Fated Mates: The Fae

Leif: Chapter Four

Leif

It was hard to say goodbye to Ronan every time he left. Especially when I knew he only had two weeks left here before he turned eighteen and didn't return.

I slept with him the night before. Not s*x or anything like that. But cuddles and limbs draped over each other type of sleep. He usually didn't like the arrangement but conceded since we only had so much time left. I think he wanted me to sleep in his room with him too but he was too stubborn to ask. But whatever.

I stared at his sleeping form and tried to memorize every single beautiful thing this man had to offer this world. He was carved so intricately by his Goddess, that I was almost jealous of it. Almost.

His opalescent skin was painted with tattoos; on his arms, chest, and right under the waistband of his boxers. I wanted to touch all of those places, trace the outlines of the moon he had on his chest and the name of his niece on his bicep. I wanted to lick the tattoo of the horizon he had under his waistband and feel his muscles undulating under my tongue.

But he needed sleep. I wasn't blind. I knew that he was getting less and less sleep every time he came over. I knew he wasn't doing well at home either. But he didn't like talking about that with anyone. And I knew he was helping Wyatt and his girl, the one that was almost identical to the she-devil, with his niece.

So I let him sleep and watched him before I knew I was going to have to let him go.

When his father arrived with his brother a few hours later, I painted on a smile and pretended it didn't hurt to see him go without me.

After that, I got dressed and went out with Hart and a few other friends to the school where we spent our free time trying to up our ranks. It was stupid. I didn't want to be there but where else would I go?

While Hart and his friends went on to the fire elements classroom to practice their fire-wielding skills, I stood in front of the rank board and stared at Ronan's name on the top of our age group.

My name was just beneath his and Ivy Hightower was a point beneath mine.

"Seems unfair for him to be counted when he doesn't even have to go through half the crap we do, huh?"

I don't turn to the familiar voice next to me. Ivy was complicated. Around Ronan, she turned into a complete c*nt, but once he was gone, I could see why the boys of our class drooled over the chance at getting with her. She was nice. Just not to Ronan.

She was also f*cking gorgeous. Her hair was pin straight and the darkest black I had ever seen, right down to above a thick ass. She had a small waist and if I had to guess, D-cup-sized boobs. She, along with every other Fae woman, wore dresses every day. But Ivy always wore dresses that accentuated every curve she had.

She had a heart-shaped face and a cute, little pointed nose with full lips she always covered with dark plum lipstick that matched her purple eyes.

I probably would have been her friend if she hadn't treated Ronan so badly. And while Ronan was home, she talked to me like she talked to everyone else. As if we were friends.

"Not really. He earned his spot. He's not here for nearly as long as the rest of us and has still managed to get himself to the top of the board."

"Yeah, he gets to be on top but doesn't have to do the rest of the stuff we have to."

I quirk an eyebrow at Ivy. It sounds like she doesn't like the sexism in this place either. Of course, I could report her for even hinting at not liking the system we were born in. Despite hating the girl. I wouldn't. I didn't know what type of punishment that would incur and I didn't want to find out.

"You don't want to be chosen?"

Ivy scrunches her nose and looks around the empty halls. Most of the other Fae are in classrooms or at home like sane people.

"I didn't say that and I never will." She hisses at me and I smirk. The words ring true, but I know it's just because she didn't want to incriminate herself.

"If Ronan was allowed to choose, would you want him?"

She sighs heavily and stares up at the board. "Yes. No. I don't know. I...It's a complicated matter."

I furrow my eyebrows. "It's not. He's the most powerful. Every girl wants the most powerful guy on the board. That's a fact."

She scrunches her nose. "That's true. But the fact that he is a different supernatural changes things, doesn't it?"

I roll my eyes. "Why? He is part Fae. His father is part Fae. His grandmother is part Fae. And his grandmother is part Fae. Or full. I'm not sure how long the line goes but you get the point."

"He's a wolf shifter." The demeaning way she says it makes me ball my fists.

"So what?"

"So he's not one of us. Especially since they aren't making him adhere to the laws and rules we all have to adhere to."

