BEAST ACADEMY 2: LET THE QUEEN RISE

Second Chapter

Bern's vibe song is 'Lush Life' by Zara Larsson. enjoy!

Eveline's POV

We were in the center of the small, lively town. Reece told me that this town is only for shifters and nearby is a human town, but this whole territory...is beasts'.

Reece, Bern, and I were heading to Benedict's shifter household and others went their ways after saying that we all will meet there. But before, Bern decided to give me a small tour of the village. I saw a small boutique and entered it to change these rags on me, I offered Bern and Reece but they insisted on changing right before tonight's evening in the household. Reece said that his uncle will throw a ball evening for his nephew's coming back.

I grabbed a plain black shirt and black jeans and after paying, in that second ran to changing room. After exiting the shop, I asked the guys who stood outside, "How we should go to your uncle's house?" Reece glanced in my direction and smiled, revealing crooked fangs. "Car will arrive in a sec" he muttered and to the view came a black car that stopped before us. Reece of course came forward, nodding to the chauffeur and entering inside the car pompously.

"What the hell is this?..." I whispered to Bern who burst out laughing, "This, Cam, is an aristocratic mode that Reece turned on since we came here," he winked at me and went after Reece.

***

We drove in silence. I looked outside the window and the boys were in the phones that the chauffeur gave them, but not to me. I would gladly have it to call my dad...curious how is he? I left without saying goodbye...

"My lord, we are here," said the driver from the front, was he calling Reece? Shoot...Who is this boy?

I looked outside the window instantly. The town was behind and we were near to the golden gates that opened when we drove inside. The mansion was magnificently huge. It was beige and there were fountains by the sides and big, green pine trees.

"Beautiful" I murmured but of course those two heard it.

"Sometimes I don't notice its beauty...I grew up here and spent every single day, seeing this mansion..." he blurts out, ruffling his light brown hair, creating an art disaster.

"Well...It's been a while...you see its beauty now" said Bern, laughing and patting Reece's shoulder on what he frowns. 

The car stopped near the mansion and the first who got of was Reece, When I got off the car, Bern offered me a hand but I ignored it, showing how independent I am. "Suit yourself..." he murmured to me.

"Nephew!" I heard a rusty voice but it wasn't like old people had, I looked up and saw how a man in his early fortieth hugged Reece. "Hello, uncle" Reece recoiled from his uncle's grasp and turned to me. "Uncle, this is Eveline Campbell, shifter from Beast Academy" the man turned to me with widened eyes and nodded in hospitality, "Welcome to my household of shifters, Miss Campbell, I hope you will feel like at home" 

"Thank you and call me Eveline," I gave him a small smile and he chuckled, giving attention to Bern, "So? Is she my boy's girl or yours?" these words were unexpected, really unexpected I should say.

Gladly, Bern's laughter made it all less uncomfortable, "Oh, dearest! She? Lord Benedict, are you forgetting my taste?" Uhm...I don't know if should I be offended? Like a Campbell, no but as a Lightwood...maybe. "So she is...?" Lord Benedict glanced at me and then at his nephew, "Sorry, but I don't date anyone...and don't know if I will...in near future" I smirked and watched Reece's reaction, his face was serious and it looked like he didn't care at my words...too bad, he ruined all the fun. 

"Alright then, anyway, it doesn't affect my relationship with you, young lady. You are still very welcome in my house" he chuckled and Bern burst out in a laugh while I was standing with a confused look.

After Bern and Benedict were talking with each other, I didn't notice how Reece came to me.

"Hey..." 

"Hey," I answered back and looked around, we were already inside and the mansion was very modern on the inside, with long marble stairs and portraits of people on every inch of the nearest wall.

"I wanted to apologize," he stopped, looking at me.

"For what? Why should you even apologize?" I looked at the man with a stern expression on the portrait and furrowed my eyebrows.

"For my uncle...he sometimes crosses the line" his green eyes were looking at me worriedly and that was bothering me. "Listen, Reece, you shouldn't be apologizing and be worried about me, okay? I am fine" 

"Yeah...still, I don't want you to feel bad and uncomfortable here" he stood there and I could feel how this guy reflected a powerful aura, I wish I could do the same thing...I am a royal but I can't show people that, not even talking about my poor aura, that nobody even can feel.

