Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(101)
clasp when he secures it in place. Rhea’s eyes flash with desire, before she shutters her expression.
A smile creeps over my face, pleased with him accepting her a little more, but the beast inside of
me is desperate to rip from my body and show everyone she’s mine too. I’m willing to share, my
brain understands, but it doesn’t mean I can’t be a jealous fuck on occasion.
“Take care of it,” Khaos murmurs, before releasing his hold on Rhea and turning back to the front,
just as Zellus begins walking into the hall with his two assistants on either side of him.
The hall breaks into a hushed quiet, silence sweeping through everyone as he slowly makes his
way to the podium, gaining everyone’s attention as he goes. It doesn’t surprise me, he’s an attention
whore. Just like Zeus, but there’s nothing we can do or say. We just have to accept his fucking
presence and get on with our education. For the next three years at least.
After that I won’t have to watch him make a dramatic display every time he enters into a public
space. Well, except this morning when he didn’t want to be seen, yet I had heard him anyway, and
pointed Zen’s attention in his direction.
The thing is with a man like this, him saying nothing at all, says more than he’d actually like. It
gives him away. Showing his hand as he attempted to observe us in class, trying to read between the
lines to see something that shouldn’t be visible to his eyes.
Motherfucker.
I hate that we had to make a statement the way we did, but I don’t regret it, not when my girl is
tucked in beside me.
Zellus’ eyes scan the room, his fake smile plastered in place as he takes everyone in, but his pace
immediately slows as he reaches the Agion pew, his eyes raking over each and every one of us at the
front as he takes in Rhea’s positioning among us. It probably would have served us well to have Zen
right next to Rhea instead of Harmonia, but there’s nothing we can do about that now. Besides, he saw
Zen’s claim earlier. There is no denying his intent.
I’m expecting a phone call from my parents later this evening for sure. The gossip mill will go
through the roof with buzz at the Elites completing their unit. Some will be mad, especially those who
don’t have a brain and consider Rhea to be a no one, but I don’t care.
Not. One. Bit.
“Good morning, students. Thank you for gathering at such short notice,” he begins, straightening
the lapels on his blazer, black eyes still fixed on Rhea, who doesn’t flinch under his gaze at all. “After
some curious and… surprising news we received earlier today,” he continues, eyebrows raised as he
clearly draws everyone’s attention to us. “We have decided to bring forward the Solstice ball to this
coming weekend.”
Gasps ring out around us, excitement and squeals coming from all angles as a buzz fills the air, but
I see right through it all, understanding his intentions.
I pull my gaze from his, looking around Rhea to see Zen who shares the same knowing expression.
Fuck.
Zellus continues to mumble on, talking about shit I have no further care for as the reality of what
he’s put in motion sets in.
The Solstice event is for the Hex, the students of Saints Academy, and their families to gather
together in a show of unionship, but all I’m hearing is the fact that he’s clearly unhappy with our
choice in woman, and he thinks bringing our families in will change that.
Well, fuck him. He gets no say whatsoever.
We’re not quiet, follow-the-rules types. Being a supernatural puts enough expectations on our
shoulders, we don’t require any more. When we became friends, Zen, Adonis, Khaos, and I, we made
a pact to be united on all fronts. That meant no internal disagreements, yet with the ability to speak
our minds.
Our communication is open, our irritation is usually high with each other, but these men are my
brothers, and sending in our parents to right a situation you feel is incorrect is not going to end well
for him. Not when we’re fucking adults in our own right, but this is typical of the supernaturals in
charge. Believing they can control every aspect of our lives in one way or another.
Not at all.
Rhea remains quiet beside me, completely oblivious to the bigger picture since she’s not aware of
the customs, while I scramble to think about how each of our parents may react. Not that I truly care
what the reactions will be, but I need to prepare in advance so I can counteract any arguments, and
change their minds before they get ahead of themselves with their opinions.
Zellus pats the podium, calling the assembly to a close, and I realize I’ve listened to nothing
further from him. Shit. Hopefully someone else did, because otherwise, that’s not going to help me.
“Girl, I will take you dress shopping, no stress,” Harmonia says with a smile, also oblivious to
everything going on as she nudges Rhea with her shoulder.
“I can’t, I refuse to use the money set up for me,” Rhea explains with a sigh, making me frown as I