Page 75 of Hexmate

The green light intensified, illuminating the clearing like daybreak. Damien’s ritual circle was completely transformed now, the runes reshaping themselves into ancient symbols of protection and renewal. The magic that had once been his, now answered to a different call—the call of the earth, of pack, of bonds freely chosen rather than forced by blood. Inside that circle I was the master of life and death itself.

“Impossible,” Damien gasped, his power visibly draining as the green magic consumed his blue. “Breaking the curse should have killed you!”

“It would have,” I said cooly, glancing up at Atlas towering over us both. “But werewolf healing and a mate bond aren’t so easily overpowered.” I turned my attention back to Damien Cromwell, a fiery hatred burning within me. “But you will be.”

“Fool!” he cackled, energy erupting around him. “You can’t destroy me! Imadeyou! And I can unmake you just the same! You and youranimalare going to die right n?—”

His words were cut off as the last bit of blue faded from the circle. Vines suddenly shot up all around him, wrapping themselves around his body and squeezing him tight. One thick vine shot across his body, wrapping around his neck and cutting off his voice in and instant. All the magic surrounding Damien faded away, the vines squeezing the very life out of him.

For one brief moment, he glanced down at me, a pitiful look in his eyes. Even without words, I knew he was scared. My father, the person that had tortured and threatened me for the past two years, was reduced to begging for mercy from the son he’d called powerless and pathetic for so long.

“You are the fool,” I said softly. “Remember what you did to me. What you’ve done to countless others over the years. How many people you have hurt.” I leaned in close, the vines squeezing him so hard his eyes had gone red. “Forgiveness is for those that deserve it.”

I turned away and walked to Atlas, throwing my arms around his waist. Then, at last, all the hate, fury, and magic I’d been holding back broke through. There was a sudden rush of power, a whoosh of wind, and silence. Atlas tensed, his arms holding me tightly, a flicker of fear and no small amount of satisfaction flowing through our bond. I stood there for a long moment, feeling my power slowly drain away. My knees weakened and crumpled, Atlas guiding me gently to the snowy forest floor. He drew me into his lap, protecting me from a threat that I knew was long gone.

Darkness filtered in at the corners of my vision as I looked back for the first time. There, where my father had been, was now a tree, taller and more grand than any in the forest. Blood soaked its roots, but nothing was left of my father except a single leather shoe lying at the base of the tree. Still, I knew what was left of him had been absorbed by the earth and the tree. The plants in that part of the forest would thrive for years to come, feeding off his tremendous power.

“Atlas,” I whispered, my voice trembling as I looked up at him. “I… I love you.”

Then, no longer able to resist the call, I fell into darkness.

Chapter 30

Atlas

I’d spent the past three days in the infirmary in Caden’s room, just sitting by his bed. I didn’t go to class, and I barely slept. If my friends didn’t bring me food, I wouldn’t have eaten. My mate was in some sort of magical coma, and I couldn’t even think about doing anything else but being at his side. The doctor said he should’ve woken up already, but he’d yet to rouse from his slumber. Even with the mate bond, he was too far for me to reach. So, all I could do was wait.

Karrick and Wild had already visited more than once, trying to reassure me that everything was going to be okay. They’d woken up the moment Damien Cromwell was killed. It seemed the blood curse Rowan had used required some of Damien’s blood, so when he died, the curse disintegrated. And Rowan, lucky to be alive, turned himself in the moment security came rushing through the barrier and found us in the clearing. Apparently, the lightshow and the massive two-hundred-foot tree that used to be Caden’s father alerted them to our presence.

When the investigators from the Elder Council came knocking, I gave them the recording crystal and walked away. Between that and Rowan’s confession, they saw no reason to investigate further. As far as they were concerned, Caden hadkilled his father in self-defense. That combined with the sudden awakening of several school board members who had apparently been under Damien’s influence put the entire case to rest in a matter of a day or two.

The plan to separate witches and monsters was scrapped and Widdershins Academy, along with her students, was saved. Everything was as it should be once more, thanks to my mate and his unwillingness to give in.

Now I just needed Caden to wake up.

I traced the freckles on his pale cheek, connecting them like constellations. He looked so peaceful, almost ethereal, with his blonde hair splayed across the pillow. The bruises from the battle had faded to yellow smudges, but the magical exhaustion—that was another matter entirely.

“Come back to me,” I whispered, pressing my forehead against his. “Please, Caden.”

The bond between us hummed, but it was like shouting into a cavern—the echo returning hollow and distant. The doctors had explained that using so much raw power at once had forced his magic to retreat deep within him to heal. They’d never seen anything like the pure elemental force he’d channeled that night.

A soft knock at the door made me lift my head. Professor Blackwood entered, her usual severe expression softened with concern.

“Any change?” she asked.

I shook my head, throat tight. “Nothing.” I burned her a dirty look. “Not that you care.”

She cautiously approached the bed, placing a wrinkled hand over Caden’s. “The Council’s healers are arriving tomorrow. They specialize in magical depletion cases.”

I really didn’t want her in there, but she knew more about this stuff than I did. “Will they be able to help him?”

“If anyone can,” she said quietly, “they can. Elder Voss has been treating magical exhaustion for over two centuries.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The professor lingered, studying Caden’s face with an expression I couldn’t quite read.

“You blame me,” she said finally. Not a question.

“You knew what Damien was. What he was capable of. You even reported to him about Caden’s movements.” My fingers tightened around Caden’s limp hand. “And you did nothing to stop him.”

---