Alpha Island: My Enemy Mate

7. Glued

RORY

“Careful, random student, whom I absolutely do not know!” Loki grinned at me, fixing the glasses on his nose. Glasses! On Loki! That guy had a vision better than a hawk. All royals did.

“The hell you are wearing?” I gaped at him, still confused.

“The hell you are wearing?” The warlock returned the compliment, and I looked down at my shorts and the blouse that barely covered me.

“Long story,” I grunted. “My clothes didn’t get here. The ones I packed.”

“Your mom again?” He nodded with understanding.

“I don’t think I can call her that anymore,” I sighed, and Loki furrowed his brows.

“What happened?” He asked me bluntly.

“Really, it’s a story for another day. I can’t handle reliving it right now. I need to grab a bite and get to my first class. Which is The Theory of Curses, by the way.” I gave him a hopeful look. “Maybe it will help us along the way.”

Although, whom was I kidding? If someone were going to help us break the exploding curse on Sky and Ava, it would be the person right in front of us. Loki was the best. They said he was even better than his parents, and a lot of people in his clan wanted him to become the king as soon as possible.

“Just beware of Professor McLaughlin,” the warlock prince warned me. “She is a tough cookie. Don’t mess up in her class, or you are going to regret it.”

“Noted,” I smiled. It was nice to have someone giving me helpful tips. I was home-schooled my whole life. Alone, as I was a princess and there wasn’t anyone noble enough and suitable to be my study buddy. So, all this was new. And exciting. A part of me couldn’t wait.

I just wished the circumstances were different, though.

“So, what’s up with your outfit today?” I returned to my initial question looking him up and down.

“Oh, this?” Loki smirked. “Meet your new Potion Making Professor.”

I choked on the air itself.

“You?!” I snorted loudly. “A Professor? Do they just take anyone here now?”

He pulled me slightly aside; at the same time, Kayden appeared, eyeing the two of us as he passed, his gaze landing on Loki’s hands on me. For a second, it seemed like his eyes glowed, but I probably imagined it because the damn lycan didn’t even say hi.

Not that I was expecting him to.

“What are you talking about?” Loki grinned in the meantime. “I would be an amazing teacher!”

I scanned his face, and I knew that his students were doomed. DOOMED!

“You are planning something, aren’t you?” I arched my brow at him.

“I am planning to make sure that the next generation knows how to make a good potion!” He hit himself on the chest. It was all a joke to him, and I could see the mischievous glint in his eyes.

“I need to make sure to sign myself out of your class!” I said, and he rolled his eyes.

“Too bad for you; it’s obligatory for all freshmen,” he chuckled. “So, I guess I’ll see you there!”

“My first one, according to my schedule, is tomorrow,” I informed him.

“Good,” Loki nodded in approval. “This means you have time to prepare. I won’t go easy on you even if we are friends.”

“Take off those ridiculous glasses!” I scoffed, and he let out a laugh.

“Fine!” He clicked his fingers, and the glasses disappeared. “But I am keeping the tie!”

“Whatever!” I giggled, and just then, I heard a familiar voice.

“So many new faces here!” Skylar chirped, and she passed us together with Ava.

“I know, right? One year and so many things are different!” The Lycan Princess nodded as they strode down the corridor, done with their breakfast.

My eyes met Loki’s, and the smile was gone from his face.

“It’s hard to see them like that,” I had a problem forming words myself.

“It’s going to be okay,” he assured me. “Each curse can be broken. That’s the main law of casting one.”

“Did you manage to figure out how to break it?” I glanced at him hopefully, but Loki shook his head in response.

“Not yet, but I will.”

“Were you here to see her?” I dared to ask him, already knowing the answer.

“We take turns to look after them while they aren’t in classes,” Loki informed me, and my brows went up. “My shift was up, and Deidra took over.”

“Deidra is here? Is Griffin with her?” I gasped and looked inside the dining hall. It took me just a few moments to see the siren and the sea dragon. Deidra was Skylar’s best friend and roommate when she appeared at Alpha University. She stayed to live in the Dragon Kingdom with us as she was Griffin’s mate. Griffin was also like a brother to me, and he was Darren’s second in command. I was his third. Technically.

