JACOB

Am I dreaming?

Have I, Jacob Anderson, really found the most eligible bachelor of the entire Ravenwood Academy and fell in love with him? Or more importantly, has he fallen in love with me? When did I become the kind of boy that would snatch the attention of the likes of Skylar Stronghold?

When we started at Ravenwood, he didn't even acknowledge my existence. Seriously, he talked to his brother who was by my side and completely ignored me. How did I become the object of his affection?

You can't tell me all it took was for me to reject a check from his father and call him out in front of his parents! I cannot be the first person he met who doesn't care about how wealthy he is. And I am talking about the kind of wealth where you have a chauffeur, a helicopter, and an airplane at your disposal.

I am sure Jayden's family lives comfortably in Georgia, but nobody has that kind of money in Ravenwood Academy, except maybe for Helen Matarazzo - she is from California and her family made a killing inventing a social media app. She might as well be called Helen Zuckerberg.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't go to Ravenwood to find a rich prospect. I know that is what most of the scholarship students hope for - we are ten percent of the student body, as it's been well established - but that was never my goal.

Of course, I live in the real world and I know money matters. I am not delusional about it, but it was never my deciding factor. I couldn't care less who Jayden was when I met him or where his pack was from, all I saw was a handsome boy with perfect skin and an attractive body who wanted me as his partner, regardless of who I was.

I didn't even imagine I would get an Alpha interested in me. I thought all of them would never give me the time of day because I was a scholarship student. I fully intended to get one of Seth's hand-me-down suitors or a well-connected Beta who could not get the Omega he wanted for himself.

There are 160 students at Ravenwood Academy, but there are only two Strongholds and one Matarazzo. There are plenty of pedigrees and new money, but not THAT much money. In all seriousness, it's a who's who of interests and geopolitics.

Remember when Frederick Stronghold went to Ravenwood after the rogue attack? He told his son then to never go after West Coast girls. It's a nonstarter! They never go for the East Coast boys - unless, of course, you are like me in which case you take what you can get. Beggars can't be choosers and all that.

I hate that philosophy with all my might, but I knew what it was from the beginning. I came here to adapt, not to revolutionize. It's no use trying to reinvent the wheel if people come to Ravenwood exactly to match for money and power.

So yeah, people like Skylar, Seth, or Helen can pick and choose all they want. It's the same for Victoria Livingstone - Skylar's former prospect until he dumped her for me. She is not just rich, her pack is very prominent. We are talking about old money, people who can trace their ancestors to European settlers who took their chances in this English colony. There was a lot of that in those days and so came the werewolves.

There is politics to making a good match. The secret to any negotiation is to have something people want in order for you to have a bargaining chip. That is why Kyle is after money, not power. His pack is very powerful in New Mexico, but outside of the state border, no one has ever heard of them. They have no money to further their agenda - that is why someone like Seth would be a great asset to him. Money and pedigree.

Evidently, the scholarship kids in its vast majority have no bargaining chips, no power to negotiate anything because we don't have anything to offer, for the most part. That is also why there is a policy to select these particular candidates.

First of all, they select the regular students, the paying customers if you will. Once that is concluded, they evaluate the number of Omegas selected. Ravenwood had it in its chart that a minimum amount of Omegas must participate in every class.

So, if the numbers are down - not many Alphas or Betas are keen on sending Omegas here because they prefer to take their chances on their Alphas, Betas, or Gammas. Rarely a parent can afford to send two children at once like the Strongholds, and they also don't accept two applicants from the same pack - except for the aforementioned twins, for obvious reasons.

It's a numbers game. If they have 140 students and only ten of them are Omegas, you need to boost that number because odds are the queers will need us to find a match. That is why male Omegas are so valuable to Ravenwood. Because we can be paired with an Alpha, Beta, or Gamma. Females can be paired with anybody, but a queer male can only be paired with a male Omega for procreation purposes.

That's right, we are valuable because we can conceive. Not to say that all male Omegas are queer - remember Jayden's dad? - but there is a better chance they are than other breeds. And no candidate worth a damn would ever pair with another of his own species.

That's right, no Alphas with other Alphas - except for male and female, like Frederick and Dahlia - or any other breed. Simply because if a male Alpha would be paired with another male Alpha, or even Beta or Gamma, then there is absolutely no chance for babies. Packs are dynasties, so if you can't make babies, you cannot even be considered for a leadership position. It's that serious.

In conclusion, there is a reason why most of the scholarship students are male Omegas. They present a key strategy for partnership. It's not uncommon that several queer Gammas or Betas settle for a scholarship Omega from Ravenwood. The way they scrutinize our lives and run extensive background checks, we are a much safer bet for your heir than your run-of-the-mill average Omega.

I know why Ravenwood rejected my mom and my cousin Susan for scholarships. They are both female Betas, there is no edge to that type of candidacy. I mean, that is a dime in a dozen applicants. But a male Omega presents them with a double advantage: boost their numbers and fulfill the State required scholarship quota. It's a win-win situation.

Of course, don't get it twisted. You still need to be a kick-ass Omega to be considered because everyone will be seeking that much-coveted scholarship spot. They need to be able to justify to the parents, alumni, and Alpha Council why those candidates were selected.

Ultimately, it's their reputation on the line. In a werewolf society, reputations are EVERYTHING. It's the prestigious Ravenwood Academy we are talking about. If they lose their prestige, then parents will stop paying thousands of dollars to send their kids there. They do so because they get the job done. The Strongholds and the Johnsons are living proof of that. Still together after twenty-plus years of partnership.

