Her Silver Eyed Mate

Professor Romano

Raiden POV

Leaning back in the black back-winged armchair in my dad’s office, I ran my tongue across my teeth before clicking it out of boredom. Sitting here brought back memories of my interesting and thoroughly entertaining years of attending Academy Pro Omnibus. Once again, I felt like the naughty school kid having to calm down in the Headmaster's office. You could say I have always had a flair for danger, or at least, I haven’t shied away from a fight; not that it ever really is one anyway. I was quite often the target of the wannabe alphas while I was a student here. All wanting to prove they were the strongest, the best or the most powerful by taking me on. It never ended well for them. It was quite amusing.

My dad, Arius, created this academy after my sister brought peace to all supernaturals. It was a fresh start and after the injustice and hate my father had grown up with for being a hybrid, he believed that training, acceptance and potential for all kinds should be carefully nurtured from a young age. It has been a huge success and it is now the most sought after educational system for supernaturals to attend. Not only to be taught how to manage and flourish our powers by the most talented individuals, but also because it allows us to be who we were born to be. No hiding like we would have to do if we attended human schools. The academy has three sections based on age. Children as young as five can attend as long as they have started to gain their abilities. All students must stay until they graduate at the age of twenty-one. Apparently, that is when my father believes we are ready to find our place in the world. I bet he didn’t count on his own son being the one, who, four years later, still had no idea what he was supposed to be doing.

I sighed and stood up, strolling over to the wall lined with bookcases and ornaments. An array of book spines for magic, history and important documents were on display, as well as a few framed family photographs. I stared at one of my father and mother on their wedding day and smiled. They still look at each other like that every day. With so much love and devotion. I knew their love was different. Yes, wolves and vampires have a special bond with their mates, but hybrids seem to feel it more intensely. I don’t know if it is something to do with their DNA or the strength of their abilities, but when they fall in love, it is the be all and end all of everything.

So you can only imagine what a tribrid would deal with… take my sister for example. Ruby was born on the same day as her mate, Ezra. The very same day, in the same hospital, minutes apart. They grew up together and loved each other before they even gained their wolves and Ruby her vampire and witch abilities. Their love is just as strong as my parents', if not stronger. Without a doubt, they would sacrifice everything for one another. Growing up as a witness to this, should have terrified me. To know my fate would be similar. That I would one day love someone that much. But it only excited me. I couldn’t wait for it to happen. To find that person who I was made to love.

Never finding her at the Academy was a bit of a bummer to say the very least. But the silver lining was that I was able to concentrate on learning how to become the strongest wolf, deadliest vampire and most powerful warlock in my years here. Not that it has come into good use yet.

Suddenly, the door flew open and my father strode in wearing his black combat trousers, black tight fitted T-shirt and combat boots. He looked as though he had been out on a battlefield, not teaching a dark magic lesson to thirteen-year-old witches and warlocks.

He walked behind his desk, falling back into his tan leather chair with a huff and ran his hand through his short black hair.

“Grab me a bag please, son.”

I smirked as I walked over to the fridge in the corner of the room, pulled out a bag of blood and threw it in his direction. He caught it without any effort and tore the top off before gulping down the contents in one.

I sniggered as I took a bag for myself and walked back to the armchair. “Those little witches running circles around you?”

His mismatched blue and brown eyes narrowed at me as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hands. “Hey, you don’t judge until you have seen them in action. Try fending off twenty-five thirteen-year-old witches who are all conjuring dark magic around you at once without killing them. It is exhausting,” he smirked.

“Anyone would think you are losing your touch old man,” I teased, before taking gulps of the metallic blood. Just like my father, my demon needs blood in order to allow me to function. When we use our warlock side, it feeds from our energy, causing the need to replenish ourselves.

“Don’t be ridiculous. But that was my fifth class of the day and that was my first drink. Put me in a battle any day, but teaching… that is the true test,” he tossed the empty blood bag into the bin next to his desk and leaned forward, weaving his fingers together.

I shook my head with a chuckle. “I don’t know how you do it. Having to deal with so many different species and all their…quirks as well as the bloody pheromones in this place.”

A slow smile spread across his face and I paused. I knew that look. It meant he was about to deliver some news that he would enjoy and I would hate.

“What?” I questioned suspiciously.

“You will find out just what it is like very soon,” he said, holding my gaze.

“And what is that supposed to mean? You are sending me back to human law classes as a punishment for that f*ck up the other night?” I laughed, half joking but not putting it past my mischievous father to teach me a lesson.

His lips pulled up into a cheeky grin and his eyes twinkled. “No, but that isn’t a bad idea now that I think about it.” I groaned and threw my head back. “I spoke to your sister and mum and we all agreed, you need a job. If anything, just to keep you out of trouble.”

My head snapped up and I frowned. “I already told Ezra I am not taking over a pack as their Alpha just because my last name is Romano.”

