Page 37 of Hexmate

I nodded. “More than sure.”

Silver let out a low whistle. “Wow. That’s... intense. But it explains a lot.” He paused, his expression turning serious. “Atlas, you know this is going to be complicated, right? A werewolf and a witch... it’s not exactly a common pairing. And it’s forbidden for you to bond here at school.”

I nodded grimly. “I know. But I don’t care. Caden is my mate, and nothing’s going to change that.”

“And what about your pack? Your father? He’s not exactly known for his tolerance of witches.”

The thought made my stomach churn. My father, the Alpha of our pack, had always been clear about his disdain for witches. The idea of his son, his heir, mating with one… and a man at that… it was unthinkable.

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Right now, I just want to make sure Caden’s okay.”

As if on cue, the infirmary doors swung open. Wild emerged, looking troubled. “They want to talk to you,” he said, jerking his head towards the door.

I straightened up, my heart racing. “Is Caden okay?”

Wild nodded. “He’s fine, just a bit dehydrated and cold. But the nurse wants to speak with you about what happened.”

I swallowed hard, exchanging a glance with Silver before following Wild into the infirmary. The antiseptic smell hit me immediately, making my sensitive nose twitch. I spotted Caden sitting on one of the beds, wrapped in a thick blanket. His blue eyes met mine, and I felt a surge of relief at seeing him safe.

The nurse, a stern-looking woman with graying hair, approached me. “Mr. Faolan, I understand you were with Mr. Cromwell during the blizzard?”

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. “Yes, ma’am. I found him out on the mountain and brought him to shelter.”

She eyed me suspiciously. “And how exactly did you end up out there yourself?”

I had prepared for this question on the walk back. “I was out for a run when the storm hit. I shifted to my wolf form to stay warm and caught Caden’s scent.”

The nurse’s eyes narrowed, but she seemed to accept my explanation. “Very well. Mr. Cromwell has some... concerning injuries. Care to explain those?”

I glanced at Caden, who was looking down at his hands. “He fell while trying to find shelter,” I lied smoothly. “The terrain was treacherous in the storm.”

The nurse made a noncommittal noise, scribbling something on her clipboard. “And the torn clothing?”

“Branches,” I said quickly. “We had to push through some dense forest to find the cabin.”

She looked between us, clearly not entirely convinced. But without evidence to the contrary, she couldn’t dispute our story. “Alright. Mr. Cromwell, you’re free to go. But I want you to come back if you experience any lingering effects from the cold.”

Caden nodded, sliding off the bed. I moved to his side instinctively, resisting the urge to wrap an arm around him.

At the door the nurse called after us. “Mr. Faolan, do you know anything about Rowan Hargrove? He came in last night with some strange injuries.”

I glanced back at her, my heart pounding. “No ma’am,” I replied, still managing to keep my voice in check. “But I thought I smelled a mountain lion while we were out there. That’s whywe rushed to the cabin.” I paused, hoping I hadn’t overstepped. “Is Rowan okay?”

Her eyes narrowed again. “He’ll live. But he’s blind in one eye. For some reason, the wound is resisting our healing magic.”

“I’m sorry to hear it,” I lied. “I wish I could help, but I don’t know anything about magic, healing or otherwise.”

She nodded, turning away from us. “You’re dismissed.”

As we left the infirmary, Wild and Silver fell into step beside us. “So, what now?” Wild asked.

“Now,” I said, “we get some real food and rest. After that, we try to act like everything is normal. Hopefully no one will find out about Caden and I.”

Caden seemed surprised to hear me say it out loud, but Wild wasn’t.

“And Rowan?” Wild asked. “What about him?”

I let out a low growl, baring my teeth. “If that little fucker knows what’s good for him, he’ll keep his mouth shut.”

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