“We should get out now.” I had a class with Oakman in an hour and needed to eat something. Maverick would be angry if I missed breakfast and went straight there.
Kai swam under me and pulled me into his arms.
“You’ve done so well,” he told me. “I’m proud of you.”
“I might not drown now if I fall into the water,” I joked. Yeah, I totally would, and we both knew it. But if I could float for a few minutes, it would give one of my mates time to rescue me.
“With some more practice, you’ll soon be swimming just fine.” Kai’s confidence in my abilities was truly admirable, even if I didn’t believe him.
Just as I was about to laugh at the very idea I’d ever not fear the water, the outside door burst open, letting a cold draft in, followed by five hulking shifters.
I recognized one of them: Jagger. He’d been especially obnoxious of late, but only when my mates weren’t around. Kai stiffened while holding me tight.
“Oooh, look, guys. We’ve interrupted a romantic moment between the witch whore and the fish.”
The wolf shifters all laughed. A stocky wolf with red hair sauntered over to the water’s edge and peered in.
“Damn, she’s wearing a bikini,” he commented. “I was hoping to cop a look at her tits.”
Kai growled, his arm muscles bunching around my waist.
“Fuck off,” he spat. “You’re not welcome in here. The pool is for aquatic species.”
“Is that so?” The stocky wolf grinned. “She’s a witch, so if she’s allowed in here, so are we.”
To my surprise, Kai started laughing.
“Okay then. Go for a swim if that’s what you want.”
The wolves all smirked. I threw Kai a panicked look. If all the wolves jumped in and attacked us, I’d drown. Had he lost his mind?
“Watch what happens,” he said in my head.
Two of the wolves dropped their pants and grinned at each other before leaping into the water with a tremendous splash that nearly drowned me.
For a few seconds, both wolves whooped as they splashed each other, but then their eyes widened in shock before they started screaming.
“What the fuck?” Jagger snarled at Kai. “What are you doing to them?”
I watched, horrified, as the wolves’ skin turned red and then broke out in giant pustules. They swam furiously to the edge of the pool before hauling themselves out.
“It hurts so bad!” one wailed while the other sobbed as he crawled over to the shower and stood shaking under the cold water stream.
After a few minutes, the redness faded and the blisters disappeared, but the trauma remained. There was no more laughter.
“The water is spelled against non-aquatic species.”
“That’s fucking bullshit,” a tall shifter with pale blond hair fumed. “We should be allowed to swim in here!”
“Then take it up with Montgomery,” Kai said, rolling his eyes. “Want to dive down?” he asked me with a grin. “I’ll share my magic while we wait for these idiots to get bored and go.”
I nodded, but just as Kai leaned in, I heard a furious squeal. I’d been so busy worrying about the idiot wolves I’d forgotten Fig was still in here. Jagger had grabbed my pig in retaliation for Kai hurting his friends.
“Let my pig go!” I screamed, but the wolf just laughed.
“I’m feeling peckish,” he said with a toothy grin. “Maybe we should fire up the grill, dudes.”
“Hmm, good idea,” a second wolf agreed. “I’m in the mood for roast pork. Hell, my wolf doesn’t mind if the meat is still oinking.”
