CHAPTER 6

I didn't see Charles after class. Charles must be trapping himself away in that lab again. I learned they were working on a cure for vampire bites on werewolves. Vampire bites were deadly to werewolves if not treated quickly enough, and even with treatment; could still be fatal.

I couldn't believe my mate was smart enough to make such a cure. This explains why everyone was so mad at the lights. Although they weren't UV lights, vampire cells are still susceptible to any light.

I went to the commons to eat lunch, running into Nate there and deciding to eat lunch together. We were lucky enough to find a nearby table.

"How is your first day of classes going?" I asked him as I took a bite of an apple.

"So far, so good. There are some challenging professors. I am pretty sure one hates me already, just for being part dragon," he said, shaking his head at the thought.

"Seriously? I didn't think any professors could be so closed minded in a university like this."

"Oh, it would surprise you with how many there are," he responded.

We kept talking for a while. Hanging out even after we finished eating. I teasingly bumped into him as we walked around the field outside. Nate felt like an old friend. I felt very comfortable around him for having just met him. I think it was his dragon charm, but who really knows?

I faintly smelled that familiar pine and cinnamon in the air again, causing me to stop walking. I looked around, finding Charles in the distance, surrounded by a group of friends.

My chest tightened as I noticed the girl beside him had her arm resting against his. It didn't help that she was painstakingly beautiful. She had light blonde hair with natural golden streaks through it. Her features were sharp and strong with eyes as sharp as sapphires, beautiful yet very intense. Her white, sparkly lips turned into the most dazzling smile. She pushed her hair behind her ear, and I noticed the slight point to its tip. She was an elf. No fucking wonder she was so beautiful.

Elves were honestly the most beautiful creatures. It's like all elves could make were more model-like children. I couldn't compete with an elf. I couldn't help staring at them longer, probably a little too long. Charles noticed looking and smirked.

I glanced away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing I was watching him. I leaned against Nate, feeling a little uneasy at the thought of Charles and the elf being anything more than friends.

I snuck one last look at them, seeing Charles still staring at me. Gold specks floated in his eyes, and I wondered what was causing his wolf to stir.

"You okay?" Nate asked, wrapping his arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah, just got a little dizzy," I lied. I didn't feel like trying to explain my complicated relationship with Nate. My arm wrapped around his waist, and we walked like that towards the dorms.

The way Nate and I held each other seemed romantic, but I could tell it was platonic for us both. Nate felt more like a longtime best friend. I am sure he felt the same way. I like to believe that we have friends we are destined to find, and Nate was that friend to me.

He dropped me off at my dorm, making sure I was okay before leaving me. I had another class in the evening. A 2 hour lab they asked me to join. I decided that taking a nap would probably do me good.

My alarm went off, and I snoozed it a few too many times. My legs were running through campus as fast as they could, trying to make it on time. I tried tying my hair up as I ran, and I was sure I looked terrible. I tied my hair in a messy bun and took my jacket off, shoving it in my bag.

I entered the room as quietly as possible, being a few minutes late. Thankfully, it still hadn't started. I let out a sigh of relief.

"You must be Rain," An older man, with a widow's peak, stated.

He had a lab coat on with a name badge reading Dr. Alexander Gates. His glasses hugged the bridge of his nose a bit too tight. He extended his hand out towards me in greeting.

"Yes, I am." I took his hand, shaking it with a tight grip.

"I look forward to having you here. I read the paper you wrote on the study of our cellular regeneration. You had some excellent points and thoughts on the subject. Especially for a high school student. I look forward to seeing what you are capable of." He smiled. "Please take a seat anywhere. We are waiting for one last student."

I looked around, realizing no one here was a freshman except one other person who I wish weren't here. How did Luke get invited to this lab, too? He spotted me making his way over.

"Come sit with me." He didn't ask. I'm not quick to do what he says anymore. I took a seat at a table near the front, away from him.