"Uhm...maid will show you your room and give you a dress for tonight" he stared into my eyes and I swear this guy was making me nervous just when he touched his hair, "For what?" I asked dumbfoundedly and then he furrowed his eyebrows, "Eveline...the ball in honor of me or precisely in my coming back" 

"Ohhhhhh!!! That ball! Yeah-yeah...of course!" I licked my lips and furrowed my eyebrows, tryna stop staring into emerald eyes. Why did I forget about it? God...I feel stupid, probably he thinks this too.

"You forgot didn't you?" he licked his lips and smiled childishly revealing dimples.

"Maybe?" I widened my eyes and swiftly hid my hands into pockets.

"It's okay. Small event, nothing much, let's just say it's my homecoming" he shrugged his shoulders and smiled slightly.

"Yeah...okay" I murmured and he stood there STILL! Why?? I looked away but he was staring at me like he usually does...f***ish boy. "I think you need to go to your uncle..." 

"Hm...I don't think so" Oh boy, seriously?! Now this made me burst out in a laugh, soon we both laughed hysterically.

"See you tonight?" I asked him before he went his way.

"Yes. Servants will take you straight to the main hall, we will meet there" he winked and stomped backward, till the next hallway, yelling last words, "I hope you will like the dress!" I chuckled and didn't know what he mean.

***

The gentle-looking maid took me to a guest room. It was of course smaller than rooms in the academy, but very comfortable and modern. 

After thanking her, she left me with my thoughts and...shoot, perfectly looking dress. Huh...is it even my size? It is...Reece, Reece, Reece, you are a damn personal designer, where did he even find this dress?!

I took electro purple-colored material and leaned on myself to see how it will look on me. Well...yeah...it will fit me right.

Only I thought that it's the only dress here, I found silver stilettos and a closet with usual clothes in it.

"I can travel to every shifter household without any baggage..." muttered to myself, chuckling.

***

After some time, it was sunset and the room was all in orange light, with reminded me of a fire-like hair...of...Anyways, after wearing the dress and heels I couldn't believe the sight, sleeveless dress was elegantly hugging my waist and went downwards from stretchy material and on this material was long, chiffon 'tail' that trailed in the back. Silver heels shined and glittered, catching a look. I can go like this without any hairstyle and still will look beautiful but I am a sophisticated lady, right? Not talking about my 'title' about which I need to forget.

I sat on the bed and tried to do a simple braid but my hands were clumsy. 

"Miss Campbell," 

"Oh sh*t! Oh! It's you...God, why didn't you knock?" It was dark and the lights didn't yet turn on thus I didn't notice Lana who was so small, that I could barely notice her.

"I am sorry, do you need help?" she came closer and looked at my hair, exhibiting it.

"Um...sooo?" I sat properly so that she could style the hair but she only looked at it.

"Can't decide what to do with my awful hair?" I laughed off but the blonde girl was silent.

"Hey? Are you alright?" I turned around and her face was blank with a slight shock in her eyes. "Lana? What's the matter?" I furrowed my eyebrows and reflections touched my hair, to feel anything wrong.

"Who are you?" she tried to do a stern face but failed under my glare. 

"What are you talking about, Lana? stop the circus and just braid the f***ing hair" I barked in frustration. 

Why she is even asking me this? Does she know something? But how? I didn't shift nor did I even tell anyone about my heredity.

"Lana...Wha--"

"Your back..."

What?... I looked into yellow eyes in confusion before standing up and going to the mirror...You've got to be kidding me!

The dress was open-back and all my back was revealing itself till the middle, and on my back was a burn...not just a regular burn from iron or stove or a damn fire...it was a burn in the shape of a dragon. Right between my shoulder blades...a freaking burn of a dragon.

"I can explain..." no I can't!

"I know you are...oh my God...a real"

"Don't say it..." I warningly approached her but she exclaimed ecstatically.

"Dragon shifter!!" argh...

"Yeah! Happy?" I sarcastically questioned and rolled my eyes. I don't care what this girl says, I am too much into my thoughts, trying to remember from where I got this and when?

"Are you that lost princess?" she gasped making me frown. Even here...I am known as a lost princess, I would rather call myself gladly lost failure. when she began spitting out questions I remembered one training day in the Academy...When I tried to shift and...felt back-pain...burning pain.

