Page 203 of Volik

He cuts over to Nix’s desk, sets his paper down, then… stays.

My jaw flexes, and I take a silent step away from the door.

“I was, um, wondering if you, uh…” The boy stumbles over his words.

Nix keeps a friendly expression on her face, encouraging him to continue.

He clears his throat. “Could you look over my questions for the end-of-semester project?”

Nix starts to nod. But I can hear the boy’s heartbeat. It’s racing.

Because he’s not being honest. He just wants an excuse to be near her.

To be near my mate.

Possessive anger rolls inside my chest.

I remind myself we’re on campus. That this is just a student. That Nix doesn’t want him. She wants me.

So instead of using my gravito to drag him out of the room, I focus on my heat. And I let it flare.

Chapter 86

Nix

Iopen my mouth to answer my student when a wave of heat rolls over me.

Not just heat. But heat. Like the air has been set on fire.

I fill my lungs, warming myself from the inside out and stoking the flames that were already smoldering in my core.

The kid standing in front of my desk tugs on the collar of his sweatshirt as a sheen of sweat covers his face.

He starts to sway, and I reach out to steady him.

But a low growl fills the room.

A different sort of heat rockets through my body because that growl… That was directed at me.

My hand stills in the air. And I tip my head to the side, away from the door. Exposing my neck to Volik.

Chapter 87

Volik

From across the room, I can see the delicate flesh of my mate’s throat thrumming with her pulse.

“Out.” My voice cracks off the walls.

The student stumbles over his feet as he turns and runs for the door, keeping his gaze down the whole time.

As soon as he’s gone, I send out a wave of gravito, slamming the door shut.

I keep a wall of energy against the door, locking it through force.

Nix keeps her neck bent. Keeps her throat offered to me.

But she’s too far away.