“They are,” Loki confirmed. “Be gentle with them; they aren’t taking it all too well.”

“Fine,” I let out a little sigh. We said our goodbyes, and Loki left to terrorise his new students.

I had just half an hour before my first lecture, but some things were more important. I was next to Deidra and Griffin’s table when the siren saw me and threw herself into my arms, sniffing.

“Rory!” She was not her usual self. So pale, so broken… The last year wasn’t easy for her either.

“It’s going to be all right!” I told her what Loki had promised me. “At least they are alive and well, right?”

“She looked at me, and there wasn’t even a flicker of emotion!” Deidra’s eyes were full of tears.

“Same as with me,” I gave her a weak smile. “But you know what, at some level, she knows. Ren found her sitting alone in their place yesterday. It couldn’t be a coincidence.”

“You are right,” the siren nodded, forcing her lips to curl. “We are all here now. We are going to overcome this.”

Skylar’s disappearance wasn’t her only problem, though. For a year, Griffin and Deidra were begging her grandmother, the Sea Witch Ruler, to allow them to marry. With no such luck. Deidra was my main source of consolation when I was engaged to Lance because it was the destiny she tried so hard to avoid.

“Nice to see you here, Rory,” Griffin gave me a hug too. “We need to meet and catch up later. I am sure we have a lot to tell each other.”

Boy, he had no idea!

“Sure,” I smiled, feeling that it would be selfish to share my troubles with any of them now.

“We need to go now, though,” Grif took Deidra’s hand. “We need to see them to the auditorium. It’s dangerous to let them out of sight.”

“Why did no one call for me, though?” I asked, feeling slightly offended.

“That’s because you did your part.” He tapped my head as if I were a little kid, which annoyed the hell out of me. “And you are here to study. So, concentrate on that.”

“All right,” I watched them leave, feeling slightly lost. It seemed like they had everything under control, and I wasn’t needed. Too bad I wasn’t the kind of person to stay behind. It was a good thing I didn’t have to watch over Sky. That meant I could spend my time looking for the culprit and the way to break the curse.

And this was exactly what I was going to do.

I went to the food line, but my thoughts were elsewhere.

“I am not surprised your plate is empty. I find food here repulsive too.” I heard a familiar voice right next to me and gasped when my eyes locked with the drow’s from two days before.

“You? Here?” I blinked a few times. Although now that I was thinking, why else would a drow be on the island? They rarely left their territory.

“I am as shocked as you are,” he chuckled and leaned over to whisper in my ear. “At least I am in good company.” I noticed that he wasn’t alone. A few more drow stood next to him in the line.

“I actually like it here,” I admitted, and that made him give me a smirk.

“Even the filthy dorms?” He raised a brow, an expression of disgust on his face as we passed the trays with bacon, sausages and hash browns.

“They aren’t filthy!” I rolled my eyes.

“Surely, it’s not what you are used to after the dragon palace, Aurora!” He said, teasing me.

“The Dragon Palace is clearly less lavish than the Drow Court,” I retorted with a smile and met his gaze. “I find accommodation here comfortable and suitable, yet you don’t, Lorcan Argent.”

He didn’t even flinch when I named the Crown Prince of the Drow Empire. And yes, they called themselves an Empire, although technically, their lands were about the same size as the territories of the Four Great Clans.

“So, you figured out who I am,” Lorcan seemed pleased.

“It’s not like you were hiding that too well,” I chuckled, placing a toast on my plate with a few slices of avocado.

“Hmm,” he tilted his head slightly, “I guess you are right. I wanted you to know.”

“I am honoured that you chose to share your big secret. It’s safe with me.”

“Of course, it is,” he shrugged. After all, you owe me one.

I didn’t like that. Everyone knew that you couldn’t be in debt to an elf or a drow. They would come to collect, and it always ended not in favour of the indebted person.

“I really see this situation differently!” I wanted to make my point loud and clear.

“I saved you, didn’t I?” His grin got wider, the blue crystal earring gleaming in the sunlight.

“Technically, I didn’t ask you to, so–” I stretched the last word.

“You still benefited from it,” the drow did not give up. “But don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.”

Okay… these words definitely had a hidden meaning.

“Also, it’s true.” Lorcan added nonchalantly and then took a purple lock of my hair in his hand.

