Her Silver Eyed Mate

Imposter Syndrome

Raiden POV

I hesitated outside the classroom that was already full with my new students for my first lesson on the powers of dark magic. I definitely have imposter syndrome right now. The thought of me standing at the front as a professor was so f*cking ridiculous that it was comical. My dad really did have a messed up sense of humour. For the first time in a long time, I felt a little nervous. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with standing in front of a crowd. I receive attention, wanted and unwanted, everywhere I go. But this was different. These students were going to be looking to me for guidance and to actually teach them something. Even after a week of preparations, I still wasn’t sure what that ‘something’ was but I was going to do what I always do best… I was going to wing it. It can’t be that hard can it?

“Uncle Raiden! Aren’t you supposed to actually be inside the classroom in order to teach them?” A deep, husky voice that I would recognise anywhere interrupted my thoughts from behind me. I turned with a smirk to face my two nephews, Lorcan and Leif.

“I think the correct way to address him now is Professor Romano,” Leif nudged Lorcan’s enormous arm with his own muscular one as they failed to hide their amusement at my situation.

“You know I hate it when you call me Uncle, I am five years older than you and don’t even get me started on that professor s**t. You are making me feel like an old man,” I leaned back against the wall of my new classroom and folded my arms across my chest as Lorcan chuckled and Leif smiled mischievously.

“Well if the shoe fits,” Leif teased. “Never pegged you as wanting to become a professor though! That is a surprise.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I couldn’t exactly explain that I wasn’t here by choice but by punishment for killing a human and their own mother thought it would be hilarious to let this be my fate than to lock me in the cellars for a few years. I know which I would prefer right now.

“It is just a temporary arrangement,” I groaned, running my hand through my black curls, pushing them away from my face.

“I bet!” Lorcan bantered as his vibrant green and gold eyes twinkled with laughter. They were enjoying this just as much as the rest of my family. F*ckers. “I give you to the end of the week before you either walk out or get yourself in trouble for punching some pig-headed alpha’s son in the face for being an arrogant ass.”

“You know me so well,” I smirked and looked through the glass window of the door to see just how many students I had for today’s class. It was a hybrid-only lesson so there weren’t as many as a normal class size. Dad thought that would be a good idea to ease me in for my first lesson.

“It’s okay to be nervous, Professor. Nerves mean you care and you really want to do well,” Leif put on his mimicking voice of my mother, one of his so-called party tricks his warlock powers gave him and I shoved him into Lorcan side.

“Bugger off the pair of you. Don’t you have your own classes to get to or shall I give you both a detention,” I shouted after them as they casually strolled away, Leif sticking his tongue out at me as he walked backwards. Luckily, their sh*t pep talk had actually taken the edge off and without overthinking my entrance, I swung open the door using my magic and entered the room.

The chatter fell to silence at once as they all scrambled to sit at their desks, eyes wide and alert as they assessed their new teacher. I had heard that the news of my new positions had spread like wildfire around the academy so they were more than prepared for me. I stalked up and down the narrow aisles of their tables, registering each of their faces and reading their body language. Many averted their gaze, shuffled in their seats with discomfort or bit their lips as I walked past them. They were the ones who would be easy to teach. I wasn’t trying to intimidate them but they were naturally frightened by my presence and name. It was the three or four that acted differently that interested me the most. One was understandable. Neve Chevilier. She was a close family friend. Her mother and my sister are practically joined at the hip. She gave me a beaming smile as I reached her desk near the back of the classroom which I returned. However, if she thinks she will get special treatment from me just because we are already acquainted, she will have a bit of a shock.

Halfway back down the next aisle, I could feel the strong power radiating from a huge, muscular back of a young man who was slouched in his seat with a no f*cks given attitude. Or at least that is what he was trying to portray. I kicked his trainer that was sticking out in my pathway from under his desk and he gazed up at me with a challenge in his dark eyes. Yep, a cocky, arrogant alpha’s son. You could smell them a mile away. When our eyes locked and he realised I would stay like this for the rest of the lesson if needed, he slowly pulled his foot back under his desk and I walked on.

