Page 27 of Hexmate

I wanted to run, to scream, to fight back. But I was powerless compared to them. They were witches of the highest caliber from the most powerful families. And we were at least a mile from the academy barrier. Even if I screamed until my voice gave out, no one would hear me. Nobody was coming to rescue me.

My only choice was to close my eyes and hope it would all be over soon.

Chapter 11

Atlas

Iwasn’t sure how long I’d been running. Ever since my coffee date with Caden, I was riding high. The energy coursing through my body just wouldn’t ebb. I’d barely been able to concentrate on my later classes. As soon as I was out, I couldn’t bear the thought of sitting still and doing homework. So, I dropped off my books and headed for the gym. I’d been there ever since, lifting weights and running laps. Nothing worked.

Even after all that, I was still brimming with energy, the wolf inside me refusing to settle down. Just being close to Caden was bad enough, but those intimate moments that passed between us when I stood up to protect him from those asshole witches… those lit a fire in my very soul.

My Alpha instincts kicked in during that moment, placing myself between Caden and the others. I’d never felt anything like that before, the wolf inside me rearing up in an instant. The sensation alone was almost enough to cause me to shift on the spot. That, more than anything, worried me.

The kind of sensations I was feeling, the urge to protect and be around Caden all the time… they were so intense. And the sexual component was getting stronger too. It was getting more difficult to ignore it.

I slowed my pace on the treadmill, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Sweat dripped down my face and neck, soaking my shirt. But still, the restless energy refused to dissipate.

Images of Caden flashed through my mind - his shy smile, those soulful blue eyes, the adorable dusting of freckles across his nose. The wolf inside me growled with want. I gripped the treadmill handles tightly, trying to regain control.

This wasn’t just lust or a crush. It was something deeper, more primal. The urge to claim Caden as mine, to mark him, protect him, possess him completely. The intensity of it frightened me.

I’d never felt this way about anyone before. Sure, I’d had hookups and casual flings. But this... this was different. Dangerous.

As I stepped off the treadmill on shaky legs, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes glowed with an unnatural amber light, my canines slightly elongated. Not to mention the bulge in my running shorts… it was not subtle. Shit. I needed to get myself under control before someone noticed.

I ducked into the locker room, splashing cold water on my face. I gripped the edges of the sink, staring at my reflection as I tried to calm my racing heart. Deep breaths. In and out. Slowly, the amber glow in my eyes faded, my teeth returning to normal.

But the ache in my chest remained. The longing. The need to see Caden again, to be near him, to touch him. It was almost painful.

I couldn’t go on like this. I had to do something, say something. But what if Caden didn’t feel the same way? What if I scared him off? The thought made my stomach churn.

“Atlas?” a voice called through the locker room. I turned to see the night janitor glancing around the corner. “I’m closing up for the night, kid.”

“Thanks,” I said, giving him a wave. “I’ll be out in a minute. Sorry I took so long.”

“No problem!” he called, heading back into the main area.

As I toweled off and changed back into my regular clothes, I made a decision. I would go see Caden tonight. Just to talk. To try to sort out these feelings. Maybe if I explained what was happening, he’d understand. Or maybe he’d run screaming in the other direction.

Either way, I couldn’t keep this bottled up inside me any longer. It was eating me alive. I had to know what it meant.

I left the gym, the cold night air a welcome relief against my flushed skin. My feet carried me across campus towards Caden’s dorm before I could second-guess myself. Snow fell around me as I walked. They dryads were right, there was a snowstorm brewing. Although it was relatively mild now, my sensitive nose picked up the blizzard not far off. I had no doubt the entire campus would be under several inches by morning.

This close to midnight, there was nobody wandering around campus. I walked alone, my thoughts racing as the snow deadened all the sound of the world around me. It wasn’t until I passed the student center that I saw another person. But I was too lost in my own thoughts to offer more than a glance. I walked on, heading for Caden’s dorm room. However, a voice caused me to stop in my tracks.

“Atlas?!”

I turned around, a green-eyed man with red hair stalking toward me with a coffee clutched in his hand. He had pointed ears and an elf-like grace about him. It was easy to tell he was Fae. But it wasn’t until he stepped into the lamplight that I realized it was Wild, Caden’s roommate.

“It is you!” he barked, his brows furrowed in anger. “What the fuck are you doing here? Where’s Caden?”

His anger surprised me. “What do you mean?” I asked, taking a step back. “I was just going to your dorm to talk to him.”

“You’re supposed to be meeting him out on the ridge outside of the academy,” he snapped, pointing off toward the barrier. “Or did you forget what your note said?”

My heart began to pound anxiously. “Note? What note?” I had no idea what he was talking about.

“The one you slipped in his book you idiot!”

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