Page 71 of Hexmate

“Merely observing nature taking its course.” He moved closer, confidence radiating from him. “Witch and wolf—it never works. You were doomed from the start.”

I let my shoulders slump, feigning vulnerability. “Just… leave me alone.”

Suddenly he was right next to me, his arm wrapped painfully around my bicep, squeezing harder with every passing moment. “Not this time, Caden,” he growled deep in his chest. “I’m not going fucking anywhere.”

I tried weakly to pull away. “W-What do you want, Rowan?”

“Revenge,” he snarled, his face only inches from mine. “And what you owe me from that night when your littlemuttstepped in to save you.”

His breath was hot against my face, carrying the unmistakable metallic scent of blood magic. So, I had been right—he was using forbidden spells.

“I don’t owe you anything,” I said, injecting a tremor into my voice while secretly gathering my power. I could feel the energy of the forest around me—every dormant plant beneath the snow, every creature nestled in winter hideaways. My connection to nature had always been there, but since bonding with Atlas, it felt like a roaring river instead of a trickle.

Rowan’s fingers dug deeper into my arm. “You cost me everything,” he hissed. His milky eye seemed to glow in the moonlight. “My standing in my family, my friends, and my fucking face.” He yanked me closer, his other hand producing acurved ritual knife from inside his jacket. “This is the only way I can get it all back.”

“The curses,” I whispered, no longer needing to fake my horror. “Wild and Karrick. That was you.”

His scarred face split into a grin. “Just the beginning. Simple test runs, really.” The knife gleamed as he pressed it against my throat. “And once they kick all thosebeastsout of the school, I’ll finally get my life back.He’sgoing to fix it all when I pull this off.”

“He?” I murmured, faking a shudder. “What do you mean?”

Rowan’s eyes gleamed with fanatical pride. “Someone who understands the natural order. Someone who knows that filthy animals like your precious Atlas shouldn’t be allowed to walk among us. He showed me how to harness real power.”

I let my fear show, which wasn’t difficult considering the knife at my throat. The cold metal bit against my skin as Rowan pressed harder.

“You’re working with someone,” I said, trying to keep him talking while I continued gathering my power. The energy of the forest pulsed around me, flowing up through my feet and into my core. “Another witch?”

Rowan laughed, a harsh sound that echoed through the trees. “So much more than just a witch. When he’s done, this school will be purged of every last werewolf, beast, and monster. Starting with your boyfriend’s little pack of meatheads.”

I could feel Atlas through our bond, his rage building as he crept closer. Not yet, I pushed through our connection. Need more information.

“Wild and Karrick were just practice,” I said, making my voice shake. “What are you planning to do to me?”

His scarred face twisted into something ugly. “Your blood is going to fuel the biggest curse this campus has ever witnessed. Once I spill that precious Cromwell blood, every single monsterat Widdershins Academy will fall under my curse. You will be the catalyst that purifies the school at last. Nobody but a witch will dare to step foot here for centuries.”

I felt my heart pound against my ribs, but not from fear—from rage. Wild and Karrick were suffering because of Rowan’s twisted vendetta. And now he planned to use me to hurt everyone I cared about.

“Who’s helping you?” I demanded, dropping the frightened act slightly. “Who taught you forbidden blood magic?”

Rowan’s grip tightened painfully. “Someone who recognizes your true potential, Caden. Someone who knows what the Cromwell name really means.” His voice lowered to a reverent whisper. “He says you’re wasting your birthright by rutting with that animal.”

A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the snow soaking through my shoes. “My father,” I breathed. “You’re working with Damien Cromwell.”

The flash of surprise in Rowan’s eyes confirmed it before he could mask it.

“Your daddy dearest has been quite generous with his knowledge,” Rowan sneered, recovering quickly. “He’s been watching you for years, waiting for you to embrace your true nature. Instead, you chose to defile yourself with a beast. And now you’ve hidden yourself from him somehow.” He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “That was a bad decision.”

The knife pressed harder against my throat, and I felt a warm trickle of blood run down my neck. The moment it touched the snow beneath us, I felt a surge of power—my blood connecting with the earth, strengthening me.

“He can’t find you anymore,” Rowan continued, his voice taking on a fanatical edge. “But he promised me that if I delivered you to him—after using your blood for the purge, ofcourse—he’d teach me everything. Make me his apprentice. Give me the power I deserve.”

“And you believed him?” I asked, letting a small, pitying smile play across my lips. “Damien Cromwell doesn’t share power. He uses people and discards them.”

Doubt flickered across Rowan’s face before hardening into resolve. “Shut up. You don’t know anything. My family is almost just as powerful as yours. With our bloodlines finally joined, we’ll take over this school and then whatever else we want. We’ll never have to barter or ask for anything ever again!”

“Joined?” I scoffed. “Is my father having a baby with you or something?”

Rowan sneered. “Do you think you’re the only Cromwell child? You have several siblings you know nothing about. But something about you got Damien’s attention,” he whispered. “He says you have more potential than the rest. I don’t see it though. You’re just as powerless and pathetic as you’ve always been.”

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