Page 16 of Tempest Rising

I groaned softly, burying my face in my pillow. This was all so confusing. How could I have such intense feelings for multiple men? Was this normal? And then there was Ciaran—brooding, mysterious Ciaran. I still had so many questions about what being his mate entailed.

"Crap," I muttered, realizing I'd forgotten to ask Thalon about it. Mental note: add that to the growing list of things to discuss with my dragon.

Speaking of things I needed to figure out, my magic was still a complete mystery to me. I'd barely scratched the surface of understanding my abilities, and I knew I'd need to get a handle on them soon if I wanted to keep up with the other applicants.

I shifted in bed, wincing as my sore muscles protested. The workout this morning had been brutal, and the thought of doing it all again tomorrow made me want to groan. At least I'd managed to hold my own against Selena and her cronies today. I could only hope they wouldn't give me too much trouble tomorrow.

Whiskey purred softly, kneading his paws against my side. I scratched behind his ears, grateful for his comforting presence. "At least you're not complicated, buddy," I murmured.

With a sigh, I reached over to double-check that my alarm was set. The last thing I needed was to oversleep and give Selena more ammunition against me.

As I settled back into bed, my mind still buzzing with unanswered questions and conflicting emotions, I felt the weight of exhaustion pulling at me. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, I needed rest.

Slowly, with Whiskey's purrs as a soothing lullaby, I drifted off to sleep.

The bell-like sound of my alarm jolted me awake, and I quickly silenced it before it could disturb Whiskey. He was curled up at the foot of the bed, his tail twitching slightly in his sleep. I smiled fondly at the little ball of fluff, feeling a pang of guilt for how little attention I’d given him lately.

"I promise we'll have some quality cuddle time tonight, buddy," I whispered softly, carefully extracting myself from the warm cocoon of blankets without disturbing him.

Another full day loomed ahead of me, and I mentally ran through my packed Thursday schedule:

0600 - Physical Conditioning and Team Dynamics with Instructor Alvarez 0800 - Breakfast 0900 - Contemporary Supernatural Affairs and The Unveiling with Dante 1100 - One-on-One Training with Instructor Blackwell 1300 - Lunch 1400 - Dragonne Library Duties 1800 - Dinner

The thought of facing another grueling workout so early in the morning was less than motivating, especially with how much my muscles still protested from yesterday’s session.

After taking care of my morning necessities and splashing some cold water on my face to wake myself up, I headed to the closet to get dressed.

Rifling through my clothes, I reached for my usual workout tank top before freezing. The mating mark. I'd almost forgotten about it. My hand drifted to my shoulder, tracing the outline of the mark hidden beneath my pajama top. How was I going to keep this a secret?

I grabbed a long-sleeved workout shirt instead, wondering if it would look odd in the summer heat. Maybe Thalon knew some kind of glamour or concealment spell? It would certainly make things easier. I made a mental note to ask him later—right now, I was running behind schedule.

Hurriedly pulling on my clothes and lacing up my sneakers, I snagged a banana from the kitchen counter on my way out. It wasn't much of a breakfast, but it would have to do.

Chapter 7

Tess

I entered the dining area, my muscles aching pleasantly from the morning's physical conditioning class. The run with Anya had been a bit better than yesterday. At least I knew what to expect. And the high-intensity interval training circuit that followed? Let's just say having Kane, Mason, and Anya in my group had made the grueling workout a lot more bearable.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief as I thought back on the morning. Selena, Valen, and their crew had been too focused on their own workouts to give me any grief. It was a nice change of pace not to worry about their snide comments or attempts to sabotage me.

As I approached the fancy buffet, the aroma of freshly cooked food made my stomach growl. I grabbed a plate, eager to refuel after the intense session. The spread was impressive, as always—choices of freshly prepared eggs, pastries, and fruit.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the tables. Groups of people sat scattered throughout the space. I bit my lip, nervous for a moment. This wasn't just sitting alone at the library any longer. I was now an applicant, one of... them.

Before I could second-guess myself and tuck away in some corner with my plate, I spotted Anya lingering near the buffet,plate in hand. Her violet eyes swept over the crowded tables, and she paused, clearly debating where to sit.

Just as I was about to approach her, Mason caught my eye from across the room. His large figure shifted at the table where Kane sat, seated with a few applicants I hadn't met yet. With a small dip of his head, he signaled to me and Anya. It was an unmistakable invitation.

I smiled softly. Perfect timing. "Hey, Anya," I called, heading toward her. "Looks like we’ve been saved from a lonely breakfast." Her eyes widened in surprise as I jerked my chin toward where Mason and the others sat.

"Oh..." She shifted awkwardly, glancing between me and the table. "I usually... prefer to sit by myself."

"No need for the solo act today," I said gently, nudging her with my elbow as I motioned again toward the table. "Come on. Mason’s waving us over. And besides, you kept me sane during that run earlier—let me return the favor."

With a small sigh, she finally lowered her gaze. "Alright. Just this once."

I grinned at her reluctant acceptance and led the way.

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