Page 26 of Hexmate

“You came,” Atlas said, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

I nodded, unable to find my voice as I took in the sight of him. His dark hair was tousled, golden eyes gleaming with an intensity that made my knees weak. As he pushed off the tree and stalked towards me, I felt my breath catch in my throat.

Atlas moved with predatory grace, closing the distance between us in a few long strides. He towered over me, his broad shoulders blocking out the moonlight. I could feel the heat radiating off his body, a stark contrast to the frigid air around us.

“I wasn’t sure you’d show,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that sent tingles down my spine. His hand came up to cup my cheek, thumb brushing over my bottom lip. It was a surprisingly forward move. “You know this is dangerous, right? Us being here together?”

I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. “I know,” I whispered. “But I couldn’t stay away.”

A growl vibrated in Atlas’s chest, his eyes flashing with something primal. In one swift motion, he pulled me against him, one arm wrapping around my waist while his other hand tangled in my hair.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” Atlas growled, his hot breath fanning across my face. “I can smell your arousal, your desire. It’s driving me wild.”

My heart pounded as I gazed up into his golden eyes, seeing them darken with lust. I could feel the hard planes of his muscular body pressed against me, his heat seeping through my clothes. I just stood there in shock. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. He was so open and so free with his words outside of the barrier. It was… strange. But I liked it too. I couldn’t deny he was telling me exactly what I’d been longing to hear.

“Atlas,” I breathed, barely able to form coherent thoughts. “I want you. I don’t care about the rules anymore.”

A low, animalistic sound rumbled from his chest. In one fluid motion, he spun us around and pressed me up against the rough bark of the oak tree. His lips crashed down on mine in a searing kiss that stole my breath away.

I moaned into his mouth, my hands fisting in his shirt as I pulled him closer. Atlas kissed like he did everything else - with fierce intensity and dominating power. His tongue swept into my mouth, claiming me thoroughly.

When we finally broke apart, gasping for air, Atlas’s eyes had shifted to a molten gold. I could see his canines had elongated slightly, a sign of his werewolf nature peeking through. But something in the air seemed to shift as he stared at me. His lips slowly curled back, his gaze zeroed in on the pulsing vein in my neck. Fear crept through me, cold and alarming.

“Atlas…” I murmured. “What’s wrong?”

He laughed, his voice strangely tinny. When he looked back down at me, his eyes were no longer gold, but emerald. Panic crashed through my body, my muscles tensing under his grip.

That wasn’t Atlas.

I tried to push away, but the creature that wasn’t Atlas held me firmly against the tree. Its grip was unnaturally strong, fingertips digging painfully into my arms.

“Such a foolish little witch,” it purred, voice a disturbing mimicry of Atlas’s deep timbre. “Sneaking out past curfew, meeting a werewolf in the dark woods. Did you really think this would end well?”

My heart hammered wildly as I struggled against its hold. “Who are you? What have you done with Atlas?”

The creature threw back its head and laughed, the sound echoing unnaturally through the clearing. When it looked back at me, its face began to shift and contort. The handsome features I’d been admiring moments ago melted away, revealing a familiar face I knew all too well.

“Your precious Atlas never left the academy,” Rowan sneered. “Illusion magic is some of the easiest to create. But you’re so powerless and easy to manipulate, especially when blinded by lust.”

I frantically tried to summon my magic, but fear had paralyzed me. There I was, in the middle of nowhere far beyond the barrier of the academy with the person that hated me most, the one that had vowed to get revenge.

Why had I been so foolish to believe that note was actually from Atlas? He would never be that forward, and I knew he wasn’t interested in me like that. But I allowed my feelings and desperations to overrule my good sense and now I was going to pay for it. I had no idea if Rowan was going to kill me, maim me, or both. The only thing I knew was that it was gonna be awful.

Rowan’s emerald eyes glinted with malice as he pressed me harder against the tree. I could feel the rough bark digging into my back through my thin sweater.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment,” he hissed, his face inches from mine. “To finally teach you a lesson about meddling in things that don’t concern you.”

I tried to keep my voice steady as I spoke. “Rowan, please. We can talk about this. You don’t have to-”

His hand shot out, gripping my throat and cutting off my words. “Shut up,” he snarled. “I’m done listening to your pathetic excuses.”

Panic clawed at my chest as I struggled to breathe. Black spots danced at the edges of my vision. Just as I thought I might pass out, Rowan released his grip. I gasped, sucking in desperate lungfuls of air.

“What do you want from me?” I choked out.

A cruel smile twisted Rowan’s lips. “Oh, I want many things. But for now, I think I’ll settle for taking from you what youdenied me with Atlas.” He reached down, undoing his belt. “And I think my friends are going to have their turns too.”

Suddenly, four more witches stepped out of the darkness, spells of concealment fading away. They were Rowan’s cronies, the same he always hung out with. And they all had the same hungry look in their eyes.

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