COPYRIGHT © 2025 KC KEAN

www.authorkckean.com

Published by Featherstone Publishing Ltd

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referred to in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Cover Designer - Dark Imaginarium Art

Formatting Designer - Featherstone Publishing Ltd

Editor - Encompass Editing Service

Proofreader - Sassi Edits

This ones for the real queens, the dreamers, and the savages.

We’re about to make this book our bitch, then slay at life.

Get it girl!

(Please adopt a teen level of sass for the latter line. It always hits differently when my daughter says it. The empowerment is real.)

TRIGGER WARNING ALERT

Is the mic on?! Haha

Okay, after all of the eyes on Savage Torment, I have been advised to pass on a Trigger Warning message. Here's my first attempt.

*clears throat*

Wassup readers! Jokes... for real.

There is a spicy scene in this book that may contain what some may consider Consensual Non-Con, but not because I'm the leader of the world and the spice rating master, but I feel like it's mild? I don't know. It's just Lincoln being... well, Lincoln.

Additionally, there is some blood play. I'm told it's hot; their word is gospel.

Much love,

KC

1

LINCOLN

Iknow who I am.

I know what I’m capable of.

Generally, I know most things because my pride won’t settle for anything less.

But I can’t fucking fathom what the hell my life is right this second.

My limbs tingle with the erratic thunder of my pulse as I blink at the doorway. It was empty a moment ago, barely even ajar as the nurse explained the complications they’re facing with Polaris. I wish that was still the case now.

Polaris.

Midnight.

My Midnight.

We should never have left for the job The Crow set out, but we’re puppets on a string, ready to perform at his every command. Well, Asher is, but we’re family, which means if he’s a puppet, then we all are. Especially when he’s dangling things over his head that benefit all of us. If we want to put an end to this fucking curse, we have to take his bait.

I thought we were winning. Midnight smashed the hell out of the trap set up in the room with all of the keys, and the sound of the lock as it turned at her command was music to my ears. Until an arrow was protruding from her chest and she was falling to the floor.

She shouldn’t have been there.

We should have gone without her.

I thought it was possible to let her in, like the others. I’d been so against it, refusing at every step, but in that room, before it all went to shit, I could visualize it. I could see exactly what we all are to one another, I could see the prospect of… more. Wolf or not, I could see it, despite my better judgment, but if being a part of our family only brings her pain, then she doesn’t deserve it. We don’t deserve her.

Now, after spending what feels like an eternity pacing back and forth in this tiny-ass medical room, praying with all that I am that everything’s going to be okay, I’m met with the complete opposite.

Instead of my prayers being answered, I’m consumed by the thick tendrils of a nightmare as I stare at the intruder.

That’s what they are. An intrusion. And if the words from their lips are true, they’ll be a dead one soon enough.

“What did you say?” Asher snarls, his anger rippling through me as my hands ball into fists at my sides.

“We all know I didn’t stutter, motherfucker.”

I bare my teeth, taking a step toward the sole focus of my rage, ready to leave carnage in my wake, but then a hand clamps down on my shoulder, silently pleading for me to stay put.

Tatum.

Anyone else and I’d launch them across the room for getting in my way, but not him. Never him. That’s probably why he’s always the one to stop me in my tracks before I do something stupid. Although, right now I really can’t see a single issue with what I have planned.

“Start talking before Tatum releases the fucking mad hound,” Wylder grunts, aiming his thumb in my direction as his gaze remains set on the enemy in the room.

His words do nothing to our unwanted guest. They actually seem to encourage them more. But it’s not us they’re directed at, it’s the nurse.

“Polaris Beauchamp is bound… to me. We can continue to waste time here or we can do something about it.”

“You’re going nowhere fucking near her,” I snap, dropping my shoulder out of Tatum’s hold before I bolt across the room. Slamming my hands against their chest, they don’t fight back, moving willingly as they smile at me with a sense of pride… of achievement… like they’re still winning.

Fuck. That.

My chest heaves and nostrils flare as I fight to contain the rage igniting in my bones. The desire to slam my fist into their face is raw and more real than anything I’ve ever felt. I rear my arm back, curling my lips in excitement, but they make no effort to move and the nurse’s soft voice cuts through the air.

“If what he says is true, we need to act now.”

“He shouldn’t even be here,” I snarl, lost to the impulsive emotions holding me captive.

Instead of answering me, he tilts his head to make eye contact with the nurse. “What do you need from me to confirm it so the rest of these cunts can see themselves out.”

“Cute, but I sure as hell am not going anywhere,” Minnie spits from behind me, but once again, our protests go unheard and the nurse retrieves a small device from her pocket, waving it in the air as she eliminates the distance between us. She pays me no mind as she sidesteps me, nodding at the fucker trapped between me and the wall.

“Please,” she breathes, holding the device out, and this asshole lifts his finger without a single care.

I’m frozen in place, unable to move as I watch the nurse prick the tip of his finger, drawing a single drop of blood before capturing it on the device. She presses a few buttons as silence descends over the room, my pulse ringing in my ears the only noise I can capture as we all wait on baited breath. For what, I’m not entirely sure, but my answer never comes from the machines, it’s a hiss from the vampire sucking the energy from the room.

He yanks at his t-shirt, lifting it up to reveal a glowing symbol at the center of his chest. It’s white, slightly raised, and shaped like a knotted infinity band. Before I can question what the fuck it is, another nurse comes barreling into the room, panic in her eyes.

“S-she’s glowing with a bound symbol… oh.” She exhales as she stares at Blaze, blinking twice to make sure she’s not seeing things before she nods. “Yeah, just like that.” She hurries back out of the door without a backward glance, and everyone’s attention shifts to the nurse who holds our world in her hands.

The first nurse smiles wide, and I hate that it’s aimed at the vampire. “Perfect, you are our patient’s blood bound. I need you to come with me right now.”

The sadistic smile that contorts his face is unbearable. My fist slams into his cheek before I even think about it. The nurse leaps back in shock, while the man on the receiving end of my attack snickers, rubbing at his jaw as his narrowed eyes latch on to mine.

“Can we see to it that the wolves are gone before Polaris returns? I don’t think she’s going to want to see the people who so carelessly put her in harm's way when she regains consciousness.” Every word is a promise, one that solidifies that this isn’t going to be easy. Whatever the fuck it actually is.

“Oh, uh, of course. As her blood bound, you will be assigned as her next of kin. We’re just going to need to document your personal information, then everything will be taken care of,” the nurse explains, avoiding eye contact with not just me, but every damn wolf in the room.

“You can’t do that,” Minnie insists, shaking her head in disbelief as I flex my fingers, ready to smash this fucker in the face again, but something tells me he enjoys getting a rise out of me too much for it to be worthwhile.

The nurse steps over the threshold despite my sister’s protests, and before I can react on her behalf, she’s reminding me how strong she is. Minnie knocks her shoulder into mine, pushing me aside as she stands toe to toe with the fucking degenerate before us.

“Let me tell you something now, asshat. Polaris is not going to be happy about this. She’s not going to be happy waking up and realizing that we’re not here. That’s only going to have her thinking we don’t fucking care. I’m sure that’s what you’d like to happen, but if you know her at all, that’s going to break her. You’ve clearly been up to some shit already, stuff I have no doubt she’s not completely unaware of. Why? I don’t know. But fuck, if she matters to you at all… even just an ounce, then know that kicking us out of here is going to hurt you more than help you.” She jabs her finger in his direction, jaw locked tight as her anger and loyalty floods from her soul.

“Sir, please, Polaris doesn’t have time to waste,” the nurse calls from the hallway.

I glance from her to the person fucking bound to Polaris, my breath lodged in my throat as he stares at my sister, offering nothing before he beelines for the door. Just before he’s completely gone, his hand curls around the door frame, his eyes finding my sister once more.

“You can all fucking go. That’s not changing. Your drama will only cause her distress when she wakes.” I see the pleasure it brings him in the corner of his eyes when he gets to call the shots, his gaze skimming over Wylder, Asher, Tatum, and I before settling back on Minnie. “But you… you’ll be the first to know when she’s okay.”

“That’s not good enough,” my sister retorts, folding her arms over her chest, and he sighs, his lips curling with another hint of trouble as he nods once again.

“I should have known Polaris would only be friends with fiery women. Fine, you can see her. But you, no one else.”

My sister sags in relief, arms loose at her sides. “I’m trusting you, Blaze,” she breathes, her words heavy with the weight of the situation as he shakes his head.

“I wouldn’t.”

2

POLARIS

It’s warm. Really freaking warm.

I can feel sweat beading at my temples, making my hair stick to my head as my breaths fall in soft waves. My chest moves with each inhale, but I can’t seem to open my eyes. My limbs are no better. It almost feels like I’m floating on a cloud.

My eyes dart back and forth behind my eyelids, desperate to peek into the world and understand, but it’s impossible.

Murmurs echo around me, people talking in hushed tones, but I can’t understand a single word. The sound acts as a lullaby, sending me in and out of sleep.

Something isn’t right, that much is clear. Sleeping has never been my strongest ability, yet it claims me like a virtue, over and over again. Any attempt at pushing past the weight that pins me down is futile since my brain is little more than a foggy catastrophe.

Time drifts by in a warped manner, leaving me even more confused.

Sleep comes with darkness, thick drapes over nothingness welcoming me again and again, and as much as I’m sure my body needs it, I desperately need to open my eyes.

This time, when my mind rouses from the pits of bleakness, I feel more present, more alert, but the weight falling on my eyelids is still unbearable.

If they’re not going to open, I need to focus on another part of my body before I’m summoned back into the murky shadows of my mind. I start at my toes, wiggling them, or attempting to at least, but I fail miserably.

My breaths come a little faster now, frustration getting the better of me, and all of the fire burning inside, as dim as it may be, freezes when a hand lands on my arm. Calloused fingers run over my skin as they grip my wrists, the warmth sizzling as they shift their position to sweep their thumb back and forth over my hand.

Someone’s here.

I’m not alone.

Despite being unaware of the who or how, I settle my thoughts on the why.

Why am I here? Where the hell am I?

Racking my mind, I try to recall the last thing I remember, when a daunting feeling washes over me. If I don’t remember anything, is it because of a vampire again… because of Blaze?

But the wolf’s bane…

It’s impossible to gulp the panic down, my throat is too dry for any of that. Instead, I work my way back through my memory to the last thing I remember.

Busy.

I remember it being insanely busy. People bustling around me like I didn’t exist, but I wasn’t alone… I was with… a flash of Minnie’s smile appears in my mind, followed swiftly by Lincoln’s usual scowl, Asher’s attentive eyes, Wylder’s looming frame, and Tatum’s serene aura that blankets me every time I’m in his presence.

Is that who’s here with me now?

I calm with the thought.

I’m in safe hands, even if I don’t recall how I ended up here to begin with.

The last thing I specifically remember is entering a building with the five of them. Everything after that is as dark as the shadows I’m sleeping in. The mere thought of sleep has my body melting back into the mattress beneath me.

I push against the desire for sleep, but it’s inevitable as the thumb repeatedly sweeps back and forth across the back of my hand, lulling me further into slumber. I swear I hear a voice, a whisper, a name, but the darkness claims me nonetheless. Only this time, it’s not complete emptiness that greets me. Instead, I’m drowning in two words I don’t understand.

Amica Mea.

It’s bright. Too bright.

My eyes squint, trying to see through the haze as a sterile white-washed room comes into view. A door faces directly across from me, the square piece of glass in the center offering no hint of what lies outside.

I run my tongue over my dry, rough lips as I scan the rest of the room. An empty cream chair sits to my right, a nurse’s station positioned against the wall behind it, with no inclination of where I am, but when I peer down at the length of myself, I quickly realize I’m not in a normal bed.

White sheets tuck me in, and my clothes are gone, replaced with a thin, striped garment.

Frowning, I shake my head in disbelief, but the motion instantly leaves me dizzy, so I focus on the left side of the room as my eyelids manage to open fully, adjusting to the lights.

Another chair sits to my left, only this one has a guest. A sleeping guest whose hand is wrapped around mine tightly, as if they have to make sure I am still here.

The gesture doesn’t surprise me, it’s the person behind it who does.

Gulping, I try to yank my hand from his grasp, but the movement quickly bolts his eyes open. He scans the room, hand gripping me in a deathly hold until he realizes there’s no immediate danger. His grasp softens as he turns to look at me, and the second he finds my gaze set on him, he pauses, fingers flexing once again.

“You’re awake.” His voice is thick and gravelly, and it does something to me, but I quickly wave it off, focusing on his mere presence.

“Blaze?” My voice is raspy, every sound tearing at my dry throat.

I don’t know what I expect from him, but what happens next wasn’t even on my list of possibilities.

His hold on my wrist falls away as he rises from the chair, limbs stretching for miles as he reaches behind him. A moment later, he’s standing in front of me with a glass of water in hand and a straw pointed in my direction.

I look from the tip of the straw to him and back again, confusion leaving me frozen in place, and he sighs.

“Drink, Polaris.” His voice may be soft, but it’s still gruff as he nudges the straw closer, and I reluctantly relent. The liquid is refreshing and I quickly get carried away with myself, guzzling it down before he snatches the straw from my lips. “You’re supposed to take sips, Amica Mea,” he exclaims, a hint of a chuckle in his words, and I glare at him.

“I was dying of a dry throat.”

He scoffs, shaking his head as he places the glass on the small tray behind him before his eyes find mine again. “You were dying of an arrow to the chest, actually, but you’re on the mend now. You’re welcome.”

I frown. “I’m welcome?”

“You’re supposed to say thank you.”

“I’m trying to figure out why the hell you think I have anything to thank you for.” His eyebrows gather, lips pursing as he assesses me, but before he can say a word, I continue. “What the hell are you doing here?”

I’m trying to remember a damn arrow in the first place, but I’m failing miserably.

This time he leans farther back when he takes his seat, steepling his fingers before him as he continues to stare me down. “There are plenty of questions to be asking right now, and they’re not all yours.”

My eyes narrow. “I’m not doing this with you right now, Blaze. I feel like death, I don’t know what’s going on, and the last person I want to be around is you. So please, fuck off.”

The left side of his mouth curls in a sultry grin as his eyes gleam. “We both know I like you feisty, Amica Mea.”

“No, we don’t, actually.” I roll my eyes at him, turning away as I manage to lift my hand to my face, attempting to wipe the stress away, but it does nothing to ease the weight of his presence.

“Are you going to tell me what happened to me or not?”

His face instantly darkens as he lifts his shoulder. “You’re going to have to ask them for the whole story, but the nurse says you were impaled by an arrow to the chest. You lost a lot of blood. A-fucking-lot. And because we’re… I was the only one who could help.”

I rub my lips together nervously, hating the way the dryness grates the tender flesh, but the anxiety I feel from his proximity is impossible to hide from.

An arrow to the chest?

Glancing down, the opening of the pin-striped garment falls to the side just enough to reveal a small patch of gauze secured to my skin. Cautiously, I lift my hand, tentatively pressing against the fabric, and I wince, quickly dropping my hand as I shudder from the spark of pain.

“You probably shouldn’t touch that,” Blaze offers, and I don’t even bother to glance in his direction.

“Thanks for stating the obvious, asshole.”

“Ah, so you do know how to show appreciation,” he retorts, and I can’t stop myself from snapping my deadly stare in his direction.

“Care to explain how, out of everyone in the whole entire world, you’re the only person who could help me?” A sickly feeling nestles in my stomach, promising me whatever is about to come out of his mouth isn’t going to be fun. What I don’t expect is the dismissive shrug.

Damn.

I should always expect the worst with this asshole.

“If you don’t have anything to say, you can leave,” I grumble, waving toward the door. I’m more likely to figure this crap out for myself. I don’t need him here, especially if he’s going to be as useless as this.

“I’m good,” he states, settling further in his seat. I’m half certain he’s going to close his eyes and go back to sleep again, but instead, he points a finger at my wrist. “Wolf’s bane.”

My gaze snaps to his, a hint of guilt threatening to consume me, but I quickly rebuke it. I have nothing to be guilty of. He started this… whatever this is, and I needed to protect myself. Despite how much my limbs ache, I square my shoulders as I nod. “Wolf’s bane.”

A nod, a whisper of his lips pursing, and he shakes his head. “How long?”

“If you’re not going to offer me anything, then neither am I,” I retort, silently proud of myself for standing my ground.

“I love it when you bargain with me, Amica Mea. What are we playing for?”

