Dear Enemy, You're My Mate

Chapter 26 **

Patricia

My eyes are tired, and my body is deprived of sleep as I try to dabble away in the art studio at our school. Classes are over, but I'm in the art club's studio. When I need inner peace, I come here to do watercolor paintings.

Today is such a day.

Alice wouldn't stop crying yesterday. She locked herself inside her room in our new house and told me to leave her alone in a pleading voice. Guilt struck me for not understanding where her pain had come from, yet I respected her wishes and didn't bother knocking on her door.

Instead, I fell asleep listening to music, and then I jolted awake after dreaming about tanned skin, piercing blue eyes and taut arms roped with muscle. I'm not kidding—my brain has officially betrayed me!

The last image imprinted into my memory was of Dior's smile and that deep voice of his teasingly saying, "princess, you know you can't fight how much you want me" before I orgasmed in my sleep.

After opening my eyes, my fingers tapped around down there, and I was devastated to find myself soaked to the bone. I hate to admit it, but the idea of Dior locking me beneath his much broader, more enormous body that reeks of alpha male secretly turns me on. And evidently, I lack the strength to control myself when the lights go out.

Gosh, I'm such a mess. I need to stop thinking about Dior, but I can't do that.

I don't know what is going on with me, but I blame the mate-bond. Some moments, I think Dior is finally swiped from my senses and pushed away from my brain, only for him to appear naked in my dreams. I loathe myself for secretly wanting him. Dior is nothing more than a predatory manwhore whose primary aim has been to make my life into hell. I can't possibly trust him with my heart.

Some months ago, rumors were claiming Dior likes to bed a different woman every night despite being together with Riley, and I don't want that kind of mate in my life. No, I need to reject him before things go too far and I get my heart shattered into two. I bet the mate-bond means nothing to Dior, and the only reason he is pursuing me is that he loves the chase.

I'm brought back to reality by my teacher's voice. She is standing behind someone's chair, leaning forward to inspect their work.

"Wonderful colors, Ellinor."

"Thanks…"

Miranda walks inside the studio and hands out encouraging words to the students choosing to stay after school to draw or paint. I smile. Miranda is a teacher I like, even if she wears way too many bracelets and a collection of crystals around her neck.

"Ah, Patricia!" Miranda places her hands on my shoulders, causing me to shudder at her cold hands. Her nails are long, and her accent sounds like she is originally from France. "I love what you are going for here. Your picture is so brooding! Like a bad omen."

I lift an eyebrow. I'm dabbling a black cat sleeping in a meadow under the starlit sky—how could Miranda possibly think it's dark?

"Uh..." Not knowing what to say, I take her words with a grain of salt and just smile. "Thanks."

Miranda taps me. "I sense trouble coming your way, Patricia. Many hands want your heart."

Wait, what?

What is that even supposed to mean?!

"Say that again?"

I turn around to gawk at my teacher and ask her to explain her weirdness, but Miranda is standing behind another student.

My gaze slims down until I'm squinting at the beaming teacher. I can't for the life of me understand where Miranda's words of wisdom even came from or why they made my heart pound.

Grumbling, I return to my painting, only to have a shadow fall over me. My eyelashes flicker up for the ceiling.

"N-Nice painting!"

Jacob's shy voice rolls out from his lips in a manner that makes it obvious he had to force them out. He is an art student and quite bullied. My school is neutral grounds, a place where werewolf packs can't chop each other's heads off and where other monsters can relax.

Jacob belongs to the second category. He is a vampire, and I feel sorry for him. The guy is tall and skinny, stuck forever in that funny state when his body was supposed to go through puberty. His enormous nose doesn't suit his face, and his clown shoes make him quite comical-looking.

"Thank you, Jacob." I smile despite not trusting the guy. Jacob studies me too often for me not to find him suspicious.

"So I've been thinking..." Jacob hesitates, closing his eyes briefly. He seems to chant some inner prayer before continuing. "We live rather close and-... I mean-..." Jacob clears his throat. "Would you like to walk home together with me?"

Oh.

OH!

Jacob likes me!

I'm not sure how to feel about that. Vampires aren't my cup of tea, and Jacob isn't my type either. I seem to be more into assholes with big egos and huge muscles to boot.

I force a tight smile. "Uh… Maybe some other time?"

The entire room seems to grow chillier. "Okay."

Jacob leaves me alone, and I shudder. The guy could win an award for the most creepy vampire in history.

My eyes travel to the door to make sure Jacob is leaving, only to lock on a familiar face searching the classroom as if looking for someone. I immediately freeze in my seat, and then the person turns around with recognition hitting their features.

"Patricia!"

I stand up, knocking over my chair as I clumsily bolt through the studio to hug my best friend, who seems as eager.

"Tiffany!"

I'm having a hard time figuring out if I'm hallucinating. I haven't seen Tiffany in almost two years since she moved away!

"I'm so happy to see you!" Tiffany announces, stepping back from our hug to look at me with a huge smile. Her curly dark hair is framing her face perfectly. "You're still looking gorgeous, honey."

My lips are straining to contain the happiness wanting to come out of me. I'm like a child on Christmas day—filled with anticipation and not knowing what to expect.

"What are you doing here?"

Tiffany grins. She is taller than me and wearing high heels to make the difference even more noticeable. Her hair is longer, and she has been kissed by the sun. The reason for her family leaving was the cold Swedish climate, and now Tiffany looks like someone who has spent most of her days drinking tequilas on the beach.

"I came back because I missed you and want to attend my last year of upper secondary school here in Sweden with you." Tiffany turns to the door, and I follow her gaze. A large man lifts his chin, and I immediately recognize the giant. "Rohan came with me too, convinced I wouldn't make it here without him."

Rohan smiles upon making eye contact with me and gives a little wave as he leans against the wall. Tiffany's twin brother looks precisely how I remember him—tall, menacing, and dark with that glint in his eye, which tells you not to mess with him.

His deepest secret is that he is a teddy bear on the inside.

Rohan is one of the nicest people I know, even if I remember him being into way too many combat sports back in the day. Tiffany's family used to have a dojo, where both siblings practiced.

Strangely enough, Tiffany never wanted to show me her skills, while her brother never hesitated to show off. It made him popular with the girls at his school rather quickly.

"Your brother is right. Without him, you would have gotten lost at the airport." I grin after speaking.

Tiffany gasps at my accusing tone and gives me a look that speaks of her hurt and the utter betrayal in her heart. Meanwhile, Rohan's eyes seem to sparkle at my words.

"Long time no see, Patricia. How have you been?"

"Better now that the two of you are back. I've missed you guys so much!"

Rohan's smile only widens, and the two siblings exchange a glance. I get the sense there is some major secret they are not sharing with me, but as if reading my mind, Rohan speaks up.

"I'm glad you think so because we aren't leaving anytime soon. There are things we need to take care of in our hometown."