"I'm super excited to be doing this with you, Eli!"

I snickered at how happy Kenzo was. Him being this excited to go to such a dreadful yet fulfilling experience like college let me know how much he had been missing out on. Sure enough, college wasn't a necessity in itself, but I wanted to go to get more education, to learn more about what it was I wanted to do with my life.

Kenzo himself even told me he forgot what his purpose was. 

I wanted to know more about his story, how he got here, so I could help him if the opportunity came. 

I watched as Kenzo stood out in the hallway, admiring the many different pictures and such that dotted the wall. "I'll be right back," I threw to him and he waved a hand at me, ignoring the fact that I was walking into Zander's office.

He was more excited about school than anyone in the universe.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, I whirled around to Zander. "Why does everyone here seem to know who you are, Zan?" I questioned and the man of honor turned to me with a smirk, chuckling to himself. "You said you like to keep yourself and everyone you know a secret, so..." I simply wasn't gathering the reason why he was so popular among this campus because for what reason other than the fact that he was gorgeous to look at?

"I must confess something, lubirea mea," Zander came to stand in front of me, his beautiful eyes glancing into mine as he caressed my cheek. "When I saved you from your car accident, that wasn't the first time I knew of you and what you were to me," He said and I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes in confusion. "I think this would help you understand," He turned around to go grab the plaque that was faced down on the desk, making sure to hand it to me. I flipped it over and I blinked in bewilderment. 

Dr. Zander D'Angelo 
3rd Chancellor of the University of Colorado at Denver

"The admissions committee here brought me your application because they felt as if you were an exceptional student. Of course, I can say the same about everyone who was accepted here," He continued and I stared in shock, trying to put pieces together.

"But I knew there was something about you when I saw the picture of yourself that you had submitted. I felt compelled to know who you were, to find out who exactly Eli Velacruz was," Zander took the plaque from me, grabbing my hand. "I almost blew my cover out there on the field of your dear high school as Cameron and Nathaniel knew I was there. You're a smart one, so I knew it wouldn't take too long for you to figure out the truth."

I chuckled to myself. "And did you like what you saw when you came close to me that day?" I asked, slightly curious but also wanting reassurance. "You scared the hell out of me," I grumbled and he narrowed his eyes at the curse word. He would never change, that much was obvious. "Of course, lubirea mea," Zander reached up a soft hand to caress my cheek, a small grin on his face as he looked at me. "You're nothing like I imagined," He whispered and I tilted my head. "Is that a good thing?"

He nodded. "You're perfect for me." 

I wanted to ask how he could say all of that without knowing me, without knowing the path of life I took, what I did to get here, but I just kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to know the real answer because I wasn't prepared for that. 

"You're thinking too hard, Eli," I snapped my head back to reality to see Zander giving me a look of both concern and sadness. "I admit, I was initially drawn to you because you were my fated," He began and I pouted. He let his finger fall on my bottom lip, his blue eyes darkening slightly. "But I got to know you, and I'm liking everything about you. You are a very nice person, which makes your heart pure," He smiled at me. 

"That is a quality I wish I had."

His voice trailed off and I could sense that he had a lot on his mind at that moment. It made me think that it had something to do with what Leticia was telling me about, and this Cecelia woman. Maybe everything always came back to her. 

"What makes you think you don't have a pure heart?" I questioned, reaching out to grip his bicep, blushing at how nice it felt in my arm. The smell of his enticing cologne brought me closer to him, and I could feel the warmth from him wrapping around me. He made me feel safe.

"Given that I took part in many murders during my time, more than I can count on two hands," With a loud sigh, Zander flicked his eyes away from me, clenching his jaw. It was as if he didn't want me to see him in his worst moments. "Why would someone like me be considered pure within the many different statuses among the world? Such a thing is not possible, lubirea mea,"  I never heard Zander talk so down about himself, and it broke my heart.

"It had to be a stroke of luck that my fated was someone so refined and sweet as you."

I narrowed my eyes, folding my arms. "Shut the hell up with all that talk!" I snapped, not giving two pieces of shit when he narrowed his eyes in annoyance. I couldn't believe that he was talking about himself like that. "You have no idea how beautiful and precious you are to me," I whispered, garnering a surprising brow raise as he stared down at me. "I mean, we don't know each other that well, but you've grown on me already. You deserve a fuck of a lot more than me, and you deserve all of the love in the world. I would more than gladly give all of that to you." I retorted in a strong tone and hard glare so that he knew I meant it.

Zander stared at me, his skin glistening under the light of his office as he snorted. "You're something else, aren't you?" He whispered in a quiet voice that made it sound even deeper. I nodded and he leaned down to kiss my forehead. 

"It just happened to be divine fate that I intercepted you that night in the woods." 

I giggled to myself, reaching up to place a kiss on his soft lips. I liked how he made me feel: so safe, so protected, so happy, so loved. 

But then I remembered something. "If you work here, I can assume your coven works here?" I questioned and he nodded. "My coven mates here teach newly-turned vampires. Of course, the only ones who know of that information are my coven and I, and now you. There are regular professors here, and they teach humans," His voice washed over me, and I could sense something among that calm tone of his. He sounded nervous as he dumped all of this information on me. 