“I agree. Ruby and Ezra are just trying to help, but you are like me. You don’t want handouts in this life and that is fair enough. You want to make your own way, but Raiden, you messed up. Pretty f*cking royally. Pun intended,” he winked.

After I had called dad to tell him what had happened, he appeared in his signature puff of purple smoke almost instantly. We disposed of the body here, as the academy is in a magical dimension and would be harder to trace by humans. The man’s ID revealed his name was Scott Kelps. We’ve been trying to dig up information about him and that girl but it’s a dead end. He was a very private person, it seems. I still felt the guilt emerge at the thought of what I had done. He was the first human I had ever killed, other than those on the green list the vampires created (murderers, peadophiles, rapists - the scum of the human race).

“I know. How much sh*t am I in exactly?” I rubbed my stubbled jaw as I searched my father’s face for any sign of his anger. There was none. He had already told me that he would have done the same had he been in my position. Seems like I really am a mini him, like everyone says.

“Well… if you were anyone else having done what you did, you would be punished severely by your queen, but seeing as you are her brother and no one else knows you broke the law, she has agreed to leave me in charge of your punishment.” He couldn’t hide his delight at this and I rolled my eyes. Knowing my father’s mind works in a very similar way to mine, I knew he was going to force me to do something that would make me extremely uncomfortable. That was what we did. Since I could walk and talk, I have been his shadow and the two of us were always up to mischief, creating pranks on anyone we could, even each other.

“Go on. I am prepared for anything…” I lifted my chin with a smirk and held his gaze.

“Welcome to the Academy Pro Omnibus, Professor Romano. You are now our newly appointed dark magic teacher and defence training instructor.”

My silver eyes widened as sheer panic took over my body. No. This was my worst nightmare. I kept away from huge crowds of supernaturals as much as possible because of the attention my presence caused and now he wants me to teach them!

“Dad, come on! Anything but that! I don’t have the first clue how to teach others. And you know this will be absolute hell for me with the amount of hysteria it will cause for the students to hear I am working here. I had to fight off swarms of unmated she-wolves and vampires just to get to your office!”

“Oh goddess Raiden. How horrible for you,” he chuckled and I growled at him, which only caused him to laugh more. “You are not meant to like this. This is how punishments work.”

I lowered my head into my hand. There was no point in arguing. He wouldn’t change his mind and at the end of the day, I was getting off lightly. I would have to grit my teeth and bear it.

“Fine. But what exactly am I supposed to teach these kids?”

“Whatever you feel is appropriate. Meet the students, get a feel of their potential and abilities and go with the flow. You will know how far you can push them once you start.”

“You have too much faith in me, father.”

He stood up and walked around to me, placing his hand on my shoulder, which caused me to glance up at him.

“Of course I do. You are my son and it’s time you started to have faith in yourself,” his tone was suddenly serious but full of love. I gave him a small smile and nodded. “Now stop brooding and start planning your first lessons. You start next week.”

He pushed my head playfully like he has always done since I was a kid before he walked back over to his desk. Delving into a stacked pile of application letters, I knew this chat was over. I sighed as I stood up, accepting my fate of having to work for my father at the place I thought I had moved on from when I caught his eyebrows furrowing at the application in his hand.

My curiosity got the better of me and I couldn’t help but ask, “What is it?”

He glanced up, remembering I was still in the room and scratched his chin. “Just an interesting application. I haven’t had one of these for a while.”

“What’s so interesting about it?”

“She’s an orphan. A rogue fae but her mother was human. She is already twenty years old and only just applied. She must have been living alone all this time. I am not sure what exactly we can offer her here at this age.”

I folded my arms, deep in thought. It is extremely unusual to come across rogues nowadays. Since the supernaturals have lived in peace, there has been no need for attacks, wars or battles. There were still the odd few who refused to cooperate and went off on their own, but they were a minority. This was different. If she was half human and half fae but also orphaned…where had she been all this time? I instantly felt bad for her.

“I say let her come. Maybe she doesn’t want help with her abilities as much as she wants to find her place. Perhaps she is a little lost and just needs to find her people.”

Dad stared at the page a little longer as he contemplated my words and then nodded. “You’re right. Allowing her in will at least connect her to a life she has never been a part of.”

I smiled, pleased with his decision, and turned to leave the room. Something stopped me as I pulled the door open and I glanced back over my shoulder. It was as if I had no control over my mouth as the words left my lips, “What’s her name? The girl?”

My dad looked up at me with surprise before checking the sheet. “Sienna Stone.”

My heart flipped in my chest and the strangest sensation spread through my body. Sienna Stone. I nodded once and left the room, walking through the throngs of bodies marching through the corridors off to their next lessons. I heard whispers and giggling as they all parted for me, but I barely noticed the attention. My mind was just replaying the sound of that name in my head. Sienna Stone. Why did it sound so… enchanting? I shook my head to clear it and focused on the task in hand. Somehow, I had to learn how to teach in less than a week. F*ck my life.