"He's not allowed to mingle with Fae women. He's not allowed to transform. He's pretty f*cking shackled here. And you also haven't taken into account how sh*tty most people treat him here." I look at her pointedly. "Let alone how he's treated at home. Not having to choose from a long list of women is a Gods send for him."

She rolls her eyes and presses her lips together. "Why does it even matter to you? I mean other than the fact that you and him suck each other's d*cks, why do you care so much?"

I raise my eyebrows and ignore the question. Love was another fantasy around here. She wouldn't understand it just like she was prejudiced about every other supernatural being like everyone here was taught to be.

I was lucky enough to be born to parents who fell in love before my father chose my mother. He courted her after he chose his top ten and they have been inseparable since then.

And they also weren't prejudiced assholes who taught their children to think they were above everyone else.

"He's only here for a couple more weeks. You could try not to be a b*tch."

She smiles and shrugs. "Maybe." She says and she sighs. She looks wistfully up at the board and then back at me.

"There's no chance of you choosing me, huh?"

I raise my eyebrows at her and chew on the inside of my cheek. Her purple eyes are piercing as she looks up at my face and I shrug.

"Out of loyalty to Ronan, probably not."

She nods as if she expected that answer and sighs. "He's going to leave here and forget all about you. He hates this place. It's evident in everything he does. Your loyalty to him isn't going to change that. I'm not begging you to consider me, but we would make powerful children. Think about it."

She walks away and I watch her ass sway with every step. I claw a hand through my hair, feeling confused. And I hate that I feel that way. It wasn't like I hadn't thought that before. But I also didn't expect Ivy to even ask me to consider her.

I walked aimlessly through the halls and tried to get our conversation out of my head. She would be chosen in this first round. There was no doubt about it. And after Ronan finds his mate, I have no doubts in my mind that he will do exactly as Ivy said and forget about me. As much as neither of us wanted that, it didn't make it any less true.

But it felt wrong to even consider marrying the girl who made his life miserable since we were old enough to walk and talk.

I stop by Mr. Green's office and knock on his open door. He's bent over his desk, the top of his balding head shining with sweat as he flips through a mountain if paperwork. It would be easier if the Fae shelled out money to digitize everything. Whatever. Not my problem.

"Green?"

"Yes, Leif?"

I hesitate as I watch him finish writing something on his desk and looks up at me.

"I want a redo on my list."

He smiles and seems to sag in relief. "Good. Because I took a look at your list and it seemed to me like it was all a joke to you."

It was. But Ronan was right. I needed to think about who I was going to be stuck with for the rest of my life.

"Yeah, so can I?"

"You may. But I'd like a list soon."

I nod then turn my back pack around and dig through the papers I stuffed in there this morning and pull out the paper Ronan made for me.

"Can I borrow a pen?"

My stomach flipped at my thoughts, but he nods and stands straight, handing me a pen.

I look down the list Ronan made me and feel my chest get heavy with the decision I was making.

In neat letters over Ronan's loopy writing, I write down one last name and take a deep breath.

I hand the page over to Green and he skims through it, furrowing his eyebrows.

"He did this for you?"

I wince and shrug. "Yeah. But I looked them over myself and I agree with the women he chose for me."

Green looks up at me and closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. "He's a good kid. It just sucks that he isn't being considered for a wife. The High Fae made a mistake in not letting him choose."

"He wouldn't want to. He believes I'm fated mates. That's what he wants."

"It's a shame. His offspring would have been strong wielders if he was paired with a strong Fae woman."

I keep my thoughts strictly in my brain and nod once to let him know I heard him.

"Yeah, well that's my new list. Sorry to bother you on the weekend."

"It's no issue at all. This is a marginally better list. Ronan has good taste."

I smirk at that and nod. "Yeah, he does."

I leave then, deciding to go back home instead of practicing. I was already near the top and there was no way I would beat Ronan, so it didn't matter if I climbed on the rank board.

Once home, I threw my sh*t down on the ground and headed for Ronan's bedroom. The sheets still smelled of him and I was glad my mom hadn't come over yet to do laundry. Despite him having just been here this morning, I didn't want to let go.

But I needed to get my head straight and try to because our future apart was inevitable and nothing was going to change it.