10. Arabella

Chapter 10

Arabella

W ednesday equals one of the worst days of the week. The plus side means the week is halfway over, the downside is that I still have two more days to survive. Being at RISE really hasn't been that terrible yet, but I am ready for the weekend to relax with the girls. I didn't expect the academy to be so similar to school back in Aeris. I was expecting to graduate this year, but now I'm not sure when I'll be done with school. Which is one of the reasons why I'm desperate for the weekend. Back home I had a few girlfriends to do things with. Here I have Isis and Harper, who have been amazing so far.

Both of them had left early this morning. I heard the door shut right before I rolled over and let sleep claim me for just a little longer. I got the luck of the draw having a late morning class so I could sleep in slightly. I am still exhausted after staying up until three in the morning, but it's not as bad as it would have been if I had the early morning class again.

Today is the first day of my mentorship. Nowhere on my schedule does it state who my teacher is, the only thing listed is where to meet which is in the main building on the top floor. According to the campus map, that is where all the council members and the medical wing are located, which makes me think that my mentor is Councilwoman Talia. She didn't seem terrible during our first meeting but I'm still wary about her intentions and if she is on my side or my father's. I supposed we will find that out today. I really hope she is on mine.

After quickly getting dressed, I grab my bag and head downstairs. With a smile to the guard at the dorm entrance, I walk outside, relishing the smell of fresh air. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, letting the scent of pine trees fill my lungs. The only thing that would make it better was if I could smell the ocean as well. That is one of my favorite places in the world and one of the best scents. It has always calmed me in my moments of need.

"Good morning, Little Angel," Noah, the guard from my first day, calls out beside me. I startle at the sound of his voice, and my heart rate rises to an uncomfortable level. I didn't see him outside when I exited the door, and if I had, I wouldn't have stopped to smell the fresh air. The dude gives me the creeps. This is the first time I've seen him since that first day. I hoped to continue avoiding him for the remainder of my stay here.

"Good morning, Guard Noah," I answer politely but with a clipped tone. Before he can say anything else, I turn away from him and begin walking to the main building. I'm hoping he gets the hint that I don't want to talk, but it appears he isn't.

"Fancy meeting you out here. I figured you would have had an early class, considering how concerned your father was when he dropped you off." His tone is light, but I can hear the veiled threat underneath.

Doing my best to ignore him, I pick up my pace through the woods, praying to the Divine that he will get the hint and leave me alone. Whatever obsession this guard has with me, I would really like it to stop.

"You know you really shouldn't be out here walking alone. Who knows what could happen to a beautiful female like you?" His hand reaches out to grasp my bicep, but I anticipate the move and step out of reach just in time.

"With the amount of security I've seen around campus since arriving I would say I'm pretty safe. Thank you for your concern," I give him a soft smile in an attempt to be kind before picking up my pace even more. At this point, I'm practically jogging away from him, but I can't seem to lose him. If he doesn't leave me alone, I will need to tell someone about it. I really don't want to be the cause of problems here. This was supposed to be a new leaf for me to turn.

"Even the safest places have dangers lurking, Little Angel," he smiles at me, and the sight makes my stomach drop. I want to be a smart ass and tell him he's the danger, but I don't want to earn his ire. "Have a good day, Little Angel. Remember to be safe out there."

I watch him walk away, leaving me standing at the gardens' entrance at the back of the school. I will definitely need to be on the lookout more after this. Maybe it will be better if Harper or Isis are with me when I walk to and from the main part of campus. Hopefully, if I have someone with me it will keep him away from me. It's at least an idea to start with before taking a more drastic measure.

With a few minutes to spare before my mentorship starts, I make it to the room, where I'm greeted with a closed, black wooden door. It's out of place with all the other dark brown doors. This one even has an intricate swirl design on it, whereas the others are just plain. There's no sign designating it as belonging to any one specific person, so I still have no idea who to expect as my mentor.

Taking a deep breath, I center myself and my magic before opening the door. What I‘m not expecting is the person standing with their back, looking out the window on the far side of the room as I enter. I know that back, and I would know those wings anywhere. My best friend and the other person I am tied to as a mate.

Warrick.

I'm completely floored seeing him before me. I never thought I'd see him again. At least not until I managed to get back to Aeris somehow. I should have known he'd find a way to get to me. My best friend always has. My heart sores seeing him standing in front of me, and the panic I felt leading up to this mentorship is gone. I know what to expect when it comes to him and his teaching style.

Warrick has been mentoring me for years under my father's instructions. Hopefully, now that we are here, it will be different, and he doesn't need to answer to my father in the same way that he has been. We also now have an opportunity for him to explain why he didn't want me to speak up about him being my mate. I know it is rare for someone to have multiple mates. There are very few angels who do, most choosing to live a life of solitude, away from the main city and the chaos that comes with it. I don't blame them either. If not for my position, I would have chosen a life in the outskirts versus one in Aeris and all the politics.