The last was the most eager of the bunch, sat at the table right at the front. She couldn’t have picked a closer seat to my desk without sitting on my lap. Her slender back was straight, her long ashen blonde hair smooth down to her tailbone. As I reached her desk, she turned her face up to greet me with a dazzling smile and sparkling blue eyes.

“Welcome to Academy Pro Omnibus Professor. I’m Lia and I am so excited that you will be teaching us. You are so amazing and I know that you will probably become the most sought-after teacher here-”

I cut her off as I stood at the front of the classroom and faced these hybrids who all had witch or warlock counterparts. “Thank you Lia but this academy and I are on very… familiar terms already,” I smiled back at her and she fluttered her eyelashes with confidence. “But I am interested to know why you think I am so amazing?”

I heard Neve scoff at the back of the room and caught the beefcake alpha, who I knew was called Harrison, rolling his eyes but I ignored them both, keeping my attention on Lia who was a witch and vampire hybrid. Her confident expression faltered slightly but she masked it well, flicking her hair over her shoulder and seeing this as a great opportunity to flatter me some more.

“Well, because… you are a tribrid and you have immense powers of three species and you are gifted in so many ways… you are also the most powerful being that probably exists right now so-”

I put my hand up to silence her and she opened and closed her mouth. “That is the very first mistake you can ever make.”

All their eyes snapped up to me with confusion as I folded my arms across my chest. “How many of you believe that you are more powerful than a pure-blood?”

Harrison and Lia as well as two others' hands shot straight up into the air but the others glanced around apprehensively before slowly raising their hands. But they all did. And that was my point.

“Well you are not.”

Their faces contorted in anger or surprise as they lowered their hands.

“You all believe because you have the abilities of two species that makes you far more powerful or greater than any other being? You think that because I have three, I am more talented or stronger or faster than you?”

“I don’t,” Harrison muttered under his breath but he knew I would hear it. I smirked.

“Good. You shouldn’t. Many supernaturals, especially pure-bloods, used to fear our kind. They believed we were far more superior than them. But we are only superior if we learn how to be. Just because you are born of two equal abilities does not mean you are stronger. It means you are weaker.”

“What a load of crap. Everyone knows the history of hybrids! Arius, Queen Ruby, Caspian! They have been the most powerful hybrids in existence!” Harrison called out in defence. I nodded slowly.

“I am not denying that. They are. And so am I. But that is because we learnt how to be. That is what I hope I can teach you all but first you must drop your preconception that you are above others. It doesn’t exist.”

“This is stupid. What exactly are you trying to say?” Harrison moaned and Lia turned aggressively in her chair to scold him but it was Neve who jumped to my defence.

“He is trying to say stop being such an egotistical asshole and listen. You might actually learn a thing or two. That is if you even have a brain between your ears.”

He was about to snap back but I stepped in. “Neve, that is your first warning.”

“But he was insulting you! I was only giving him a taste of his own medicine!” She threw her arms out on the table with disbelief written on her face.

“You can all insult me as much as you like. I couldn’t give a s**t but you do not insult each other,” I commanded and she huffed back in her seat. I had forgotten just how hormonal and grumpy twenty year olds could be. Yet, I already knew this lot would seem like angels compared to the thirteen year olds I have after this lesson. “Hands up if you have used dark magic at the same time as using your other counterpart?”

No one raised their hands. Just as I thought. “That is why you are weaker. You have not learnt how to control your dark magic so that it becomes a part of you rather than an extension of you. If you were ever in a situation where you had to defend yourself, you have to choose right? Do I shift into my wolf? Do I stay in human form and use dark magic? Do I allow my demon control? Do I focus on my fae powers or my witchcraft?” I scanned each of their faces as the understanding set in behind their eyes. “You use one of your counterparts which is only half of your power, while a pure-blood would be stronger using their full power.”

“But it is impossible to use both sets of abilities at the same time! Only Queen Ruby can!” one of the girls who had seemed a little unsure at the start called out, my revelation erasing the memory of how nervous she felt in my presence.

I smiled cheekily, “Not true. My father learnt how to slowly but it took him many years. Even Caspian could do it as well. And so can I.”

