Page 1 of Bear It All
Chapter 1
Freya
Mealtime. An ancient ritual followed by all who attended or worked at Bartholomew University. It was where the lines became clear—the divide among my peers. It was more than simply jocks and nerds. Some of the cliques sprouted fur and fangs during a fight. Alone at a table in the back, I watched from the shadows like usual.
My reasons for attending the prestigious university weren’t the same as the rest of the student body. Every day, I woke up within the stifling stone walls of the dormitories, and I reminded myself of why I was there. Hide, learn, and, most importantly, control—my emotionsandmy powers.
From my first step onto campus, it became obvious that the graduating class was equal parts human and not. As if there was a silent agreement not to acknowledge it. Every story you’d ever heard, every boogeyman you thought lived in your closet. Well, they existed, and so did many other creatures. Thanks to my powers, I was a walking radar detectorfor others.
At Bartholomew, though, it became clear they couldn’t sense me. Dismissing me as nothing but a measly human, I was seen as insignificant, not worth anyone’s time—the perfect camouflage since I was there to blend in and stay under the radar. That being said, having to remain in the dark didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the view.
If that came in the form of watching a scarred, white-haired shifter, studying him was the only responsible thing to do. Mikhail, fourth-year and in line to take over as alpha of his clan. My eyes always seemed to find his large form. When he entered a room, a crackle of energy ran through me, as if he was really seeing me. And in that moment, I wished he could. Under his chilly gaze, I didn’t want to disappear.
His broad back and strong gait had crowds leaping apart to make way for him. Mikhail didn’t just act like an alpha; he radiated it. There was a scar on the side of his face, starting from above his left eyebrow and extending to his cheek. It only made him look stronger, more ferocious. The idea of disobeying Mikhail seemed impossible, and I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to be around that type of power all the time.
One look from him sent shivers down my spine, causing my body to flash from cold to hot inexplicably. My stomach roiled, and I decided to abandon my lunch. The hallways were blessedly empty as the rest of the students were still in thecafeteria, so I swung by the bathroom, hoping a splash of water on my face would help the anxiety building in me. I walked in and froze, the room already full.
Bianca was there, standing in the middle of the group, waiting for me. My powers flashed through me, quick and scalding before I started the process of locking myself down.I should have expected this.Bianca always managed to track me down and corner me when I was alone. It was as if she couldn’t get through a whole day without finding me to inflict some sort of torture.
“Looks like Freya wandered too far from the pasture. I didn’t realize they were letting cows into the school these days.” She sneered as her friends giggled, urging her on.
Embarrassment washed over me, quickly followed by shame and anger. My heart was racing and my mouth was dry. I was afraid that if I tried to say anything back, my powers would rise, vomiting out of me to attack the vile creature.
“Although, it does appear as if the school has been increasing the number of charity cases this year. You must have really pulled on their heart strings to get them to let you start so late in the semester. Then again, after homeschooling you all this time, I’m sure your parents were eager to get you off their hands. You’re not exactly the life of the party.” Bianca eyed me from head to toe, judgment oozing out of her.
“What is it your parents do? Is it true your mommet with Dean Carruthers personally to…secure your spot?” one of the lackeys asked. I didn’t miss how Bianca’s eyes sparkled.
Her underlings were trained well. With joy and precision, she verbally flayed me, triggering my powers to spark to life. I gritted my teeth, trying to focus on dousing the flames rising within me. Internally, I was berating myself for thinking I had made it through a day without dealing with them.
“Ill-fitting uniform, probably secondhand. No friends, no style. Cottage cheese thighs and doughy arms. Do they not exercise where you’re from?” They snickered, their eyes zeroing in on my soft stomach and wide hips.
I had never given my body much thought prior to going there. All I knew was that I looked like my mother. And to me, she was beautiful. Surrounded by a group of rail-thin, modelesque beauties, I understood how I stood out—or apart—from them. The only curves on their body were the clearly defined muscles on their lithe forms.
In comparison, I barely reached their shoulders, and my pale skin only emphasized my soft body. Like the animals within them, the girls cornering me were agile, fit creatures with exotic eyes and sun-kissed skin. They were beautiful and dangerous—an intoxicating combination. Their hair shone even under the aggressive fluorescent lights, and they moved with an unnatural grace.
Bianca had it out for me from the beginning, and I wasn’t sure why. I tried to avoid her, but sheseemed to always be there, draped around Mikhail. I’d taken to fleeing a room if either of them were in it, especially if they were together.
My first week, I remember staring at them unabashedly, my abilities letting me see the different animals of the shifters making up the group they were sitting in. Mikhail’s aura was so much bigger, so much stronger than anyone else’s.
It captivated me, and I couldn’t look away. He was so impressive, and before I realized how long I had been eyeing him, Bianca shoved herself further into Mikhail’s space. Breaking my focus, I was forced to look at the girl whose golden eyes were alight with rage. Her torment had only gotten worse since then, and as much as I wanted to fight back, to give those bitches a piece of my mind, my mother’s voice echoed through my head.
Stay safe. Stay hidden. Control your powers.
Memories of my father’s death—the reason behind my sudden transfer to Bartholomew—were fresh in my mind, and I deflated. Standing there, I waited it out, avoiding eye contact as the group of girls eviscerated me. My lack of response seemed to both infuriate and fuel them.
“Girl doesn’t have two brain cells to knock together. She can’t even think of a response. It’s because you know everything we’re saying is true. Isn’t that right? Disappointing and useless. You don’t deserve to be at this school.” Bianca scoffed, then dismissed me with a flip of her hair, her posse falling into line as they exited the bathroom.
Leaning against the cold tile wall, I tried to take a calming breath. It took time to unfurl my fingers, the indents from my nails leaving grooves in my palms. With a sigh, I shook my hands out, trying to get some blood flowing through them, and took a few deep breaths.
Forcing myself out of the bathroom, I walked down the hallway, my gaze firmly focused on the floor. My body felt heavy, defeated. My powers were stirred up and had no outlet. I was frustrated and felt impotent. There was no point in pretending that getting through the day wasn’t a struggle. It was just what life was like for me at Bartholomew.
Chapter 2
Mikhail
My mate was there. Not just at Bartholomew University, but across the cafeteria, where I could see her. Over my plate piled high with food, I kept my eyes on the girl trying so hard to blend into her surroundings. The voices of the shifters at my table turned into white noise as I zeroed in on the dark-haired girl with stormy gray eyes.
There was just something about her; it was almost like she was ready to vanish at any minute. Getting her attention, catching her alone, felt as impossible as holding smoke in my hands. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but whenever I spotted her in a room, she quickly fled.
