Page 57 of Hexmate

But I couldn’t leave. Not when every instinct in my body was screaming that something was wrong. I placed my hand on the door frame, leaning in closer. “Let me in, Caden. Whatever it is, we can figure it out together.”

That’s when I caught it - another scent. Faint, but unmistakable. Blood. It was Caden’s.

A growl rumbled in my chest before I could stop it. “What’s going on in there? Who hurt you?!”

Caden’s eyes widened in panic. “Atlas, please, you need to go. Now.”

But it was too late. My wolf was already surging to the surface, driven by the scent of my mate’s blood and the overwhelming need to protect him. With a snarl, I shoved past Caden into the room, my eyes quickly scanning for any threat.

The room was dark, lit only by the soft glow of Caden’s desk lamp. Books and papers were strewn across every surface, and in the center of it all stood a strange, shimmering circle drawn on the floor. Symbols I didn’t recognize were etched around its edges, and the air hummed with an otherworldly energy that made my skin crawl. His roommate Wild was nowhere to be seen.

“What the hell is this?” I growled, turning back to Caden.

He stood frozen in the doorway, his face pale and drawn. “It’s... it’s nothing. Just an experiment.”

But I could smell the lie on him. My eyes narrowed as I took in his appearance more closely. There were dark circles underhis eyes, and his skin had a sickly pallor to it. And there, on his forearm, was a jagged cut still oozing blood.

I grabbed his arm, forcing him to let me look at the wound. “Did… Did you do this toyourself?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why Caden?”

Caden flinched at my touch, his eyes darting nervously around the room. “It’s not what you think, Atlas. I... I had to do it. I still have to figure it out.”

My grip on his arm tightened instinctively. “Had to do what? Cut yourself? Cast some kind of spell?” I gestured at the glowing circle on the floor. “What the hell is going on?”

He tried to pull away, but I held firm. “Please, just let me explain,” he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Then explain,” I growled, struggling to keep my wolf in check. The scent of his blood was driving me mad with worry and rage.

Caden took a shaky breath. “You… You’re not gonna like it. It… It’s bad, Atlas.”

“Tell me,” I snarled, pulling him closer. “Tell me now.”

“I did it to… to try to save you.”

My anger was suddenly replaced with confusion. Out of all the reasons Caden might’ve cited for performing strange and forbidden blood rituals, that was the last one I expected.

I stared at Caden, my mind reeling. “Save me? From what?”

Caden’s eyes filled with tears. “From me. From us. This... this can’t work, Atlas. We’re not meant to be together.”

His words cut through me like a knife. I loosened my grip on his arm, taking a step back. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s my father,” he said at last. “He… He put a blood curse on me. He sees everything I see, hears everything I hear.” He glanced up at me, his blue eyes filled with tears. “And he’s going to kill you.”

“Kill me?” I scoffed. “I’d like to see him try.”

“He’s one of the strongest witches in the country, Atlas. And he knows all your secrets. Believe me, if anyone would do it, it’ll be him.”

“Wait… you told him about my family’s power?”

Caden shook his head, a sob echoing in his throat. “No… I told you, he can see everything I see! That’s why I need to get him out of me! That’s why I need to do this!” He grabbed his forearm, smearing blood across his skin. “I have to get rid of the curse even if it kills me, so you’ll be safe!”

My heart raced as I processed Caden’s words. A blood curse. His father spying on us. The threat of death hanging over my head. It was almost too much to take in.

“Caden, stop,” I said firmly, grabbing his hands to keep him from hurting himself further. “This isn’t the way. We’ll figure something out together.”

He shook his head frantically. “You don’t understand. There’s no other way. The curse is bound to my blood. I have to drain it out, replace it with purified blood to break the connection.”

I growled low in my throat, my protective instincts flaring. “And kill yourself in the process? No. I won’t let you do that.”

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