“I don’t know what that means,” I chide, not bothering to narrow it down because I’m referring to every single word he said. The bargaining, the nickname, the stakes… all of it.

“And if I’m willing to change that?”

“You’re going to have to be more specific because my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders right now,” I state, and he hides a grin behind his hand as he clears his throat.

“Tell me when you started using the wolf’s bane, and I’ll fill in the gaps for you.”

My head tilts as I narrow my eyes at him, trying to find a loophole to his offer, but I come up empty. Sighing, I toy with the item in question secured around my wrist. “After B came to my room.”

He nods, letting those words take root. “So you remember our kiss.” The flash of his heated lips on mine in a brief and intoxicating flicker of time consumes my thoughts and the telltale burn at my cheeks comes alive.

“I remember.”

“Nothing else before that?” he clarifies, and I shake my head as he presses his palms against the arms of the chair and rises to his feet.

“Nothing. I think it’s only fair that you let me remember the rest of it,” I insist, and he fails to wipe another smile from his lips. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this guy smile unless he’s causing me rage.

He leans closer, hands coming to my face, and I stiffen. “I can show you.”

“Show me?” I repeat, startled by the fact that he’s actually agreeing to this, and he nods. “Why would you show me?” I breathe, regretting the words as soon as they leave my tongue, but instead of retreating or rethinking his offer, he only seems to draw closer so the tips of our noses are pressed together.

“Because you’re never going to fall for me otherwise.”

3

POLARIS

His fingertips press against my temples, and before I can determine how I feel about the intonations slipping from his lips, my mind is transported into the past. My eyelids close, blinking open a moment later to reveal the familiar halls that run throughout the main academy building.

Panic flickers in my chest as my gaze snaps from left to right, an overwhelming sense of loss consuming me. Nothing seems familiar; yet, I know these halls. However, as I turn the next corner, desperately searching for something, I collide with a hard chest. Just before I collapse in a heap on the floor, a hand wraps around my upper arm, halting the inevitable as I blink up at the figure looming over me.

Black hair frames his face as piercing blue eyes bore into mine.

Blaze.

Panic shifts to fear as I attempt to wiggle out of his hold, but every inch I move only appears to make his grip tighten further.

“Easy targets like you shouldn’t wander around alone,” he sneers, nostrils flaring with irritation, and I scoff, disbelief dripping from my tone as I stare at him.

“I wouldn’t be seen as an easy target for anyone but a monster waiting to catch its next victim,” I snap back, but the harsh words only make his smile widen.

“I prefer the cliché saying about the predator hunting its prey,” he retorts, leaning in closer as I attempt to step out of his reach, but with his hand on my arm and the wall suddenly behind me, I only worsen the situation for myself.

Clearing my throat, I strive to exude confidence, but the chances are slim. It doesn’t stop me from straightening my shoulders, the back of my head settling against the wall as I keep my chin held high.

“Well, as cliché as this has been. I’m leaving now,” I state, trying and failing to yank my arm from his grip for the third time, and I huff with agitation.

“You leave when I say you can leave,” he bites, his words almost hushed as I cock a brow at him.

“Oh, is that so? Can I get that in writing, so I have an explanation for why I’m late to class? I wasn’t aware that a vampire's word counted as an excuse for me to be late.”

His fingers flex tighter around my wrist, the pain bordering unbearable, but despite my brows crinkling together, I keep my mouth shut.

Just as his lips part, the bell rings out, signaling the start of the next classes and shielding me from the scathing words he was about to unleash. Instead, he leans back just enough for his gaze to rake over me from head to toe.

My cheeks flush under his intense gaze, and when his eyes return to mine, a curl appears on his lips as he tilts his head to the side, still appraising me. “You’re lost.”

“I’m not,” I retort, the lie heating my cheeks further, but he seems to relax instead of growing angry at me. Releasing my wrist, he slips his hands into his pockets as I pin my arms to my chest, subconsciously rubbing at the delicate spot as he continues to drink me in. When he catches the movement, I quickly drop my hands, matching his stance with my hands in my pockets.

He’s still standing toe to toe with me, so bolting is out of the question. I just need to bide my time and make a move the moment he gives me a hint of space to do so. However, that would definitely make me the prey to his predator, and that’s the last thing I want.

“You’re not going to learn anything in there anyway,” he states as my fingers wrap around my coin, grounding me in a moment when fear threatens to render me useless. I squeeze it so tight I’m certain the entire thing is imprinted on my hand, but it also helps keep my heart rate steady and my breathing calm.

“You don’t know that,” I finally mutter, and his eyes drop to my throat as he ignores my weak protest.

My chest tightens with hope, expecting him to back off, but instead, his hand lifts to where his eyes are focused, and a moment later, his fingers flex around my neck.

“I could snap your neck effortlessly, you know,” he murmurs, flexing his fingers just like he did at my wrist, and I feel the weight of his words along with the action as it takes all of my strength not to crumble with terror.

He can’t see that, though. He doesn’t get to see my vulnerability. Not when he already assumes it. The racing of my pulse will fail me, but I hold strong regardless.

“Put me out of my misery then,” I rasp, my pulse deafening in my ears as his hold grows tighter.

Damn.

I shouldn’t have said that. I get the feeling that if anyone were going to do it to prove a point, it would be him.

“I’ve heard you’re looking for a human.”

I still, his words replaying in my mind before I finally realize he’s not threatening me, and I gasp as I nod eagerly. “B, have you seen him?”

His lips purse as he assesses me a final time before he takes a step back, releasing his hold on my neck. “Follow me.”

He heads down the empty hallway without a backward glance. I should go, run in the opposite direction and avoid him for all of eternity, but… B.

Dammit.

I take off after him as he nears the doors leading outside, catching up to him as he cuts across the manicured lawn. We fall into step together, neither saying a word as he heads toward the quadrant dorms. He bypasses the witches and humans and turns down the pathway that leads to the vampire dorms. My steps start to slow.

Maybe he’s lying. Perhaps he’s luring me to my death. Do I dare find out?

B, or Benjamin, has never been more than Sian’s boyfriend. Why should I care about where he is now? Sian and Terence have swiftly ditched me, maybe I should solidify it and ditch all of them too, B included. Nothing says a fresh start like moving on and closing a chapter of my life, but my gut twists at the idea. I may not be close to him, but there’s a sense of familiarity, and it’s all I have left to cling to when it comes to Florentine’s. Not that I particularly want to remember it fondly, but damn, it’s all I’ve known.

“If I were going to harm you, I would have done it back there,” he offers over his shoulder as he takes the narrow path littered with layers upon layers of red leaves, each one darker than the last.

I sigh, sealing my fate as I follow after him.

Things don’t seem to get any better for me as he goes around the side instead of using the front entrance. When he halts at the top of the stone steps leading down into a basement of some sort, my heart lodges in my throat.

He must sense my panic because he pauses, looking back over his shoulder. “Curiosity did kill the cat. Are you ready to lose one of your nine lives?”

I gulp. Who the hell says shit like that?

Him, apparently. It shouldn’t be a surprise, not after everything else he’s had to say to me.

He’s not nice, not at all. But damn if I’m going to let him see me as weak.

With my palms sweating, my limbs trembling, and my breaths little more than short, sharp pants, I follow him down into the darkness.

The sun is little more than a pinprick in the sky when he reaches for my arm, encircling my wrist as he tugs me into his side before unlocking the door that seals us off from whatever awaits. I hold my breath as we enter the bleakness.

I can feel his eyes on me with every step we take, like he doesn’t need to see in order to know where he’s going, as if he’s made this walk a thousand times. At the end of the pitch-black hallway, I hear the click of another lock and a glint of light appears before us. Another door opened, another layer deeper into his web.

But when my eyes adjust to the new light, I don’t like what I see.

Beds by the dozen line each wall to the left and right, and not one of them is empty. Each one is filled with a person, with a set of handcuffs chaining them to the frame. Nausea churns in my stomach as I watch the people hovering around the third bed along the left side, and it rises up my throat in the form of acidic bile when I realize what’s happening.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” I rasp, tugging my wrist to head back into the darkness. It’s safer than in here.

“Eyes on the floor,” he grunts, pulling me in the opposite direction. I dig my heels in, but it’s futile against his strength. Shielding my eyes, it does nothing to eradicate the sounds, and I find my gaze drifting back to the mess at bed three, where two vampires feast on the body lying on the bed.

Vomit is ready to rush past my lips, but I push it down, desperate to hold it together.

He’s definitely brought me here to find me a bed, I know it. He’s going to use me for all of his friends to feed on me. I should have let the curiosity go, I should have made a better decision for myself, I should have⁠—

“Is this him?”

It takes a moment for his words to register in my mind, and when I find the strength, I peer between my fingers at the person lying on the bed beside me. My breath stills as I nod. “B,” I breathe, moving toward him, but Blaze pulls me into his side, refusing to let me near him. “Why is he here?”

“I thought that might be obvious,” Blaze grumbles as I lower my hand, staring at B properly now, noting the bite marks that line his arms, neck, and even his cheek.

“This is awful,” I breathe, my hand slapping against my mouth as I will the emotion to disappear. “You have to make it stop.”

“I don’t have to do anything.”

Fury rises inside me, and I yank my hand from his grasp. This time, he lets me go, and I run before I can give him a second to change his mind. My feet pound against the floor, matching my racing heart, and I don’t slow until I make it back outside.

The warmth from the sun does little to diminish the chill in my veins as my pace slows once I’m back on the normal pathway heading as far away from Blaze and whatever the hell that was back there. Someone has to help me, B can’t⁠—

Hands grip my waist, lifting me off the ground as I spin wildly before finally feeling the ground beneath me again, but it comes with a broad chest trapping me in.

With my hands pinned at my sides, I slip them into my pockets, feeling the familiar coin in my grasp, reminding me that everything’s going to be okay. It’s short-lived when he tugs my upper arm, pulling my hand from my pocket along with my precious coin.

I pray he doesn’t see it, but that’s delusional. His gaze snaps to the ground, and before I can even process it, I see the golden glint in his hand. His brows furrow as the world stills. I can’t suck in a breath, not one, as I try to gather the strength to snatch it out of his hand, but it seems in the midst of fight or flight, I’m frozen in place.

My gaze tears away from the coin, watching his every move. His Adam’s apple bobs three times, his nostrils flare twice, and he sighs, long and heavy, before his blue eyes find mine. He doesn’t speak, though. He simply releases me completely as he stuffs his free hand into his pocket, retrieving a matching glimmer of gold, and my heart thunders so intensely, I’m certain death is upon me.

Jaw slack, I gape between the two coins held side by side. All too quickly, he holds my coin out to me, dropping it into my palm. I finally steal a breath, relief flooding my chest as I find the words to speak.

“What does it mean?”

His lips purse as he secures his coin again, shrugging while he stares at me. “I don’t know, but I’m not ready for you to find out yet.” He grabs my shoulders, locking me in place. “I want you to⁠—”

“What are you doing?” I blurt, noticing the swirl to his eyes, the blue turning darker.

He rolls his eyes. “Compelling you.”

Compelling me? I don’t like the sound of that.

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Don’t worry, Polaris. I have a feeling our paths will cross again. When that happens, I’ll let you remember,” he mutters, and I stiffen.

“Remember? I’m not forgetting anything,” I insist, and he shakes my shoulders lightly, regaining control of the situation.

“It’s cute that you think you have a choice. Now, you will⁠—”

Smack.

My palm stings, panic clawing at my insides as I blink at him.

I acted on instinct, and his cheek turns pink as the air thickens between us.

“That’s hot,” he rasps, his tongue sweeping across his bottom lip. His declaration stuns me, leaving me exposed, and he doesn’t waste his opportunity.

The next thing I know, I’m in the dining hall. Memories forgotten.

My eyes widen, settling on the vampire draining all of the energy from the room, but just as quickly as my jaw falls slack, I’m blasted back into my thoughts.

Heading toward the main academy building, eyes alert, searching for Minnie, I barely get my foot over the threshold before I'm halted in my tracks. The grip on my shoulder is tight, threatening, yet somehow familiar. I don't get a chance to peer over my shoulder to see who it is; the opportunity is taken from me as they whirl me around. My back hits the wall with a thud as I blink up at Blaze. His presence is consuming, watching down on me like he can see the thumping of my heart, the swell of my lungs, and the flickering of my pulse.

Despite the worry rising in me, I sigh, shouldering the strength to face him. "What is your problem?" His nose twitches, tongue darting out over his bottom lip as he continues to assess me, offering no inkling of an answer. "Okaaaay, well, if we're done here, which I'm quite sure we are, I'm going now." My words are stronger than I expect, lifting my confidence even more as I move to shake out of his grip, but it only tightens.

"I don't think it's wise to be skipping through the halls with wolves."

I frown at him, his statement catching me off guard. I have no interaction with this guy, none that doesn't involve him being a total ass to me, but this is another level.

"What I do or don’t do and with whom I do or do not do it is none of your business."

His fingers flex against my skin as he leans closer, nose touching the tip of mine as he sighs. His free hand presses against my temple as he mutters under his breath, and a moment later I'm overwhelmed with the onslaught of memories flooding my mind.

Our last encounter flashes in my head. Blaze. B. The vampires. The compulsion. All of it.

I don't know what emotion to cling to first. Instead of trying to find the words, I slam my palms against his chest, attempting and failing to shove him away as he continues to crowd my space. I repeat the motion, more weight behind the move, but he still doesn't budge. "I can't believe you did that," I snap, and he shrugs, cocking a brow at me.

"Really?"

My lips pinch as my nostrils flare, and before I can think about my actions, I rear back my arm and slap him across the face. My eyes widen in surprise, the reaction seemingly a familiar one in his presence at this stage. I stiffen, my spine ramrod straight as I wait with bated breath for his response.

He doesn't keep me waiting long before his free hand grabs mine, hauling me closer as he presses my fingers against the outline of his cock through his pants.

What. The. Fuck.

"Do you feel how fucking hard you make me? Slap me again, but keep your hand right there and feel how I fucking pulse for you," he rasps, his dick twitching against my palm, and I shudder.

I gulp, unable to find a single word as he snickers. "Come on, Polaris. Aren't you going to slap me just for making you feel?" he goads, and I shake my head.

"You're unhinged."

He shrugs. "I've been called worse."

This man is insane. Worse than insane. "You're ridiculous."

"And you're… something."

I raise my eyebrows. I don't know what his retort was going to be, but that… I’m not sure about that. Taking a step back, I meet the familiar press of the stone wall behind me as his hand keeps my fingers wrapped around his cock.

"Blaze," I warn, but it goes unnoticed as he crowds my space, his lips settling at my ear.

"Do you like that? Do you like having a thick dick dripping with pre-cum from the mere touch of your hand?"

My thighs clench together. What the hell is wrong with me?

"Stop," I whisper, the word no longer holding the strength I had moments ago, and he knows it.

"Or what?" His lips brush over my ear, sending tingles down my spine.

My pulse thunders in my ears, the only sound stretching between us as I try to think of something… anything.

"Or I'll tell my friends."

"It's cute that you think I'm going to let you remember any of this," he states, leaning back just enough so all I can see are his eyes as he obscures the rest of the world from my view.

I feel the retort on the tip of my tongue, but I swallow it down. He effortlessly stole my memories last time, nothing is stopping him from doing it again. I'd rather not waste my time and effort.

"Is there a point to any of this, Blaze?" I ask, each word etched in defeat.

"It's aimed right at you. Just say the word," he breathes, thrusting his hips to grind his cock against my hand, leaving me breathless.

He did not just say that. Even worse, I'm wavering under the heat of his proximity.

It needs to stop, and it needs to stop now.

Trying to remember everything I've learned in combat class, I take a deep breath before I let my body take over. Squeezing his cock in my grasp, he stifles a moan, and I use it as the distraction I need before I force all of my weight to the floor. The thud rattles from my tailbone, up my spine, and down my legs, but it quickly dissolves under the adrenaline as I scoot to the side and out from the cage he created around me.

"Fuck," he hisses under his breath, but there's a hint of amusement to his tone that doesn't go unnoticed.

Pressing my palms against the ground, I rush to my feet, my sights set on the doors leading into the main academy building. But I barely make it two steps before arms band around my waist, pulling me back against a muscular chest.

Dammit.

I should scream, cause a scene, get him to back the fuck off, but then his lips are at my ear again.

"Your coin, do you know anyone else who has one?" he asks, his fingers splaying across my stomach as I struggle to breathe. So much so that I can't even find the words I need to speak. Instead, I shake my head, it's the best I can offer.

