Mate's come first - 1. 3 Months Ago

3 Months Earlier

"Hey, freak!"

Owen closed his eyes and ignored the other mage. He needed to finish this assignment, and then he only had one exam and he would be free. Another month and he would be eighteen, able to leave the coven and never return to be tormented daily ever again.

His life had been the same from when he started school at five years old. His magic was different from all the other kids, and he couldn't do the spells the teachers were teaching. The kids hated him and made is life hell. It took five years until one teacher, Miss Dooli, tried teaching him an alternative way of doing the spell she was trying to teach Owen, and Owen finally managed to complete his first basic spell.

That teacher was the best thing to happen to Owen. He had soon started to catch up with the other mages his age. Until one day he arrived in class to find out Miss Dooli had been reassigned. Miss Dooli had promised she would tell the new teacher, and his training would continue as it had been. But Mr. Ceeman insisted that Owen do spells the 'proper' way. It wasn't long before Owen was way behind the other kids once again.

Then the bullying started up again. It started with name-calling until one day he snapped and answered one of the name-calling bullies back. That was the first beating, and more had quickly followed.

He'd tried to go for help, but it had been useless. The bullies had highborn parents, and no one would take the word of the weird only child of parents who had to work for their money—or so he had been told when someone told on him to the bullies. His parents both worked all the hours they could to build their family wealth. Nothing was more important to them than being the wealthiest they could be.

A slap to his shoulder brought his head up in time to meet another slap, this time right across his face.

"Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you, freak. I think you need to be taught how to treat your betters."

Blinking the tears from his eyes, Owen glared up at his main tormentor, Ian Woodrow. Ian was older than him and had already graduated. He was at the school a few days a week to mentor the younger kids. In reality, all he did was torment them and steal their money before beating the crap out of them. Owen didn't bother answering Ian. It never made any difference what he said; he was going to get a beating either way.

"Hey, Trevor." Ian grabbed Owen's hair when Owen tried to use his moment of distraction to get away. "Want to help me teach this powerless trash how to act in the presence of those older and more powerful than him?"

Owen went limp and waited as Trevor yelled his acceptance from across the library—because, of course, none of them would get into trouble for making too much noise in the library silent zone.

"Meet us out the back," Ian instructed and proceeded to drag Owen from his chair and out the nearest fire exit.

'Out the back' was code for a small concrete yard behind the library building that was a camera black spot. Owen was thrown to the ground, and the beating began.

Owen centred his mind and started to list everything he still needed to get ready for leaving. One month and he would be away from the coven. He needed to make sure his CV was up to date so he could find a job when his savings started running out.

He let his mind float and pushed the pain of what was happening to his body as far away as he could.

When he finally came back to himself, he was alone. Ian and Trevor probably got bored when he didn't respond to their 'lesson'. Sending magic through his body, he healed his broken arm and wrist. He was surprised; the damage was usually worse with several broken ribs and fingers. His magic wouldn't heal bruises, but he could dull the pain enough to get home. He felt around his face and winced when he prodded his left eye and chin. Another push of magic and he cast a glamour. He needed to get home and up to his room so he could put himself into a healing sleep. His parents most likely wouldn't notice anything amiss, but the servants would and he couldn't afford to bring the wrong sort of attention to himself when he was so close to escaping.

Moving slowly, he righted his clothes and then made sure to walk smoothly to get out of school and head home.

Back home in his suite of rooms he collapsed on the bed and groaned as magic pulled him into sleep.