Page 29 of Hexmate

“Hardly a tingle,” I growled, my voice easily an octave lower than normal. “You’re not powerful enough to stop me.”

Rowan’s face paled, his bravado faltering for the first time. The other witches exchanged nervous glances, their confidence clearly shaken. But Rowan wasn’t ready to give up yet.

“Attack, you idiots!” he shouted, hurling another blast of dark magic at me.

I dodged it easily, my heightened reflexes allowing me to move with inhuman speed. The other witches joined in, flinging spells and curses in my direction. But none of them could touch me. I was too fast, too strong.

With a snarl, I lunged at the nearest witch, my claws raking across his chest. He screamed and stumbled backward, blood staining the snow, even though the wound was shallow. The others scattered, their formation breaking as panic set in.

I turned my attention to Rowan, who was backing away slowly, his eyes wide with fear. “Stay back!” he yelled, his voice cracking.

But I wasn’t about to let him get away. Not after what he’d tried to do to Caden. I advanced on him, my massive form casting a shadow over his trembling body.

“Atlas, wait!” Caden’s voice cut through the wind and snow.

But I didn’t heed it.

Standing over Rowan, I reeled back, razor-sharp claws held high. “Don’t ever touch mymateagain!” I roared.

Without hesitation, my claws flashed through the air, striking Rowan’s face. Blood splattered across the snow, the crimson a stark contrast to the white gathering on the ground.

I stepped back, looking at all the other witches. “He’s alive,” I growled. “Take him and get the fuck out of here.”

They did as they were bidden, none of them brave enough to stand up to me again. One knelt down and cast a healing spell of some sort of Rowan, but it wasn’t enough to undo the damage. He’d wear that scar for the rest of his life, a stark reminder of what happened when he got between an Alpha werewolf and his mate.

Together they lifted Rowan up and headed down the mountain, disappearing into the storm. Cleaning my claws in the snow, I turned back to Caden, his eyes wide with fear as he looked up at me. I noticed his shirt was torn and there was a bruise forming on one cheek, a gift from Rowan no doubt.

“Please…” he sobbed. “Please don’t hurt me.”

I reached down, gathering him up in my arms. “I would never hurt you,” I said softly. “I’m only here to protect you.”

He hesitated for only a moment before wrapping his arms around my waist. Sobs shook his body as he buried his face in my fur. As gently as I could, I lifted him up and carried him into the trees, finding a small, sheltered spot away from the wind. I pulled him tightly against me, my fur keeping the cold and snow off his skin.

I would wait as long as he needed me to. And I was determined to never let him out of my sight again. Nobody would harm him as long as I was alive. He was my mate, plain and simple. And I was his Alpha.

Chapter 12

Atlas

The storm raged around us as the night wore on. And Caden, without so much as a word, had drifted off to sleep, his sobs draining him of all his energy. But I didn’t mind. I was more than happy to sit there with my back against the tree, being his shield against the blizzard swirling around us. Thanks to my Alpha form, I was plenty warm enough. And with Caden in my arms, I felt more at home than I ever had in my life.

As the wind howled, I gazed down at Caden’s sleeping form. His blonde hair was dusted with snowflakes, and his freckled cheeks were flushed from the cold. Even in slumber, he looked troubled, his brow furrowed slightly. I longed to smooth away the worry lines, to protect him from whatever demons plagued him.

My fingers itched to trace the delicate curve of his jaw, but I held back. Caden was so fragile, so unsure of himself. The last thing I wanted was to startle him awake with an unwanted touch. Instead, I tightened my arms around him, shielding his lithe body from the biting wind.

As an Alpha, I was used to taking charge, to being the strong one. But with Caden, everything felt different. His quiet nature brought out a gentleness in me I didn’t know I possessed. Ifound myself wanting to coax him out of his shell, to see him smile and laugh freely.

A soft murmur escaped Caden’s lips, and he burrowed closer to my chest. My heart clenched at the unconscious display of trust. If only he knew the effect he had on me. How his mere presence set my blood on fire, made my wolf howl with longing.

I inhaled deeply, savoring Caden’s scent - a mix of forest and earth with an undercurrent of something uniquely him. My enhanced senses picked up the faint traces of magic that clung to him, reminding me of his hidden power. Though his abilities were minor, there was something special about Caden. Something that drew me to him like a moth to flame. After my outburst against Rowan, I now knew what it was. He was my mate. And that created some enormous problems, ones we’d both have to deal with at some point.

But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside. The immediate concern was getting Caden somewhere safe and warm. As the storm showed no signs of letting up, I knew we couldn’t stay here much longer.

With utmost care, I shifted Caden in my arms, cradling him against my chest as I slowly rose to my feet. He stirred slightly but didn’t wake, instead nuzzling closer to my warmth. The gesture sent a jolt of possessiveness through me, my wolf growling with satisfaction at having our mate so near.

I scanned our surroundings, my enhanced vision cutting through the swirling snow. There, about a quarter mile to the east down the mountain, I spotted what looked like an old cabin. It wasn’t ideal, but it would provide better shelter than this exposed clearing.

As I trudged through the deep snow, Caden’s slight weight barely registered. My mind wandered to earlier that evening, when Rowan and his thugs had him surrounded. I could smell their intent on the wind, the lust seeping from their pores.Caden’s clothes were ripped, and he was bruised by the time I arrived, but thanks to my keen sense of smell, I knew those witches hadn’t had their way with him. He was still untouched. And that was a good thing too. If Rowan had managed to do anything…untoward, I would’ve killed him on the spot. And that would’ve meant a life on the run. Still, I’d mauled him and that alone would probably secure my expulsion once we got back to the academy.

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