He hums, his breath blowing across my skin leaving goosebumps in his wake. "I can find out if you're lying."

It's a promise. An unnecessary one, but it still makes my lips press together with uncertainty.

"You won't find anything," I croak, and he somehow manages to inch closer, touching me from head to toe.

"Maybe," he breathes, hand inching higher from my stomach to my ribs. "Aren't you going to push me away?"

I scoff, my eyelids falling closed as I shake my head. "You'd like that too much."

"If I wanted it, I could have it," he states. I sense the threat, but it's not as prominent as he hopes, so I take another direction instead of letting him carry on down this path.

"Factions don't mix, Blaze. So why don't you run along and find some vampire to terrorize instead of focusing on me?"

He hums again, making no effort to move. "Factions don't seem to be an issue for you when it comes to the wolves."

"I didn't say factions were an issue on my end. I didn't know they existed until a few weeks ago, remember?"

Silence greets me, stretching out to the point that I'm nervously balanced on my tiptoes, waiting on bated breath for his mouth to move again. "I'm trying to find a way to have the sigil holding your memories captive lifted. Then, we will hopefully be able to understand your connection to the coin better."

"Wait, what?" I try to spin around to face him, but he's locked in place, making it impossible.

"It’s been a challenge, but if nothing else, I'm resilient. I just need a little more time."

My chest heaves with every breath, his words weighted between us. "Why would you do that for me?"

"It's not for you," he states, relaxing his hold on me as if he remembers himself because of my question. "I'm too selfish for that," he adds when I turn to face him, but he's not meeting my stare for the words to stick. Clearing his throat, he rocks back on his heels, tucking his hands in his pocket for five whole seconds before he lifts them in my direction. "Now, forget⁠—“

"Don't you dare," I warn, but it's pointless and I wake up leaning against the main academy building with no recollection of anything.

4

BLAZE

She sucks in a deep breath, her eyes refocusing on the medical room, and I can tell she’s still scrambling to make sense of what has been revealed. So, I decide to push on before she changes her mind. There’s one more memory she has to see, but this time, I want her to see it and feel it from my perspective.

I dive into her mind with her, the clinical surroundings quickly replaced by the familiar witches’ area in the dining hall.

I watch, lurking in the shadows as she rises from her seat, backpack over her shoulder as she heads for the exit. She keeps her head down, avoiding everyone’s potential stares, and I keep enough distance between us that she doesn’t note my presence.

Once she’s outside, the tension leaves my body, and I relax, letting my strides pick up as I draw closer to her, but the second she rounds the corner she bumps into someone.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” she rambles, stumbling back to see it’s Foster, another asshole from The Renegades. I can’t stand him, or the sneer on his lips as he glares at my Amica Mea.

My hands ball into fists, ready to pummel his face, but I refrain, eager to listen just as much.

“Maybe watch where you’re fucking going in the future,” he grunts, and Polaris’ rears back in surprise. Maybe listening isn’t a good idea, I want to smash him in the face even more.

Does he realize who he’s talking to?

The wonder that this girl is?

Clearly not, because there’s not an inkling of respect coming from him.

We’re going to have to rectify that.

His eyes are red and puffy, and I can only assume it’s because he’s mourning the loss of his center. The one who died because of my actions.

Polaris clears her throat. “I will. Sorry. You haven’t seen Bryony, have you?” she asks, and his sneer only grows more cruel as he peers down at her.

“Oh, she sure as shit doesn’t want to see you right now,” he bites before turning to storm off, shoulder barging into her as he goes.

My feet are moving before I realize it. I’m undecided on if I should stop at Polaris or charge after the fucker, but the second I draw close to her, her scent rich in the air, my hand lands on her shoulder, and I know my answer.

My teeth sink into my bottom lip as she leans into the touch, as if she’s comforted by my proximity, but I can’t embrace it when I need this fucker to hear me.

“Apologize,” I bite, and Polaris stiffens beneath my touch, but my order isn’t aimed at her, it’s aimed at the asshole who has paused midstep, with his back to me.

Foster slowly peers over his shoulder, his throat bobbing as his gaze settles on me.

“What?” Foster mutters, a panicked and puzzled expression cascading over his face.

“I. Said. Apologize,” I snarl through clenched teeth.

Foster looks from Polaris to me to where my hand remains on her shoulder before refocusing on my intense stare.

“I’m sorry,” Foster grunts, his nostrils flaring with agitation as the words slip from his lips.

I scoff. “Not to me, motherfucker. And like you fucking mean it.”

“I do mean it,” Foster insists, fully turning to face us with his hands raised in surrender.

“Try again.”

I hear Polaris gulp, but she doesn’t move.

Foster’s gaze finally finds Polaris and he clears his throat. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she insists, waving him off.

“Now, fuck off,” I command, and he scampers away without a moment’s hesitation.

Reluctantly, I drop my hand from her shoulder, but quickly wrap my arm around her instead, and she whirls around to glare at me.

“Get the hell off me,” she hisses, trying to yank out of my hold, and I grin.

Her eyes are even prettier this close. It should be illegal. In both the human world and the supernatural world. She’s sinful. She’s intoxicating. I can’t even fucking breathe this close to her, and we really have a lot to do.

“I don’t have time for this today,” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose with my free hand before pressing my fingertip to her temple. Leaning in close, I whisper in her ear, removing the compulsion I’ve placed her under.

I can tell the moment she wavers from the onslaught of memories washing over her, and she slumps forward from the weight of it all. Before her knees give out and smash on the floor, I catch her.

She’s even closer now, her body pressed against mine, and my cock rages in my pants, but it’s my heart that worries me more. The rhythm, the intensity, it’s all for her.

Thankfully, she gathers herself quickly, lurching out of my hold before she turns to me with her finger aimed in my face.

“You motherfucker.”

“Is that the best you’ve got?” I retort with an eye roll, and I watch as her frustration grows so strong she growls. Fucking growls.

“You’re not worth any more effort,” she snaps, her face heating.

“Of course not,” I reply, turning away from her, but not before I grab her arm.

Tugging her along, she stumbles over her own feet to keep up. “Where are we going?”

I consider keeping my mouth shut, but decide against it.

“B.”

One word, and she’s willingly hurrying alongside me toward the faction dorms.

“You can let go of me now, I’m obviously going to come with you,” she grumbles, and I huff, fingers flexing on her arm.

“I’d rather not.”

I feel her gaze snap to mine, and I let her stare at the side of my face, loving any kind of attention from her, but I don’t slow our pace. We don’t have a lot of time.

Polaris seemingly bites back her annoyance, but as we take the winding path up to the vampires’ dorms, she reaches her limit. One sharp tug, a feeble attempt to get out of my hold, and I’m on the edge too.

I effortlessly yank her toward me, bringing her back flush to my chest. I regret it the instant I do. I’m overwhelmed with her scent, her sweetness, and my control wavers.

“Are you smelling me?” she blurts, eyes wide in surprise and she peers back at me, and I can’t help but repeat the same deep inhale before offering her a response.

“You’re intoxicating, Amica Mea. Sweeter than honey, deadlier than poison,” I admit, and she gapes in disbelief at my assessment as I run my nose up the column of her throat. I relish at the sound of her pulse quickening from my touch as a shiver runs down her spine.

“Amica Mea?” she whispers, but I snicker, offering no hint of acknowledgement as I force myself to release my tight hold to pull her along beside me instead.

This time, as we approach the vampire building, I don’t lead her around the side. Instead, I stride through the double door entryway with far too much force, and Polaris shrinks at the sound of them ricocheting off the walls.

I move in a blur, ushering her up the stairs before she can give into her panic. We’re at my bedroom a moment later, and I waste no time barreling through the door. Once we’re safely located on the other side I stop, releasing my hold on her as I lean back against it.

“You are…” The words to describe me fail her, and the harder she tries, the more they elude her as her emotions continue to boil.

“Welcome.”

“Sorry?”

“You are welcome. I was finishing your sentence for you.”

She scoffs. “I promise you, that is lightyears away from where I was going.” She folds her arms over her chest, desperate to create a barrier between us, when the sound of someone clearing their throat behind her garners her attention.

“P?”

I’m suddenly a distant memory as she turns to see her friend.

“Polaris,” I correct, reminding them of my presence as she stares at the man before us.

She takes her time raking her gaze over him from head to toe. The bite marks are gone, his grey-ish complexion along with it, but the tension in his shoulders confirms he’s not okay.

To my surprise, she doesn’t say a word until she’s peering over her shoulder, looking back at me.

“What did you do?”

I stare straight into her eyes, using all of my strength to offer nothing more than indifference, but she doesn't back down. Her eyes narrow, waiting me out, until I finally shrug. “I fixed it for you.”

“You… fixed it for me?” she repeats, the words foreign on her tongue, and I sigh.

“You were unhappy with his prior… circumstances. I made a deal and rectified it.”

“Why?”

She knows why, we can both feel it in the air. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

“It doesn’t matter why,” I start, but she scoffs.

“It does.”

I shake my head. “You just want to gloat.”

“There is nothing to gloat about in a moment like this, and if you truly think that’s what I want then you don’t know me at all.”

“I know enough. You have five minutes,” I state, nostrils flared as my hands ball at my sides. I need to cut the conversation now, my body is flushed, overheating with her closeness, and I don’t like the lack of control that comes with it.

Before either of them can say a word, I storm from the room, letting the door slam shut behind me and leaning against the wall beside it.

Silence echoes around me for a beat until I hear Polaris on the other side. “Hey, B.” My eyelids fall closed and I imagine it playing out as I hear footsteps, and I know a moment later they’re embraced in a hug. “I’m not sure what you know, B, sorry, Ben… Benjamin… uh, what are you happy with?”

“Ben sounds nice.”

“Well, Ben, I’m not sure what you know, but I literally know nothing when it comes to you and what’s been going on,” she states, and although I should really give them some privacy, I can’t.

The things she does to my mind, my body, my fucking soul, yet I know so little about her. I’m desperately foraging for any crumbs I can gather from her. Including this.

“Blaze caught me up to speed,” Ben states, and all I hear is my vulnerabilities being spread bare.

“He did?” Polaris probably doesn’t believe him. Good. That suits me better.

“Yeah. I remember where we are, but I never actually made it to my dorm room after the assembly took place when we first arrived.”

I can imagine her gaping in horror as I hear her heart lurching in her chest. “I’m so sorry, Ben,” she rasps.

“It’s not your fault I’m simply a human with the wrong kind of blood, and it’s not your fault that it leads me to be an easy victim for… vampires.”

“We need to speak to someone about this, Ben. We need to get you out of here.”

“I can’t leave, not right now at least.”

“Why?”

“Your friend, he explained it better than me, but I’ve been marked as a… I don’t remember what the fancy word is that he used, but it basically means I’ve been marked as a fucking fruity cocktail for the vampires on campus. If I start walking around, I just up the chase for their thirst, but he said if I wait it out here while he gets everything under control, I’ll be safer.”

I hear her gulp. None of this likely makes any sense, not a single ounce, and she’ll hate it. But as much as she won’t want that fact to be true, the honesty and vulnerability will only confirm it.

She heaves a heavy sigh, the predictable helplessness taking over.

“I wish there was something more I could do, Ben,” she admits.

“Are you joking? I’m sitting here because of you, and before you try and deny it, that guy saved me because of you. I’m not completely out of it and clinging to life in a dark pit of Hell because he cares enough to do something like this for you.”

That’s it. That’s enough. He’s going to make me look like a fool to her, or worse, give me a hero complex when I’m always the fucking villain.

Prying the door open a moment later, I fill the doorway. “Time’s up.”

It’s on the tip of her tongue to protest, I can see it, but Ben rises from his seat, stepping toward me with his hand extended. “Thank you.”

I look at the extension with a frown but take his hand, shaking firmly before I swiftly tuck my hands back into my pockets.

“When will I be able to see S?” Ben asks, scrubbing at the back of his neck nervously, and my gaze immediately drops to the floor.

Polaris rises to her feet instinctively, squeezing Ben’s arm in comfort before she speaks. “I”m sure we’ll be able to sort something out, she’s⁠—“

“Been feeding on you,” I interject, completing her sentence with words I’m sure she wasn’t prepared for.

The pair of them gape at me in confusion.

“What?” Polaris mutters, brows gathering when I don't immediately continue, and I sigh, cracking my neck from side to side as I settle my stare on Ben.

“She chose you for her source, that’s why you were down there to begin with.”

Polaris gapes at me before peering up at Ben. I see the despair and disappointment flickering across his face, but I push on. “I interjected when Terence tried to choose Polaris, but I didn’t realize your importance to her at the time,” I add, using all of my effort to remain unfazed by the fact even though it tears me up inside just thinking about her down there.

“Terence did what?” she breathes, her eyes filling with unshed tears as terror burns through her.

I shrug. “It’s not going to happen now so there’s no need to worry,” I state, but she’s too stunned to express any of the panic expanding beneath the surface.

Instead, Ben clears his throat, cutting the thick tension slightly as he looks at me. “Who is your source?”

I scoff. “That’s personal.”

“So is your proximity in my life it seems, but I’m having to deal with it,” Polaris retorts, and my gaze snaps to her.

My nostrils flare as my lips purse, but I still reply, even if through clenched teeth. “I refuse to feed off any single person but my bound.”

“Who’s that?” Ben asks, and I wave him off, cutting the tension threatening to burn the room down.

“I have a feeling, but I’ve yet to find out for sure,” I answer, my voice barely more than a whisper in the wind. Truth claws at my throat, and I can practically hear the curiosity cogs turning in Polaris’s mind.

“What does that mean?” she asks, and I shut down. I feel the flicker ripple through my body. I can’t talk about this with her. Not without risking it actually fucking happening.

“We’re leaving,” I declare, turning my full attention to Ben. “You know the rules. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back with food tonight.”

Ben nods as I wave Polaris toward the exit, and she moves without thinking, rubbing her lips together nervously as she takes my direction.

I like it.

My dick does too.

And there goes my thundering heart.

The second the door is shut behind me and we’re alone in the hallway, I grab her arm and charge down the stairs with the same purpose I had in my strides when we arrived. I don't stop until we’re out of the building, down the path covered with red leaves and back onto neutral grounds.

We fall into step, my mind swirling from the whirlwind that is being in her presence, but the same thought repeats over and over again.

Take her. Take her. Take her.

Then she opens her mouth, pulling me from my thoughts, while plunging me into a state of despair.

“What do you mean your bound?”

I should keep my mouth shut. I should compel her right here and now and disappear, but it seems my damn soul has other ideas. “My bound, my beloved… I forget you know nothing, Florentine,” I grunt, shaking my head, and I know I’ve hit a nerve.

I need to do something, I need the distance, but the way she folds her arms over her chest cuts me too. The invisible distance she’s trying to place between us… I can’t stand it.

“Nevermind.” She looks away, picking up her pace as we near the end of the path that runs alongside the dorms, but I stop her in her tracks beside the familiar sandy walkway that leads to the witches’ dorms.

I wait, desperate for her full attention, until her eyes are settled on me, and I flex my fingers on her shoulder. “It’s someone who is connected to me by blood.”

“Isn’t that the curse we’re all under?” she clarifies, eyebrows gathering in confusion, and I shake my head.

“No. It’s my devoted, my beloved, and I am theirs. It’s someone in the universe that makes you weak yet strong, someone who offers you the world but can take it all away in an instant. Someone that fuels the fire in your veins just by being in their presence.”

She nods like it makes sense, but I can imagine it’s a little too overwhelming for her to let the weight of my words sink in. “It sounds a tad unhinged but almost poetic,” she offers, smiling at me as she tries to take a step back. When my hold doesn’t waver, she sighs. “Are you coming?”

Coming? Where? Did she not hear what she said? It’s on a fucking loop in my head, ready to bring me to my knees. My hold tightens as I tilt my head. “You think it’s… poetic?”

She shrugs, like she’s not got me balanced on a tightrope. I can’t fucking breathe.

“I think it’s romantic and overwhelmingly everlasting to love someone that hard. But what do I know, I’m a Florentine, right? Why are you telling me all of this anyway?” she grumbles, hoping to shift away from the sensitive topic, and I smirk.

“Because I make you forget, remember?”

She rolls her eyes, seemingly irritated with this constant back and forth.

You and me both.

Before I realize it, I’m stepping even closer into her proximity, until her back is pressed against the witches’ building. Heat flashes in her gaze, stoking the fire blazing inside of me.

