The prince's abused Mate

School

Amara Pov

I'm looking into the mirror. I have a dark eye, and my upper lips have a cut from the punch earlier. I quickly cover it with make-up, but I can't hide it, so I'll have to keep my head down so that my teachers won't question me. I put my hair into a bun and wear a baseball cap over my head. Today for school, I'm wearing my new jeans, a tank top, and a thick black-blue hoodie, seeing that it is cold most seasons here. One thing I learned from my mother is that I should always look good. I can't wear my problems, and the Adamsons have a reputable name that can't be tainted because of me.

Mom held it with pride and wouldn't allow anyone to speak ill of the family.

I throw my bag over my shoulder and run downstairs. On my way, I meet Dad; I stop and incline my neck to him. He looks proper today in a suit.

He squints his eyes at me, probably noticing my busted lip since it hasn't healed yet, and asks.

" What did you do?" His tone is bored, and I see him roll his eyes.

" I fell," I keep my answer short.

" Don't go around causing trouble," he says and proceeds upstairs. I hear him ask himself why mom insisted on adopting me; tears sting my eyes, but I shake my head and take a deep breath before leaving my house. Unlike my sister who has luxurious cars, I walk to school. It's a ten-minute walk from my house.

I go to Royal Academy High School. I'm in my eleventh grade. The Royal Academy is a prestigious institution, and only high society members take their children. You might ask why I go there; as I said, the Adamsons like to maintain a high life and wouldn't want to be seen as abusers or not capable of taking me to a high-standard school. Minutes later, I'm standing in front of the huge gates to the school.

Even after being here for nearly my whole life, I still look at the building in awe. It is truly magnificent. The ground is made of shiny flat stones, and on the side are supernatural gargoyles, a fairy, a Demon, and a Vampire, followed by a huge Dragon. At the center of the waterfront is a huge, roaring, fierce wolf.

There is a huge garden and mauled lawn, benches under the trees, and a huge backyard where wolves run when they want to shift. The inside is bigger and nicer. Everything is shiny and gold. The halls are well maintained and have vending machines in each.

I take in a deep breath and face the floor as I walk through the corridor to my locker. I hear students are already chatting and giggling among themselves.

As I pass one comment,

" I didn't know baseball caps were in fashion this season,"

They laugh. I keep walking, my neck hanging low.

" She's so weird."

" How distasteful," Sheila snickers.

They always picked on me since Debra, my bully, told everyone that I killed my mother. I became an outcast and called me vile names. They prank and trip me, but I deserve the hate I receive. If not for me, my mother would still be alive. I manage to reach my locker without a fuss or having coffee spilled on me. I hit my head against the locker at my success rate, but it doesn't last long when I feel something cold run down under my skin. I shiver, hoping whoever did this leaves before people notice. I slowly turn, and the hair on my body stands up, and I feel goosebumps as I come face to face with him, Ahyan Altamonte; his eyes are cold and intense on me. I swallow thickly; all my life, I've never known a man as intimating as him; he is tall, over 6'2ft, with chocolate skin tone, sharp jawline, obsidian eyes, long lashes, thick eyebrows, cherry lips, and an athletic body that will make any girl shiver with lust.

I've had a crush on Prince Ahyan for the longest time, but he has never noticed or talked to me, though I've had pictures of him in my room at one point and written about him in my diary. That is the closest we've stood. His face is void of emotions as he looks at me and I hate that I can't read him. I'm taken away from my little staring contest when a not-so-pleasant voice speaks, Debra.

" Look who we have here... The little murderer," Debra has an empty mug of coffee in her hands, looking at me with a smug expression. Curious students are already surrounding us, wanting to see what the cheer squad captain will say or do to me. Debra is queen B around here and of course, Ahyan's self-proclaimed girlfriend. He has refused and rejected her several times, but she keeps throwing herself, what a cheap w***e, that's what she is, his w***e who he f***s whenever he desires.

" You, she told you that she doesn't want to see your face this week, did she not?" One of Debra's friends says. I don't know her name nor do I want to.

I open my mouth to speak, but no sound comes out, so I close it... I close my eyes momentarily, just hoping they will go away, but they don't.

Debra comes dangerously close to my face. I'm bracing myself for a smack, but it doesn't come; Prince Ahyan is tightly gripping her wrist, and low growls are escaping his chest.

" Stop," his voice is deep but low, commanding. His gaze is holding mine when he speaks.

" Don't you have anything better to do than pick on her, Debra? And why do you waste your time on this girl?" He genuinely looks confused as to why,

" Her mother was my godmother. Amara is the reason she died, and what kind of child causes her mother's daughter? What a curse! She shouldn't even be allowed here but since no one did anything about it, I am!" She finishes with a smile.

" Amara," the prince whispers my name. My eyes snap up to him. " Leave her be. Whatever happened is none of your business, and what gives you the right to hit and treat her like you do?" He asks everyone. They murmur but don't give a straight answer.

" But, my prince... she's my rival on the volleyball field," she says. One of the reasons Debra has always hated me is that, ever since we were young, I always beat her in whatever school game competitions we had, and I got honorable measures.

" Don't go around bullying students. It's childish and tasteless," Prince Ahyan scolds.

Debra smiles tightly at him and tries to kiss him, but the prince is unresponsive and steps away later. I hear chuckles and murmurs for this public rejection.

" I have class," he says and walks away, his god-like three friends following behind, but they all stop when he does. Ahyan twists his neck and says,

" Disappear, all of you," As soon as the words leave his lips, everyone disperses, including Debra, who glares at me one last time before leaving. My skin feels suddenly hot, and I sense eyes on me, but I don't see anyone when I search. I sit on the cold floor and put my face on my lap as I cry silently, tired of all that is happening to me.

I don't know how long I stayed there crying, but when I finally got up, there was a huge hoodie next to me. I recognized it as the one the prince had worn a few minutes ago. Did he leave it for me? I grabbed it and inhaled it.

It is! My wolf, Rhudo says. I look around, but I don't see anyone. I grab a few things from my locker and make my way to the bathroom for a quick shower. After I finish, I hesitate to wear the Dragon Prince's hoodie; questions as to why he left it are still giving me trouble. I inhale it once more before putting it on. It's long and reaches my mid-thigh, but if I remove it, I might freeze to death.

I swing the doorknob open and walk out. I yelp as I land on my butt. A hand is extended to me. I take it hesitantly but flinch as an electric shock rushes through my body. I try to take it back. However, he is gripping it tightly, and when I look up to see the person, I gasp.

" You,"