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I scoffed and sat back in the stiff metal chair. “Questions and passive-aggressive accusations are not the same things. I called because I saw lights and then followed them and found Daniel. End of story.”
She sat across from me with a sigh. She was tired. I was tired. Wasn’t it enough that Daniel wasn’t dead and was recovering? That someone found him? “I know you didn’t do this, Casimir.”
“Me, too. Glad we’re on the same page. Can I go now?” I started to rise but got the headmistress stink eye. It was a horror all its own, matched by no predator. “Fine. What else is there?”
“Paperwork. All the paperwork. I have to finish this report, and then you can go. Also, why were you out in the common area at night anyway?”
She didn’t look at me as she asked the question, her eyes trained on the paperwork which was one piece of paper that someone had spilled coffee on.
“I saw it happen through my window. I ran to help.”
She briefly met my gaze. “I see.” No other words were spoken until she finished scribbling on her page. While I still sat there, in the space that mirrored one of those interrogation rooms from my old pack, my thoughts were fixed on Karelis.
My wolf knew she was ours. No doubt about it. But a niggling in my being told me she was hiding something. Something about her wolf. She hadn’t wanted to shift in front of me before, but my wolf craved hers. To see what belonged to him—to all of us.
Regina finally looked up at me. If possible, she looked more exhausted than ten minutes earlier. “You wondering how I know it wasn’t you?”
“Sure. I’ll play,” I answered.
“I know your pack, Casimir. If you had attacked anyone, they wouldn’t be alive to talk about it. You are dismissed. Go back to…whatever it is you were doing.”
I got up, not waiting for her to change her mind.
“And one more thing…next time, bring me a burger.”
Shit.
I walked out of the administration building with only one thing on my mind, one person. My mate. Now that I thought about it more, Karelis’ reaction to Daniel didn’t seem normal to me. Not that there was anything ordinary about her, butshe wanted to help him right away. Perhaps I was a hardened warrior, or maybe I dissected things too much, but I smelled no fear on my female for herself. There was some for us—had no idea how I knew the difference, but I did.
Once I was across campus, I took the stairs that led to our suite two at a time in order to get home. Adan had taken her there, and there was nothing I wanted more than to see her safe and sound in my home—our school home.
I walked in and locked the door behind me even though whoever had almost killed Daniel wouldn’t let something as silly as a lock stop them from coming after us. I knew that by the broad strokes of their sword.
“Everyone okay?” I asked, turning around to face them. All of their smells were concentrated in the small area, and Karelis’ filled my senses. Our mate was tucked in between Adan and Blaze on the couch, which meant that Blaze had successfully returned the car and gotten back unscathed. At least, from what I could tell.
“We are fine. I’m surprised they let you out already,” Adan chuckled. “I was sure they would blame you for murder and try to kick you out.”
I laughed and collapsed into the nearest chair. “They know it wasn’t me, and they didn’t ask anything about you three, so we’re good. The headmistress knew about the diner, but she didn’t push the issue.”
Blaze had Karelis’ hand in his. “She’s got bigger fish to fry tonight.”
An idea popped into my head, and I was so fucking tired that I blurted it out without thinking too much about it. “Karelis, how opposed would you be to sleeping in a bed with all of us tonight? It’s been a rough night. I want to make sure you are protected, as I’m sure we all do. If the answer is no, I understand, but wherever you are, we’re going, too.”
Her eyes widened and no more than three Mississippis passed before she sat up straight and said, “I would love that.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Karelis
When I heard myself accept their invitation with enthusiasm, I panicked a little. I had no right to get close to these males when I could never have mates. But, after the evening we’d had--the wonderful closeness of the date and sitting in the car with the three of them, followed by the shock of the student who was struck down by whatever was in the light—all bets were off. Or…at least all sensible behavior on my part.
And my rush to help the downed student, or to try to, was also out of character. Not that I didn’t care if someone was hurt, but I’d never been the nurturing type, never wanted to be a nurse or anything. Seeing him lying there brought out something new in me. In the moment I was at his side, before I was dragged away, a surge of energy passed from me to him. It didn’t fix everything wrong with him, but it kept him from dying. Or so I thought before mentally laughing off such a preposterous idea. How could I do anything like that?
Obviously, I couldn’t.
Any more than I could be mated. But maybe I could have this one night in their arms. As long as I was honest and shared with them that I couldn’t have mates. They’d understand. And probably they didn’t really want me to be their mate anyway. Or wouldn’t once they knew my secret. I’d be lucky if they still wanted to be friends. I kicked off my shoes and crawled into the center of the bed. My wolves wanted more, wanted me to mate with these males now and begin our life together.
They didn’t understand why the two of them together made me un-mateable. And it broke my heart. I should just climb off the bed and go back to my room, tell the guys not to wastetheir time on someone who wasn’t their true mate. Who was unworthy of their affection.