We’re toe to toe, chest to chest. “We can’t keep doing this,” she whispers, and I stroke my finger down her cheek.

“Do you trust me?”

“No,” she says with a scoff, and the grin on my face darkens as I inch closer until we’re nose to nose.

“Good.”

Do I trust myself?

Definitely not.

But I’m moving without thought, my body a simple vessel for my soul as I eliminate the remaining inches between us, time stretching into nothingness before my mouth crashes against hers.

It’s not sweet. It’s not swoon-worthy. It’s harsh, it’s needy, it’s… intoxicating.

She pins her hands against my chest, curling her fingers into my tee as I claim her lips over and over again. I’m ravenous, obsessed, and I can barely breathe.

It happens before I can consider stopping it, but the action is only confirmed as Polaris gasps into my mouth.

A sharp prick across her bottom lip makes her eyes fly open, and she stares at me in a mixture of wonder and disbelief as I uncontrollably suck her bottom lip into my mouth. It’s hard, likely painful, but I let it go with a pop, leaving a droplet of blood lingering on my lips.

Not just any blood; her blood.

I sweep my tongue across the crimson mark. Every inch of me is buzzing and I can’t decipher if it’s a good or bad thing, but before I can settle on a decision, I stumble back a step before collapsing to my knees with a groan.

Fire burns through me as Polaris plasters her hands against the wall, staring at me as my head tilts back, my throat elongated as I breathe, hot and heavy.

What the fuck is going on?

Every breath is her.

Every sound is her.

Every taste is her.

Every touch is hers.

It’s like someone just turned the light on in my body, so all I can see is her. All I can worship is the woman before me.

Tilting my face, our eyes lock. Hers are wide, but the desire is thick. For me. It’s the most unhinged thing I’ve ever seen, and I like it.

She sinks to her knees before me, heart racing so hard it’s all I can hear. I grin, cupping her cheek as she leans closer.

“You’re mine now, Amica Mea.” Each word is ragged and breathless, but they still drive their point home. “You're my bound.”

5

BLAZE

Iwait with bated breath as Polaris’s eyes flicker open, and as much as I want to stay close enough to touch her, I force myself to stand tall, dropping my hands from her temples as her eyes search mine.

It’s impossible to guess what she's thinking at first glance, and that’s saying something as the person who has been watching her far more than I care to admit. Her tells are easy, but as she presses her palms into the mattress beneath her, shuffling backwards to lean properly against the headboard, the pillow tucked behind her adding a little cushioning, she still gives nothing away.

I shouldn’t expect anything less from the fireball that is my Amica Mea.

I could get lost in her eyes, which is why, as she stares at me, looking deep into my soul, I miss the telltale signs that she’s mad as a heavy exhale passes her lips. It’s followed swiftly by the beautiful breeze of my name.

I sag with relief, inching closer once more, but the second I crouch forward, her palm comes swinging, slapping me across my face, and I hiss from the pleasurable pain. My dick stiffens impossibly hard beneath the waistband of my pants. Biting back my groan is near impossible.

“Fuck me, Amica Mea,” I grunt, and she snarls.

“How fucking dare you.” I run my tongue over my bottom lip, cocking a brow at her in question. “Don't look at me like that,” she states, nose wrinkling with frustration. I tilt my head to the side, intrigued by whatever she plans to say next. She huffs, folding her arms over her chest as she tries to put an invisible wall between us. “I didn't agree to this,” she points out, and I shrug.

“Neither did I.”

“Neither did you?” She scoffs. “Please, you…” Her words fall off as she tries to find an explanation, loosening one arm from around her waist as she manically waves her hand at me. Despite her efforts, she still doesn't have the answer she's searching for.

“Go on,” I encourage, watching as her lips purse, eyes narrowing as her frustration continues to grow. Her waving hand shifts into a finger aimed directly at me.

“You kissed me.”

“And you said you remember that,” I say, and she shakes her head.

“No, the first time you kissed me… you bit my lip.”

I shrug, rocking back on my heels. “It was unavoidable.” She gapes in disbelief. “We would have been delaying the inevitable,” I add, skipping the part where I explain it was completely out of my control. Everything to do with her is completely out of my control.

I can't think, I can't see, I can't hear anything apart from her. She's everywhere. In my thoughts, in my dreams, consuming every part of my mind, even when I don't want her to. But none of that matters now that we're bound. I've come to accept it. Once she comes to accept it too, hopefully it will all make a bit more sense.

“You made me forget,” she reminds me, and I scoff.

“That was for your own good.”

Her hands completely loosen again, waving around like she’s trying to grasp onto something… anything at all, but it’s futile. She’ll realize that eventually.

“I’m struggling to see how,” she mutters, and I find myself giving her a pointed look this time.

Clearly, I need to spell it out. “I’m not the only man drawn to you, Polaris.”

Her eyes widen as her jaw falls slack and guilt drifts across her face as she slowly lifts her hand to cover her mouth.

“They weren't too happy about what we’ve done,” I state, her eyes somehow widening even further.

“What did you do?” An array of emotions dance across her face, but they’re shifting too quickly for me to decipher them.

Instead of fixating on getting a read on how she’s feeling, I focus on moving this conversation along. “What needed to be done,” I offer with a shrug.

She shakes her head in disbelief, tongue running across her bottom lip as she glares daggers at me. “I want you to leave.”

I bite back a smile as I take a seat in the chair that's become my home since she's been laid up in this bed, getting comfortable as I lean back. Her stubbornness is evident, that’s for sure, but it won’t serve her here with me.

“I said, I want you to leave,” she repeats, and I nod.

“And I want you to heal,” I retort, settling further into my spot.

“Heal? I’m fine,” she insists.

“Thanks to me.”

She tilts her head to the side. “How do you figure you can take credit for that?”

It should be illegal to look this cute when you’re angry, but there’s just a way about her that makes her more attractive the madder she is.

“We're bound,” I explain, and when that doesn’t seem to make sense to her, I’m reminded of her Florentine background. “You weren’t just injured, you were poisoned. That’s beyond just normal healing and only my blood has the power to reverse all of that shit.”

“Bullshit,” she declares, and I groan, adjusting my dick beneath my pants.

“I love it when you curse, Amica Mea. It reminds me you're not the angel you look like on the outside.”

“I don't look like anything,” she insists, making my grin grow.

“Feisty, nice.”

I relax back, letting my eyelids close as she growls.

“Open your eyes. Don't you dare get comfortable. You're leaving,” she snaps, the entire thing far too amusing. Any retort I have is cut short as the door opens and I'm forced to pry my eyes open.

The irritation in my veins is cut short when I see that the unwanted guest is the nurse. I can deal with that.

“Is there an issue in here?” she asks, and Polaris nods.

“Actually, yes. I want him to leave.”

The nurse winces before offering an apologetic smile as she shakes her head. “Is there anything I can do apart from that?”

Polaris groans, flopping back against her pillows. “Why is no one helping me?” she calls out, and I nod for the nurse to leave.

“Just rest, Polaris,” I insist, and she turns to me with fresh determination burning her eyes.

“I want to see my… friends.” I don’t like the sound of that, but I nod regardless. “After you have rested some more.”

She sits taller, cheeks turning a sweet pink hue that makes the silver of her hair shine brighter, but it’s not her usual flush of embarrassment. It’s rage that’s heating her up, which only entices me more.

Her nostrils flare as she narrows her eyes at me. “I said⁠—”

“And I said⁠—”

“Listen here, buddy,” she starts, pointing her finger right in between my eyes as she shuffles to the edge of the bed. “If you think I'm just going to lie here and be compliant, then you're mistaken,” she insists, and I nod.

“I’m well aware.”

She shakes her head, the corners of her eyes crinkling with a mixture of emotions I still can’t put my finger on. “Don't talk like you know me.”

“Don't act like I don’t.”

She huffs as she turns away from me before taking a short inhale, then exhaling it slowly.

I imagine she feels like she's climbing a slippery slope, struggling to gain any traction and remain in control of the situation. I have that effect on most people. I can see the struggle, it’s written in every bone of her body, but I don't mind watching her fall if it means she's at my will.

“I want to speak to my friends. I want to let them know I'm okay,” she insists, and her eyes latch on to mine. The fierceness melts into pleading, and just like that, I'm sucker punched in the stomach, softening for the girl who shouldn’t hold this much power over me.

I'm blaming it on the fact that we’re bound and she's my devoted. There can’t be any other reason for me to consider giving into her.

“One friend.”

“What?”

Clearly, I not only surprised myself, but her too. If she needs me to spell it out for her, maybe I should take it back.

“You can speak to one,” I grumble.

“Says who?”

“Says me, so take it or leave it, Polaris.”

Her eyes dart back and forth between mine, searching for what, I'm not sure, until she relents. “Minnie.”

A smile draws across my lips before I can stop it and I quickly slam my mouth shut to hide it the best I can. “Good choice.” Leaning back to where her cell phone rests on the table behind me, I quickly find Minnie's name in her contact list and press the button. A video call comes to life, and a moment later, the screen is filled with Minnie's furious face.

“Blaze… what the fuck is—” Minnie’s words trail off as I spin the cell phone around to face Polaris. “Oh my God, Polaris. You’re okay. Thank goodness.” Tears gather in her eyes as she presses her hand against her chest. A smile beams across her face, matching the one Polaris now wears as I offer for her to take the cell phone from my hand.

“Hey, Minnie,” she says softly.

“You're all right,” Minnie repeats, needing the confirmation from her friend, and Polaris nods.

“I’m fine.”

Rising from my seat, I lean against the side of her bed so I can get a view of the screen too. Polaris instantly tries to move it away, but I just keep moving along with her and she eventually gives in.

Minnie catches the motion and eyes me through the screen.

“He's still persistently present,” Polaris states, and to my surprise, Minnie snickers at the comment, but her gaze stays on me.

“You said I could see her.”

“And you are.”

She gives me a pointed look. “I meant in person.”

I shrug. “And I told you not to trust me.”

She's mad, but there's amusement in her eyes as she shakes her head. “You're an ass.”

“I’m well aware.”

“Is everyone else okay?” Polaris asks, interjecting, and Minnie nods.

“Everyone's fine. Don't worry about us. Just get better. We're all relieved to know you're okay.”

Polaris sighs, content with the words, but there's still something missing. I can sense it in the air without her even saying a thing. It’s also noticeable that Minnie says we’re relieved, but I only see her.

“I want to see you in person,” Polaris admits, her tone defeated as Minnie rolls her eyes before settling them on me again.

“The asshole eavesdropping is the one with all control right now.” At least she’s not worried about the truth here. For a wolf, she’s half respectable.

I can feel Polaris’s eyes narrow, aiming my way, burning into the side of my face.

“What the fuck have you done?” she grumbles, and I take that as my cue to give her a little more space. Taking a seat in my chair, this time I kick my feet up on the bed as I fold my arms over my chest, a teasing smile unavoidable on my lips.

Polaris growls, but she’s looking at the cell phone, not me. “I hate him,” she mutters the words about me, like I’m not here, and Minnie snickers.

“I don't think that feeling is mutual, friend,” she states with a nervous giggle before the air grows somber. “And bound, that’s⁠—”

“I’m pretending I don't remember that part,” Polaris interrupts, making me frown.

“Remember?” Minnie asks, confused, and Polaris huffs.

“All of my fucking blackout moments seem to circle around yours truly,” she states, pointing her finger in my direction as I pry one eyelid open.

All her anger is aimed my way again.

“How do you manage to get even feistier with your friend on the cell phone?” I ask gruffly, and Minnie cackles.

“You haven’t seen nothin’ yet, Blaze. I swear to God, though, she better not⁠—”

I'm on my feet, snatching the cell phone from Polaris’s hand before Minnie can finish whatever she was about to say. I hit the red button with a little more force than necessary before placing the device back on the table.

“What the hell?” Polaris shouts.

“She was giving me a headache,” I mumble, and she gasps in disbelief.

“She's my friend.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m well aware of that too.”

Looking down at her, every part of my body wants to climb into the hospital bed and lay with her instead of sitting in this fucking chair, but that's not how this works. Not yet, at least.

“Blaze…” She says my name as a plea, but I can tell she doesn't quite know what she's asking for.

So I do the only thing I can think of and lean closer. I put my hands on either side of her face, looking deep into her shimmering eyes as I make sure to fill every inch of her vision.

“We're bound. Get used to it, to this. I'm not going anywhere.”

Her fingers twitch and I half expect her to slap me across the face again, but she doesn’t, to my disappointment.

“I just want it to be known that I don't like this,” she states through gritted teeth, and my smile spreads wide, almost manic, but I absorb it.

“Neither do I, Amica Mea… I fucking love it.”

6

ASHER

Whoever chose these chairs for the waiting room in the Medical Center did not consider someone sitting in them for this long. I’m certain their ratings are a zero out of ten. I'm not recommending this location to anybody, not that I'd have anybody to recommend it to since everyone I care for is in this room… apart from the one we're all waiting on.

I don't know where she is. I don't know what the fuck is taking so long or why no one has given us any answers. Or actually, I do. It's all down to one person.

Blaze.

Fucking Blaze.

None of it makes sense. I’m reeling over how I’m supposed to feel about this turn of events.

Betrayed? Maybe. There’s something irking me in my soul, but even if that is the case, I can’t bring myself to leave this room without seeing her first.

We should never have left to begin with, but the rage thrumming through each of us was only going to make the situation worse when Polaris did regain consciousness. I hope she has, it’s killing me not knowing what’s going on. Once again, I’m battling something outside of my control. But this time, it’s not for me, it’s for someone else. Not my blood family or my chosen one, not even a wolf.

A witch.

My witch.

My Silver.

My foot taps vigorously, my knee bouncing with the movement as I try with all of my strength to remain level-headed, but the more time that passes, the harder it gets.

The double doors at the end of the hall that lead toward the exit swing open with force and Minnie waltzes into the room with an extra pep in her step. It wasn’t there when she left to use the bathroom, but as she nears and a smile spreads across her face, I know she knows something I’m not yet privy to.

She bounces closer and I inch to the edge of my seat, spine stiffening as I brace my hands on my knees. “She's okay.”

Two simple words and the weight of the world crushing down on my shoulders evaporates.

I still, surprised at her words, but before I can quiz her further, Wylder beats me to it.

“How do you know?” He’s as frozen in place as I am, Tatum and Lincoln too, as we look to one another for a silent push of strength.

“She called,” Minnie offers, eyes wide with joy, but we’re all waiting for something… more. That can’t be all she knows or has to share.

Wylder claps his hands together as he rises from his seat. “Perfect, then they can let us in,” he states, taking one step toward the doors that lead back to the patient area, but the moment he does, Minnie’s facial expression drops, confirming that it’s not going to be that simple.

“It's not going to work like that, is it?” It comes out as a question, a hint of hope in my words, but deep down I know it’s true. She offers me a tight smile as she shakes her head, confirming my worries.

“Blaze ended the call,” she states, and Lincoln huffs from his seat across from me.

“She's not safe,” he snarls, the first words to come from his mouth since we entered the waiting room.

Minnie clears her throat, distracting from her brother's outburst as she curls a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. “I’d say she is, actually.”

My eyebrows crinkle in confusion. She can't be saying this right now.

“Surely not,” Tatum mutters, shaking his head as he leans forward in his seat to my left, but Minnie nods insistently.

“She's safe.”

The concern I spy in Tatum's eyes reflects the worry building inside of me.

“You don't know that,” I add, the worry trying to morph into rage, but I fight it down as she shrugs.

“I know that look in his eyes,” she offers, like it’s supposed to make any sense, but as I glance at my brothers, I can see they’re all as confused as I am.

“What look?” I grumble, and she presses her lips together, analyzing the four of us individually before her eyes settle back on me.

“The same look I see in all of your eyes.”

Lincoln scoffs, rising from his seat as he wipes a hand down his face in frustration. “You don't know what you're talking about,” he mutters, but as much as I want to agree with him, I know different. So do the others.

He turns away from us, pacing back and forth, the usual stance our alpha takes when he can't process how he's feeling. Unfortunately for him, it doesn’t look like Minnie is going to let him hide from any of this.

When he turns toward us, continuing his pacing, she cuts the short distance to stop right in front of him. As she folds her arms over her chest, a challenging look flickering in her eyes, he snarls, slapping his hands down at his sides.

“I’m not dealing with this,” he grunts, turning for the exit.

