5

“What did you do?” Wyatt demanded of Winter as we arrived at the cafeteria. “You’re way too happy and confident to have behaved like a gentleman.”

It was so tempting to bust Winter, but I wouldn’t have wanted him to do it to me if it was reversed, so I stepped in. “Nothing I didn’t allow and enjoy.” I threw back my head and laughed as I headed to get a tray.

“Thanks, little sexy,” Winter muttered as he joined me.

I shrugged. “My room is like Vegas. I’d be mortified if you all gossiped about what I did. I’m not about to bust any of you to each other. That’s just extra weird like we’re all dating each other.”

He snorted. “Your other suitors aren’t my type. At all.”

It was my turn to snort.

We ate, and I was bursting with excitement, not only to meet their familiars but also to see this familiar housing. I couldn’t even imagine how cool it would be at the best university where they would take that seriously.

I was sorely disappointed.

Sadly, I was getting used to that.

“Tell me that’s not it,” I whispered in horror as we approached what looked like a basic barn or horse stable. It wasn’t falling down or dilapidated—not on this campus—but it needed tending to and was just… Bland .

“Um, yeah, there are three of them,” Winter muttered, and I could feel the confusion from all of them. “It’s not great, but it’s typical.”

I was nauseous hearing that, and when we reached the door I had to blink back tears when I felt how miserable all of the familiars were in there. I hurried inside when Winter held the door for me and stopped in my tracks. It was set up like a horse stable with high dividers they couldn’t even see through unless they were that tall. They couldn’t even see each other and enjoy the action of what was going on.

And the stalls were at least half the size of the horse stables I’d been to. It might seem random that I had when I’d been locked up, but every proper woman from a top-tier family should know how to ride properly according to my family.

I didn’t care. It got me out of the house. If I could have faked I was horrible at it, I would have done so to get more lessons.

I glanced around and locked eyes with a ridiculously large moose who was wound up we were there. He had to be one of their familiars, and I knew he was Kelton’s before I took three steps towards him. He had that calm strength that Kelton did and even his excitement was reserved as if not wanting to upset anyone.

“Well, hello, handsome,” I greeted, holding out my hand for him and giggling when he moved his muzzle so I pet him.

He glanced at Kelton before back to me. “Well, at least he finally stopped letting bitchy airheads follow him around and found a quality woman.”

I almost died. It was hard not to show I understood him or tell them what he said.

He stared between us again and nuzzled my hand some more. “I’m not sure how he even got your attention when you’re so pretty. He’s never been assertive with women. He always worries he’ll make them uncomfortable or be a jerk. Momma’s boy.”

“Your familiar thinks you’re a Momma’s boy,” I giggled, winking at the moose when he blinked at me. It was only fair to let him know before he gave away more secrets.

“He’s not wrong,” Kelton chuckled. “Bevin, this is Spike. Spike, this is my friend , Bevin.”

“Friend my ass,” Spike grumbled. “He just doesn’t want to be pushy and he’ll have another girl put him in the friend zone. Then come bitching to me when you get a boyfriend that he missed his chance, and some new airheads will follow him around while making faces at me as if I have ticks.”

That was it. I burst out laughing. I couldn’t hold that in.

“What else are you getting?” Kelton asked, glancing between us.

I turned to answer and saw Winter was about to lose it too. He couldn’t hear what I did, but he knew I could understand animals and how hard this was for me.

“Apparently, I’m a quality woman and he’s impressed, but I get the feeling he thinks you won’t be assertive enough and end up in a friend zone.”

Kelton winced. “You get as much off of him as I do. Damn, Bev.” He frowned at Spike. “Really? Thanks for being on my side, man. We already went out and kissed. No friend zone.”

“I’ve gotta say hi to mine,” Winter said, looking anxious.

“You can at least take them outside, right?” I checked.

“Yeah, there’s a track and several areas, but we’re not supposed to mix them unless for an assignment,” Kelton admitted.

I blinked at him. “Why? Familiars won’t ever attack or eat each other. That’s been proven over and—”

“No, but they take revenge when the students fuck with each other for points and standing like you’ll learn soon,” Wyatt cut in.

I rolled my eyes. “Then explain it to them. They’ll understand.” I sighed when they seemed hesitant and turned to Spike. “We’re all going to play together, okay? Will you behave for me no matter who messed with Kelton? It’s all for class.”

