Dragon Fire Academy 1 First Term an RH academy romance - Rachel Jonas Page 0,85

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Out of nowhere, her entire body burst into flames, but instead of seeing the outline of her dragon like I should have, it was the outline of her wolf. Thus, proving that there was nothing typical about this shift.

‘Guys, I … I don’t know what to do,” I called out to them. ‘She’s fighting, but—”

As if responding to the thoughts I’d only shared with the other Omegas, both of Noelle’s legs popped loudly, one bowing opposite the way it should have at the knee. It was too much to watch, accounting for the way my heart thundered inside my chest.

Without thinking, I reached for her hand, letting her squeeze it through the pain.

‘We’re almost there, but … she needs you.’

The response from Kai made my brow crease, struggling to maneuver my own thoughts amidst Noelle’s screams and groans.

‘There isn’t anything more I can do for her,’ I argued. ‘I’m sitting beside her, but I—’

‘No,” Paulo interjected. ‘She needs you to take her mind off what her body is doing. Needs you to comfort her … like you would our mate.’

‘That doesn’t make sense,’ I protested, shaking my head.

‘Doesn’t it, though?’ When Rayen posed the question, I stared at Noelle even harder.

‘If you don’t trust us,” Paulo chimed in again, ‘then trust yourself,’ he reasoned. ‘For one second, stop trying to rationalize, stop blocking yourself from feeling what you know is real.’

Despite already trying to beat its way out of my chest, my heart went wild as I stared down on her—this girl in whom my brothers had seemed to see something so special. Day by day, I’d seen them weaken under her spell, had seen them forget that she was a threat to us, our way of life. And in all the years I’d known them, that had never happened. They had been laser-focused on our mission like I had, until recently.

Her breaths were shallow now, although she was no longer screaming. Strength like hers was unheard of, starting with her decision to leave the comfort of home to pursue her dream. And even in the initiative she’d taken to ensure that no one would be hurt should things get out of hand.

Thinking on it, I could hardly believe I got rid of it—the one thing that could stop her should it come to that. However, as reality began to set in, it made perfect sense that I wanted that option off the table.

There was something about her.

Something I was finally ready to admit as I leaned forward and braced both hands on the ground, lowering toward Noelle’s body from where I knelt beside her.

Then, the instant my lips touched hers and my soul stirred within, I understood why my brothers had taken such a firm stand.

Surprisingly, Noelle’s lips moved with mine, parting when the kiss deepened and her hand gripped the back of my neck. She had apparently been much more alert than I realized, or perhaps it had more to do with the energy reverberating from my body to hers on a constant loop. The seconds wore on, and what had begun as a means of comforting her through the shift, turned into something more.

Passion.

With each breath, I took her into my senses, feeling like I couldn’t quite get close enough. The feel of her other hand taking my bicep enlivened me even more, bringing a deep primal urge within me to the surface. It was more than lust or need. It was an unshakeable sense of devotion, loyalty, and belonging.

That was it exactly. I felt like she belonged with me.

Belonged to me.

Finally finding the strength to pull away, my eyes were set on Noelle’s, feeling like the wind had been knocked right out of me from the shock of what I’d been so adamant to ignore.

‘Did it work? Is she better?’ Kai’s question nearly went unanswered as I peered down at the woman who’d just changed everything.

‘It did,” I admitted.

‘And … you felt it?’ he asked next. The question was vague, but there was no doubt in my mind what he meant.

‘I did.’

In the history of the Firekeepers, none had ever claimed a mate who, herself, wasn’t from the island. However, the idea of it only confirmed what so many had said before. That Spirit had named us the Omegas for a reason, because our mission was unlike any others before us. And now it was apparent that our mate was unlike any other who came before. We were believed to be the last Spirit would call