There's no one here to see his downfall but us. That fact does nothing to stop him storming across the room to the exit. His vulnerabilities are creeping to the surface, a feeling he normally runs from as fast as he can, but if his intention is for Minnie to stop her pursuit, he’s mistaken.

“I hope Polaris doesn't choose to deal with you if you can't pull your head out of your ass and admit how you feel.” There’s fire to her words, and to my surprise, Lincoln pauses a step from the double doors, whirling around to face his sister with rage in his eyes.

“You don't know what you're talking about.”

Minnie snickers like he’s played straight into her hands. “Oh, really? Then maybe the right man is by her side right now. If this is how you're going to choose to act, perhaps you should leave.”

He snarls, charging back toward us. She's playing him, and it's working, yet I can't bring myself to stop and step in. The rest of us are all aware of how we feel about Polaris. Him? Not so much.

We all want to be in there. The rest of us are willing to admit it. We’ve already had a similar conversation with Lincoln. We want to claim her, wolf or not, but as usual, our alpha has reservations.

Lincoln’s hands ball at his sides as he nods toward the doors we’re desperate to step through. “We know nothing about him,” he snarls, and Wylder sighs.

“You’re right, but that's probably only because he's a vampire,” he states, and I nod.

Until Polaris, factions stayed within factions, unless it was a full moon party, of course. But this seems to be extending a little beyond that now.

Minnie clears her throat, rocking back on her heels as she folds her arms across her chest. “He’s been hiding himself from her memories.”

“What?” The word snaps from my lips as rage zings through my body.

“She didn't know. She didn't know about being bound. She didn't know he even existed beyond the prick he is to her in public,” she expands, leaving my emotions to collide in my mind, torn over what to think about this turn of events.

Should I be happy that she didn’t know or furious that he would do that to her?

Both.

“It explains the blackouts she’s had, like the time she never showed when we agreed to meet,” Minnie adds, piecing the puzzle together a little more.

Tatum wipes a hand down his face, exhaustion clinging to his features. “I gave her wolfsbane,” he explains, another layer to the fucking puzzle we’re swallowed up in. My heart races in my chest over all the information I’m trying to absorb.

“It was probably a little bit too late by then,” Minnie admits, and I fall back in my seat.

“Why would he do that?” I think out loud, unable to process what the fuck is going on.

“I don't know,” Minnie replies with a weak shrug. “The only person who does is on the other side of those doors with Polaris.”

Fuck.

We don’t need the reminder.

“This situation is fucked,” Wylder grunts.

“More than fucked,” Tatum adds, and I huff in agreement.

My wolf is desperate for me to let out my rage, to unleash the pent up emotions clawing at my insides, but the rational part of my mind is working overtime to not fuck this situation up anymore than it already is.

“So what do we do about it?” I ask, and Lincoln scowls.

“I’m not sharing with a fucking vampire,” he snaps, and Minnie is back in his face a moment later, finger jabbing him in the chest.

“Right now, you're not sharing her with anyone, because you're a fucking fool.”

The door opens to my right and cuts through the tension in the room as we all whip around to see who has joined us, but it's not Polaris, and it's not Blaze either. Sighing, an awkward silence rolls over the group as the nurse offers us a tight smile a moment before the sound of doors opening fills the room once again, but this time they swing from the exit.

A girl steps in, eyes immediately settling on the nurse like the rest of us don’t exist. I recognize her instantly; a vampire. I'm quite sure she’s a Florentine, one who showed up with Polaris.

“Excuse me, I'm looking for Blaze,” the girl hollers, stopping the nurse in her tracks. The woman, dressed in a set of blue scrubs with her hair pulled back off her face in a slick ponytail, frowns.

“He's not available.” She turns away from the girl, eyes back on the tablet in her hand, but it seems the vampire isn’t willing to accept that as an answer.

“But it’s urgent.”

The nurse sighs before returning her attention to the new guest. “I'm sorry, but it's not possible.” She moves to walk around the vampire, but she stops her in her tracks again.

“If he's unwell, our leader needs to know,” she insists, grabbing the nurse's arm this time, and I sense Minnie itching to interject, but Lincoln plants his hand on her shoulder, holding her back… for now at last.

The nurse frowns, tilting her head, completely unfazed by the manhandling. “Is that who sent you?”

“Yes,” the vampire girl insists, and the nurse nods.

“Then I'll make sure Blaze is aware people are searching for him.” The nurse tries to shake out of her hold once, but the vampire makes it impossible as her knuckles whiten.

“You don’t understand, I have to see him.”

“And I said, you can't at this time.”

When the nurse pulls from her grasp, the girl releases her and the lady in scrubs takes off back through the doors to where the patients wait without wasting a moment's breath.

The vampire locks eyes with us, snarling with anger burning in her eyes before she storms for the exit.

“What was that about?” Tatum asks when it’s only the five of us again, and I shrug.

“I don't know.”

Minnie’s lips twist as she turns to face the group again. “Could it have anything to do with the person in the room next door to Polaris?”

I frown. I was so focused on Polaris, I didn't even realize there was a room beside her.

“Who?” I mutter, internally berating myself for failing to verify her safety before we came out here. As I look at my brothers, they seem just as bewildered as me.

It looks like the only one of us that thinks clearly in moments when Polaris is in danger is Minnie, the rest of us are useless.

“It was a vampire who went to Florentine’s with her. What was his name?” she mumbles, tapping her chin as she thinks.

Lincoln scoffs.

“Terence.”

Minnie nods. “Yeah, him.”

Lincoln finally retakes his seat, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Fucking good.”

My eyebrows gather in confusion. I can’t shake the feeling that I'm missing something in the midst of his anger, but I circle back and focus on what Minnie said to begin with. “Do you think that has something to do with Blaze?”

Lincoln shrugs like the question is aimed at him. “I don't know, he was fine after—” He catches his words, realizing his mistake when he finds all eyes focused on him.

“After what, Lincoln?” Tatum asks, and Lincoln tries to wave him off. “What did you do?” Tatum insists, and our alpha slumps back in his seat, aiming a finger at the doors that lead to the patients.

“Do you know he tried to have sex with her?”

My back stiffens. “When?” I snap, ready to barrel through those doors and do something myself, when Lincoln answers.

“At Florentine’s.”

“Oh,” I breathe, unsure how to feel.

“On the fucking playground, I might add,” he snarls.

“That was before us, though,” Wylder states. “And you’re the only one, out of anyone in the entire world, to know he obviously didn’t succeed,” he adds, and Lincoln snickers, the sound amused but dark all at once at the acknowledgment that he was the one to take her virginity.

Seeing him like this, hands laced together as he avoids our gaze, I know we need to push him more. “What did you do, Lincoln?”

He shrugs. “I just roughed him up, but that was ages ago. He was walking around just fine after that.”

Well… fuck. That’s not what I was expecting from the man who refuses to acknowledge Polaris’s worth to us. I’m not the only one surprised by the news, but it’s Minnie’s pleased smile that declares it’s a good thing.

“Why would he be laid up in here now?” she pushes, and he shrugs again.

“I don't know.”

“Could it possibly be due to Blaze?” Tatum asks, but none of us are going to know the true answer to that without asking him.

“Why would Blaze attack him?” I murmur, thinking out loud again as a heavy weight takes form in my stomach.

If I thought everything was out of our control before, I hadn’t yet realized how deep that was going to get.

We were on a mission, a task we didn't want to do for The Crow, but we did it anyway, for personal gain. Personal gain that came with consequences that harmed Polaris. And to heal Polaris, her bound had to be the one to do it.

Her bound.

We didn't know about her bound. Seemingly, she didn't know about it either.

I sigh. “I don't think we’re prepared for this turn of events,” I admit, and Lincoln grunts.

“There is no turn of events,” he states, and the tension immediately rises around us again.

“Says who?” Wylder interjects, and Lincoln gives him a pointed look.

“Says me, and I'm Alpha,” he retorts, and Tatum rises to his feet, hands close to his sides as he snarls at his best friend and leader.

“If you carry on being so single minded, I don't think you'll last.”

Holy fuck.

“Fuck you,” Lincoln grunts, also rising to his feet, while I gape in disbelief.

We never take that tone with each other, and especially never from Tatum. But it seems our lack of sleep, worry for Polaris, and the complete revelation of the fact that Blaze is the one in control right now leaves us all reeling.

“No, Linc, fuck you. Polaris is on the other side of those doors without us and you're still focused on you.” Without another word, Tatum takes off toward the doors. Lincoln instantly panics, eyes wide as he tracks his friend.

“Where are you going?” he asks, the anger leaving his tone, and as Tatum storms toward the doors, he doesn't bother to look back.

“To get snacks. We're here for the long haul. If you're not up to it, you can leave. I don’t want you here when I get back if this is how you’re going to act,” he grunts, disappearing through the doors as Lincoln rakes his finger through his hair, tightly tugging at the ends before he sighs. But as his chin drops to his chest, he retakes his seat and the tension in the air eases, just a smidge.

We might be screwed, but at least we’re all screwed together.

7

BLAZE

Iknew the chances were slim of her actually heeding my order, if not impossible, but the onslaught of rage that this beautiful woman can expel drifts to nothingness as she sleeps. I’m taking that as a win. Watching her eyelashes dust over her skin as she catches up on some much-needed healing is impressive.

I wonder how many others have had the privilege of this view? I wonder if they had it and took it for granted without even realizing.

My mind drifts to the wolves and I shut down that train of thought. Instead, I recenter my focus on the woman before me. She's feisty, that's for sure. Putting up a fight isn't something that is second nature to her. It somehow has a way of enhancing her from head to toe, inside and out, like she takes a step closer to finding her true self with every breath she takes.

It’s not an easy road, but she’s taking it.

All it does is prove to me that she spent her life surviving, pushing, fighting for another day. And even now, as she finds herself at Trinity Falls Academy, finally aware of what her future may hold, she doesn’t hunker down and pretend none of it exists, she just stands taller, works harder, and takes no prisoners.

Me included.

I shouldn't expect anything less from my bound.

Bound.

Who knew one five letter word could hold so much weight?

Since it happened, I haven't really had time to think about it. I wasn't ready for her to know. I wasn't ready to truly acknowledge it myself. I was quite content with our secret moments in the shadows that began to hold more meaning as every interaction proceeded.

But now it's real. Now it's out there for others to know. Then, eventually, he will know.

That's what I have been trying to avoid. Yet the moment I saw her injured, I threw caution to the wind and did what was necessary. It’s not every day you see silver hair in the arms of a wolf, rushing across campus. Well, not with all of them frantic and panicked anyway.

I won't be shocked if the wolves are already passing their rumors around now, blindly finding a way for it to get back to him before I leave the medical center.

I know they’re still here, the nurse is keeping me updated, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t begun shredding me to pieces for everyone else to observe. I’m already a villain on campus. That’s what happens when you have to protect yourself and kill someone in self defense. My actions caused another to die, a fact I would have been a little more sad about if it wasn’t the exact girl who tried to hurt Polaris when she first arrived.

She doesn’t know I know, but I’ve been watching long enough.

Never mind what he will have to think, I have to consider my family too. My mother will be happy, proud even, and I can already picture her crying. My father on the other hand… I can sense his disappointment already.

In reality, he should know better than anyone that being bound is out of our control. My mother wasn't always a vampire. She changed for him. She was a devoted human destined by blood to hunt the supernatural. She still does, but not my father.

He’s made it clear he expects me to find a vampire bound, like it’s that simple, but I’m sure he would have preferred anything other than a witch. He's never going to understand. The only thing that may sway him is seeing her coin.

As the thought flashes through my mind, I slip my hand into my pocket.

My coin has been passed down through the generations of my family. The little information I have didn't come from my father, but my grandfather. I’ve never really known its importance until I saw Polaris had one too. The main thing my grandfather said was, “When the coins are in the right hands, you shall find your destiny.”

No truer words have ever been spoken. Especially now that I have my Amica Mea.

There’s more to it, I can sense it. This coin holds more weight than ever before, and I’m sure, in time, I’ll find out the root reason.

My cell phone vibrates in my other pocket, pulling me from my thoughts. Reluctantly, I tear my gaze away from her sleeping form to glance at the screen. It’s a text message from a number I don’t recognize, but the second I read the words, I know who it’s come from.

Unknown: I want to see her. Don't think you can keep her away from me. You won’t make it out alive.

If that's not Wylder, I don't know who it could be. It’s his tone for sure.

That’s the thing the wolves don’t realize: I’ve had my sights set on Polaris Beauchamp since the moment Lincoln knocked her to the ground when she arrived on campus. I’ve watched it all.

Her pain, her excitement, her lust. I’ve witnessed every moment. From her secret meets with Tatum in the forest maze to the spectacle of Asher fucking her over the VIP balcony at The Aurum.

I’ve had time to adjust to the fact that I’m going to have to share this woman. I didn’t want to and I really shouldn’t have to, but it’s not in my hands, not if the coin means what I think it does. My priority is my devoted being safe at all times, and the truth is, it’s not always going to be me that can ensure that’s the case. Not when I come with my own dangers.

Stuffing my cell phone back into my pocket, ignoring Wylder’s tantrum, I barely manage to pull my hand back out of my pocket before it vibrates again. Only this time, it's not from a message, but an incoming call.

The second I see the name on the screen, I rise from my seat, discreetly hurrying from the room to try and not disturb her. I catch a glimpse of her sleeping form before I close the door behind me.

I answer the call and lift my device to my ear. “Where are you?”

I’m greeted with fury before I can even say hello. Not that I would, which is probably why they know to cut to the chase.

“At the Medical Center.”

“I’m aware. Why?”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask why they bothered asking, but I know it won’t get me anywhere. “I don't think it's any of your business,” I reply, and the silence that greets me offers no comfort. I grow more concerned with every moment that passes until he speaks again.

“Why can't I get into your room?”

My spine stiffens. “Why would you want to get into my room?” I retort and he laughs. There's no humor involved, only the sharp edge of a knife threatening to slice through me, even from here.

“I’ve heard a rumor.”

“Which is…”

I can picture him now, running his tongue along his teeth, stretching out the moment to ensure his superiority is known. “That you're hiding my lunch.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” I answer, using every piece of my focus to keep my voice neutral.

“I want access to your room.”

“Well, that's a hard no,” I grumble, and he snorts.

“I think you're forgetting how this works.” The threat is clear, the challenge more so.

“I recall perfectly.”

“I want you back here now.”

“No can do,” I reply, and I can feel his anger burning through the phone

“Blaze, do I need to remind you⁠—”

I hit the red button and tuck my cell phone away before I have to listen to any more of his bullshit. I understand the hierarchy of vampires. I understand how all this is supposed to work. But fuck that if they think I’m just going to accept it.

Exhaling, I turn to look through the window beside me. It doesn’t look into Polaris’s room, I've made sure to close her blinds for privacy, but the blinds in the next room stand wide open, offering a view of the motherfucker I put there: Terence, or The Cunt, as I prefer to call him.

My ears prickle with the light footsteps of someone approaching, and when I peer to my left I find the nurse heading toward me.

She clears her throat. “Have you decided what you want us to do with him yet?” she asks, and I turn back to look at the motherfucker hooked up to more leads than he deserves.

“No.”

I can sense her shuffling nervously from foot to foot before she speaks again. “There's only so long I'll be able to keep him in here like this. More than that, some girl just showed up trying to speak with you.”

It was bound to happen eventually. Especially if he knows where I am. A minion will come hunting soon enough.

“He stays how he is until I say otherwise,” I snarl, directing my anger at the wrong person as a gasp rings out.

I snap my gaze to the left. I was so consumed with my rage for the man in the bed before me, and the hierarchy of the vampires creeping up on me, that I allowed my defenses to slip. It’s too late for me to avoid the inevitable as Polaris comes to a stop beside me in her medical gown with her hand plastered against her lips, eyes wide as she mutters one single letter.

“T.”

I grunt, nostrils flaring as I follow her line of sight. “Don't feel sorry for him.”

She turns to me with disbelief shining in her eyes. “Don't tell me what to do.”

I snort and drag my hair back off my face. “The one good thing the world has done is make sure he knows his place,” I state, and she gasps again.

“Don't be heartless.”

I spin to her. “Don't be naïve. Are you forgetting that he wanted to feed on you?”

She shivers, but I need to drive the point home. “Imagine what the wolves would say if they knew that fact. What do you think they would do to him? We already saw what happened when Lincoln realized he wanted to be the one to take your purity,” I rasp, watching as her eyes widen.

“You're lying. T wouldn’t choose to take my…” Her words trail off as she remembers where Benjamin is and why.