Spike gave me a curious look. “But it happens after class. That’s not class then.”

“So do projects and homework. It’s during the school term. Kelton will let you know when he’s in danger and needs you. Follow his lead.”

Spike nodded, nuzzling my hand some more.

“All set,” I promised them before focusing on Winter. Then I turned around and found the same energy, heading to that stall… Only to find a fucking polar bear . “Holy shit, Winter.”

“Well, hello, gorgeous ,” the polar bear said.

“Yeah, he’s your familiar,” I drawled. “And what is your name, gorgeous?” I smirked when the polar bear did a double take.

“Teddy,” Winter told me as Teddy did.

“Teddy? Teddy bear?”

Winter shrugged. “He wanted it.”

Teddy rolled his eyes. “Yes, but because it made him giggle and laugh, and he didn’t have much of that at that fucking orphanage. He was scared of the guy he got me from and showed he had deep magic young.”

“You’re a great familiar,” I whispered, moving closer and snuggling with him as he stood up on the stall wall so I could. “You did good. He grew up big and strong and you were clearly a part of that.”

“Are you his mate?” he asked as he snuggled with me.

“We’ve not even had a date yet. Let’s not go to the crazy.” I wasn’t the only one whose eyes went wide when he turned and nipped Winter.

“What did I do?”

“Mate this woman, idiot,” Teddy demanded.

“Wow, he really likes you,” Winter whispered, rubbing his chest.

“Yeah, she has that effect,” Wyatt drawled. “Quinn’s bit me several times. At least yours doesn’t live with you.”

“I wish he could,” Winter reminded him. “And you have a fox. Fine, he can do damage, but mine could eat me.”

“Nah, he’d never do that,” I cooed at Teddy. “You’ll be good if we bring you out and all play, right?”

“Whatever you say, gorgeous,” he purred.

“He’s so your damn familiar,” I chuckled.

Winter unlatched the gate and Teddy hurried to greet him. While they were having their moment I glanced around the stall and was completely disgusted to find Teddy had to do his business in the corner of the tiny area. We wouldn’t treat natural animals like this, and this was the standard for familiars?

Oh, fuck no.

We walked out of there and I was ready to change my mood, but then Sergey led me to another building. Right, I still had to meet his.

I knew the moment we walked in that the Siberian tiger that was standing up so we could see him was Sergey’s familiar. I burst out laughing. “Bubba? Really?”

“Yes, really, foxy,” he muttered as he pushed me along. “I’ll tell you why later in private.”

I nodded and went to greet him but was completely snubbed, the familiar not even giving me a look as he focused on Sergey. He seemed baffled by that and let him out, asking why he was being rude.

“I’ve heard of this freshman princess and that she comes from a top-tier family. You cannot trust any of those people, and you especially after how they hurt you,” Bubba lectured even if Sergey couldn’t understand him.

Sergey went ahead for the door and I stopped the tiger, giving him a serious stare.

“I agree, which is why I went to the High Council to get disowned. I’m my own now.”

He curled his lip at me and actually growled. “So you betrayed your family. Sickening. Do not go by Sergey.”

“If you won’t listen to reason and just want to hate me, I won’t engage in fruitless interactions. If you want to really talk and get to know me, let me know.” I spun on my heel and went for the door.

“What is going on?” Sergey asked.

“Your familiar doesn’t have your polished manners.”

“Actually, we’re a lot alike,” he admitted. “You just skipped over that because of how we met.”

“You, polite?” an attendant snarked at Sergey. “I didn’t think it possible. I mean, you’re such a peach normally, and your familiar, which is why you both got the oldest stable and have the strictest rules.”

“Bitching you don’t let him out like you’re supposed to and there’s always shit in his pen he’s too big for isn’t being a problem, it’s reasonable,” Sergey threw right back.

I snorted. “More than. These are too small for horses, and you have a fucking tiger stuffed in one. You can’t treat them like that at the zoo but sure, treat familiars like that.”

The guy gave me a bored look. “You don’t even have a familiar, princess, so you don’t get a vote.”

I smiled evilly. “Everyone gets a vote, it’s how things work. Some of us just have more weight behind us for people to listen. Make sure you don’t piss those people off before you realize they aren’t people you want to make enemies of.” I leaned in and studied his energy. “Take care of the familiars like you should, or should I tell the administration you slack because you’re jealous they are large and yours isn’t?”

