Page 41 of Hexmate

Atlas smiled, and that’s all it took to fill me with joy.

Chapter 16

Atlas

“This is your private place you like to hang out at?” Caden asked, glancing side to side with a surprised look on his face.

“Yeah,” I nodded, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Is… Is that weird?”

“No,” he chuckled. “I just uh… didn’t expect your special place to be in the library basement.” He looked around at the plain room that had nothing in it but dusty old shelves full of newspapers. “Or that it would be so… dusty.”

“Is it because I’m a jock? I don’t look like the library type?”

Caden glanced at me, a small smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Maybe a little bit.”

“Well, shows what you know,” I grinned. “And this isn’t just some dusty old room tucked away in the basement. It has a secret.”

I walked over to the back corner of the room where two old wooden bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling. It took up the entire corner of the room and looked as if it were built into the wall itself. Lifting my hand, I grabbed a book toward the top of the shelf, the one with a silver moon shimmering on its spine.Tipping it forward there was a small click and a grinding sound as the shelf swung inward. Beyond it was a black void.

“A hidden room?” Caden asked, craning his neck to try to see into the darkness.

“One built specially by my family,” Atlas nodded. “And my own secret hideaway. Nobody, not even my friends, know about this place.” I held out my hand. “Want to see what’s inside?”

He took my hand without hesitation. “Yes.”

I led Caden into the darkness, feeling a thrill as his slender fingers intertwined with mine. The hidden door swung shut behind us with a soft click, plunging us into total blackness. I felt Caden tense beside me.

“It’s okay,” I murmured, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Just wait.”

A moment later, a soft blue glow began to emanate from the walls. A dense, but delicate pattern of enchanted metal laid into the walls came to life, sensing our presence in the room. Caden gasped softly as my secret place was slowly revealed.

It wasn’t large, maybe twenty feet square, but every inch was a testament to my family’s legacy. Shelves lined the walls, filled with ancient tomes and arcane artifacts. A plush rug covered the floor, and in the center stood a low table surrounded by cushions. And, thanks to my father, there had been a small bar built into one side of the room that held not only liquor, but a coffee machine and a mini fridge that was kept magically stocked by the servants back home.

“Atlas, this is... incredible,” Caden breathed, his blue eyes wide with wonder as he took in the sight.

I watched him, captivated by the way the ghostly light played across his freckled skin. My wolf stirred within me, urging me to pull him close, to claim him as mine. I pushed the urge down, reminding myself that Caden wasn’t some conquest. He was... special. And we were trying to take things slow.

“I’m glad you like it,” I said softly, still holding his hand. “I’ve never shown anyone this place before.”

Caden turned to me, his blue eyes searching my face. “And yet you showed it to me.”

I nodded. “You’re my mate, right? I can’t have any secrets with you.” I pulled him inside and up to the small bar. “Do you want a drink? I’ve got most of the basics.”

“Sure.”

“Iced coffee?” I asked, even though I knew the answer.

“Yeah. With vanilla if you’ve got it.”

I smiled, pleased that I remembered his favorite drink. “Coming right up.”

As I busied myself with the coffee machine, Caden wandered around the room, his fingers trailing lightly over the spines of the ancient books. I couldn’t help but steal glances at him, admiring the way the ethereal blue light made his blonde hair shimmer.

“These books,” Caden murmured, “they’re all about werewolf history and magic, aren’t they?”

I nodded, pouring the coffee over ice. “Yeah, my family’s been collecting them for generations. Some of them are so old and rare, they’re probably the only copies left in existence.”

Caden’s eyes widened. “Wow. That’s... that’s incredible, Atlas.” He paused, biting his lip. “I can see why you don’t want other people to know about this place. Some of these books… they go directly against the rules taught in the magic courses.”

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