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“Didn’t I tell you before not to run straight into danger?” His usually cold eyes are soft and pleading. “You already got hurt the last time—”
“You were hurt?” Both Mateo and I ask at the same time. My mind whirs with the new information. The fact that my mate was hurt—was almost taken and I had no idea.
“I healed her physical wounds,” Kyros explains, stepping forward. I wince at the words, hearing the implication in them.
She had emotional wounds from the attack, which she hadn’t shared with me. She hadn’t even shared the fact that there was an attack. We were lucky today—lucky that we hadn’t still been at the bar night. Who knows how many students could’ve been injured or killed by the shadow demons’ hands.
Lucky that we prolonged bringing Liv to her dorm. I refuse to imagine what could have happened if she was faced with that group swarming in on her.
“You need to stay with us,” I conclude, finality ringing in my voice. Her head whips in my direction, a protest on the tip of her tongue.
“We have spare rooms. You’ll have your own space. I just—there’s no way to ensure your safety with you staying in your dorm room. If—” I swallow the lump forming in my throat, not wanting to say the words, yet I force them past my lips.
She needs to hear this. Needs the harsh reality shoved in her stubborn, adorable face, just as Maximus had done.
“If you were by yourself, in your dorm room, when they broke past the wards. One could have slipped past and taken you back to the infernal realm—to whichever master they serve. Trust me, the masters are worse than the demons themselves.”
She shudders at my words, my heart sinking in my chest for having to force that harsh reality upon her. Yet, she nods in acceptance, understanding lighting her green gaze. Maximus sighs a breath of relief, shooting me a grateful glance. Apparently perturbed by the fact that shaking her obviously hadn’t done the job.
“Nelle.” She gasps, eyes flashing to mine. “Do you think any of them went to the bar night looking for me?”
“They followed your magical signature here, but if you were there recently, they might have. We should go check it out if this Nelle is important to you,” Maximus growls at the name, glancing at me for confirmation.
“Nelle is her best friend—purely platonic.”I explain, projecting it to all of them. I see Maximus visibly relax at that. The jealous bastard.
“We’ll go check it out, and I’ll take her back home. She’ll be safe in the mortal realm.”
Liv and Kyros nod at my words. Mateo and Maximus just stare back in confusion, not knowing what I’m talking about.
“I’ll explain everything later.”I project grudgingly, not wanting them to get all of my information on our mate.“This isn’t the time.”
Maximus nods, stepping beside me. I glance at Liv, her forehead creased with concern, her sea-green eyes heavy on mine. Her mouth pops open, poised as though she’s about to say something, but she reconsiders. Her lips clamp shut and my shoulders slump with disappointment before I pull my power around me, dissipating from sight.
I follow Maximus to his office. As the room comes into focus around us, my eyes catch on the debris scattered across the floor.
Before I fully register what’s happening, Maximus fists my lapels, smashing me against the marble wall. The stone sinks under me with the weight of the impact. Pain radiates up my spine, and I crumple forward. Max’s grip on my jacket pushing me up against the wall is the only reason I don’t topple over.
“Explain,” he rumbles. Never one to mince words.
I take a moment to make sure my feet will hold my own weight before pushing him off. In the same breath I use my powers to wrap a rope around his arms and torso.
He struggles for a moment before breaking free. His biceps bulge enough for the rope to fray and break apart. I loosen my grip on the power, the cord fading away before it even touches the ground.
“Explain what?” I quip back, knowing full well what he meant. I use the question as a distraction to put some space between us but also because I can’t help but mess with the grumpy asshole.
“You know what.” The words rumble from his chest, and he stalks forward, attempting to tower over me.
I slam up an invisible wall between us, and he smashes off the barrier. Effectively stopping him in his tracks. He scrubs a hand down his face, smearing the blood flowing from his nose, now crooked from the impact. He pushes the bone back into place, not even flinching at the pain. I wince in sympathy for him, feeling the echo of the injury.
The blood ebbs a moment later, his enhanced healing working its magic.
“Look, you know as much as I do right now.” I grimace at the words, replaying tonight’s events in my head. The gradual realization that we’re all mated to Liv—and she has no idea.
He clenches his fists at his side and grits his teeth. He raises his fist—so quickly I barely register the movement—and slams it against the barrier. Attempting to break through the wall of magic—most likely to smash his fist into my skull next.
“I’m not happy about this either, Max,” I say, pursing my lips for a moment. “We can sort it out later, but first, we need to go check on the students.”
His chest deflates at my words, remembering our actual reason for being here. He nods begrudgingly and crosses his arms over his chest. Tapping his foot impatiently and eyeing the barrier expectantly.