I cock a brow at her. “Your inability to finish your own sentence tells me you know I’m not.”

She purses her lips, giving me a narrowed glare before she turns away from me, refusing to admit how in the wrong she is. “How long has he been here?” she asks, lips twisting nervously.

I consider ignoring her question, but I have nothing to hide. “Since the night you chased him in the woods,” I answer, feeling her eyes return to the side of my face.

“How do you know that? Actually, never mind. I don't want to know,” she states, lifting her hands and taking a step back.

“It's probably for the best,” I reassure her, but in a classic Polaris way, she points over her shoulder, seeking more information.

“Is she keeping him here at your request?” She turns in search of the nurse, but she left the moment Polaris arrived, knowing her presence was no longer wanted.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I tilt my head at her. “I thought you didn't want to know?”

She crosses her arms over her chest, and even though she stands tall, keeping her chin high as she stares me down, I can hear the flutter of her heartbeat cranking up a notch. “I don’t.”

“Good.”

Her lips purse and I can sense her brain whirling into overdrive. “The nurse said I can leave,” she states, and I try not to laugh at her and the bullshit she’s trying to sell.

“You're lying,” I reply, turning away from her to stare at Terence’s unresponsive limbs.

“I’m not,” she insists, and I shake my head. Tucking my hands into my pockets, I avoid her gaze as I try to move around her to go back to her room, but she stands in my way, craning her neck back and rolling her shoulders so she can stand even taller.

I sigh, settling my gaze on hers. “Do you think she's going to openly tell you when you can leave when the man in the room beside you is purposely induced in some kind of coma so he's not a problem because I deemed it so?”

“Why?” she asks, searching my eyes, but I’d rather just spell it out for her since she’s so insistent on knowing.

“What happens if I kill him, Amica Mea? Or have you forgotten where you are?”

“I know exactly where I am,” she insists. “I’m just wondering if there’s anything I can do to ensure you’re not a problem,” she grumbles and I cock a brow at her, waiting for her to expand on whatever she has going through her mind right now. It’s amusing as hell, watching the frustration build inside her, just like it did before, and my cock stirs to life, desperate to fuck some sense into her. She waivers under my stare, huffing as she throws her arms out wide. “You're derailing my life, Blaze.”

“No, Polaris. I’m just finally letting you live it.”

I inch toward her, a mere two steps before she backtracks, plastering herself against the wall beside her room, allowing me the perfect opportunity to crowd her space; my favorite place to be.

Our lips are a breath away, our chests heaving in sync as our gazes burn into each other.

“If you were actually as mad as you pretend to be,” I murmur, swiping a fingertip from her collarbone, down the side of her breast, over her waist, down the thin medical center gown before settling at her hip. “Your body wouldn't react the way it does,” I rasp, feeling the tremor that runs through her.

“My body is stupid,” she whispers, breathless, putting up no fight as her pupils dilate.

I can't help myself, I eliminate the tiny distance between us and place a chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth. “If you say so,” I relent, taking a step back before I cream my fucking pants.

She quickly folds her arms over her chest, adding a barrier between us, but I don't miss the pebbled peaks beneath the thin fabric where her taut nipples stand desperate for my attention.

“I want to see them,” she states, trying to change the subject, but all I can think about is that I want to see them too. The ‘them’ we’re both referring to are entirely different though.

I want to see her tits, she wants to see… them.

My cell phone vibrates in my pocket and I know I'm shit out of luck. I need to carefully consider my choices. Without even bothering to look at the device, I offer her a dark smile, one that leaves her wary. “Well, it's your lucky day because you're allowed to leave, remember?” I breathe, tucking a loose curl of silver hair behind her ear before taking a step back, desperately needing the distance between us so I can think.

“Just like that?” she whispers, and I grunt.

“It’s always been just like that. Are you forgetting the fact that I've been hiding me from your memory and not them?”

Her eyes widen as though she’s never considered that fact, but then her eyebrows furrow and uncertainty washes over her features. “Why?”

I wipe a hand down my face, nowhere near ready to face what's about to come my way. “Maybe another time,” I mumble, and she almost stomps her foot in frustration as she glares daggers at me.

“I deserve to know.”

Eliminating the space between us again, I grab her chin a little more forcefully than she probably likes, but it renders her speechless, eyes wide as she waits, not pushing me away or attempting to fight me off.

“I’m soft on you, Polaris. That's no secret, but I’m not soft enough to give you everything you want all at once so you can run for the hills… run from me,” I state, and she gapes at me for a moment.

“Who says I’ll run?” she breathes, making my cock unbearably hard in my pants.

“Are you saying you won’t?” I push, running my thumb across her bottom lip, and her tongue peaks out to follow the movement. She doesn’t offer a single word in response to deny what I already know. “That's what I thought, Amica Mea. I'm learning to share for the greater good. Don't push it and make me regret it. It will only end in tragedy, and not for me because I’ll have you by my side whether you like it or not.”

8

POLARIS

“You're all set,” the nurse says with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. One that feels filled with more sympathy than excitement about my departure from the medical center. However, if I acknowledge what her expression conveys, I have to confront the truth, so I swallow my observations and remain silent. I don’t call for help either; it’s evident that’s out of the question. I’m at Blaze’s mercy while I’m here, and although I should be grateful to still be alive, there’s no chance in Hell I’m going to validate the vampire’s worth right now.

Instead of blurting out all the thoughts running through my mind, I simply smile back. “Thank you.”

She nods, her gaze dropping to her feet as she shuffles toward the corner of the room, where she pretends to organize the medical supplies. Instead of dwelling on the glimmer of sympathy I saw in her eyes, I glance down at my clothes, relieved to be wearing something other than the Medical Center-issued gown. I feel as though I’ve spent an eternity in the scratchy, thin material.

Thankfully, I managed to shower before changing into my own clothes, or what’s left of them, at least. My t-shirt was cut right down the middle so the staff could tend to the wound on my chest. No replacement was offered, so I tighten my jacket around my waist, acutely aware of the exposed skin between the hem and the waistband of my pants. The door creaks open as I continue to adjust myself, and when I relent, I lift my gaze to see Blaze step in.

His eyes scan me from head to toe and back again three more times, narrowing with each pass.

Someone so… mean, so… dark, shouldn't be so damn tempting.

The mystery in his eyes, the promise of sin, should not be so inviting.

When his gaze finally meets mine again, his lips are pressed together in a thin line as he unzips his jacket, shaking out of it before extending it in my direction.

“Here, take this.”

I scoff, taking a step back as my arms wrap tighter around my middle. “No.”

His head tilts to the side, irritation clear in his eyes. “It wasn't a request.”

The smile on my face is too sickly to feel completely genuine, but I can’t hold it back. “Great, then I retract my unnecessary answer.”

He rolls his eyes, yet there’s a hint of amusement, as if my defiance thrills him. The idea sends a shiver down my spine, but it completely dissolves a moment later. My joy at outsmarting him and the potential success of rendering him speechless is short-lived as he closes the distance between us.

His proximity is overwhelming as he wraps his jacket around my shoulders before prying my arms open and slipping them into the sleeves. Prying is a strong word. It's more like I relent, but the reality of that is irritating as he seemingly scores another point in this battle between us.

I’m certain he’s unaware of the scoring system to begin with, but the thought of him knowing he’s winning is fear-inducing. He doesn’t need access to that information. Ever.

I gape at him, but his gaze remains fixed on his fingertips. I finally snap from my frozen state as the zipper rings out through the air. He doesn’t stop until it’s all the way up to my neck, his eyes returning to mine as his fingers linger a breath away from my throat. Goosebumps rise to meet him, eager for his touch, all while I glare at him.

“Once we're out of this building, I'm no longer under your control. You know that, right?” I declare, stepping back. My effort to provoke him as frustration courses through my veins falls flat; he smirks, unfazed.

“You love it when I take control,” he says, adjusting the hood of his jacket around my shoulders before adding to the distance between us.

“I hate you,” I insist as his gaze shifts down to my chest.

Is he observing the harsh rise and fall of every inhale and exhale that escapes my lips? Does he comprehend the impact he’s having on me? How angry I feel?

“Why are your nipples seeking me out, then?” he rasps, and I struggle to suppress the frustration and rage inside of me.

“Screw you,” I snap, and his grin widens as he walks backward toward the door.

“Please.”

That one word, like a plea… damn him. For him, it feels like the equivalent of him begging, and I gulp, unsure how I'm supposed to breathe after that.

Thankfully, he breaks our gaze as his cell phone vibrates and he glances at the time. A grunt escapes his lips before he sighs. “As much as I would love to continue this banter with you, I’m late, Amica Mea. We need to leave.” He turns toward the door without a backward glance, disappearing from my view a moment later.

Every part of me internally pleads for me not to follow him, not to take his order, but in the same breath, I’m acutely aware that following him leads to my freedom and an escape from this place. On the heels of that comes the hope of finding my… friends. The word doesn’t feel right when I consider everyone I’m referring to, but I try not to let myself get caught up in anything else beyond my control right now.

The nurse is still tucked in the corner, avoiding any kind of eye contact, reaffirming that I’m completely on my own in here, at his whim, so I bite the bullet and relent. Rushing out of the room, I find him moving down the hall toward the exit. I catch up to his side just before he opens the double doors, and the moment he swings them open and we step over the threshold, I’m bombarded with sighs of relief and my name hanging thick in the air.

“Oh my God, Polaris!”

I catch a fleeting glimpse of Minnie before she launches herself at me, enveloping me in her arms and pressing me to her chest. It’s so tight I can barely breathe as we sway from side to side, but I revel in the unfamiliar warmth that spreads through my veins.

“Hey,” I manage, completely overwhelmed by her presence and the way she soothes me right now. The tightening in my chest intensifies as I glance over her shoulder and my gaze lands on another pair of eyes, then another, and another, until I spot four more disheveled wolves.

A part of my soul finds peace in a way I can’t even comprehend as the corner of my mouth curls upward just an inch. My gaze rests on the nearest wolf, though there’s a weariness in his eyes.

Tatum.

His long hair is swept back from his face and tied in a messy bun on the top of his head and his clothes are crumpled. I'm pretty sure that’s what he’d been wearing the last time I saw him.

“Polaris,” he says as Minnie lets go of me and he instantly replaces her.

I wrap my arms around his neck and inhale his scent, letting it calm me. “I’m so happy to see you,” I breathe, and his hold tightens for a moment as he grunts. I don’t need to look to know the tension in his shoulders is due to the vampire in the room. “I hate him. I’m sorry,” I whisper, feeling completely bewildered that he's here right now and not charging for the hills since Blaze took over and made this his show.

He squeezes me tightly, his lips brushing over my neck for the briefest moment, but he doesn’t say a word or acknowledge what I said before he disappears and my hands drop to my sides.

“Hey, Silver.”

My eyes swing to the left where Asher stands with his hands tucked in his pockets, assessing me.

I can see the same uncertainty in his eyes as I did in Tatum’s, as if he’s unsure how to act with the new revelations unfolding between us, which, in turn, leaves me nervously standing in the same spot.

I never really know how to act around these guys. I’m learning to be myself as a person, but being a version of me that may appeal to them is something entirely different. Adding to the fact that I’m Asher’s puppet on a string, willing to fall apart at his command, I don’t know how to make the first move.

“Hey,” I breathe. Uncertain how to handle myself, I interpret his movement when he pulls his hands out of his pockets as a sign, prompting me to step closer. A moment later, I find myself in his arms.

It's stiffer than before, wary on both ends, but is it a hurdle we can overcome together?

“Come on now, my little witch, don't leave me until the end.”

I sneak a glance to my right, a soft, relieved smile on my lips as I see Wylder bouncing on the balls of his feet, eager to join the action. Asher releases me and I cautiously extend my hands toward Wylder. Seconds later, I find myself in his grasp, twirling on the spot and feeling slightly nauseous before being placed back on my feet.

An overwhelming sense of joy, hope, and relief seeps through me, but it's instantly muted the moment my eyes land on their Alpha. He sweeps his tongue across his bottom lip, gazing deep into my soul with hooded eyes.

“Midnight.”

My gut clenches. That might be my nickname, but there’s no invitation there, so I offer a nod in response. “Lincoln.”

Our stare-off lasts longer than I expect, and I have to turn my gaze away from his before I drop to my knees and beg to understand where his mindset is. Instead, I turn to Minnie, clearing my throat, fully aware of the vampire who remains two steps to my right.

“Did Blaze tell you I was being discharged?”

Asher captures my attention as he shakes his head. “We never left.”

Guilt takes root deep in my chest as my jaw falls slack and I shake my head, “I’m so sorry.”

Tatum scoffs and gives me a pointed look. “You’re not the one who should be apologizing,” he states, making my pulse thrum through my veins as Blaze claps his hands twice in quick succession.

The temperature in the room suddenly drops even lower.

“I’m glad we can agree on that,” he grunts, earning a snarl from Lincoln, who snaps his gaze in Blaze’s direction.

“Fuck off, Blaze.”

The man under fire simply shrugs, somehow standing taller under scrutiny. Gone is the guy who whispers little secrets about being soft on me, the one offering snippets of what he wants and what he thinks we could be. It’s all disappeared.

“You put her in danger.” The words are heavy, thick, almost choking me as silence deepens, and to my surprise, it’s Wylder who cuts the tension by wagging his finger in the vampire’s direction.

“You have a lot to answer for.”

“Please, hound. I don't answer shit to anyone with fur.”

The snarl on his lips sends a wave of panic through my body as Asher takes a dangerous step toward the vampire. But before anyone can say or do anything, Minnie starts waving her hands in the air to draw everyone's attention to her.

“Guys, Polaris does not need your crap right now. This isn't a pissing contest, and don’t even think about whipping your little dicks out to measure whose is the biggest. We’re not doing that shit right now, and definitely not in front of me. So, back up,” she orders, and Blaze assesses her for a beat before offering her a simple nod.

“You're right.”

“I know,” she says, rolling her eyes as Blaze gives me a pointed look, like her sass is my fault and not a sheer wonder of the world. There's humor in her speech, and I'm clinging to it like a lifeline.

The sound of a cell phone goes off and Blaze sighs as he stuffs his hand in his pocket. He wipes a hand down his face before his gaze settles on me. “I need to leave.” There’s disappointment in his eyes, despite the thick tension in the air. It’s almost as though he would rather stay here and face all of this than deal with whatever demands his attention. But he blinks, and the depth is gone as he turns to look at the wolves filling the room. “Is she going to be safe without my presence?”

“Fuck you,” Lincoln grunts, but Blaze simply cocks a brow at him.

“I can take her with me, but her safety percentage drops.”

“Why?” Minnie asks, and Blaze shakes his head.

“I don't trust you, but I trust her safety in your hands more than the scenario I’m walking into right now.”

“It wouldn't matter if you didn’t,” Asher states, eyes flicking to me like there’s more he wants to say, but he clamps his lips shut.

Blaze pays him no mind as his eyes burn into the side of my face before he earns my attention. “Amica Mea.”

My whole body vibrates at the sound of his nickname for me, and in a second, he closes the three steps between us, gripping my chin to hold my gaze. The wolves track his every move, yet none of them jump in, each waiting to see what he will say and do. “My number is saved in your cell phone under Tuum.”

What the hell is Tuum?

I shake my head slightly, but his grip makes it barely possible. “I won't need it,” I insist, and he grins, unsurprised by my defiance.

“Of course not,” he says with a wink. “But just in case,” he adds, and my heart lodges in my throat, thumping beyond belief.

I’m irritated, desperate to deliver a defiant response, but before I can react, he leans in, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth, leaving tingles in his wake before he's gone again.

He leans back, his eyes locking on to mine. Unspoken words dance in the blue depths of his gaze as a menacing grin curls the corners of his lips. “One more slap for the road?” he murmurs, and I stifle a laugh as I shake my head.

“You would like it too much.”

He runs his tongue over his bottom lip as he takes another step back. He's focused solely on me, as if he’s imprinting me into his memory before he leaves, retreating toward the exit and disappearing from view.

“What the fuck was that?” Lincoln grunts, and Minnie huffs, wrapping her arm around my shoulders as she pulls me against her side, using her free hand to point her finger in the wolf's direction.

“Oh, you can all just fuck off,” she insists, and Wylder stares at her with wide eyes, hands raised in immediate surrender.

“What?”

Minnie scoffs, shaking her head. “You're not bombarding her with your micro penises right now. She needs a break from all the testosterone, and she needs to rest. The only way that's going to happen is with the girls.” She nods, solidifying her decision for good measure.

