She woke the next morning rejuvenated and in a much better frame of mind.

Last night, she'd felt like a failure. Ugly and unwanted.

The last two of those she's felt before but after sleeping, and a morning spent thinking about her courtship, she was optimistic.

He was going to sleep with someone else. No mistaking that. But it wasn't as easy for him as it had been the first time.

Most girls wouldn't give a damn about that, but she wasn't most girls and Vallen wasn't most guys.

Her mistake with him since day one has been her not understanding his past. His upbringing.

Her heart ached at the thought of him abused and forgotten in that hole with the bars, but there's a difference between being heartbroken at the thought and actually knowing his pain.

To love him completely, she needed to find a way to know him. To feel it and see it for herself.

There had to be a spell for that.

But first she was making the most out of her dinner with him.

Pen and paper were already at work making a list as she flew through getting dressed.

Today was a braided pigtail day, if ever there was one.

The black dress she chose from her aunt's closet was thick and long-sleeved, but very feminine, with a square neckline and a full skirt with a small pannier beneath it.

She might never win any beauty pageants, but she was originally her. That meant a lot more in this day and age anyhow. At least it should.

Finally ready for her day to begin, she snapped her fingers so she wouldn't be late for her class. Her students loved her just the way she was, and she always looked forward to her time with them.

She called for her shoes after she was already standing in her classroom.

The bell would be ringing soon, and today they were reading about Huckleberry Finn. She adored Huck Finn stories.

Nevaeha sat at the desk she hardly ever used and opened the bottom drawer so she could hunt for her book.

And she found that damn snake and its nest.

She could have handled it better.

The kids were laughing. She was floating off the ground, her head nearly hitting the ceiling. Screaming and using her magic to glide the snake out of her room, but it was moving and scaring the shit out of her. Hissing, and she couldn't blame the thing. It just wanted to protect its nest.

Conway and Sebastian arrived first. She guessed they came to save the day, but all they did was watch.

Mr. Pinkitt was at least trying to help. He yelled for Becky to run and get the janitor.

Yeah, where was he? That guy looked like he snuggled with snakes.

Vallen busted into the room, sides heaving and looking like he was ready to kill something.

"Vallen, don't you dare shift. There are children here. And don't eat it either. Do wolves eat snakes?"

Her wolf gave her the most disgusted look she imagined an animal could manage.

Still laughing, Johnson came forward and plucked the snake right out of the air. "You sure look funny, Nevaeha. I don't care if my father gets his belt out or not. This was worth it."

When the snake would have bitten him, he caught it on the back of the neck and headed outside with it.

Finally calmed, no, not calmed at all, but she could think a little easier. She floated back down to the floor and laid her hand over her chest. "Will someone please make sure that the nest gets put wherever he takes that snake?"

Cody came forward to do just that, so she eyed the two grown men in the room who'd been no help. She'd never seen either of these men laugh, and they weren't now.

But Sebastian did have a smile in his eyes and Conway's lips were in a tight line, like it was taking everything he had not to smile.

She gave them an unimpressed look right before they disappeared.

"Really, Nevaeha. I know you dislike snakes, but you nearly gave me a heart failure. Get back to your class and I'll have Mr. Harvey or Mason check for more snakes after classes."

"There're zero chances of that, Mr. Pinkitt. My class and I will use one of the empty rooms for today."

"Have it your way. I'll leave you to it."

She moved to her wolf's side and ran her fingers over his back. He was watching his niece.

Rylee was covering behind Karev trying to remain unnoticed and Karev was holding her hand and eyeing the wolf who was frightening his mate.

"Okay, class, you heard him. Grab your things and we'll move to the library for today."

'When were you going to tell me about that?'

'I wasn't planning on not telling you. I've just had my hands full with my own mate. How did you know?'

"I recognize the need to protect. Were you really so scared of a damn snake you could just say a spell to get rid of?'

'I was trying. Did you not see that thing? Horrible creature. And gross. Thank you for coming to my rescue, though. Very sweet of you.'

He snorted and would have left, but she wrapped her arms around him. 'It's okay, isn't it? About Rylee and Karev?'

'I'm not her keeper and it's not like I can say much. Who knows, maybe my father will hear that he has two children mated outside of our kind and he'll die from the shame of it.'

'Rylee is your sister?'

'Don't get sentimental. I probably have more brothers and sisters than I can count, and he'll claim none of them. He only married my mom because of who her father was, and she was the favorite.'

'Dinner is at six. Don't be late.' She gave him another hug before letting go of him.