Page 42 of Goody Magic Academy: Year Three

“Proud of yourself?” Finn spat, his words dripping with venom.

Kamaron shot him a warning glance. “You said you wouldn’t start anything,” he muttered, his voice tight with disapproval.

Finn’s lip curled into a sneer. “I lied,” he said flatly, not taking his eyes off Jaxon.

Jaxon’s grip on my hand tightened slightly, but his voice remained calm and steady as he responded, “She’s mine.”

The words ignited something in Finn. He abruptly stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the pavement. “You seduced her!” he shouted, his voice rising.

“No, Finn,” Jaxon replied calmly, though I could feel the tension in his body. “That’s not how fated mates work. Or did you fail history class?”

Finn’s face flushed red with anger. He knocked his chair over as he took a step toward Jaxon. “You selfish asshole?—”

“Stop!” I interjected, stepping between them and holding up my hands. My heart was racing, but I fought to keep my voice steady. “Fighting won’t help anything.”

The others at the table watched with a mix of shock and unease. Twyla looked ready to intervene, while Rose preferred to shrink into her seat. Valentin’s eyes darted between Finn and Jaxon, assessing the situation.

I took a deep breath. “Everyone, please. Can we all just sit down and discuss this like adults?”

“What’s there to discuss?” Finn growled, his hand cutting through the air in a sharp gesture. “You’re mated to him now.” The words came out like an accusation, disappointed and angry.

Rose’s eyes softened as she looked at Finn. “I know you’re upset, Finn, but Jaxon is right. You don’t have any control over who your fated mate is.” She lowered her voice, her words gentle but firm. “And I think you know that.”

Finn’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, it seemed like he might lash out again. But before he could speak, Valentin locked eyes with him, his gaze steady and challenging, and Finn’s words died on his lips.

“Please, Finn,” I whispered.

Finn’s eyes met mine, and the hurt I saw there made my heart break. Then, without a word, he reached down, righted his knocked-over chair and sat down heavily, his body rigid with tension. He remained silent, but his eyes smoldered with a mix of anger, betrayal, and resignation.

The table fell into an uneasy silence. Jaxon’s hand found mine under the table, a silent gesture of support as we faced the fallout of our newfound bond.

Then Kamaron frowned. “Not to make things even worse, Valentin, but it looks like your brother’s here.”

I followed Jaxon’s suddenly tense gaze and gasped. Dimitri Dragan was indeed making his way to our table, and his presence immediately commanded the attention of everyone around us.

Dimitri moved with feline grace, each step deliberate and confident. He was undeniably handsome, with sharp, aristocratic features, and his raven-black hair was artfully tousled, giving him a roguish air that was a little at odds with his expensive, well-tailored clothes.

But it was his eyes that truly captured your attention—striking and ice-blue, almost piercing through you, glinting with intelligence, mischief, and danger. His lips were curved into a perpetual smirk, as if he alone was privy to a secret.

As he approached, the energy around our table shifted. Finn’s anger faded into wariness, while Jaxon’s grip on my hand tightened slightly. Even Valentin, usually so composed, sat a little straighter in his seat.

Dimitri exuded both power and unpredictability. He was the kind of person who could charm you one moment and terrify you the next, all without losing his enigmatic smile. As he drew closer, I found myself both intrigued by and afraid of what his arrival might mean for us.

His voice when he spoke was smooth as silk but with an underlying edge of steel. “Well, well,” he drawled, his eyes sweeping over our group. “Isn’t this a cozy little gathering?”

Valentin’s scowl deepened, his voice tight with barely concealed animosity. “What are you doing here, Dimitri?”

Dimitri’s smirk widened, his eyes glinting with amusement. “My boss is having me play errand boy,” he shrugged.

I could feel the blood drain from my face, a chill running down my spine. “Your boss as in Angelo Santi, the vampire mafia king?” My words came out in a whisper, as if speaking the name too loudly might summon him.

“The very same,” Dimitri confirmed, his gaze sliding from me to Jaxon and back again. There was a predatory gleam in his eye that made my skin crawl. “It appears you two upset the apple cart at Simon’s shindig at Ravenwood Estate. You made several big bosses very upset.”

The tension at the table ratcheted up several notches. Kamaron leaned forward, his voice low and urgent. “What exactly does that mean, Dimitri?”

Dimitri’s smile never wavered, but there was a dangerous edge to it now. “It means,” he continued, “that your little stunt has caught the attention of some very powerful supernaturals who are now some very unhappy supernaturals. And they’ve sent me to...how shall I put it…cordially invite you to explain yourselves. In person.”

I swallowed hard, looking up at Jaxon. His jaw was set and his eyes hard as he stared down Dimitri. “And exactly who is inviting us to this meeting? Your boss?” Jaxon’s voice was tight, controlled.

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