“Wait,” Asher says, trying to interject, but Minnie pulls us back a step toward the exit.

“No boys allowed.”

Tatum looks at everyone with pleading eyes. “But that's not fair. We're all panicked and worried,” he insists, but Minnie cuts him off with a wave of her hand.

“I don't give a shit. Figure out all of your attitudes before you decide to come near her again.” Her gaze lingers on her brother for an extra second, like there’s a back story there that I’m not aware of, but there’s no time for me to think more on it as she turns to me with a sweet smile like she hasn’t just berated four fully grown wolves so effortlessly. “Come on, bestie. Bryony is waiting for us.”

9

POLARIS

“Ididn't know what you might want to eat, so I got us a bit of everything,” Bryony explains, worry knitting her brows together as Minnie ushers me inside. I smile in appreciation, the enticing aroma filling Bryony’s room as I catch a glimpse of an assortment of pizzas, pastas, burgers, and fries precariously spread across her bed.

The scent alone is enough to cheer me up, but recognizing that my friends did this for me is even more meaningful. “Thanks, Bryony. You really didn't have to.”

Her eyebrows rise comically, nearly reaching her hairline as she places her hand on my arm. “Are you joking? You were hurt; it’s the least I could do.” Her smile falters slightly, but her spirit remains intact. “It seems I’m not privy to the how or why, but I’m glad you’re alright,” she adds, and I catch a glimpse of Minnie out of the corner of my eye.

We agreed to keep much of the information to ourselves for now, especially regarding our initial whereabouts concerning The Crow. The less I think about him at this moment, the better. However, the thought of Bryony possibly being put in harm’s way because she knows more than she should is an even greater fear than confronting the man himself.

Thankfully, the awkward silence eases as we quietly shuffle over to the bed where the food is waiting. I settle at the foot of her bed, which is pushed against the far wall, then grab a slice of pepperoni pizza and take a bite while glancing around her room.

I can feel them tracking my every move while I observe the photos scattered across her walls. Some look hand-drawn, while others are images of Bryony with different people, perhaps family? It feels cozy in here, that’s for sure. The floral print sheets beneath me only add to that.

They let me demolish my first slice of pizza before one of them clears their throat, a question lingering in the air for a moment before Minnie speaks. “So, do you have a scar?”

I reach for a handful of fries, shaking my head as I stuff a few into my mouth. Then, I unzip Blaze’s jacket just enough to reveal where I believe the arrow had been, but not a single trace remains.

Both of their eyes widen in surprise, but it’s Bryony who inches closer, running her thumb over the exposed skin. “How is that possible? Even with witch magic and healing abilities, there should still be markings at this stage.”

I shrug, confused as her hand falls away and I zip up Blaze’s jacket, making a mental note to take it off soon. However, the thought is interrupted by Minnie’s giggles.

“It seems a bit… vampy to me.”

I narrow my eyes at her, popping the rest of my fries into my mouth, but she doesn’t waver as Bryony glances between us.

“Vampy?” she queries, confusion crinkling her nose as I roll my eyes at Minnie’s blatant attempt to change the subject to a topic I'd rather not discuss.

Sighing, I grab another slice of pizza before glancing at Bryony. “She’s talking about Blaze,” I say, taking a huge bite of my pizza and groaning at the deliciousness on my tongue as Bryony’s brows furrow even deeper in confusion.

“Blaze… wait… what? Someone catch me the hell up,” she insists, and Minnie snickers even more.

Another sigh escapes my lips. “That would require me to know where to begin,” I admit before taking another cheesy bite of my food.

“We've got all night,” Minnie insists, stretching out the word ‘all,’ eager to extract the details from me, and I roll my eyes.

“I know, but I'm trying to pretend that this isn’t my life right now,” I admit, looking around the room while taking another bite.

Bryony clears her throat, but I don’t meet her gaze. “Running from it isn't going to make it disappear, Polaris,” she says, and I exhale slowly.

“A girl can dream, though, right?”

I finally look up to see understanding, soft smiles on both of their faces, and we all thankfully let the conversation fade away as we delve into our food. Time slips by as we demolish everything Bryony brought, and once I’m done, I shift on the bed, leaning back against the wall and letting my feet hang off the edge.

“I feel as though I was saved just to come here and die from overeating,” I groan, and they both chuckle at me as the pinging of a cell phone fills the room.

Minnie is the one to pull out her device. The ping is followed by another, and then another, until she is muffling a scream at her screen and tossing her cell phone onto the mattress beside her.

“Everything okay?” I ask, concern growing in my chest when she sighs.

“These boys need to learn to give you space,” she says, her eyes fixed on me, and I snicker.

“They are.”

It’s her turn to roll her eyes, flipping her cell phone over as it pings again. “Well, they need to give me space because of you too,” she insists, and I cringe, finally understanding what she means.

“Sorry about that. Is everything okay?”

She shakes her head vigorously as Bryony tidies up the remnants of our food before either of us can spring into action to help.

“Don't be sorry. Everyone is worried. If anything, I’m secretly shocked they actually let me leave with you,” she states. I can't hide the smile that creeps across my face.

“Honestly, I’m shocked they waited.”

“Shocked? I’m surprised they even left your room. But there really wasn’t a choice in the matter. Not unless you wanted them to burn the place down and face Whitmore too,” she says as Bryony takes a seat on the bed, leaving me reeling from her words.

I knew a lot must have happened while I was out of it; waking up to Blaze at my side was just as shocking to me as it was to them. The realization that they chose to keep the distress to a minimum leaves a strange sensation in my heart.

Bryony clears her throat, cocking her brow at me, and I sense the question lingering on the tip of her tongue before she even speaks. “So… Blaze…”

“No,” I groan, hiding my face in my hands, but all it does is bring the cuffs of the vampire’s jacket to my nose, and I take a deep inhale of his musky scent.

Dammit.

“I thought I was going to live in denial a little longer,” I say with a chuckle, and she smiles in amusement.

“No, we were just letting you eat,” Minnie adds, and I get the feeling they won’t drop the whole thing until I offer them something. But what? I don’t know how to process any of it myself; expressing it to someone, or more someones, who aren’t remotely involved enough to understand the emotions swarming in my gut feels impossible.

Letting my mind drift, I reflect on every interaction I’ve had with the vampire in question, and I find myself drowning in my thoughts. If I believed anyone else was so hot and cold, I was truly mistaken. To the world, when I’m near, he’s openly an ass, without hesitation. Behind closed doors, where even I’m not allowed to remember, he’s… softer, kinder, nicer?

It’s perplexing how parallel the two versions of him are. It raises questions to the point of truly wondering if it’s the same person at all. Yet, that fire in his eyes exists in only one place. You couldn’t replicate that kind of burn twice.

None of it makes sense. He calls me Amica Mea, but I don’t even know what it means. He isolates me from my friends, my… wolves, under the pretense of insisting I heal, but the moment I resist, he gives in, offering a video call with Minnie. He raises a fuss, creating as much distance between the wolves and me as he can, but the second another issue arises, he willingly leaves me in their care. Why?

Damn if I know.

The idea of him even agreeing to offer an explanation is laughable, not plausible.

“Polaris?” Bryony murmurs, tearing me from my thoughts, and I sigh.

“He’s… a lot.”

It’s all I can manage.

Explaining means starting from the beginning, and I still haven’t fully gone through the memories he restored to understand exactly where that is. I want to be mad at him—and deep down I am—but then I think of B and what he’s doing for him because of me. Even worse, there’s a part of me that worries about what forced him to leave.

I didn’t want him to stay.

I don’t want to be near him, but… there’s a sense of safety there I hadn’t realized before.

Fuck.

Shaking my head, I try to focus on my friends, only to find them grinning at me.

“What?”

“I didn’t think it was possible for you to be into anyone else as unhinged as my brother,” Minnie states, and Bryony snickers.

“It seems she has a type,” she adds, and I roll my eyes, but there’s a curl to my lips too.

“Thanks, girls,” I say with a sigh, and Minnie waves her hand.

“But for real, at least they all have good intentions and want to keep you safe.”

My brows gather in confusion. “Yeah, that part's weird,” I admit, and Bryony stares at me in confusion too.

“Which part?”

Minnie hums, tapping her chin knowingly. “She’s been a lone wolf for so long that she doesn’t know what it’s like to be part of something,” she states, leaving me gaping at her; she simply smiles at me smugly.

That’s… an accurate assessment.

“I see your little wolf reference there,” Bryony teases, nudging Minnie’s shoulder, and the pair of them giggle.

There’s definitely something going on between them. It feels easy and carefree, and I can’t help but envy it. Nothing I feel or experience resembles those emotions. It hasn’t since I arrived here. Everything is drenched in pain, anger, or comes with revelations I struggle to come to terms with.

Even now, as they accurately dissect my struggle with the adjustment required to accept that people care, they’re in a bubble of fun while I’m wrestling with the knowledge that this is my reality.

I can handle the fact that the world contains witches, wolves, and vampires, but understanding people actually care for me… that’s far harder to swallow. It doesn't feel real, like I don't deserve it. I can sense both of them staring at me, eager for more gossip, but it feels raw and far too real for it to be fun anymore.

Instead of offering them any further information, I fake a yawn, stretching my arms above my head, inhaling another strong whiff of Blaze’s scent from his jacket before I turn to them with heavy eyes.

“Maybe we can dig deeper into it soon, but right now I'm really tired,” I admit, shuffling off the edge of the bed.

“Of course,” Minnie insists as the pair of them follow me. “I just wanted to make sure you had space and weren’t overwhelmed by everyone,” she explains, and I smile. “Do you want someone to stay with you tonight? Or⁠—”

I shake my head, my smile growing appreciatively at her thought process. “I’m good. Thank you, honestly. Just make sure you get one of the guys to come over here and walk you back, okay?” I say, and she rolls her eyes.

“You say that like they're not waiting outside the building right now.”

I gape at her in disbelief, guilt swarming my gut, but I squash it down the best I can. The people pleasing part of me wants to head downstairs and explain myself, but if I can’t explain anything to my girls, there’s no chance of me explaining it to them.

Instead, I wave my goodbye and step out into the hallway, heading to the bathroom to complete my nightly routine and fix my hair before I clamber up the stairs to my room. As I make my way upstairs, a sense of calmness finally washes over me. I don't feel any pain. I'm not overwhelmed by anyone's proximity. It's just me and my thoughts, which is strange, because that's usually what keeps me up at night, but right now, it offers me a sense of comfort.

Opening my bedroom door, I sigh with relief, letting it close behind me as I switch the light on. I frown when a shadow remains in the room, and my heart lurches.

Panic floods my veins as I follow the tip of the shadow to the owner when one single word fills the room.

“Midnight.”

10

LINCOLN

“What are you doing here, Lincoln?”

I’ve been asking myself the same question for what feels like my entire life, and I still don’t have the answer.

I don’t know why I’m here. I shouldn’t fucking be here, but it seems I’m no longer in control when it comes to her.

I’ll more than likely regret it in the morning. I want to regret it now, but everything I feel inside and can’t express is so far at the opposite end of the scale it’s impossible to deny. So I don’t. I don’t utter another word. Instead, I track her every move as she curls her fingers around her jacket, pinning it tighter to her chest.

“Great talk,” she mutters with a sigh, finally stepping away from the door and slightly closing the distance between us as I remain locked in position, seated at the foot of her bed. “I don’t know what this is, but I don’t have the energy to deal with your bullshit, so please see yourself out,” she adds, wiping a hand down her face.

I can see the exhaustion clinging to her. Fuck, I feel it myself. But the fatigue that clings to me doesn’t intensify when I look at her, it seeps from my veins, luring me in closer.

She looks away from me, and I sense she’s hoping that avoiding me will convince me to get the hell out of here, but I’m not leaving; I can’t. I’ve already come to terms with that. The quicker she realizes it too, the better.

“Would you kick Blaze out if he were here?”

The words spill from my lips in a harsh snarl as my hands ball into fists on my knees.

She freezes in place, her eyes darting back to mine as her brows knit in confusion. “Is that what this is about?”

I don’t waste my breath answering questions she already knows the answers to. I’m wrestling with a lot in my mind—things not even my brothers will fully understand.

I’m the Alpha.

The sole leader, the one with the most responsibility, and with that comes a weight, a pressure no one else can even fathom.

I had to give up control of a situation I didn’t want to lose the reins of, and for what? Some fucking vampire bound to the girl I can’t seem to get out of my head. Guilt burns in my chest, a reminder of the fact that we’re part of the reason she was hurt to begin with, and it only grows more intense when I consider what an ass I’ve been to her. But despite the acid burning at the back of my throat, it doesn’t change my stance. If anything, all of that time in the waiting room has confirmed that factions don’t mix for a reason, because then we don’t have to deal with shit like this.

She sighs again as silence stretches between us, slapping her hands against her sides in defeat. “I can’t with you right now,” she mutters, turning away again, this time focusing on her armoire to my left.

“You’re the one keeping secrets,” I snap as her hand curls around the handle, and she scoffs, humor lacing the sound, but it’s dark and twisted, filled with an anger that I’ve never heard from her before.

“Am I keeping secrets if the memories were hidden from me?” she retorts, glancing over her shoulder at me with a pointed look, which I match with a dark stare of my own.

“Were they?” My jaw clenches, irritation crawling up my spine as she spins around to confront me, trembling with rage as she jabs a finger toward the bedroom door.

“Get out,” she commands, her fury igniting my own as I stand up, but she doesn’t recoil or retreat when I take a step toward her.

“Has he touched you?” The words burn past my lips as I inch closer, encroaching on her space as she backs up against her armoire.

“Get. Out,” she bites, face reddening with every breath as her chest heaves.

Good… get mad, get angry, get on my fucking level.

“Has he kissed you?” I curl my fingers around her throat, flexing them as her eyes widen. It’s not in response to my touch, though. No. That’s just the way her heart hammers harder and faster; her eyes offer a silent answer to the question. “That’s a yes.”

Saying it out loud and not hearing her deny it stirs something within me. I don’t know how to feel. I’m torn between fury and seeing this as the out I’ve been searching for all along—a reason to put distance between us now rather than later. But all I can think in this moment is how I need to claim her, make her mine, and let everyone know I’ve had her. Again.

“What about here?” I rasp, torturing myself just as much as her as I bring my free hand to her chest, cupping her breast through the layers of clothing between us. Her pebbled nipple is still noticeable in spite of the thick fabric.

This time, she shakes her head.

At least she’s being honest with me.

“Here?” I bite, sweeping my hand down her waist and around to the globes of her ass. It earns me another head shake as I rake my fingertips over her hips and nestle between her thighs. She gasps, back arching instinctively as her mouth falls slack, yet her eyes narrow. “What about here, Midnight?” I wait with bated breath as she shakes her head once, breathless as her chest rises and falls in short successions. That’s not enough of an answer this time, though. “Would you let him?”

I cup her pussy through her pants, feeling the faintest flutter, and I get my answer. “That’s a yes,” I hiss, still undecided on how it makes me feel as she scoffs, her throat bobbing against my fingers.

“My body doesn’t know what it wants.”

I grin, desire taking root in my veins as I remove the remaining distance between us so we’re chest to chest, and bring my hand from between her thighs to tuck a loose tendril of hair behind her ear.

“Yeah, it does. Just like it knows what it wants right now,” I mutter huskily, revealing the grip she has on my body. If she notices it, she doesn’t acknowledge it as she attempts to shake her head again.

“No it doesn’t.” She pushes at my chest, trying to prove her point, but I don’t move an inch, and after two failed attempts, she relents with her force but her words push on. “I asked you to leave.”

“And I’m not done being fucking furious with you,” I retort, my answer surprising me just as much as it does her.

The way her eyes widen so brightly is distracting, but it’s the fire that burns deep in her soul that shines through and holds me captive as she sneers at me. “Then honestly, do us both a favor and fuck off.”

She nudges my chest one last time for good measure, but fails just as miserably as before. Instead, her fingers curl in frustration around the fabric of my t-shirt while my fingers flex tighter against her throat, and in the next breath, we collide.

Our breaths mingle for a moment before her lips are on mine. We’re both fighting for dominance and control, something we’re both feeling the lack of in the aftermath of losing it. I win when I tighten my hold on her throat, making her back arch as her mouth falls open and she looks up at me through hooded eyes.