"Warrick," I squeal, running toward him. A second before I reach him, I slam into a barrier preventing me from throwing my arms around him. I watch as he slowly turns around to face me, his expression blank as he stares at me. My heart stops beating. He's acting like we don't know each other at all. It's as if he's completely forgotten me. My arms drop to my side, and I begin to hide my emotions so he can't see just how much his actions have hurt me. Two can play this game. He doesn't deserve to see my hurt when he acts as if he has no idea who I am. Never before has he shut me out like this.

"Good morning, Arabella," he greets me. "Why don't you take a seat, and we can get started." He points to a set of chairs that I had paid no attention to in my pursuit to get to him.

Turning around, I move to the chairs he pointed at and take the one closest to me. It's an oversized black leather armchair I can easily sit in, with my wings resting on the seat, without pulling them inside me. Many angels prefer to have their wings on display at all times, and it's usually my preference as well.

While we've been at school, it's been a tad bit easier pulling them in since it only requires a small amount of magic, and the hallways are just so busy. I only have them out today because I had a later class and I knew the halls would be pretty empty when I came here. Plus, I didn't want to risk them expanding due to my magic use today, depending on what my mentor would expect me to do. Turns out I was right. I'm still embarrassed that I broke one of Warrick's mother's vases when we practiced my magic inside when I was younger. I lost control, causing my wings to come out inside the house. She said it wasn't a big deal, but to me, it was.

"Good morning, Mentor," I answer. If he wants to continue playing this game, we can both do so, but I will get him to talk to me one way or another. "What are we working on today?"

Warrick ignores me and stops walking to flip open a folder on a large, dark wooden desk. "It says in your file that you were rejected for being unable to control your magic and because you would not submit to your mate. Is this correct?" His tone is stern, harder than I've ever heard him be with me. It's almost as if he has no emotion.

"If that's what it says," I answer. It's what I expected, but I don't agree with it at all. My magic is controllable, just not to the level that everyone wants it to be. As for the submission, yeah, I'm not going to submit to someone who wants to control me. I have my own ideas and opinions, and I want to be free to express those, not live my life as someone I'm not. If that's a reason for rejection then that is a them problem, not a me problem.

I will deal with most of how the Angels expect us to live our lives, but that is one I refuse to do. Many Angels are free to make their own choices, and their partners fully support that. It seems that the Angels in positions of power are the ones who don't want their mates to have their own voices.

"Should we add attitude problem to this list?" he questions, slamming the folder closed before resuming his walk toward me.

I keep my mouth shut, waiting to see what he says next. I showed part of my hand with that previous answer, and I refuse to give him any more than that.

"I suppose that's a yes," he sighs, sitting opposite me. "Today is about getting to know you and the expectations that RISE Academy has for you. We want this to be the best experience that it can be for you during your time here."

I roll my eyes at his diplomatic explanation. I really think he is brainwashed at this point because there's no way he would say that he has to get to know me otherwise. He's known me since I was born. This whole charade is stressful, and I'm getting to the point where I either want to yell at him or storm out as I'm yelling at him. Neither accomplishes anything other than making me feel slightly better.

"What would you like to know? I promise you I've had a better experience here in the past three days than at home." It's a lie, well, sort of. If I were home, I would be subjected to my father's abuse. Here, I can at least be myself for the most part and not worry about repercussions coming my way if I do or say something he doesn't like. However, if I were home, it would mean I have a mate who chose me, and we would be settling into mated life, which I really wanted to explore.

"Why would you say this is a better experience for you?" he asks while tapping his pen against an open notebook sitting on his leg.

Oh, this man is just trying to test me today. That's it. I'm over it.

"What the fuck is your problem, Warrick?" I snap, tired of this game he is playing. "Have you been brainwashed or something? You've known me since I was born, so can we cut the bullshit and have an actual conversation that matters?"

"Arabella," he sighs, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter how long I've known you. This is an opportunity to explore who you are and who you want to be while discovering truths about yourself that you never would have learned if you were still in Aeris. I came here to make sure you were okay and that you got the most out of this experience."

I can't help the snort that escapes me at his answer. "Well then, why not speak up at the mating ceremony about you being my mate? You could have prevented me from coming here in the first place. I wouldn't have had to face the rejection I went through by Maverick or the beating I got from my father after it."

That is what stings the most. That he could have prevented all of this if he spoke up. If he had just fought for us the way I would have. Maybe that is just the crush I have had on him for forever, but it's still the truth. I thought just maybe he felt something for me but I'm starting to feel like I was just an assignment to him.

"Was I ever your friend?" The question escapes me before I can think it through. I hope I'm not wrong and he was my friend.

"Really, Bella?" he asks exasperated. His eyes flash with anger before he catches himself and takes a minute to breathe. "Of course, you're my friend. You are my best friend. I'm trying to look out for you and do what's best for you."

"Aren't you best for me? The Divine seems to think so." I am determined to get him to tell me why he didn't claim me at the ceremony. I deserve better than that. It's exactly why I was okay with Maverick rejecting me, or well, one of the reasons. I won't change myself to be someone I'm not. If you can't accept me, then that is a you problem. I always thought that Warrick accepted me how I am, but I'm starting to think that was wrong. I must be a shit judge of character then.

