Breeding in the Academy: Searching for Freedom (All 9)

Chapter 25

A/N: Update! I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter. I think that we needed some fluff after all of this stress with the election and covid and other stuff. Comment on anything you enjoy. Also this chapter is a bit different that the BITA 14 so check out that book if you want. 

< new update: Wattpad keeps omitting some of my paragraphs. >

Raven POV

"Stay." I pointed at the bed, staring at him.

With a pout, Corey leaned back in the hospital bed. He sighed. "Raven, I'm not a dog. I'm fine. My wound is okay."

I frowned at him. He didn't understand what I went through. Only hours ago, I came across him bleeding on the forest floor. I had to endure his pain-filled, teeth-gritting expression as I cleaned and sewed his wound. And when he dropped unconscious, I had to carry his unconscious body. The feeling of him in my arms not in the way I wanted haunted me.

But how could he understand? He didn't love me the way I loved him. He didn't know that I yearned for him to be cradled in my arms every night. He didn't know that I wanted to kiss senseless until he begged for more. He didn't the see hunger and love in my eyes.

"Stay," I repeated before the door swung open. Kayli peeked her head in. Her green eyes glanced at both of us before she blinked. She gave a calm smile as she walked towards Corey. Sitting beside him on the bed, she held his hand. "Hey."

Corey blushed. His blue eyes met mine before he looked away at Kayli. "Hi."

My heart hurt. He wasn't mine to love. I turned to walk out of the room. "I'm leaving."

"Ah, wait!" Kayli raised her voice. She looked at me with an expression that I couldn't place. "I want to talk to you, Raven. Can you wait for a few?"

I nodded before stepping out of the room. Once the door closed, I gave a sigh. My thoughts and memories ran wildly through my mind. I had been beside him for years, quietly loving him. When we found love with Kayli, I rejoiced that Corey wouldn't be taken away from me. If we couldn't be together, it would be better if we were beside each other. Maybe it was time to give up my hidden love.

"Raven," a feminine voice called out to me. I opened my eyes to see Kayli looking at me hesitantly. She rubbed her left palm with her right hand, showing me her tell when she was nervous. "Are you all right?"

I nodded. I didn't feel like talking.

She nodded her head, and a silence settled between us. Kayli raised her head after a few moments of silence. "Come with me."

I followed her out of the hospital, nodding as we passed Axel and Brandon. Marc was still with the Prime. Kayli led me to some benches outside. The lights glowed enough to give us some light. She braced her arms against her legs before staring at me. Her gaze had me raise my walls as if she was searching for something. In the silence, she whispered. "When will you tell him?"

I stiffened. After Kayli told us about Kevin, she talked to me about my feelings for Corey. She said that it was alright if I decided to confess to him, but there was one thing that I knew. "I won't, Zorya. He doesn't love me."

She huffed in annoyance. "How do you know? Did he tell you that?"

I frowned at her. "No, but I know."

Kayli frowned back at me. "How do you know?"

Running a hand through my hand, I spoke. "I was rescued from the Academy who treated me as an animal. They did tests on me and forced me into a cage. The person who saved me from the Academy was Corey. He took me from my nightmare. With the abuse I had received, I had nightmares at night, and Corey would come and climb into my bed to calm me. As years passed, my nightmares disappeared, but I didn't want to be alone. I lied to him so he would cuddle with me and stay beside me. One day, I woke up earlier, and he was asleep. He was so beautiful that before I knew it, I kissed him. He had woken at that moment and pushed me off of him, telling me not to play with him. Then he ran away from me. That was the moment I was scared of. That he was leaving me so I did the first thing I could think of. I apologized to him, hoping that he would stay beside me. Even if we were to be teammates. It's obvious that he doesn't love me." Frustration welled up inside me. That was the first time I felt self-hatred.

I sighed at the sad look on her face. I wrapped my arms around her, bringing her to my chest. Her hands grabbed my shirt, and I heard her sniffling. I leaned back, seeing tears in her eyes. Since she got rid of the burden, she became the girl that I had fallen in love with. Wiping her tears, I frowned. "My Zorya, why are you crying?"

She shook her head. "You also deserve to be with the person you love. You love him, Raven."

I smiled softly. "I do, but I also love you. I'll be okay."

"But," teary green eyes looked at me. "do you regret never confessing to him?"

I was silent. Everyday I regret not confessing to him. Everyday was a day that I could have spent with the two loves of my life. But was it worth losing our friendship and jeopardizing our team? "I do, Kayli. I will always regret choosing my team and family over Corey, but it's better this way."

"Is it?" A voice behind us spoke. My body froze at the person who I hoped was Brandon but fates were laughing at me from above. Turning my head, my eyes met guarded cerulean blue eyes. His blonde hair was slightly messy, and his wound dressings peeked from behind his torn shirt.

"Corey," his name was whispered.

The man frowned at me, and his lips were pressed into a thin line. His fists were curled at his sides. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Feigning innocence, I tilted my head, barely noticing Kayli leaving us.

His blue eyes flashed with anger. "I thought that you were just playing with me. You even apologized. Why didn't you tell me that you loved me?"

Knowing that it was time to bare my feelings, I confessed. "Because I was scared. I was scared that my feelings would hurt the family that we had built. I was scared that it would tear our family apart. I was scared that you would say no and leave. I tho –" My throat clogged up, and I grabbed my chest where my heart was. "I was scared that you wouldn't love me back."

"You big idiot," he said before lunging at me. His uninjured arm wrapped around my neck, pulling me towards him. Before I could think, Corey pressed his lips against mine. He tentatively licked at my lips, prying in and intertwining our tongues, maintaining eye contact. As his eyes fluttered downward, I took control of the kiss, deepening it. I folded my arms around his waist and gently brought him closer to my body. Breaking the kiss, Corey rested his forehead against mine. Our breaths mingled, and a tear ran down his cheek. "I've always loved you. I've loved you ever since we first saw each other in that cage. I've loved you every day."

I wasn't the type to show my tears but at his confession, tears filled mine as disbelief and unbridled love warred with each other. I choked out a question.

He nuzzled his cheek against mine. "I thought that you had found out my feelings, and it shocked me. I thought that you were drowsy. When you apologized, I knew that I had my hopes up and thought that you didn't love me."

Corey smiled with a joy that seemed to light up my body. "It wasn't until Kayli pushed me to follow her did I realize that this was one of the best decisions I made. I always thought that I had an unrequited love."

I kissed his forehead, traveling down to kiss his closed eyes, tasting his salty tears. I placed a soft kiss on his nose, then his cheeks. As my lips hovered over his, "I'm sorry, Moy Solntse (my sun). I promise to love you from this day forward."

He smiled leaning upwards. "You better."

With that, he closed the distance, connecting our lips.