That is the goal, to elicit a contractual 'mate bond', though we don't call it that. There is no substitute for the mate bond, the contract just serves to protect the parties involved. That is the true reason why I came to Ravenwood in the first place. An ironclad contract with a good boy from a good family.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined I would be in contention for a contract with a Stronghold, the richest werewolf dynasty in the country. I would have settled for far less, but I am glad I didn't have to. I could use a good, old-fashioned romance.

It turns out that I would get my wish in spades. Roses, chocolates, poems, dates... everything a boy could want I've got it. Certainly much more than people of my generation usually get. In a world where you obtain everything you want via an application on your phone, being romanced in the old-fashioned way does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

I might not have gotten concert tickets to see Beyoncé or a flight by helicopter - I did fly, but I was not an option for Skylar at that moment - but I've gotten something much more valuable than any of that. I got to experience a heartfelt plea for my heart. Skylar actually worked to show me what he was truly about and I loved every minute of it so far.

It's Monday evening in Texas.

Earlier this morning, Skylar and I made good use of our privacy here in his manor and explored our connection even further. I woke up from a terrible nightmare where he and Mandy got back together, but the blonde Alpha quickly disabused me of that idea with his romantic, passionate impromptu poem for me.

He literally went on to list how he will always love me no matter what and that spoke to me in such a way that I would've surrendered my virginity to him right then and there. No, I am not exaggerating. He got through to me with his truth and I am in awe of him.

I guess deep down, my mother was right all along. Mothers usually are. I do have feelings for the Stronghold heir, much to my surprise, he pierced my heart with his love for me in a way I could never have anticipated. I don't know what happened, all I know is that I am done for.

With difficulty, Skylar resisted taking my virginity, instead taking my body to unexplored pleasures that thankfully could never get me pregnant, but it was oh-so enjoyable. I had a blast with him and I can honestly say that Skylar Stronghold proved himself without a shadow of a doubt why he is the one for me. And then some.

Now we are having dinner with his parents after a busy day out in the town with Seth. Tomorrow, I will travel back home to Colorado for the Thanksgiving holiday with my family. I know my mom misses me as I do her. I am a family boy, proud to be.

"I take it the day went well because Skylar has not stopped smiling since I arrived home." Frederick commented, in between bites of his food. Dinner was delicious tonight, as always. Their personal chef really earns his paycheck here.

Skylar blushed at his father's comment and immediately stared at me with a guilty look on his face - brilliantly combined with a lovesick puppy expression.

"He hasn't stopped smiling since this morning." Seth noted with a mischievous grin.

"SETH!" I gasped in shock at his insinuation. I know what he is implying, as did Dahlia and Frederick who are not stupid.

Frederick and Dahlia both looked at me surprised by that declaration.

"I take it you have changed your mind about prospecting my son then." He spoke with an accusatory tone.

"I have, but not because of what you might think. I promise you it's nothing of the sort." I told him, embarrassed about being called out like that.

"I told you he wasn't going to resist you for much longer, didn't I?" Dahlia boasted to her son, contently.

"It's not a question of resisting, Luna. It's not about his good looks or anything of the sort. Skylar has proven to me time and time again that his love for me is real and true. I guess when you lead with your heart, you cannot lose. I am spellbound by him, honest to Goddess." I declared, smitten by their son. The two of us exchanged a longing gaze that told everyone around us just how deep his love was for me.

"I believe you, Jake. Most people think I got with Frederick back when we were in Ravenwood because of his last name and money. Truth is he was the guy who wrote me a love song and stayed for hours up at night talking to me. It was never just about making a good match, he worked for it. That's why I worked so hard towards getting our contract. It was because I didn't want to lose him." She revealed to me and I gaped at them in shock.

"Dad wrote you a song?" Seth was aghast by that information. As was Skylar.

"Hey, I play a mean guitar, but my dad never allowed me to study it further. He just wanted to prepare me to take over the company." He elaborated, smiling at his wife.

"Wow. I would not have seen it coming, but now I know where Skylar gets his romantic vein. Congratulations, Alpha!" I cheered him, shocked to hear this.

"You are very welcome, Jacob. I guess all it takes is for the right person to come along to bring out the romantic side of us. Dahlia was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Still is." He declared, romantically gazing at his wife.

Well, I guess there is still some love between them after all. Who would have guessed?

The Alpha couple kept staring at each other with love in their eyes and now I understand how they managed to remain together for more than twenty years. They do love each other, despite the rumors to the contrary.

"My dream is to get to twenty years of union and have my partner still looking at me the same way that Alpha Frederick is looking at you, Luna." I told her, taken aback by their love connection.

She smiled bashfully at the comment.

"My dear Jacob, someone smart said once: if you lead with your heart, you cannot lose." She quoted me back, and I was officially convinced that she was the best woman not related to me, I had ever seen in my life.

"Don't worry, my love. I will still be looking at you twenty years from now the same way I am looking at you right now. Just as in love with you as I am at this very moment." Skylar declared and I swooned.

I mean, come on! Who could resist that? Please tell me now! Asking a serious question here... *smitten*

https://youtu.be/XpqqjU7u5Yc

A|N: Wow. That was very informative, wasn't it?

Now let's count down to the shocker to end all shockers, shall we?

In the meantime, it's time to check in with our favorite sinner. How about that?

The 70th is coming with a bang!

Next is "Skyscraper".

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Are you curious about the hurricane that is coming this way?

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Love,

Léo.