Page 52 of Hexmate

“I don’t need to,” he snapped. “I’ve seen enough in my lifetime to know better. This ends now, Atlas. You will cease all contact with that boy, or there will be consequences.”

I stepped back from him. “Then do your worst,” I spat, anger getting the better of me. “If being pack leader means giving up my mate, then find somebody else.”

My father’s eyes widened, his muscles tensing as he ground his teeth. Clearly my words had struck a chord with him. He knew I was serious and using thematecard definitely got his attention.

“This attack,” I said, gesturing to Karrick, “wasn’t just on my friend. It was on every monster race in this school. The board is trying to separate us from the witches. The magic professors tell them to fear us and the other professors tell me the same stories you’ve always told me. Already they’ve announced plans to segregate the entire school by next year.” I stared at him long and hard. “Is that what you want, father? A war? Because the way you and the witches are acting, that’s all we’re going to get.”

He growled, the sound echoing through the room, reverberating down to my very bones. “We havealwaysbeen at war,” he snarled. “Our kind had to fight tooth and claw to get what little freedom we have. Our family has sacrificed too much over the centuries to become influential. And even then, we are nothing compared to the lowest of witch families.” He stepped closer, his hulking form towering over me. “And now you’refuckingone of them. Our enemy.”

“You’re blind,” I said, refusing to back down. “Blinded by hate and prejudice. A union between a witch and a werewolf, especially from two extremely influential families, would be seen as a chance for peace and equality.” I gave him a good once over, scoffing with disgust. “All you care about is power and tradition. You don’t care about me, my future, or the man that I’m falling in love with?—”

The words barely left my mouth before a white-hot pain erupted in my left cheek. I felt dizzy from the impact, staring at the floor to regain my balance. The taste of blood filled my mouth as I looked back up at my father, his hand still quivering in the air in front of me.

“Howdareyou speak to me like that,” he snarled. “I raised you to respect me better!”

I shook my head, unable to help the grin pulling at my lips. “No. You raised me to be an Alpha, a fearless and compassionateleader.” I reached up, wiping the blood away from my lip. “And now I see that you lack those qualities.”

“So that’s it? You’re going to choose that little piece of shit over your own family?!”

Anger flooded through my veins, and I barely managed to hold it back. “He treats me better than you ever have. So yes.”

Turning away from him, I headed for the door.

“You’ll regret this when that littlefaggotturns you into his slave!”

I ignored him if only to stop myself from killing him on the spot. There was nothing more I had to say to him. He would not be swayed and neither would I. My path was the future and his… it was full of hate and prejudice.

“Don’t you walk out on me boy!” he snapped, grabbing my shoulder.

I caught his hand in mid-air easily and twisted his wrist until I heard a sickening crunch. He jerked his hand back, howling in pain and staring up at me with those Alpha eyes full of anger and fear.

“If you touch me or my mate again,” I growled, my gaze never leaving his. A kind of determined chill filled my body as I stared him down. “I will put you in an early grave, old man.” I paused only for a moment. “Considering this my resignation from the pack.”

I slammed the door behind me, my heart pounding in my chest. Caden was waiting in the hallway, his face etched with concern. He reached for me, his fingers ghosting over the bruise forming on my cheek.

“Atlas, what happened? I heard shouting...” His voice trailed off as he took in my appearance, his blue eyes widening. “You’re bleeding.”

I caught his hand, pressing it against my face despite the sting. His touch was cool against my flushed skin, grounding me. “It’s nothing,” I muttered, though we both knew it was a lie.

Caden’s brow furrowed, a spark of anger flashing in his usually gentle eyes. “Did he hit you?”

I nodded, not trusting my voice. Caden’s free hand clenched into a fist, and I could feel the air around us crackling with his magic.

“I’ll kill him,” he whispered, his voice low and dangerous.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, despite the gravity of the situation. “Easy there, Caden. It’s been taken care of. I promise.”

Caden’s expression softened, and he leaned against me, his hands balled up in my shirt. The Elder Council investigator stepped out from around the corner, his eyes flashing to my split lip. For a moment he looked concerned, but when I gave him a stiff nod, he seemed to understand.

“Well, I see things here are going about how I expected them to,” he sighed. “Either way, I wanted to ask you both one last question. Do you know who might be responsible for this?”

Caden and I both looked at one another and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. Rowan Hargrove. He had a vendetta against the pair of us, but even so I could find no reason for him to attack Karrick. I wasn’t even sure Rowan knew who Karrick was.

“I’m sorry, sir,” I said. “I really don’t know. At this point, it could be anyone that wants to see the school torn apart.”

“Unfortunately,” he replied, “that’s not enough to follow through with an arrest. However, it does corroborate the note we found at the scene.”

“Note?” Caden asked, looking up. “What note?”

---