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I ducked into the first safe place I found, a stairwell that smelled like it had recently been painted. The chemicals clung to the air particles. Facing the wall, I placed my forehead against the cool stone and sucked in a breath.
“Bad day for everyone, huh?” The voice startled me, and inmy surprise, I nearly tumbled down the stairwell next to me. “Hey, be careful.” An arm snaked around my waist and pulled me back to safety.
I turned to thank the person, but my wolves already knew who it was. Adan. The one with the minty eyes. “Thanks.”
He nodded. His smile was tight at best, and the green of his eyes darker than I remembered. “You’re welcome.”
Being in his presence calmed me a bit, but soon I found my breaths again getting out of control while someone had slammed an anvil on my sternum. I tore the tie from around my neck and undid several buttons at the top of my uniform shirt. “Fuck,” I ground out, not wanting to have a full-blown freakout in front of this gorgeous man, no matter how out of reach he was for me.
“Hey, it’s okay. Look at me. Breathe, sweetheart.”
I cackled. It sounded downright maniacal. “I’m not sweet.” Night spoke through me. As though I wasn’t going through enough at that moment, she chose that one to replace my voice with her own. She’d never done that before. I didn’t know if I approved or not, but it seemed the decision wasn’t in my hands.
“Oh, who are you?” Adan asked and stroked my face. Damn, my more dangerous wolf tried to claw her way out of me to get to him.
“It’s just me,” I lied, forcing Night to back down. No one could know about her. She wasn’t safe here. When we were little and she kept us safe by taking over, I promised her that no matter what, no one would take her from me. I would keep her safe as she had done to me.
“If you say so, female. Breathe. Come on. It’s over. Look at me.” He repeated his adage from before but, this time, I listened. Instantly, I was lost in his green eyes, and I matched my breaths to his. Still, I was riled up, and the world crashed down on me. “Come here.”
He tried to embrace me, but I put my palms on his chest.“No,” I whimpered, lying.
“It’s okay. Please. It’s killing me to see you this way when I know I can calm you. Please, Karelis.”
My walls cracked and crumbled at the sound of his plea. He was right. His arms around me would certainly calm me down, and both wolves agreed. I sank into his hug and sighed as his arms wrapped tightly around me. I nuzzled into his chest, taking in his smell. My wolves lay down and purred like felines. Adan placed several kisses on my temples and on my hair while his hands made small circles along my back. I could’ve stayed there for hours, but I pulled back once peace settled. “I’m sorry,” I said, wiping away tears I didn’t know had fallen.
“There’s no reason to be sorry, female. You should be able to come to your…to me when you’re upset. I’m glad I found you here. Want to tell me what happened?”
No. Yes. No. I couldn’t do this. He was acting like…no. I didn’t get a mate.
My life didn’t work the way others’ did. “I have to get to study hall. Um, thanks.” I scampered away like the coward I was, leaving him standing there.
Gods, it took everything in me to walk away, but I had to get used to the idea. He wasn’t mine. None of them were.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Casimir
Where was she going, the little minx?
It was a rare hour when all three of us in the suite were asleep, and tonight Adan and Blaze were actually conked out—or at least Blaze was. Adan could possibly be still working in his room, but no light showed under the door. It was my turn to be the insomniac, so as I sat trying to study for a test the next day, in the silence of our common room, I heard the soft click of the door across the hallway.
Very softly, I moved to our door and twisted the handle, opening it just enough to see Karelis gliding down the hallway. She was quiet, I’d give her that. If I’d had any music on or a video, I’d never have heard a thing.
But lucky I did because this little girl was out on her own, not even taking her roomie, and so far as we knew, there was still nobody in custody for the horrific burning to death of a student. If the admin or any other shifter authorities knew who did it, they were not sharing that information with us. Every ounce of my warrior blood boiled at the horror of the scene we’d come across. My wolf, every bit as much of a warrior, wanted to strike out and take down the evildoer, probably a part of the reason I was still awake. He was pacing a lot.
As Karelis disappeared down the hallway, I slipped out of the suite to follow. She needed protection wherever she was going. Somehow, I doubted she’d managed to get a late-night library pass. Far as I knew, none were even being issued at this point. Keeping a distance between us, I continued on, watching to see where she’d go. I wanted to make sure she’d be okay.
As I feared, she headed for the doors, clearly headed outside. I caught up to her and laid a hand on her arm. “Karelis.”
She jumped two feet in the air, and a menacing growl, with an echo, emerged from her before she settled down and exhaled. “Are you trying to scare me to death?”
“Are you trying to risk your life, going out there on your own after what happened?”
“No, but I need to run.”
“All right.” I unbuttoned my shirt. “Then let’s run together for safety.”
“No, I’m fine. I don’t need an escort.”
