Page 35 of Missing

"Can you do better?" I challenged, pushing myself off him and offering my hand to help him up.

"Let's find out,” Dante smirked, accepting my hand and pulling himself to his feet. He winked at me before closing his eyes.

Before I could even blink, Dante had transported himself and was now standing right behind me. I gasped as he wrapped his arms around me once more, his warm breath tickling the back of my neck as he pressed a soft kiss there, causing goosebumps to spread across my skin.

"Yup," he murmured, his lips still brushing against my skin.

"Hands to yourselves, kids," Professor Miles called out behind us, clearing his throat loudly. Dante and I couldn't suppress our laughter as we separated, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Alright, let's try this again," I said determinedly, wiping the amusement from my face and concentrating on the task at hand. Dante nodded in agreement, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

We spent the remainder of the lesson attempting to perfect my transportation skills, laughing and teasing each other with every misstep. The warmth of Dante's touch lingered on my skin, the memory of his whispered words sending tendrils of desire coiling in my stomach.

I was in trouble; I knew it. Three incredibly attractive men were all vying for my attention and I felt powerless to resist. Dante had already worked his way under my skin within a matter of hours - I could only imagine what the others could do to me.

Chapter 31

Orlando Greyson

Exhausted from classes, I dragged myself to my room, the day weighing on me like a ton of bricks. I needed to wash away the grime and sweat that clung to me like an unwanted lover. The hot spray of the shower felt like heaven against my skin, leaving me feeling cleansed and refreshed. Stepping out, I slid into some grey sweats and a plain white top, eager for comfort after a long day.

"Fuck these uniforms," I muttered under my breath as I stared at the discarded school attire. They were silly, uncomfortable, and honestly, just plain ridiculous. But one of the few entertaining aspects of this whole uniform debacle was watching Dante squeeze his large frame into his set every morning. That guy was practically bursting at the seams. I couldn't help but chuckle at the memory, knowing he must be on his fifth set by now, having to buy larger sizes every couple of weeks until his body settled from shifting.

"Jesus, Dante, do you have to make everything look so damn difficult?" I remembered teasing him one morning. He'd shot me a grin, sweat glistening on his brow as he wrestled with the fabric.

"Hey, Orlando," he'd panted, "maybe if you weren't such a twig, you'd understand the struggle."

"Fuck off," I'd retorted, unable to suppress a laugh, but secretly grateful that my lean build made it easier for me to slip in and out of the ridiculous outfit.

Dante's struggle with the uniform was just another testament to his magnetic presence. It was hard not to be drawn to him, even when he was looking like a complete idiot. Honestly, it was infuriating how easily he could charm anyone around him, including me. But beneath all that charisma and flirtatious energy, there was a genuine heart. I knew that when shit hit the fan, Dante would always have my back.

With a sigh, I left my room and headed to Griffin's. The sound of running water greeted me as I entered his domain. I let myself in and settled on the end of his bed, feeling the springs groan beneath me. I called out to him, announcing my presence.

"Hey, Griff! It's Orlando."

"Alright, give me a second," he shouted back from the shower. Steam billowed out from the bathroom, fogging up the mirror.

The door swung open, and Griffin emerged with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Droplets of water clung to his chiselled chest like tiny diamonds, catching the light that streamed in through the window. His damp hair hung loose, framing his sharp jawline and piercing blue eyes.

"Alright," he said, leaning against the doorway. "What's up?"

"Did you hear how Dante did in transporting with Harper?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual. But there was no hiding the concern laced within it. Griffin had always been perceptive; he could tell something was bothering me.

"Shit, man, I dunno," he replied, raking his fingers through his wet locks. "But it's Dante. He's got this"

"Good, I hope," I replied, shifting my gaze towards the door. "That's why I'm here, actually. Hopin' Dante will pop in when he gets back."

Griffin raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "We could just go ask her, y'know. Her room's only around the corner from ours."

He was right, of course. The school didn't give a rat's ass about who shacked up with whom – they left that shit to us adults. But they did seem to group the rooms into male and female, semi-separating them. It was a small concession to propriety amidst the chaos of our lives.

"Maybe," I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. "But I don't want to bother her."

"Orlando," Griffin said, his voice low and firm. "You need to stop tiptoeing around Harper. If you want to know how she's doing, just ask her."

"I'm honestly too fucking nervous to be around her right now." My voice was barely a whisper as I glanced away from his piercing blue eyes. "I don't feel the same way about her that you and Dante do. I don't feel any pull or have a wolf inside me that demands she's mine. I just feel... content around her. And it scares the shit out of me."

With a sigh, I ran a hand through my mop-like hair. "Maybe I'm not one of the members of the group anymore."

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