“What is true?” I watched him, not knowing what to do.

“The Drow Court is lavish. We love fine things. Unique things.” He played with my silver strand in his fingers and then lowered his head to inhale my scent, making me blush. We were in the middle of the Dining Hall, for Gods’ sake!

A growl emerged somewhere behind us, and I moved up the line. Taking a bowl of fruit salad, I went to the coffee station.

That was one really weird conversation.

“I will be seeing you around, Aurora!” Lorcan said so that the whole cafeteria heard us and then turned to his people, who also had empty trays. “We can’t possibly eat here. Let’s go.”

One by one, the drow delegation left the room. The rumours were true after all; they thought everything and everyone wasn’t good enough for them. It was one of the reasons why they didn’t make it to the Four Great Clans. The Clans decided they wouldn’t be interested anyway, and also, the drow weren’t great at teamwork.

After a very quick breakfast, I ran to the auditorium for my first class. Being late wasn’t an option, yet here I was… rushing inside at the very last minute. I bumped into someone at the door again and groaned when I saw a displeased Kayden.

We both tried to walk in first and ended up being stuck momentarily.

“Ladies first,” he grunted after a while and stepped back.

“Better late than never, Butterscotch!” I scoffed and scanned the class, noticing Torrin waving to me at the back. He obviously saved me a seat, and I was grateful for that.

However, luck really wasn’t on my side, as an older lady with red hair in a tight bun and two silver strands of hair framing her beautiful ageing face blocked my way.

“You are late.” She informed me, and I swallowed, guessing I had just met Professor McLaughlin Loki was telling me about.

“I am really sorry,” I lowered my head. “There is no excuse–”

“You are right. There is not.” The teacher smirked and looked at someone behind my back. I could feel the familiar butterscotch scent and knew Kayden was in trouble too. “Sit here!” she gestured at a two-place desk at the very front of the class. Gods, please, no!

I glanced at Kayden over my shoulder; he was just as “happy” as I was.

“You are wasting my time!” McLaughlin raised her voice, and we both charged at the desk, aiming for the same chair, of course. Momentarily, I ended up on Kayden’s lap and heard a growl, which seemed so familiar at this point… His fingers dug into my thighs, and I slipped away forcefully to the seat next to him.

The Professor started the lecture, but I was fuming instead. That… mutt! He just grabbed me!

Not wasting time, I tore a little piece of paper from a notebook I had and wrote on it: Keep your hands to yourself!

I threw it at him, and he opened it at once, a smirk forming on his lips as he wrote the reply.

“You are the one who sat on me without my consent!”

He wasn’t serious! I scribbled a new message.

“If you were a true gentleman, you’d give the seat to a lady.”

“I certainly will when I see one.”

I was reading the last message when a new note landed on my half of the desk: “That being said, you are welcome to sit on me when you like.”

“In your dreams!”

“Why not? I thought you liked close contact with unfamiliar males.”

Now, what was that about?

I arched my brow at him questioningly, and he started scribbling something again.

The next note didn’t have any words. Just a picture of a very ugly-looking man with pointy ears touching a woman’s hair.

Wait… Did he mean Lorcan and me earlier today? It wasn’t anything… Not to mention that it wasn’t any of his business.

Was he implying something?

The more I thought of it, the angrier I got.

I could draw too, you know. And I did just that. Sending him the piece of paper. My notebook was getting thinner and thinner.

Kayden growled so loudly when he saw my art. That middle finger came out pretty well. All those painting lessons back in the Palace really paid off! It was all worth this moment alone!

He was furiously writing something else, and in all honesty, I couldn’t wait. But this was when all the pieces of paper around us burst into flames.

I bit my lip and lifted my eyes up at… Professor McLaughlin. She held one of our back-and-forth notes and was reading it. As soon as she was done, it was burnt too.

“How… poetic!” Her lips twitched slightly.

“So,” she sneered at us both. “You two really hate each other, don't you?”

“Obviously!” I rolled my eyes. Did she have to ask? I couldn't stand the guy!

“Have you seen her?” Kay chuckled right next to me. “Just sitting next to Princess perfect is torture.”

