Breeding in the Academy: Searching for Freedom (All 14)

Chapter 25

A/N: There's not much action. More of a filler and fluff. I wrote this chapter while listening to the song above. I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter and comment on anything you like.  This chapter is different than the BITA 9 so check out the other book if you want. 

<new update: i added a paragraph that wouldn't paste>

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 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.

My thoughts and memories ran wildly through my mind. I had been beside him for years, quietly loving him. When we thought we had 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," I opened my eyes to see Corey looking at me hesitantly and with worry. "Are you all right?"

I nodded, and we fell silent once again. I wrestled with my thoughts. When I saw him injured, I knew that I wanted to tell him of my love for him, but a memory kept reappearing. It was when I was first rescued from the Academy. With the abuse I had received, I had nightmares, and Corey would come and climb into my bed to calm me. As years passed, my nightmares had 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 before him, 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 joke 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 he would stay beside me like before. Even if we were to be just teammates. 

"Raven?"

Corey looked down at his hands in his lap before peeking at me from behind his bangs. "Can I ask you something?"

Nodding, I scooted a chair closer to his bed and sat down. He fidgeted with the bed sheets. "Is it bad that after Kayli was gone that I found out I didn't love her? Why my heart rejoiced that I wasn't in love with her? That when she died, I thought of my love but it was two others in my mind?"

My body froze and terror rang through my mind. He had found someone else. He loved them. Had I lost him again? Forcing my jealousy and heartbreak down, I placed a mask of neutrality on my face.

"Kayli didn't love us. What we had was something that I thought was love but it wasn't. It was broken too easily." I tilted my head up to look at Corey, encouraging him not to be guilty. "We might have been in love with her in the beginning, but to me it turned to be fascination then loyalty. Our love with her could have grown but it wilted. We are not at fault for not loving her when she didn't love us."

Corey's eyes looked at the floor. "And when I was in love with someone else at the same time? What does that say about me?"

I chuckled. "You're unconventional, but so am I and Axel and Brandon and Marc. We were in a relationship that consisted with one woman and five men."

Cerulean blue eyes wavered. "But what if the person I loved was one of my brothers?"

"Who?" I ground out without terrifying him. "Is it Axel? Marc?"

Corey blinked at me before sputtering. "What- but- what?"

I punched my jealousy down once again. I won't act like a caveman towards him. He wasn't mine to love. Swallowing, I gave him a grin that I think might have come out grim. "You're not related to them by blood, Corey. You're free to love whoever you want."

"And what if-?" He looked so unsure. His shoulders dropped and he had drawn his legs to his chest. The want to pull him into my arms roared through me, but I fisted my hands to prevent myself from kissing and hugging his insecurities away.

My heart wrenched at the sight of him, and I reached out a trembling hand to grab his. Corey immediately wrapped his lean fingers around mine. He raised his eyes to meet mine, and I felt a sucker punch hit my body that made my lungs freeze. Tears were in his eyes, but it wasn't the tears that made my body hurt. It was the fear and slight hope in his eyes. "And what if I love you, Raven?"

His hand tightened on mine, as if he was afraid I would throw him off. "I've loved you for years, and being shot made me realize that I would regret never telling you my true feelings. Ever since I met you in that Academy facility, my heart belonged to you." His eyes searched mine. "And y-you?"

Pulling my hand from his, I watched his tears and hopeful expression fall. I leaned closer, lifting my hands to cradle his face. I wasn't the type of person to cry in front of others, but this person was not only a person. He was mine, and I was his. That was why I let tears and my love for him show. "I love you, too, Corey, but 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 more tears ran down my cheeks. "I was scared that you wouldn't love me back."

"Me, too. I love you," he said before nuzzling his cheeks against my hands. Slowly, I leaned closer and pressed my lips against his. He gasped at the connection, and I took that moment to intertwining our tongues, Breaking the kiss, Corey rested his forehead against mine. Our breaths mingled, and a tear ran down his cheek.

"That day I kissed you, why did you run away?"

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." He chuckled derisively. "It had to take me being shot for us to confess."

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.