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This chapter contains scenes of violence and may not be suitable for all readers.
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I awoke sometime later and I was alone in bed. I sat up looking for Niko. I found myself missing him which in turn made feel feel needy and I hated it.
I threw back the covers and took a shower. The shedding was finally over and for that I was relived. For now at least. It would return!
After showering I dressed in jeans and a fitted t-shirt ane converse topped with a zip up hoodie.
Comfy but stylish.
I left my hair down and straightened it, taming the wild mane so I didn't look like I had an afro later.
I applied some mascara, filled in my brows, andr added some lip plumper to my lips. Simple by beautiful. It felt so nice to do these girly things once again. I had missed them so much.
I decided to try the doorknob. It had been unlocked since the incident in the cafeteria but I hadn't really been trying to leave my room. I hadr been preoccupied with other things.
The memories from yesterday flooded my mind and I felt my cheeks heat up with embarrassment. I had said such dirty things and literally begged him for those dirty things.
I was a virgin before yesterday..
How did I even know to say and do such things?
I twisted the doorknob and almost cheered when the door opened. Though they said they would leave it open aside from at night as long aes I didn't try to run I still wasn't sure how I felt about Brecclan and Luca.
I reluctantly stepped outside of my prison into a long corridor with many doors on either sides. The corridor was lit only by small sconces that set beside every door.
It was eerily quiet as I made my way through the neverending hallway.
Finally, I reach a landing. I looked over the banisters. There was a large iron chandelier with Crystal accents overhead in front of me and large windows over the door that looked out into the front yard.
In the center of thue front yard sat a large fountain were four stone figures stood wrapped around each other.
Wait!
Was that us?
I made a mental note to check it out later and continued exploring.
Below the windows where large metal doors with intricate designs etched into them. In the center of the door a large dragon with his tail wrapped in a D shape stood proudly. It had to be the Drago Crest.
I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that one of my mates was Goddess knows how old and could shift into a dragon.
The floors where all a dark hardwood polished to perfection.
I opted out of taking the elevator wanting to see more of the house so I took the set of stairs to my left. Both sets went to the first floor in a circular patten meeting at the door.
Once I reach the bottom of the steps there was a room to my right, one to my left and two more corridors on either side behind the stairs.
I made my way into the room on the right and found a huge library. A few people sat at the tables with books in front of them
Some where on the computers that where lined up on a long table and some walked through the rows of shelves.
I was stunned.
There had to be thousands of books in here.
I walked to one of the shelves and picked up a book. Moby d**k. First edition! Holy s**t! I went through more of the books all historical novels and most were in fact 1st editions. I had thought all books were ruined during the war but it seemed one or all of my mates treasured literature as much as I did.
I noticed a door to my right seemingly tucked away behind the shelves. It was a large wooden door that blended in with tye walls and had a gold plated on it that read archives. This had to be my mates family history. I had to get in there. I twisted the door knob an found it locked.
"You can't go in there. Only Mr. Drago and his mates are permitted and have the key." a skinny boy with glasses advised me. I rolled my eyes getting very aggravated that people here still didn't know who I was but I nodded my head and turned away. I would ask Niko about getting in to the room later.
I left the library and went to the room across from it. This was a large sitting area with a huge television bolted to the wall. There was a large fire place that sat against one wall with a love seat and two chairs surrounding it. There was two chairs that set on either side of a large window, and a large couch and love seat in front of the television. There was several people in here watching television and chatting amongst themselves. These people seemed to be happy to be here.
It made me feel better that these people weren't held here but were here will I fly and from what Ilsa had told me this was a sort of safe haven for them.
I backed out of the room and made my way to the corridor on the left that was basically just dorms and offices. There was fold plates on all the doors just like the archive room. I foune Brecclan, Niko, and Luca's office among other names ot people I was unaware of.
At the end of the corridor right after my mates office I gasped when I read the gold plate on tye door. "Aubrette Starvos" was engraved on the plate.
Why did I need an office here?
Finally, I went to the corridor on the right.
It to was line with doors only these weren't offices they were classrooms. This was tue corridor I had taken the other day. The day I was desperately trying to forget.
The rooms where filled with students and I found Niko in the first room I came to. He dirnt notice more or at least he acted ase if he didn't so I went to the next and peeped inside.
The next room was Luca's classroom . I foune myself smiling as I quietly watched him teaching tye students. He was so immersed in his lesson and seemed really interested in what he was teaching.
Quietly backing away I continued to the next room and found it was Brecclan's. He too was immersed in a lesson. The students listened attentively and didn't take their eyes off him. Especially the women in the classroom. I almost jerked back when I seen Brecclan's eyes flicker to me but instead otf being angry like I suspected the corner of his mouth lifted. As quickly asw it came it was gone and he turned his attention back to his lesson. I noticed glares from some of tye girls in tue room and felt jealousy radiate through tye bond. Had he been with them?
They were all beautiful and most people here were adults but living with girls who had been with any of my mates sexually didn't sit right with me. The urge to jump Brecclan and Mark him right then and there was overwhelming so I backed away and continued on my journey.
The last door I found was another classroom. There was a beautiful blonde woman standing at the front of the class. I had no clue who she was but found it odd she was the only other teacher I had seen, aside from my three mates. Maybe they took turns using the classrooms.
I continued to a large circular room at the end of the corridor. It was the lunchroom. I paused as fear gripped me as the memories assaulted my mind. I wasn't going to let that degrading episode make me fesr going anywhere so I walked in.
I hadn't taken the time before to appreciate thue beautiful architecture of the palace. My mates had literally built an entire school here.