"Why are you here? And why you are hiding your identity?" 

"I ran away...or precisely flew away. Let's say I am a refugee and I am searching for a new life...where I am just...me, now, please give me something to cover this freaky thing" I muttered on one breath and thanked God for such a good maid.

Lana came back from the closet and gave me a silk, silver top-cover, which I wore.

"Looking better than before...Your Highness?" f**k no.

"No. don't call me this. I am Miss Campbell. Let's pretend you don't know my real identity and we will have this little secret between each other...deal?" I stated in an authoritative tone on what she giggled and nodded multiple times, "I would love it!" she exclaimed and made a slight bow. "Oh, Lord...It's so fascinating to meet a dragon shifter! I mean...you are true royal blood! Our leader! I heard a legend that your blood is hot and it cannot be cold, is it true?" here we go...

"Lana, darling, maybe we will chit-chat about dragons a little later, cause I need to be on the ball and you should take me there and bring me back, my navigational skill is zero, so?" I muttered arrogantly as...Eric would...I certainly need to stop remembering my old life, it's been two months...I need to forget...

"It will be my pleasure to accompany you and wait since you are my...are you princess or queen?"  no....no, no, no, not this question!

"I am royal, it doesn't matter" I barked and felt how my anger starting to wake. 

In from the nose. Out from the mouth.

"Okay...I am sorry for my...curiousness" 

"No...It's alright, I just...I don't want to talk about it, after all, I am starting a new life" I stated and went forward. "It's already nine, let's go" 

***

The song that really suits the ball theme is 'Trouble' by Valerie Broussard but I recommend searching on youtube the 'gambling in the crow club › a grishaverse playlist (with ambience: people talking, glasses, music)' so good! Hope you will enjoy it!

We were trailing through multiple hallways before we came in front of a half-circle door similar to a half-moon.

"We are here," Lana whispered, slowly opening the doors and letting me inside. I think Reece lied or living a fancy life cause this is not a 'small event' I think there are hundreds of people and lots of lots of champagne...fancy uncle Benedict, fancy.

I went forward biting my lip, feeling nervous and feeling different auras. Old women with big hats are snake shifters, men who drank champagne and laughed about something looking at the ladies are bear shifters, young guys who sat on the sofa are lion shifters that looked similar to...no, I am not remembering and comparing this to my past life. 

"Miss Campbell!" I looked at the voice and saw an old lady in her fortieth or maybe fiftieth? Anyways, she looked old. "Uh...yeah, that's me" to be honest I see this lady for the first time but she looks at me as if knows me all my life. She had auburn hair that was in a neat bun and she had a fancy suit from a skirt and elegant, beige gloves that went with the suit. Indeed she looked total British.

"Lord Benedict told me about you. You are a good friend of Lord Reece, aren't you?" My brain is lagging...yeah, right now, I don't understand what she is talking about and I truly don't understand why she is standing here and talking to ME?

"That's correct." I awkwardly smiled and looked around in search of someone who could help me out from this.

"I hope you are not that girl who runs after Reece for his inheritance but either way young Lord is already has a bride" after her mouth left a word 'bride' my eyes went twice bigger and my throat dried out. What the f**k? A f**king bride?!

"Oh, ahhhh, I am not! I am not even in any relationship with young Lord and I don't run after him or his inheritance" I mimicked her accent and her moves of hands. I was hoping to annoy her and certainly, I made her.

"You Americans try to be aristocratic but you are no match to shifters like we and the one who is worthy and should inherit Lord's property is my beautiful daughter - Melissa" wow...and this old crow tells me that I am the greedy one, really? This situation kinda makes me funny, I should be angry but this is so looking poor and to be honest, I feel kinda pity for this woman and her daughter that I hope I won't meet (I am not scared of her...I am scared for her. Who knows what I can do in shifter form) 

"Listen up, old bitc--"

"Wowowowow, hello there! Cam! Looking fantastic!" I didn't notice a rushing Bern with unsteady breathe came to my side and hugged me by the shoulders.

"Oh! Lady Roseberry! You are looking exquisitely tonight! A new hairstyle or maybe...a hat?" Bern gave her one of his charismatic smiles on which Lady Roseberry blushed but still was glaring in my direction.

