Aren
Once our four new suitemates, three 1st years and one 4th year, are settled into their rooms, we decide to head down to the dining hall for dinner. We quickly grab food and find an open table. I'm contemplating what to say to the new guys to break the silence, when I get a sniff of an incredibly enticing scent. My head whips around and I spot the most beautiful girl I've ever seen entering the cafeteria. I drag my eyes up her body, admiring the toned legs under her uniform skirt, her slight curves and lush breasts.
It isn't until I take in her familiar locket, glowing silver hair, pale skin, and violet eyes, that recognition shocks through me. This is Ora, Jayden's little sister and she is completely off limits. If Jayden knew I was ogling his baby sister he would castrate me and then lock her in a tower. Although, the woman who stands by the entrance to the dining hall, definitely isn't a baby. Somewhere along the line the cute kid I used to tease turned into a beautiful woman.
As I'm staring at Ora, my heart trying to remember how to beat, I notice a tall muscular guy, I think is on the football team, steps towards her. He looks like he is inviting her and Gia to his table. My stomach lurches as she looks up at him and smiles. I watch as he puts his hand on the small of her back to guide her through the crowded room. I am shocked that he would be so bold as to touch her. I see red, but before even I can act Jayden is already on his feet and charging towards them. I am right on his heels.
"Don't touch her." Jayden practically roars at the stunned guy, his hand still on Ora's back. Jayden rips Ora out of his grasp and spins her towards me. I grab her elbow as she teeters and help keep her upright. Her skin is wickedly soft and her full kissable lips pout as she sees her brother square up to the much larger shifter. I want to caress those lips with my thumb and scoop her up into my arms right there in the dining hall.
"You want a claim to her forest boy?" The big guy taunts, ripping me out of my thoughts and bringing me back to reality.
"Yes." Jayden replies smoothly. "I'll fight you right now." Claiming fights aren't very common anymore. They are an outdated way for shifters to show off their strength and skill to an unmated shifter. The loser of the claiming fight has to stop their courtship of the shifter being fought over, unless that shifter decides to reciprocate the courting. In other words, if Jayden wins this fight, the football guy can't come on to Ora again, unless Ora approaches him first. It's not unheard of for a brother to fight a claiming fight for his sister, if he believes the guy is unsuited.
As Jayden and the guy leave to duke it out, I turn to Ora. "Hey Ora, long time no see." She looks up at my face, her eyes light up with recognition as they meet mine.
"Hi Aren!" She squeals and jumps into my arms.
"Careful there. I don't want Jayden to challenge me to a claiming match." I say inhaling her delicious scent.
"He wouldn't fight you. He knows we are just friends." Yeah friends, I think to myself bitterly. Ora sighs and releases me. She frowns and looks towards the door Jayden just exited through.
"Do I have to go watch the fight? I should have known Jayden would do his best to make sure every guy in this school is too afraid to talk to me." I grin at her frown, because that is exactly what I hope he does. "I was hoping I would be able to actually date guys while I'm here." She continues. This idea steals the grin off of my face. What is wrong with me? I've never given this girl a second glance, and now the thought of her dating makes my stomach twist.
"You don't have to watch if you don't want to." I tell her and then lead her and her friend back to my table.
Eudora
Back in our room after the scene in the dining hall, I can't stop thinking about Aren. When did he get that tall? Now he's a few inches taller than even Jay. His yellow eyes, soft brown hair and tanned skin are emblazoned anew in my memories. I have a few minutes of silence to contemplate what happened while Gia is in the bathroom before she returns. She walks into our room and closes the door behind her, practically buzzing from the scene. "You and Aren seemed friendly. I think he might have held on to that hug a little bit longer than was necessary. And did you see his face! If Jay didn't challenge that guy, I bet Aren would have."
"You think?" I ask shyly.
"Yes, but you should still see what else is out there. Aren is the only guy you've ever spent any real time with who wasn't a blood relative or a pack elder."
