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Jeremiah shook his head, his heart racing behind his ribs. “We both know Hellhounds don’t get fated mates.”
“We both know we don’t know jack shit about Hellhounds,” Knight shot back, sounding annoyed. “No one really does anymore. There aren’t enough of you left. It’s all misinformation and ridiculous stereotypes.”
That was true. There were things he’d learned about himself growing up that had completely contradicted the insults his foster families would throw at him and accuse him of.
But even still…
“He’s a prince, Knight. He’ll rule Midlona one day.”
“And? You got a problem supporting your man’s career?”
“It’s a birthright, not a career, and of course I don’t. But having me standing at his side will make his life harder, not easier. I couldn’t do that to him. I won’t. He deserves every advantage, not a fucking liability.”
“Such a fucking martyr,” Knight huffed under his breath. “How about you stop assuming the worst and just give you both a chance to see what could happen?”
“How about you bite me?”
Knight laughed lightly. “I doubt your prince would like that, but I’m game if you are.”
Jeremiah rolled his eyes. “Goodbye, Knight.”
“Later, Sunshine. Keep your head on a swivel out there.”
He grunted an acknowledgment, then shoved his phone away and planted his hands on his hips. He ignored the shit Knight had said at the end and focused instead on the news about Thad’s dad and the hazing. Neither was enough to give him cause to force the issue of leaving the frat with Remi, but he didn’t like the picture that was being painted.
18
JEREMIAH
Jeremiah supposed the one good thing about the fact that he was a Hellhound was that it was easy to blend in with humans. They lacked scent receptors and any other ability to sense Supes if they weren’t either partially shifted or belonging to a race that had obvious physical markers. He’d gotten a couple of looks once or twice when he was out and about, and the barista who had served him that morning gave him a side-eye when he’d gotten a text from Remi and couldn’t help the smallest purr in his chest.
But she hadn’t asked, and Jeremiah had offered her a smile, which seemed to smooth the situation over.
Now, as he wandered through the quad, he was just another guy looking slightly out of place with his flecks of gray hair and leather jacket, more likely to commit violence than take a final. But there were plenty of humans like him. It meant that he could give Remi the space he needed to feel somewhat normal as he attended his lectures while also being close enough to the buildings that he’d be able to get there if he needed him.
It also helped that Jeremiah could sense him. He’d stopped trying to deny that there was a bond between them. He just wasn’t convinced that fated mates was it. Remi was reluctant to talk about it—not that Jeremiah could blame him. He couldn’t imagine a single species that walked the earth who’d want to be bound to a Hellhound.
Not even other Hellhounds.
It was why they were rare. It was why they were a dying species.
Pushing that thought away, Jeremiah did a scan of the area, sniffing the air for anything off, but all he caught was overuse of body spray, weed, and human hormones. The thought should have made him laugh, but instead, it hit him like a punch to the gut.
This was Remi’s life. This was what he was supposed to be doing. He was young and rich. He should be having fun and playing the field. He should be having his heart broken and then mended rather than tying himself to some bitter, angry beast that would only ever bring him more ridicule and pain.
If Jeremiah had been anyone else—anything else—he could have found a way to make them work. But Remi was suffering enough as it was.
Taking a deep breath, he moved toward a bench in the shade of a lush willow, and just as his knees bent to sit, his phone began to buzz. He let out a quiet growl as he fished the device out of his pocket and tried not to feel a little burst of panic when he saw Priest’s name on the screen.
“Tell me nothing’s wrong,” he said by way of answer.
“Nothing’s wrong.”
Jeremiah rolled his eyes. “Okay. This time, mean it.”
Priest laughed. “Nothing’s wrong. The palace is quiet, and the Bravo Team arrived last night and set up a perimeter around here and several spots in the city where the queen and king have appointments.”
Jeremiah understood that the royal family couldn’t just go into hiding, but it drove him up the wall when they were out and vulnerable. “What about the twins?”