I turned to head back the way I came and bumped into a hard chest that knocked me off my feet. I shook my head dazed from the fall and looked up. There was a young man standing there peering down at me with a look of disgust of his face. He had dark violet hair and eyes to match. His hair was cut short but messy and hung in his hate filled eyes. His shoulders and chest where huge. The biggest I had ever seen. He stood at least 7 foot tall and looked to have mountains that rolled across his shoulders and down his arms.
He had to be some type of lycan species.
He reach down and grabbed my shirt collar lifting me off the floor and into the air.
I grabbed his large first with North hands noticing both I my hands still didn't equal the size of his, and began to kick trying to get him to release me. "Watch where you going f*****g mutt!" He growled before I was sent airborne and crashing into the opposite wall.
My head flew back with a sickening thud and everything went dark.
My head was pounding like it would explode. I groaned unsure of my surroundings as I sat up.
My vision was blurry but after a few minutes begin to clear and I seen Luca, Nico, and Brecclan running into the room.
They had obviously felt my pain and loss of consciousness through the bond.
I looked around searching my surroundings for the large man who threw me. My eyes grew wide when I seen him immersed in the food on his plate enjoying his dinner sitting alone at one of the tables like nothing had happened.
The others in the room just watched me as if they where afraid or didn't care enough to come to my aid.
Ilsa ran in with a washcloth and gauze and handed it to Niko who bent down and looked at te back of my head. I hissed as he mived my hair away from tye wound and blotted it with tye hashtag and placed the gauze on top of it. I healed faster than a human but it would take until tomorrow for me to be fully healed.
Niko lifted me into his arms and everyone gasped at gis show of aftfection toward me. Some even glared at me as they had in Brecclan's classroom.. It was apparent noone had been told who I was.
"Who done this?" Brecclan demanded.
"Who done this to you?" Luca asked me. I reach up to hold my head the sound of their voice making it worse and felt a warm sticky substance seeping through the gauze. I brought my hand to my face and seen blood coating my fingers.
My eyes went to Luca's and I watched his Adams apple bob as he swallowed. He shook his head and looked at me.
"I'm fine Aubrette!" He reassured me.
"I need to lay down." I whispered laying my head on Niko's shoulder.
"This woman is off limits. If anyone so much as lays a finger on her you will be killed on sight. She's our mate. And if I find out who is responsible for this you will suffer consequences!" Brecclan growled and I watched as every one kept their eyes on their food aside from a few females who glanced up disapprovingly.
They were obviously going to be trouble. It was apparent that they were the mean girls of this place. Every school had them and this place was no different. Though this was more of a college than a highschool it looked as if maturity didn't change with some as they grew older.
There was 5 for them. The one who was their "leader" starred daggers through me. She had long silky straight blonde hair and yellow eyes with pink swirls. They were all dressed in crop tops ane bell bottoms. It seemed they tried to match each other though they wore different colors their styles were identical.
The rest looked as if they were obviously terrified of the large man who had done this to me as they glanced nervously at him out of re corner of their eyes.
Anger coursed through me. Was he doing this to everyone?
"Let me down Niko!" I demanded.
Niko reluctantly set me down on the floor. I locked eyes with his purple ones and starred him down.
'You think because your bigger than me you can push me around?" I growled making my way over to him.
"Juno did you do this?" Brecclan voice echoed from behind me.
Luca came up pulling on my shoulder. "Let it go Bre. Let's talk in the suite." He whispered.
I looked at him surprised. "Are you serious? You just want to let him by with this?" I gasped.
"Let's just go talk!" Brecclan came over to me.
"Fine!" I stomped my foot like a child and marched out of the cafeteria and went back to my room shutting the door behind me.
Blip was leaning on the window so I lifted, "You got to phase in his. You know this." I laughed. How could he be so smart but never remembered how to get in.
"Where have you been bub?" I asked scratching his head. He noticed my head wound and landed on my shoulder looking at it. "I'm okay big guy. Let me go get cleaned up." I lifted him and place him on the bed.
I went to the bathroom and rinsed the blood from my hair. Thankfully the wound had stopped bleeding.
I heard the bedroom door shut and ignored it.
I threw off my clothes and went to my closet and threw on a nightgown. I found some Tylenol and took 2 of them chasing them with water hopefully avoiding the headache I knew was going to come back full force.
I went back into the room to find all 3 of my mates sitting on the couch. I ignored them and crawled into bed resting my head.
"Bre there is something you need to know about Juno." Luca whispered lifting my feet and sitting them in his lap.
"I know all I need to. He is a bully and you guys let him by with it. Which is why he continues to do it." I snapped.
"Juno has autism. He doesn't like to be touched. It is a trigger for him. He was severely beaten and abused by his parents and their acquaintances. " He informed me and I shame overwhelmed me.
"I'm so sorry. Had I known. Oh my goddess I was about to use my magic against him." I gasped suddenly horrified by my actions.
"We have been working with him. It's slow progress but it's progress nonetheless." Niko explained.
"Don't feel bad Aubrette you didn't know." Brecclan told me before he turned and walked out.
I shook my head as I watched him disappear through the doorway.
"Is he never going to speak to me?" I asked groaning from the pain in my head.
"He will come around. Now get some rest." Luca kissed me lightly on the lips and so did Niko.
"We will send Ilsa to check on you and we'll be back after classes." Niko explained and I nodded closing my eyes as Niko tucked me in. "I lobe you baby." he whispered. "I love you more." I managed a smile. "Never!" he growled before kissing my cheek and leaving the room.
"Maybe I could help with Juno?" I thought as I had studied autism in my health class my mom hsd taught me. I had became fascinated by it and found myself studying it even when I wasn't doing school work.
People with autism simply seen the world differently and walked to the beat of their own drum. They were truly amazing and their love for those they trusted was unconditional.
Finally, I was able to close my eyes and drifted off to sleep.