To Be a Belikov (Vampire Academy Fan Fiction Book 3)

Chapter 13: Turning Tables

Chapter 13: Tables Turning

Being in charge was a strange feeling.

I had been at the top before, and it wasn't anything new to do things alone. I had commanded an entire fleet of Guardians before; I'd run and organized countless Special Ops missions; I'd saved a princess when I was a teenager, for Vlad's sake. And, still, none of it was quite like being Captain of the Academy Guardians.

I was responsible for so many people; it wasn't like guarding a single Moroi where it was easy to keep your eyes on them or their surroundings at all time. I had hundreds of students, an entire group of faculty, and even my family to keep safe here. Even if there were dozens of other Guardians on campus, I was it; I was the one making life or death decisions and it was shocking to realize that, at one point, I'd resented Alberta for being in these shoes. I'd hated her when I'd had to leave Dimitri in the caves; I'd hated that they'd forced me into returning with a spoiled princess; I'd hated that she made me responsible.

Now I couldn't thank her enough.

A month into the full-time job of Captain and I knew I had needed every single lecture she'd once given me. It was strange hearing echoes of words she'd said to me coming pouring out of my mouth as I scolded this kid for missing class or another for missing training. How had she not strangled me?

"Rosemarie?" Alberta's voice came, her head peeking around my office door.

I was sitting at what used to be her desk in the administrative building, my nose buried in a pile of paperwork submitted by my Guardians who were teaching classes. I'd asked for bi-weekly reports from them, including updates on the Dhampir students, to try and keep rowdy kids like me learning instead of slacking off.

Setting the papers down and looking up, I smiled, "Alberta, you wouldn't believe what Wilcox did this time."

"He's a fun one," she laughed back, a smirk tugging on her lips as she entered the office and went to sit in one of the velvet armchairs in front of the desk. It was still awkward for us to be fully transitioned now, with me being Captain and her merely an advisor. I was so used to being under her command that being her superior was a feeling I struggled with.

"What can I help you with, though? I know you didn't stop by to watch me read," I teased as I tucked my reports into a file folder, storing them neatly in my desk. Dimitri had already lectured me about a messy workspace; I needed to look "professional" for the students, he'd said.

She smirked again, weakly, sitting very straight in her chair. Something wasn't right. "It's time for rounds, Rose. We'll talk after."

"We've got ten minutes," I protested. If something was wrong, I needed to know; I always had to know now. "Alberta, what's going on?"

"Rosemarie," she said, her voice and face hardening. "You have to set an example by being early. It's a good–"

"Show for both the faculty and students," I finished, cutting her off and standing from my chair. I slid a black leather jacket around my shoulders, my stake tucked at my side as I prepared myself for two hours of walking the grounds. Meeting her gaze again, I said, "I'll find out eventually, you know."

"A good Captain always does," she returned and I followed her out the door.

Cassie was up from her desk, already bouncing on her toes. She usually joined us on our rounds now while one of the other Guardians watched the desk. Besides being my assistant, she'd picked up teaching a class again, and that required her to be on top of her game.