“Right back at you!” I gave him my sweetest smile but made sure my gaze was full of venom and flashes of lightning. Just to remind him to keep his distance.

“Good,” the Professor laughed. “Great! Excellent even.”

Somehow, I did not share her excitement. What was she up to?

“Then welcome to your study group, Aurora Thorn and Kayden Brandt.” She checked our names on her iPad and then turned her back to us as if she was done with the topic.

“Please, no!” I gasped, realising what had just happened.

“Anyone but her!” Kayden snarled, not helping our case. Professor McLaughlin didn't look like the one who would be scared anyway.

“I'm afraid it's too late,” the woman informed us. “Your curse has already been cast.”

I swallowed nervously. What did she just say? Surely, this wasn't real!

“This semester, I am breaking you into couples,” our teacher went on. “I will put a curse on each couple, and you will have to figure out what it is as well as a way to break it. The sooner you do, the higher your grade will be.”

I did not like the sound of it.

“And if we don’t?” A weak voice from the back of the class asked.

“Then you will fail my subject, be expelled fromAlpha Island University, and will have to live with the curse.” McLaughlin smiled at us charmingly, and a chill went down my spine.

Kayden and I exchanged concerned glances.

I quickly checked if anything had changed and didn’t notice anything. The lycan did the same. So, if she did indeed curse us, what the hell could it be?

She kept calling names and dividing the whole group into pairs. One couple went purple, quite literally, right before my eyes. Another couple lost the ability to speak. This was seriously creepy, and I didn’t know what to think anymore.

I noticed that Lorcan was sitting at the back of the class, and our eyes met briefly.

“Beatriss Garou and Torrin Steele,” Professor named the next couple, and my lips parted in shock when I saw her pointing at my vampire roommate, who was already eyeing Tor as if he was a piece of fresh meat.

Although, maybe it was for the best. That vamp would keep him busy if they had to work together.

“All right, let’s continue our lesson!” McLaughlin went back to her desk.

“Professor,” I heard Lorcan calling her, and she turned to look at him as if she was giving him a huge favour. “You still didn’t give me a partner.”

“Oh, I know,” the woman turned away. “It doesn’t seem you feel anyone is worthy in this classroom to work with you. So, my gift to you is a one-person curse. You are welcome.”

“There is someone I would prefer to work with in this classroom,” the drow informed her and looked at me again, making me blush. Kayden growled next to me.

“Would you maybe start controlling your sounds!” I hissed at him, and he clenched his lips, and the pencil in his hand broke.

“Mr Argent, I am afraid it’s too late for that!” McLaughlin laughed. “Maybe next curse.”

The rest of the lecture was uneventful as we were all too afraid of her to move. She told us about the curse classification, and then the bell rang, letting us all know that the time was up.

“Well, that was fun!” Kayden grunted as the bell rang, and we stood up. “Now we have two curses to figure out.”

“Yeah, good luck with that!” I turned on my heels, not wishing to spend a moment longer in his company. He was too much. “Just make sure you don’t contact me again.”

“Contact you?” He chuckled as he overtook me on the way to the exit. “Only if I want to get electrocuted, and although I am into some kinks, that’s definitely not on my list.”

“So, I guess see you never, Kayden!” I snorted as we had already turned our backs on each other.

“Never it is, Storm!” He agreed, and that was when we both got hit by some invisible power.

Knocked off my feet, I found myself on the floor right next to Kayden. Both of us looked at each other in shock.

“What the…” The lycan gritted his teeth.

“That wasn’t funny!” I told him, and he rolled his eyes. He was back on his feet faster than me and tried to leave once again, but once again, was pulled back to me. This time, I could feel the invisible pull.

I forgot how to breathe when I realised one horrible, horrible thing.

We couldn’t get far enough away from each other!

“I guess you have just figured out your curse!” Professor McLaughlin smirked as she strolled past us, leaving Kayden and me gaping…

NOTE: Now Rory and Kay can't walk away from each other. Literally lol

Guys, my flu turned out to be Covid, and I am not sure I will be able to update the next chapter on time next week. I will still be updating The Emerald Seer this week, and you can find out updates on what's next in my group Marion Artwood: Den Of Dragons. We also have a crossword game with a personal prize from me there at the moment. Don't miss it :)