“Prove it,” Harrison smirked.

“One day, I just might show you. But only after you have proven yourself to me,” I winked at him and his jaw ticked. He hated me and I was loving every minute of it.

“Proven what?”

“That you have what it takes to control your dark magic enough so you can use it when you are in wolf form Harrison. Only then do you have the right to be an arrogant asshole like me.”

His eyes turned black as his wolf came to the surface and a low growl escaped his throat. I couldn’t help the deep chuckle that rumbled from my chest at his desire to fight me. He really did need to be put in his place before he took over a pack of wolves. A narcissistic alpha who thinks he always knows more is a dangerous one.

“I think that is enough for today. Class dismissed,” I clapped my hands together, making them all jump.

“But we didn’t do anything sir?” Lia said sweetly.

“Maybe not but you all learnt something right?”

They glanced around the room at each other and a few nodded. Harrison stood abruptly and stormed out the room in a temper tantrum as I took my seat behind my desk. I could see Lia faffing about with her belongings, taking far longer than needed to tidy away as Neve approached my desk with her bag slung over her arm. I couldn’t hide my smirk at the dress she was wearing. In fact all the girls in the class had been wearing nearly identical clothes. Without even knowing it, Ruby had designed the academy's uniform.

“Well… that was interesting,” Neve teased as she took a bite out of an apple.

“Glad you think so,” I smirked.

“Take no notice of Harrison. He is like that with pretty much everyone in authority.”

“I enjoyed him. But you need to watch your mouth in this class Neve. Just because you are someone I like doesn’t mean I am going to go easy on you and I definitely don't need you coming to my rescue.”

She saluted me and stamped her foot comically before smiling and walking out of the room, leaving me alone with Lia.

I leaned forward and pulled open my laptop to make myself busy in the hope that she would leave quickly but I knew there was a slim chance of that.

“Sir?”

I glanced up from my screen to see her standing in front of my desk, playing with a strand of her blonde hair and swaying her body. I hated how much I could read people before I even knew them. She was the daughter of one of my dad’s commanders of the vampire army whose fated mate was a leading witch of a clan in America. She was a daddy’s girl and thought of herself as privileged and desired. She probably had a lot of attention from boys in this place and she lapped it up. But she was also clever. She knew how to play the game and the importance of learning how to make herself stand out in a crowd. She was a go-getter and it was admirable.

“Yes Lia.”

“I just wanted to say that your lesson today was enlightening. It made so much sense and I want to really work as hard as I can to prove to you that I can control the dark magic.” She was a suck up too.

“Thank you Lia. I am glad it inspired you.”

She licked her full lips slowly and it was a clear play to draw my attention to them. I couldn't deny that she was a very attractive girl.

“I hope they aren’t going to work you too hard here sir,” the word sir lingered on her lips seductively and I couldn’t help but lean back in my chair and grin. No Raiden. No flirting with students. Bad. “and you get time off to come and have some fun with us too.”

“Well it is only my first day Lia so I can’t complain. Do other teachers come and have fun with their students outside of class?” I raised one eyebrow and her blue eyes twinkled.

“No, but you aren’t exactly like the others.”

“And what do you mean by that?” I could feel myself entering into dangerous territory. This girl was good.

“For one, you are far too young to be stuck behind a stuffy desk all the time. I hope you will at least think about it? There is a full moon party tomorrow night at the lakes. I think you should come. Get to know your students a little better,” she leaned both hands on my desk, giving me a direct view down the top of her dress at her perky cleavage on display.

“I don’t think that would be such a good idea but have fun. I remember those parties, they can turn wild, pretty quickly,” I moved my gaze back to my screen in an attempt to dismiss her without being rude. She needed to leave before I said or did something foolish on my first f*cking day.

“Maybe you will come to check I am okay at least. You know, in case it gets too wild?” she smiled and flicked her hair over her shoulder before strutting out of the room without glancing back.

I sighed which turned into a chuckle as I shook my head. First lesson done and only one student who wants to kill me and another who wants to f*ck me. I would say that it was a success. Now only three more lessons to survive until I can get the hell out of here.