"This isn't about us right now, Bella. I'm trying to do what is best for you. Right now, you need to get through the academy and be free. After, we can talk about what happened at the mating ceremony and what the future holds, but right now, we can't," he sighs, shaking his head. If it wasn't for his eyes giving away just how much this is killing him, I would be calling bullshit and demanding answers. A part of me still wants to, but for today, I'll give him this, only because I'm tired.

"Fine, for today, you can have it your way. But we will be talking about this, Warrick. It's not fair to either of us. You are my best friend, and I have missed you like no other. It's not the same not seeing you every day like we used to." Burying my feelings on the subject, I smile at him and let him know we are good for today. "What all have I missed at home?"

"Oh boy, Aeris has not been the same since your mating ceremony. Honestly, you should be happy that you're here, and I would suggest maybe not going straight back to Aeris just yet when you are done." Warrick continues to fill me in on the happenings back home for the next thirty minutes of our mentoring session while I talk about classes and what it's been like learning beside the Fallen. I leave out anything with the journal or the questioning thoughts I'm having, not wanting to alarm him just yet. He also promises we will work on my magic next time we meet and discuss where I'm having problems. I'm not sure I want to do that, but I'd also rather it be him helping me than, let's say, Rhys. That Fallen is a dick.

"Be happy you got to sleep in today," Isis groans as she drops into the seat across from me in the cafeteria. Harper follows her lead, taking the seat next to her, but in a much less dramatic way. "This morning was rough with a capital R!"

"Oh boy, what happened now?" Knowing Isis, it could be anything that caused her to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Either way, I'm sure it will be better than how my morning started.

"You mean what didn't happen," she groans dramatically. "First, my alarm doesn't go off." She holds up one finger and then lifts a second. "Next, I couldn't find the textbooks or homework I needed anywhere in my room."

"It was sitting on the coffee table where she left it the night before," Harper chuckles around the cup of coffee in her hand.

"You," she points at Harper, "hush it!" Harper just rolls her eyes and waves her hand in a please continue fashion. "Miss Thing, over here, didn't help me find it until we were almost late, and she took pity on me. Fourth, the hallways were so filled I still walked in late to class! Like my Divine, why do so many students need to attend this damn school?"

"Wow, that does sound like a rough day," I agree, knowing it's better to give her the answer she is looking for so I don't get scolded in the same fashion Harper just did. "I'm sorry it was a hard morning. Hopefully, the afternoon will get better. You don't have any more classes, right?"

"I wasn't supposed to," she sighs, "but supposedly, we got a new Angel mentor in, and he is now meeting with all of us. I did hear that he is pretty hot, though, and some other angels think he's single, so maybeee it won't be so bad if I can have a hot guy to stare at as he talks to me about the goals I need to meet," Isis pauses for a moment before her eyes widen and she begins to stare me down. "WAIT! You had mentorship this morning, you must have seen him! Is he hot?"

Without conscious thought, a low growl slips out of me when she mentions others saying how hot Warrick is and that others are interested in him. Before I can try to cover up my reaction or come up with some sort of explanation to give them, I feel something hit my chair from the side and knock it out from right underneath me. My chin slams into the table's edge before I hit the floor with a thud.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" I snarl, turning to see who the hell ran into my chair. Looking up, I see Rhys standing beside me, smiling down at me.

"How's the floor, Princess? I think I see a dirty spot just beside you. Maybe you should get a rag and clean that," he snarks before laughing and walking right past me. Phoenix follows right behind him and only gives me a small apologetic smile before following his leader.

"Assholes," I snarl under my breath as I push myself up from the floor. By the time I'm up and righting my chair so I can retake a seat, Isis is finally calming down and trying to shrug out of Harper's hold on her. I'm honestly surprised she could hold her back, Isis is a force to be reckoned with, and I wouldn't want to try to hold her back.

"One day that Fallen will get what's coming to him. I can't believe you just accepted it. Why didn't you fight back?" Isis questions, disappointed.

"He's not worth it, especially in the middle of the school cafeteria. I'll pay him back but not like this where it just benefits him. No, I'll find a way to hit him where it hurts." I turn to look at where the Fallen chose to sit before sighing and turning back to my friends. "Are you two done eating?" I'd rather just get out of here now, but I don't want to leave without my friends. We have just enough time to explore the gardens and talk for a bit before afternoon classes resume.

"Yeah, I'm not going to finish this. I lost my appetite after that asshole," Isis slams her fork down on her plate and pushes the tray away from her.

"Same, let's head outside for a bit, and then Arabella can tell us why she growled at the mention of the new mentor," Harper winks as she rises from her seat.

Damn. I was hoping they would ignore that after everything but I guess not. "That is a long story," I sigh, "but I'll give you a condensed version before classes start. Tonight, we can have a girl's night, and I'll tell you everything."

"Deal," they state in chorus as we get up and leave the room.