.
“It’s so warm out,” Casey said, bringing my attention back to him. “I think I’ll go for a swim.”
I was about to remind him that he didn’t exactly have any clothes with him meant for swimming, him being in his tight pants and robe. He likely wore one of those loose-fitting shirts underneath. He tended to adore those. Suddenly I couldn’t speak as Casey stood and discarded his robe, then his loose shirt. Before I knew it, he’d unlaced his pants and slowly dragged them down his thighs, showing off his navy underwear. My throat went all dry on me as I watched his pale stomach. He was lean with little muscle definition, but somehow here with the sun slowly setting, the small divots and creases could be seen so clearly.
Casey was a beautiful man. I’d always thought so. His blue eyes were so vibrant and lively. His brown hair shone gold in sunlight. I wished I’d asked him out when we first met, because now I wouldn’t ever risk souring our friendship. When his blue eyes had met mine that first day we were introduced, I’d been mesmerized. But he’d been with Harpy then, and a part of me knew he wouldn’t be able to casually date. Harpy had known Nym was his, so it had been easier for him to move on from Casey. However, Casey still wasn’t ready to date around, preferring to study and spend time with me when I wasn’t on my dates. At least that’s what he said last time I’d asked him.
“You coming?” Casey grinned, standing almost naked next to me, his briefs were way too tight for my liking. What if someone else decided to come to the beach? They would see just how gorgeous Casey was.I didn’t like that.