Shade Academy

Chapter 16

"Miss. Ashford?" A mans voice said from behind me. I put my coffee down and turned to him. "Yes? Who are you?" I asked. He lowered his head "I am Jonah ma'am. I have come to inform you that you have a visitor." I furrowed my brow, who could be here? I didn't tell anyone where I was going. "Did whoever it is give you a name?" I questioned. Jonah shook his head looking shameful. "It's alright. Ask who it is, I don't want strangers in the house." I said waving him away. 

Jonah scurried away and I turned back to Axel. "Must be nice." He said, there was an edge to his tone. "What?" I asked. Axel just shook his head, not saying anything. "Fine, whatever." I said in aggravation as I stood and stormed out of the room. Axel caught up to me quickly, grabbing my arm to stop me. I jerked my arm away from him and narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm sorry Anna, I didn't mean anything by it." He told me in a softer tone. I rolled my eyes and put my hands on my hips. "No Axel, I am not playing this hot and cold game with you anymore. I care about you and I feel drawn to you, yes, but I will not play anymore games." 

When I turned to walk away this time, he didn't stop me. Good, maybe he will actually sit and think about how he is acting. I can't handle it anymore. "Miss. Ashford." Jonah's sudden voice mad me jump. "Yes, Jonah?" I asked, slightly annoyed. He just keeps popping up out of nowhere. "Your visitor says his name is Samuel Griffin." My eyes bulged. No way, he followed me? I was equal parts angry and happy he had. "let him in tell him I am in the library." Jonah nodded, and I made my way back to the library. I know I had spent all night in there, but I needed more information. 

I already knew that I had the power of two entire covens within me, and not just any covens but two of the original families. Not only that, but as the powers are passed down from generation to generation the powers grow and increase in strength giving the barer more power than the previous generation. So if an entire bloodline dies out, so does their magic. But if an entire bloodline dies leaving only one blood descendant the power that person inherits will be that of all the others before them, including the power boost they would normally get. In short, my power was ten times more than I ever knew. What I have unlocked as of now was only the tip of a very large ice burg. 

If we're being honest, I didn't want this power. I would give every drop of it just to have my family here and alive. To have them with me. I sighed as I sat on the recliner in the library. I held my head in my hands, as all the thoughts raced through my head. Why had the original families been attacked? And why were only the Ashfords and whitemore coven been killed off? None of it made sense, especially since the Ashfords weren't attacked until last. How had all the other covens survived, but the Ashford and Whitemore been killed when they were in the same place when attacked. Two original families, two powerful families killed while in the same place together. It just didn't make sense. 

I couldn't wrap my head around it, something just wasn't adding up. Were the original families allied with the rouges to kill off the Ashford and Whitemore covens? If so, then why? Were they the most powerful covens and the others jealous? It's not like they would get the powers those families held once they died, the powers would die with the family. Unless there was a way to get the power by other means. And if there was, then they would have known another family member was still out there and would have been looking for them. Did they know it was me? Did they know I was both Ashford and Whitemore? No, there was no way. I didn't even know. Well, there really wasn't much I knew to begin with. 

"Ugh" I groaned, throwing my head against the back of the chair. "You alright Anna?" Samuel's voice sent a wave of calm through me making me smile. "No, not really. But I will be." Samuel walked towards me and kneeled in front of me grasping my hands in his. "What is it?" He asked. I sighed, pulling away from him and standing. I started pacing the small space, telling Samuel my thoughts leaving out the part where I was Whitemore as well, I'd tell him that later. 

"I never thought about it that way. You may be onto something." Hearing that from Samuel mad me both happy and uneasy. "Samuel, I have something to tell you." I said looking down at my shoes. Samuel gently lifted my head to face him, his blue eyes soft and inviting. "You can tell me anything," He said gently. I took a deep breath. "My mother was Marie Annabella Ashford." Samuel nodded. "My father was Zander Xavier Whitemore." 

Samuel's eyes widened and his hand fell from my face. He backed slowly away from me, never taking his eyes off of me. I noticed though, that now fear was there. Plain as day. I felt the tears as they filled my eyes. "Axel was right. I never should have said anything." I turned on my heel and ran. I didn't stop until I got to my room, slammed and locked the door. 

I leaned my back on the door and slid down it. Pulling my knees up to my chest and tucking my head between them, I cried. I cried out my frustration, my fears, my anger, my sadness. I let it all out. Samuel's silent rejection added to everything I already had been feeling, making it so much worse, adding so much pain. 

A knock came at my door. "Go away!" I yelled. They knocked again, more persistent this time. "I said go away!" I screamed. When whoever it was knocked again I yanked the door open angrily. "What?" I said harshly. Axel flinched back at my outburst. "I wanted to talk to you about what you said earlier. And I felt your pain and confusion, I wanted to check on you." 

"What do you mean you felt it?" Axel rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Through the mate bond. A shifter whoever mated to can feel their mates emotions if they are strong enough. Once they mate fully and accept each other fully, the bond gets stronger and works both ways. You could feel me and I could feel you. It helps when one is in danger because you'd be able to feel it." 

I just chuckled, at this point nothing could surprise me. "Come on in." I said opening the door wide and letting him in before closing it behind him.