Luke sighed and went back to his table. I thought that would be the end. Of course, that was too hopeful. I noticed he was grabbing his things to come sit with me. The tables sat 3, and I hoped the student that was left would sit between us. Just before Luke got to the table, someone else plopped their things on the seat beside me, forcing Luke to take the seat on the other side of the table. Thank you, goddess.

I looked up to see who had just could saved me from a semester of torture. His all too familiar dark eyes stared down at me intently. A slight look of confusion crossed his face as he looked around. Was Charles in the wrong class?

Charles was so tall even leaning against the table. His muscles prominently showed against his tight shirt. I moved in my seat as I inhaled the heavenly smell of his. I could feel Heli stirring inside me.

"Are you sure you have the right lab?" He asked me with an eyebrow raised.

"Pretty sure, since Dr. Gates greeted me personally." I smiled condescendingly. "You seem lost, though. Need any help?" I remarked.

"Nope. Just surprised to see a freshman in a senior advanced lab." He smirked, taking his seat beside me. I shrugged my shoulders at him.

"Guess that makes me smarter than the average Joe." I smirked back.

Luke looked oddly small beside Charles. Luke was a pretty tall and muscular man now, but Charles just towered over him in size and shape. He seemed upset that Charles had joined us.

"Now that everyone has arrived, I want to welcome you to our molecular biology lab. Most of you here are currently working on the Vampire cure in Lab 110, so I know you already know a lot on this matter. This lab is to help advance what you already know. Most of you here are seniors, but as you can see, we have a couple of freshmen here. Don't let them deceive you, for these are some of the brightest freshmen I have seen in many years," Dr Gates started. "Rain here wrote a riveting paper on cellular regeneration and conducted a study while still in high school." I slouched in my chair, not liking the attention. "Luke is here for his expertise in vampire biology. He studied under the infamous Stefan Helms."

I turned to look at Luke then. Is that where he had gone? Stefan Helms was a well-known vampire lord. He was a brilliant scientist on top of his nobility, who ruled over much of Europe. He ran a lab out of London whose medical advances were ahead of most. It seems Luke had been busy when he disappeared.

Dr. Gates was amazing, and he had so much to teach us. I read over the syllabus quite a few times. I was excited about hitting most of the topics on it.

Charles stayed focused the whole time. Never once looking my way. It felt cold to be so close to him and not have any interaction. Why did he choose to sit beside me, anyway? There were plenty of other seats around the room. Why sit with the freshmen?

Dr Gates did most of the talking for this class. He told us next week we would do most of the work. He dismissed us right on time. Charles quickly got up and went to the back to speak with Dr Gates before I could speak a word to him. I wondered what they were speaking about. Luke covered my view of Charles, immediately causing me irritation.

"Who is that?" He asked about Charles.

"He's a senior, it seems. I think his name is Charles." I responded, trying to look over his shoulder at Charles.

"I mean, who is he to you?" My eyes glanced away from Charles to Luke. His question infuriated me.

"You lost the right to know about my life a while ago." He stiffened at my words as my irritation in my tone was very clear.

"Rain, please don't be like that. You were once the love of my life." Surprisingly, he seemed sad, causing me to feel some sympathy for him. I sighed, uncrossing my arms and looking straight into those dreamy eyes of his.

"Like you said, once, but no longer. You made sure of that when you ran off without a word, Luke." I grabbed my things, ready to leave and be done with this conversation.

"Rain, let me explain it to you, please." His emotions were so clear on his face. He didn't even try to hide them. He was desperate, and I was curious enough to know what really happened.

"Fine, explain." I watched him, hoping the answer he gave me would finally give me some closure.

"Not here. Meet me in my dorm." He smiled, and I realized what he was doing. He had no intention of explaining anything, wanting something else instead. I was furious about having fallen for it.

"Fuck off Luke." I pushed my way past him, storming out of the room with my things in hand.