“If you’re just focusing on me and staring at me like that, you’re leaving yourself wide open to attacks from behind. In a war, you’d already be injured or dead,” Leo said.
What he said made sense, but this wasn’t a war. This was just a duel between me and him.
“Again,” he commanded, suddenly not behind me anymore but now standing far away. Even though he’d been so close before, now it felt like there was an unbridgeable distance between us. Looking at him, it was like facing an insurmountable wall. It didn’t make sense. Normally, I could sense someone’s limits, but with him? He had no ceiling. It was like he hadn’t even reached his full potential yet, and still, he was toying with me. How much more powerful could he get? How far could he go?
Even though I wasn’t the one being talked about, I felt a thrill. Yeah… he had every right to be my mate. I’d surrender myself to him, no question.
But I wasn’t giving up just yet. That’s why, with a grin on my face, I lunged at him, claws out.
***
Leon’s POV
The duel ended with her defeat, unsurprisingly. She attacked me relentlessly, that grin plastered on her face the whole time. I didn’t even bother attacking or retaliating—I just blocked and dodged everything she threw at me. And then, like her energy was a balloon that popped, she collapsed flat on her back, all worn out. It was actually pretty comical how she went from full of energy to completely spent like that.
“Haaa… haa…” she panted, staring at the ceiling, her hand covering her eyes. Her hot breath misted in the cold air.
“You okay?” I asked.
“That was fun,” she replied, her lips curling into a grin. “I never thought fighting like that could be fun. And losing? That was a thrill too. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
Then, as if the energy had flooded back into her, she sprang to her feet in one fluid motion, eyes gleaming with excitement.
“Alright, as promised, I’m your mate now!” she announced, her voice bright and full of pride. “So, are you keeping from your girlfriend that you’ve got other women, or are you being honest?”
“I’m not hiding anything,” I said.
“Knew it. Royals don’t give a damn about monogamy, do they? Same with my clan,” she muttered, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips. Then she looked up at me with a gleam in her eye. “Guess that means I’ll get to be lovey-dovey with you in public too!”
“Uh, I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” I said.
“Why not?” she tilted her head.
“Well, Nia claimed me at the academy. She made it clear that I’m hers alone when we’re on academy grounds. That’s her exclusive time,” I explained.
“But you two aren’t in the same class, right?” she asked. “I am your classmate. So, it’s totally fine if I take that time to be lovey-dovey with you, right?”
She had a point. Titania and I weren’t in the same class, so technically, there wasn’t any overlap. And besides, Titania had made it clear—how many women I had just showed how powerful I was. She didn’t mind if I pursued other relationships.
“Alright,” I finally agreed.
Before I could even blink, Trill launched herself at me, her arms and legs wrapping around me tightly like she was never going to let go. Her body pressed against mine, warm and eager, as she clung to me with a satisfied smile.
“Yay!” she squealed, her face lighting up with joy.
And just like that, Trill was mine.
***
Trill and I made our way back to the dorms, her hand gripping mine tightly, making sure it was wedged right between her soft, warm breasts. Luckily, we were both in the same dorm. She clung to me the whole way, making sure my hand was firmly pressed between her breasts. Her actions reminded me a lot of how Titania would do the same thing.
“When can I meet you again?” she asked
“Tomorrow’s good. Maybe after class?” I replied.
“Alright then,” she said with a wink before she slipped inside the dormitory ahead of me. “See you tomorrow,” she added, disappearing into the hallway, leaving me standing there alone.
I stayed outside for a bit, the cold air biting at my skin as I exhaled, watching my breath turn to mist. I could feel eyes on me again. She’d gotten better at hiding. I couldn’t see her anymore, but I knew she was there. She’d been following me for a while now.
Deciding to ignore her for now, I headed inside the dorm. After a quick stop at my room, I went out to the window and made my way to the pub where I first met Irene outside of academy grounds.
The moment I stepped in, I could see her. Irene stood out like a goddess in the center of the room, drawing eyes from every direction. Her outfit tonight was nowhere near as modest as last time—it clung to her curves, practically begging for attention. And she got it. People outside were pressing their faces against the windows, just trying to catch a glimpse of her.
I pushed through the crowd, ignoring the stares and whispers, making my way toward her. I could hear the men surrounding her, their voices dripping with desperation as they tried—and failed—to get her attention. Irene wasn’t having any of it, though. She didn’t say a word, didn’t even acknowledge them, her expression cold as ice as she sat there.
“Hey, whore, don’t ignore us!”
One of the guys, clearly pissed off at being brushed aside, grabbed Irene by the wrist and tried to yank her up. But…
“Don’t touch me, please.” Her voice was calm, almost too calm for the situation.
And then, just like that, he went flying. I didn’t even catch how it happened, but knowing she had the Atlantis, it was likely she used that. The dude crashed into a table, groaning in pain.
“I’ve got a date tonight. I don’t want anyone ruining it.” Her voice was cool, collected, like she wasn’t even phased by what just happened.
The crowd around her scattered like they were being repelled by some invisible force. No one dared to mess with her after that. And then, her eyes found mine.
“Ah, Leon!” she said, her face lighting up as she got up from her chair and practically glided toward me. Her gaze flicked up and down my body before a seductive smile curled at the corners of her lips. “You’re late.”
