Chapter 7 Another spark

Aurora.

I woke up the following morning to the sound of movement around me. For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was until I opened my eyes and found myself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.

Then everything came rushing back.

Blackthorn Academy. The Blackwood triplets. Their dorm.

I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My blanket had slipped down to my waist, and my neck felt a little stiff from sleeping on the couch. I was about to stretch when I noticed movement around the room.

Adrian was seated in one of the armchairs, scrolling through his phone. The buttons of his shirt were undone, leaving his chest exposed, but he seemed completely unaware of how distracting he looked.

Just then, Asher walked out of one of the rooms wearing nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants that left very little to the imagination. He ran a hand through his hair as he made his way towards the kitchen area.

Axel emerged from another room a moment later, a towel wrapped around his waist. He seemed to be looking for something as he moved around the sitting room, completely at ease with his state of undress.

I blinked.

Good heavens.

Was this how they normally behaved in the morning? Didn't any of them own a shirt?

I quickly looked away, but not before getting an eyeful of all three. I'd seen pictures of the Blackwood triplets before, especially their hockey photographs, but those pictures hadn't prepared me for seeing them up close.

They were tall, broad-shouldered and ridiculously well-built. Their muscles were clearly the result of years of training, and even their ordinary morning routines seemed designed to remind me that I was sharing a dorm with three very attractive boys.

I swallowed before realizing it. This was going to be a very long morning. I tried to look away, but my eyes kept wandering back.

Was this what hockey practice did to a person?

Because if so, I suddenly understood why so many girls back home were obsessed with the team.

I was still staring when Asher turned in my direction.

“Morning, sleepyhead.”

I immediately looked away, pretending to be very interested in the blanket on my lap.

“Morning,” I mumbled.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

I glanced up again, only to find that all three of them were now looking at me. I quickly cleared my throat and pushed the blanket aside.

“So, where are you guys going?”

“Practice,” Asher answered, running a hand through his hair.

Adrian looked up from his phone. “We're heading to the rink, but I'll stop by the administration office first. I want to see if I can speak to someone about getting you registered.”

My attention immediately sharpened.

“Really?”

He glanced at me. “Don't sound so surprised. You said you came here to play hockey. I need to find out whether there's a way to get you into the academy before the tryouts.”

A smile spread across my face. “Thank you.”

“Don't thank me yet. There's no guarantee they'll accept you.”

“I'll take my chances.”

Asher chuckled. “Look at that. He's already getting excited.”

I ignored him and turned back to Adrian. “So, what do I need to do?”

“Have you filled out the application form?”

My smile faded.

I had completely forgotten about that.

“No,” I admitted.

Adrian stared at me for a moment. “You came all the way here without completing your application?”

“I have the form. I just haven't filled it out yet.”

“Then do it now. I'll take it along and see what I can arrange.”

I quickly reached for my bag, which was still beside the couch, and pulled out the application form I had brought from home. I found a pen and settled at the small table while the brothers continued getting ready.

I was so excited that I barely noticed the occasional comments Asher made about how seriously I was taking the whole thing. I filled in my details as quickly as I could, making sure not to leave any spaces blank. When I finished, I checked the form twice before picking it up.

Adrian was standing near the table, talking to Axel when I approached him.

“I'm done,” I announced, holding out the form.

He turned towards me and reached for it at the same time I stepped forward. Unfortunately, my foot caught on the edge of the rug, and I stumbled.

Before I could fall, Adrian caught my hand.

The moment his fingers closed around mine, a strange spark shot through my body.

I froze.

It was the same sensation I had felt when Axel touched me the night before. A sudden, tingling warmth that travelled from my fingertips and spread through my chest.

Adrian seemed to feel it too. His eyes dropped briefly to our joined hands before lifting to my face. For a second, neither of us moved.

Then I remembered myself.

I quickly pulled my hand away, almost dropping the application in the process.

“Sorry,” I blurted out. “I think I need to use the bathroom.”

Before anyone could respond, I turned and hurried down the hallway.

Behind me, I heard Asher burst into laughter.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Adrian asked.

“Nothing,” Asher replied, sounding anything but innocent. “I just never thought I'd see the day you'd hold another guy's hand like that.”

Axel chuckled.

Adrian scoffed. “He was about to fall. What was I supposed to do? Let him hit the floor?”

“Of course not,” Asher said. “But if we didn't know you were only interested in girls, someone might think you had a thing for Ari.”

The laughter that followed made me want to disappear.

I didn't stay long enough to hear Adrian's response. I hurried into the bathroom and locked the door behind me before leaning against it.

Oh, no.

No, no, no.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, trying to calm my racing heart.

What was happening to me?

First, there had been that strange spark when Axel touched my hand. I had tried to convince myself it was nothing, but now the same thing had happened with Adrian.

And it wasn't just me. He had felt it too.

Could I actually be connected to them somehow? The thought made my stomach twist.

They were three powerful Alpha heirs, and I was an omega who hadn't even shifted. I had no business getting tangled up in anything involving them, especially not something as complicated as a mate bond.

But what if that was exactly what was happening?

I pressed both hands against the counter and took a deep breath.

This couldn't be happening. I had come to Blackthorn to play hockey, not to develop strange feelings for the three boys I was supposed to be living with.

I looked at myself in the mirror again and shook my head. This was going to be much harder than I had imagined.