But it was bugging me. There was something else he wasn't telling me. Leticia told me more than he ever mentioned, and I got the sense that there was a lot more to the story. "Hey, Zan," I called out to him while he was looking through some paperwork on his desk. "Yes, lubirea mea?" He replied.

It was now or never.

"You know, I want to know more about you," He nodded, giving me the clearance to keep going, but he kept running through his paperwork. "I want to know more about why you said all of those things about yourself just a second ago, more about Cecilia and what she di—"

"No."

I blinked to see his veins bulging up in his forearms as he clenched the papers he was holding. I frowned slightly, wishing there was a way that I could promise him that nothing he could ever tell me would deter me. "But Zander—"

"I said no."

I jolted back in shock and fear of the sharpness in his tone. It was the tone my mother always took with me when I was prying too hard and she wanted me to stop. Of course, anyone could've given me that tone, but I never would've expected it from Zander. Maybe that was why it hurt so much.

I nodded curtly, taking a step back towards the door so I could hide how it made me feel. I bit my lip, the bitter taste of sadness lingering on my tongue. Part of me wanted to keep pushing him because I felt like he would've told me then, but I was too scared to. He had the power to kick me out on my own, and then I would have nothing to return to. Too much was at risk here, so that bitter taste in my mouth got stronger.

"Eli, I—"

I cut him, not wanting to hear any type of explanation. "No, it's fine, you don't have to tell me anything," I put my hand on the door, turning the knob. My heart started to burn slightly as the sting of tears penetrated my eyes. "I just wanted to know more about you since I'm your supposed fated," I threw back coldly before opening the door and storming out of the room. 

"¡Mierda!" I cursed to myself, not seeing Kenzo in the hallway. He probably went on to explore more before the first day of classes. I was glad one of us was excited. 

I felt like I was in the dark about a lot of things, and I didn't like that. It reminded me of the situation I left back in East Ravenwood. I didn't like feeling inferior, and that was what this was making me feel like. I so desperately wanted to know what Zander was hiding, what he was afraid of, so then maybe I could be of use.

"Boo," I heard a voice as soon as I exited the giant building, jumping slightly when I saw Cameron walking towards me. There was something off about him, he didn't seem to be himself. His eyes were red and puffy as if he was crying, his skin was more pale than usual, and he just didn't look or seem confident, which is something he always was.

"Hey," I greeted carefully, watching as he threw an arm over my shoulder. "It'll be something to attend college for the third time," He said and I raised a brow. "Old ass man," I teased and he stuck his tongue out at me. "Old, but I still look this good," He retorted. There was something about Cameron Rasputin that put me at ease and made me feel like I could trust him.

I needed someone like that in my life.

Then the atmosphere darkened a little as we walked down a cobblestone path that led us to a vacant sitting area. "How are you gonna deal with seeing your old friends on campus every day? You might have classes with them, hmm?" Cameron spat coldly, rolling his eyes when he said the word friends. It was such an abstract and simple concept, but some people just didn't seem to understand it. 

"I don't know, to be honest." I shrugged carelessly, not having thought about that. "I have no reason to deal with them. They're simply not a part of my life anymore," He frowned when I said that, probably because he heard the crack in my heart. I wanted so badly to cry again because the pain was still there, weeks later. However, I wasn't going to give them that privilege of knowing they made me cry.

Cameron nodded in reply, content with that answer. He looked to be deep in thought, so I brought up something that was stuck in my mind.

"Why did you look so sad when I found you?" I turned to him and he gave me a small smile. He looked down at the ground, twiddling with his fingers before he spoke. "You know, you're one of the lucky ones to have a fated that wants you. Mine doesn't want me," He chuckled to himself, though it was as if he was intentionally breaking his own heart. 

"...it's Nathaniel, isn't it?" I whispered, and when he didn't respond, I knew I had my answer. I sighed for a moment, wondering why he couldn't be happy. "I already told you he doesn't want to mate with me because I'm not as powerful as him, and doing so would make me his blood slave," Cameron explained, wiping a stray tear from his eye. "Once you choose a blood slave, there's no going back, so he chooses to get blood from anyone and everyone else but me," He stated hollowly, his skin paler than ever. 

"I don't know if he's ashamed that I'm just a regular vampire, but I wish that he would just give me a chance," Cameron sighed, clenching his hand. "I just wish that I could be different, so then maybe things wouldn't be this way." I shook my head vehemently. Cameron was amazing the way he was, and if Nathaniel couldn't see that, he had a lot more to lose.

"He has no problem being my friend, so why is it so hard for him to be my fated?" He whispered dejectedly, his eyes filling up with tears. "It hurts so much, Eli..." I reached up and brought his head to my shoulder, rubbing his back as violent sobs racked his soul. "I can't take it anymore!" He wailed into my ear and I couldn't help but cry with him. 

Everyone deserved to be happy, and there was no way I could sit here and be happy with Zander while my good friend was fighting a losing battle—one that he deserved to win. 

I had to do something about it.