He winced and I knew I had him.

“Well, I like you better now,” Bubba grumbled as he followed after us.

Great, now I had to move mountains to get the tiger to like me.

Yeah, that wasn’t happening. He’d come around or not.

I went right for Teddy, wanting soft snuggles with the huge polar bear. He gladly gave them, laying on his back and curling up around me. I giggled as I scratched his tummy until his foot kicked on its own.

I stood and went to give love to Spike as I pulled out my phone and texted Tracey. The councilmen wanted to talk to me solo and get help with their familiars, and that meant I could have their ear to address something like the familiar housing.

And I knew just who to start with.

Councilman Oliveria.

I wanted to get to know him a bit better anyways and see just how much he knew about me from Grandfather because I had a sneaking suspicion it was more than we thought.

Glancing over Spike, an idea started forming in my head. I looked over at Sergey. “What does your mom do?”

He raised an eyebrow at that but didn’t push me where my mind was. “She’s a woodworker. She makes custom-order banisters for mansions in conjunction with a construction company that…” He nodded when I gave him a shocked look.

That one of the families he was born of owned. That was what he wasn’t saying. That was how they had their claws into her still. And I was sure they would blacklist her from the work she knew and all kinds of shit as the threat to keep her in her place and probably way underpaid.

I really hated shit like that.

“Does she get tired of the repetition?”

“No, she finds it soothing like some people do cleaning or laundry that it’s done a certain way and you can settle into the flow.”

“My ma’s like that,” Kelton agreed.

“What are you plotting there, foxy?” Sergey asked.

“I’m not sure yet,” I admitted before looking over at his tiger. No matter Bubba’s attitude, he was dying for attention. But what he specifically wanted was what Spike and Teddy also wanted. I’d never been around such big familiars except in passing as my family tended to have predator birds, so this was illuminating for me.

And maybe a huge opportunity and not simply for my company.

Tracey texted me back that he had an important dinner, but he invited me to come over for lunch and have my consultation that way.

Perfect.

“I have to go,” I muttered as I stuck my phone back in my jeans. “I have a lunch meeting.” I hurried to say bye to the familiars, promising to come back to play—even with Bubba, which seemed to surprise him—and went to hurry off.

“Wait, hold up,” Sergey called after me, the others as well, but they had to exercise their familiars and get them settled again.

Except Wyatt who easily caught up to me. “What’s going on?”

“Not here,” I muttered. I decided I wanted Tracey at the meeting too and asked if she could join to which she replied she was relieved I wanted backup. I froze when I realized Wyatt couldn’t be seen coming to my room alone. “Meet me in my room. You have my permission for this one time to circle in.”

“As you wish,” he sighed.

Well, I really didn’t, but he was going to push and push until he started trouble if I didn’t simply let him get involved. Actually, he could get me to where I needed without anyone knowing, so… I might let him win on this if he suggested it.

Yeah, I wasn’t stupid either. Let him think it was his idea so I didn’t owe him a favor.

He was already there waiting for me, arms folded over his muscular chest and giving me a look to talk.

“Councilman Oliveria invited me for lunch when I told Tracey I was open to start working with them and their familiars.”

“Alone? You cannot go alone, goddess,” he hissed. He held up his hand to cut off my argument. “No, they are better than our families, but they are power-hungry too. Oliveria seems different if he was friends with your grandfather, but you need to be careful here as they know you’re in a precarious position and have information that’s dangerous. I’m coming with. Don’t fight me on this. It’s smart.”

“Okay, fine,” I sighed, biting back a smirk he’d fallen right into what I wanted.

“When did they say?” His eyes flashed shock when I told him.

“I suggested after dinner, but he’s busy and it wasn’t an order,” I defended when it didn’t give us much time. “It was just me for lunch and casual. I’m not even changing since I don’t know what type of familiar he has.”

He nodded. “I’ll be quick to get what I need and take us there.” He paused, moving closer and kissing my forehead. “Thank you for trusting me, goddess. I know so much was messed up, but I’m not the man you thought.”

And then he was gone, circled back to his apartment or wherever.

When I learned how to do that, I’d probably be just as big of a jerk ending conversations that way. It did have a flare I liked.