"Mister Elsher! This young...can't say lady cause she acts and talks like a wild barbarian with no any manners!" she exclaimed on what my anger started gaining itself. Well, it was fun but now this old crow is getting on my nerves. But only I wanted to say a word, Bern squeezed my shoulder hardly but I didn't make a face or noise, only a smirk run across my face. 

"Oh, Lady Roseberry, I understand, understand! This girl is not from here and from where she came there was only bad behavior! Take my honest apologies" I am gonna kill this guy with my dragon self and then we will see what 'bad behavior' I have.

I started feeling angry and started slowly losing control over my beast. 

Lady Roseberry didn't say a word afterward and only stomped away madly like a mad mean girl from middle school. 

When she was nowhere to be seen Bern's fake smile faded as fast as it appeared. "Are you out of your mind, Cam?" he half-yelled at me through gritted teeth making me snort. "Oh come on, you should agree with me that she is a b***h and mean...well that's the same thing" I rolled my eyes and looked at dyed blue hair which was unusually perfectly combed to the side. Bern wasn't that type of aristocratic, rich people no matter how he tried, "Oh dearest God, now I regret my help to you" he muttered taking me by the elbow and going forward and when I saw a servant with running champagne glass I swiftly grabbed it, finishing golden liquid in one gulp, "Now we can talk!" I smirked sheepishly making him chuckle, "Stop...you are not getting your American ass drunk," he said with a smile but this smile wasn't for me it was for people around who looked at him. "Where are you dragging me?" I pulled away from his grasp and received a confused look from the blue-eyed boy, "You are strong..." he whispered, narrowing his eyes at me. Shit...

"Pft, of course, I am stronger than you, I am not gonna give you one of the egos boosts that people give you" I faked a smile and turned away from him going through the crowd but after a second I heard his chuckle right near my ear, scaring the s**t out of me!

"WHAT THE F**K?!" I glared at the guy who was a few meters away from me but now he was hugging me by the shoulder, smiling charismatically. "How--teleportation, right?" my expression changed from shocked to tight-lipped.

Elsher just chuckled lowly and winked, shaking his head, well, now I am interested.

"Then what?" I raised my eyebrow and tilted my head on the side, trying to figure out by his face.

"Super-speed, Cam, super...speed" he slowly moved his lips before bursting out in a laugh. "Pft, My power is better, as you know" I rolled my eyes, looking away. "Oh, these purple lights?" he asked, and I proudly raised my head, "Yep" 

"Yes then, your power is totally better, you know it's also very helpful! You can make party lights wherever you are! I am gonna call you from now on, walking party light" he smirked and I gasped, punching him on the chest, "What a wanker you are!" 

"Oh! British curse word? Learning fast, Cam, I am impressed" he started laughing hysterically and I didn't know what to do, laugh with him or beat the hell out of him right here, right now. "I would kick you between legs but then the dress would rip," I uttered, wanly, and after he stopped laughing when he saw my tired expression. "Alright, alright! I promise I will stop!" he fixed his forelocks with tips of his fingers and immediately changed into a serious aristocrat.

"By the way, the dress is...nice. In color of your waves", he bit his lip before he could burst out in a laugh and I gave him a glare, "You can't give compliments, can you?" 

"Of course I can, I just don't want to give you as you said, ego boost" he smirked and I went silent before we saw standing Reece in the light brown suit and white shirt underneath, without a tie. His sandy hair was looking wet and his one hand was in the pocket and the other was holding a glass of sparkling alcohol. 

He was talking to some lady and whose appearance was...quite attractive. Who was I kidding? She looked like an Aphrodite herself! She was in a light, vanilla-colored dress, her auburn hair was in a high ponytail and they looked like pure silk! Oh God...don't tell she is...

"Eveline!" I didn't notice running Reece to me with the greek creature.

"Ree--Your Grace!" Reece furrowed his eyebrows but didn't say anything.

"Good evening, how are you doing?" he asked me and Bern while taking small sips of champagne.

Thanks to Bern who answered for me, "We are having SO much fun" I faked a smile and nodded multiple times like a pigeon.

"Oh! Uh...Eveline, this is Lady Melissa Roseberry" I looked at them with wide unblinking eyes and tried to hide my sneer.

Shit, s**t, s**t! The night is promising to be interesting...

Hey! This is the second chapter! Hope you enjoyed it!