"I have a feeling I am going to have a tough time getting to know anyone here, with Jayden fighting every guy who looks at me."
"Once people find out he's your brother they'll understand that he's not actually laying a claim on you."
"Yeah but then people will know who my father is. I don't want people trying to get to know me just because I have a powerful father. I'd rather my relationship with him stays a secret so I can stay under the radar."
"Oh honey, everyone is already talking about you because of that scene Jayden made in the dining hall. They just don't know why Jayden was acting that way. They may not know that you are his sister, but they are definitely curious about who you are now."
"Well they can stay curious." I retort, "I want to have a normal school year and be a normal girl."
"You will never be normal, but your secret is safe with me. I will not tell anyone that the hottest, strongest, richest and most eligible guy in school is your brother."
"Eww don't call my brother hot… or eligible for that matter. This isn't the 16th century."
"Arranged marriages still happen sometimes, even if it is rare, and oh boy I would not mind an arranged marriage to your hunk of a brother." Gia winks at me.
I shriek and throw a pillow at her "Stop, I did not hear that!!!" Gia responds by running back to her bed, grabbing a pillow, and chucking it at me. I quickly catch the pillow then I tackle her to the ground, beating her with her own pillow.
"Okay okay, enough, I give up. You win!" She cries under my assault. I smile and get up off of her and offer her a hand to help her up. She grins and takes it.
"Its going to be tough for you whether you keep your connection to Jay a secret or not. They'll find out tomorrow when you go through the shifter placement test."
I grimace. "I forgot about that. I was hoping I could keep it a secret until my birthday."
"October 31st." Gia states, reminding me of the auspicious date.
I am really young for my grade, so most students have turned 22 by the time they start at the academy. Coming of age only really matters for the shifters. Nons like Gia don't have to worry about things like mate strings and partial bonds.
"You have such a cool birthday. Very spooky." Suddenly our door slams open and Madison marches into our room. Her face is contorted with anger and her eyes glow red. She walks right up to me and slaps me across the face.
My face stings and I sputter, "Why did you do that?"
"That is for trying to steal my man." Madison snarls at me.
I stand and shout back at her. "I didn't try to steal your man. He chose to fight a claiming match for me. I did not ask him to."
"I don't know how you manipulated him to fight for you, but if I ever see you even look at him, I will gladly rip your throat out."
I gap at her, too stunned to respond. She just grins at me and whips her hair around as she saunters out the door.
Gia gets up and closes the door as soon as Madison is gone. "She would be treating you very differently, if she knew he was your brother."
"Yeah I definitely need to talk to my brother about the girls he chooses to date." I reply, rubbing the sore spot on my cheek. The pain is already fading and I am mentally planning a visit to my brother's dorm. "So where do you think you'll end up in placement testing?" I ask, changing the subject.
Gia leans back on her bed and plays with the drawstring on her hoodie. "I really don't know. I have always wanted to go the medical route, but it would be really cool if I ended up on a magic path. Magic paths are so rare though, I met a magic user once."
"Really? You got to meet one?" I respond curiously.
"Yeah, I don't know their name, but they were called to my village during a drought to make it rain. They stayed for three months and never talked to anyone. They just went out to the fields every afternoon and then it would rain."
"Wow, a weather manipulator. That must have been fascinating to see."
Gia looks disappointed as she responds, "Yeah it was, I just wish I could have talked to them, or seen them use more of their magic."
"Well, you will probably get the chance to meet another magic user here. This school is known for its magic program." I respond, trying to cheer her up.
It works and she perks up immediately. "That's true!" I like how easy it is to make her happy.
I look at her happy face and then make a decision. "I'm actually going to talk to my brother about Madison, do you want to come?" I ask.
"I would usually never pass up an opportunity to meet a bunch of hot guys, but I already removed my make up, so I am going to pass. Have fun though! Don't stay out too late, we have a big day of placement testing tomorrow." Gia says cheerfully.
"I'll be back soon." I respond, and then slip out of the room.