I inch my leg between hers, pressing my thigh against the apex of her thighs, and she grinds against me instantly. Her body reacts as her eyes remain mad, but it’s lust that burns like an inferno in her pools. We’re both fighting fire with fire right now, which is about to be explosive. It’s the kind of mayhem you can’t step away from, the type that leaves you no choice but to head toward the burning sun to feel its heat before you can think straight.

She’s my sun, her desire the flames, and I’m destined to burn at her mercy.

She huffs in frustration, tugging at my t-shirt and bringing my attention back to her eyes before she slams her lips against mine. We’re a barrel of need and twisted desire that knows no bounds as she sweeps her tongue between my lips.

My body moves on its own accord, taking everything from her as I grab her thighs, hoisting her in the air and pressing her back against the armoire again. Her legs tangle around my waist instantly, my needy cock pressed perfectly against her center, and I can feel her heat already.

“You’re an ass,” she snaps, tearing her lips from mine to get the fact off her chest before she’s back again, taking from me just as much as I demand from her.

“And you’re my little fucking whore,” I rasp, my dick pulsing insufferably when she groans in response. “You like that, do you? You like being my whore?” I repeat, feeling her finger nails dig into my flesh through my t-shirt, striking down my back as she grinds against my cock.

Fuck.

“Are you just going to call me one or actually treat me like one?” she whispers, desire coloring her cheeks, and for the third time tonight, I don’t answer. Instead, I pin her to my body, spinning on the spot before throwing her onto her bed. She bounces… once, twice, before she looks up at me with lust darkening her rich blue eyes. “Finally, someone’s going to actually fuck me on a bed,” she mutters, and I sneer at her.

“Pretty little whores don’t get the luxury,” I retort, thinking on the spot as I grab her ankle and tug her to the end of the mattress.

Her center is back in line with my cock again, but I push past the burning desire to plow into her and curl my hand into the front of her jacket instead. “Is this his?” I bite, and she gulps. I silently love how she answers without words, confirming that I know her body better than she does.

I yank at the zipper, revealing only her jacket beneath and the sliver of skin exposed between her breasts.

Fuck.

That’s the fucking valley I’m going to die in.

Blindly, I tug at the layers between us, maneuvering her as necessary until both jackets lie in a crumpled heap at my feet.

The pink hue that coats her cheeks runs down her neck and blossoms over her chest, dancing with the way her breaths rapidly fall from her lips. Before I can get too lost in the beauty before me, I reach for the waistband of her pants and pull her toward me, this time edging back so her ass hangs off the bed. Adjusting my knees, I keep her legs spread so she doesn’t immediately hit the floor as I tighten my hold on the material and tug.

Tearing sounds echo around her room as the fabric falls to the floor in tatters, leaving her in nothing but her socks and boots.

“No panties? Definitely a whore,” I growl, and her fingers curl into the sheets beneath her as her cheeks grow pinker.

It takes all of my willpower not to squeeze my dick and show her just how much she’s driving me crazy right now.

Her pretty pink pussy is on full display, glistening under the glow of her bedroom light as her breaths start to quicken.

“Lincoln,” she whispers, and I shake my head.

“If you want to come, you’ll shut your fucking mouth.”

Her eyes manage to widen but her lips clamp shut, and I immediately hate the silence that deafens me. I want her cries, her pleas, her wails, but my fucking ego decided to do the talking and I can’t back down now.

I snarl, just as angry with myself as I am with her, so I redirect my attention to her center.

With her ass still hanging off the bed, I hold a hand at the base of her spine, leveraging to keep her up as my free hand trails over her sensitive skin. Her clit throbs beneath my touch as I circle my thumb over the tight nub before teasing through her folds, seeking out her core.

Heat engulfs my fingers, evidence of her arousal on my tips as she hums, lips pressed together to hide her cry of pleasure.

I thrust two fingers deep into her pussy, extracting a scream from her lips, one that bounces off the walls, possibly every single one in the entire building, and a salacious grin curls my lips. My eyes latch on to hers, boring deeper as she presses her lips together again, realizing her error.

I still, fingers deep inside her as I cock a brow.

“What did I warn you about that fucking mouth of yours?”

She gulps, and I twist my fingers, watching her eyelids flutter and her grip on the sheets at her sides tighten.

This is fun. Too fucking fun.

“I’m sorry,” she rushes, and I lean over her.

“For what, exactly?”

Her lips part, but no answer comes, so I withdraw my fingers and slam them back inside of her. She writhes beneath me, her face a cloud of emotions. “That’s it, Midnight. Ride my fingers like the whore you are,” I growl, and her hips move faster as her back arches, her body taking complete control.

“Call me that again.”

I wait on bated breath for the rest of her threat to come, but when nothing else is said, I quickly realize it’s not a challenge at all, but a plea. Fuck. A fact confirmed as her eyes narrow on mine. “Please.”

I snarl, hovering so close that her chest is an inch from my chin as I fuck her relentlessly with my fingers. “Come little whore. Come, come, come.”

My teeth latch on to her taut peak at my right and she screams, the sound rippling through my bones as she takes my command and explodes at my touch. Her pussy clenches around my fingers, riding wave after wave of ecstasy, a feeling I can’t get enough of, but before I soften to her presence, I remember my anger and retract my hand a moment later.

She groans, instantly missing the fullness as I stand tall, adjust my knees, and let her fall. She sighs as her ass hits the carpeted floor beneath her, unfazed as she bends her knees. As she leans back against the bed, naked from the ankles up, she’s never looked so fucking hot.

Has he seen her like this?

One single thought and I’m frothing at the mouth with rage again.

Her eyelids are almost closed as she tries to catch her breath, but the reprieve is short-lived as I grab her hair and pull her closer. She gasps, her narrowed eyes finding mine, but it doesn’t last long as I shift her farther forward, so she’s forced to catch herself on her palms.

With one hand nestled in her hair, I turn, opening the door of her armoire to reveal the floor-length mirror hidden inside. I don’t need to say a word as she observes her reflection. I wonder what she thinks she looks like?

Delicious.

Intoxicating.

“Whore,” she breathes, the corner of her mouth tilting up in satisfaction as her eyes latch on to mine in the mirror.

I sink to the floor behind her, friction burning at my knees as my pants grate against the carpet. My hold on her hair tightens, tilting her head back slightly as I admire the arch to her back as she raises her ass in the air for me.

She might be a whore, but I don’t want her any other way. She’s perfect.

The first time I took her, the second… fuck. She was made for me, for us, but admitting that out loud is impossible because now it seems she was made for him too.

Beads of sweat trickle down her spine as I use my free hand to unbutton my pants and reveal my cock. It throbs desperately, and before I can even bring myself to remember or practice safe sex, my dick is enveloped in her heat as I thrust into her in one deep stroke.

She cries out, the sound much more muted now as she adjusts to my length, and my chin falls to my chest as I try to catch my breath.

What in the fuck is that?

No barrier between us… fuck.

Looking at our reflection, I note a similar pink tinge coating my skin too, and I have to sink my teeth into my bottom lip to hold back the impending climax that’s already tingling at the base of my spine.

“Please,” she whispers, leaning forward so her cheek is pressed into the carpet, and I bite back a groan, quickly realizing my hold on her hair has slackened as I got lost in her.

Regaining my composure, I tug at the strands, forcing her to look at her reflection again. “If you want to be called a whore and treated like a whore, then you’re going to watch yourself act like a whore,” I growl, grabbing her waist with my free hand, and she clamps her lips together and nods, the desire shining brighter in her eyes.

Slowly, I pull out and slam straight back into her pussy, and by the third thrust, she’s trying to match my rhythm. I increase my pace and put more force behind every slam of my hips as the therapeutic sound of our skin slapping together fills the room.

My breath comes in short, sharp pants as my hand slips from her waist to the small of her back, grappling for purchase as I slam into her again and again.

“Fuck,” I croak, sweat clinging to every inch of me as I feel her bare for the first time, while watching her reaction from every angle. It’s too much and not enough all at once.

She hears my grunt and meets my next thrust with more strength and my cock loves it, seeking her out desperately, but I’m not entirely done with her yet.

“Touch yourself, Polaris. Bring yourself over the edge with me.” She shakes her head, eyeing me nervously in the mirror. “Don’t tell me my little whore doesn’t know how to pleasure herself. Don’t tell me you’ve never touched yourself thinking of me, of my brothers,” I add, watching her pupils dilate as I tug tighter on her hair and fuck her recklessly.

Nervously, she lifts her right hand, bringing it to her throat first before slowly running her fingertips over her collarbone, down between the valley of her breasts, before tracing over her stomach and finding her clit eagerly waiting.

She exhales, running her tongue over her bottom lip as I slap her ass for good measure. She groans at the contact, and I run my palm over the reddening flesh, easing the sting as I plow into her again and again.

“Don’t make me command it again, Midnight.”

The warning is clear, her fingers speed up, drawing tight circles around her clit six times before her eyes roll to the back of her head and her pussy squeezes my cock desperately. Her release coats my length, ecstasy firing through my veins as she pulses around me, but before I do something I’ll regret, I pull out. A red sex-induced haze clouds my vision as my dick pulses, but before the first spray releases, I grab the black fabric to my right, catching every ounce of my release as I groan.

Silence clings to the air, our ragged breaths the only sound as we come down from the highest of highs, greeted far too quickly with reality as I look at the material in my hands.

Slipping my cock away, I adjust myself and stand, looking down at Polaris’s wrecked form on the floor. Her eyes are on mine in the mirror still, understanding clear on her face as I hold the fabric covered in my cum.

“I’ll destroy everything he offers you, Midnight. Luckily for you, this was something as simple as a jacket.” I let it fall at my feet, stepping over her as the rage quickly settles in my gut again. It’s no longer tainted by the desire I have for her. Not for now at least.

“Don’t go.” Her words are nothing more than a breath of air as I reach her bedroom door, freezing me in place as my heart thunders in my chest. I don’t say anything, but I don’t move either, prompting her to call out my name. “Lincoln.”

I glance back over my shoulder. To do what, I don’t know, but she must sense the walls are back in place because she stands, making no effort to hide herself from me as she sighs.

“If you leave, this is it. It’s the last time because I can’t do this with you anymore. I’m supposed to be strengthening myself so I can try and fucking survive this place, but you’re tearing me down time and time again.”

Her words are like bullets straight to my heart, but the door handle turns in my grasp.

“I mean it, Lincoln. I swear it,” she promises, but I don’t see the anger in her eyes because I turn away, stepping over the threshold and letting the door swing shut behind me.

A scream haunts me from the other side of the wood, leaving me to wonder what the fuck I’ve just done.

11

POLARIS

Dear Diary,

Men are dumb. Like, dumb dumb.

Why do I like assholes? I’m starting to think it’s a me issue and not a them issue because I can’t help but attract them, but worse than that, I crave their attention.

They’re not all assholes, but the balance is real.

I joked that Blaze could give Lincoln a run for his money when it came to his attitude, but it seems Lincoln is hot on Blaze’s heels for doing what he pleases without actually considering my feelings.

Knowing everything I know now, as jumbled as it still is, I think it’s clear to see that our lives are even more entangled than any of them could imagine. Especially Tatum and Blaze; they both hold the same coin I do.

It feels important, and I think I need to talk to one of them about it. Maybe Tatum, he’s the safer option. Either way, I’ll be sure to be back here tonight to report whether I’ve had to knee anybody in the balls or not.

Polaris x

Setting my diary on my nightstand, I exhale slowly, trying to gain control over my rambling thoughts. I was hoping writing something down would help clear them, but it seems I’m not at the root cause yet because I’m still a mess. Maybe that’s more to do with the ache that lingers between my thighs than anything else, but I refuse to dwell on that fact. Not after I gave Lincoln an ultimatum and he left regardless.

Maybe I shouldn’t have done that. Maybe I should regret trying to force his hand, but I can’t deal with the games any longer. I’m more than just my body, and that’s all he seems to want.

Desperation and frustration cling to my thoughts, forcing me from my bed and over to my armoire. I don’t look at my reflection as I pull out my clothes, the visual that played in the mirror last night is still too vivid for me to unsee it.

Choosing a pair of leggings and a tank top, I opt for an oversized sweater to finish off the ensemble, aware I’ve got combat this morning. Maybe the exercise will help me.

I twist my silver locks into a bun and secure it in place on top of my head, instantly remembering I could have gone with something prettier if I had used my magic. I could blame my brain fog, but it’s no excuse. I’m still adjusting to being a witch, but since there’s still so much else going on, it’s not getting my full attention.

My gaze finally latches on my reflection and I stand up taller, nodding at myself as I silently vow to do better. I’ve said it a million times already, but after Lincoln left last night, I’m back to being reminded that I can’t keep putting others at the top of my priority list if I’m not on theirs.

I’m going to survive this place if it’s the last thing I do. It’s time to start being selfish. I don’t know why I stopped. Maybe it was the attention, maybe it was the idea of friends, or maybe… there are far too many ‘maybes’ to consider and I just need to focus on the facts.

I’m a witch—a mind witch—and I better start acting like one.

Reaching for my sand, I take a pinch and whisper the words along my tongue, watching as my hair unravels, twisting into a neat French braid running down my back. Satisfied, I tuck my pouch of sand into my pocket and reach for my bag. My grimoire weighs it down, but the pull against my shoulder as I secure the straps in place works as a reminder of what is important today.

As I reach my bedroom door, all set to make a pit stop at the bathroom before heading out, a jolt of nerves runs through my body. I’m sure my day won’t be calm. Not with the wolves, and certainly not with Blaze, but the need for some form of normalcy prevails.

I consider texting Bryony, but decide to go in search of her instead. So I take a deep breath, ready to face the day ahead. Swinging the door open, I only take half a step before I’m frozen in place.

My heart lurches into my throat, my pulse ringing in my ears as I blink profusely at the sight in the hallway. A gasp rasps from my lips as my hand slams against my chest and the sound alerts the sleeping man propped up against the wall across from my bedroom door.

Not just any man.

The man at the top of my hate list.

“You’re ready,” he mutters, swiping a hand down his face before he slowly rises to his feet.

I clear my throat, easing the tightness in my chest. “And you’re… here.”

Guilt sweeps across his face for the briefest second, a look completely out of place compared to his normally thunderous expression. He leans back against the wall, eyes looking anywhere but at mine as he scrubs at the back of his neck. “My ego wouldn’t let me knock on your door, but…”

My pulse quickens once again as the silence stretches out between us. But I remember my pep talk from moments ago and attempt to encourage him along.

“But…”

His eyes meet mine, hooded and conflicted.

“But nothing.” He lifts his head with the declaration, or lack thereof, and I scoff, remembering the man I’m dealing with.

“So to clarify, you’re here because my words meant something to you, but it does nothing to stop you being a total ass?” I clarify, and he rolls his eyes.

“Are we heading for breakfast or not?”

Oh, hell no. I’m not doing this. “I am, you can do as you please,” I state, moving to step past him, but his hand wraps around my arm instantly.

My eyes snap to his as he sighs. “I couldn’t leave.”

I can’t deny the fact that my heart rate accelerates at the verbal acknowledgment, but there has to be more to it than that. “I’m aware, Lincoln.”

He nods, uncertainty dancing in his eyes as he releases his hold on me. “I still left your room.”

I think he’s searching for clarity on where we stand right now, but that’s not something I can offer. I didn’t expect to see him here, not after the way he left.

“Also aware,” I reply, the words sharper than I intend.

“Midnight,” he breathes, lifting his hand toward me again, but I step away, avoiding his touch. “You’re supposed to answer me,” he murmurs, and I scoff.

“And you’re supposed to actually ask a question. On top of that, you’re supposed to be mature and learn that you don’t just get everything you want because you say so.”

“That sounds ridiculous,” he grumbles, and the fact that there’s not even a slight hint of humor or amusement in his voice confirms he’s still not ready to pull his head out of his ass.

I consider starting a tally of kneeing assholes in the balls, but decide my words seem to stick better when it comes to him.

“Do you know what else is ridiculous, Lincoln?” I ask, swiftly proceeding before he has a second to respond. “Leaving like you did last night. Now it seems we’re both dealing with the consequences of your actions.”

I spin on my heels and march for the stairs before he can say another word. Or even worse, I let him fuck away the memory of him abandoning me again.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Bryony asks, keeping pace at my side as I storm away from the witches' dorms. Thankfully, she was in the common area waiting for me, but the second I didn’t stop, she knew something wasn’t quite right.

“I’m great,” I insist, my voice lighter than usual, giving me away, and she offers me a pointed look.

“You don’t seem great.”

I roll my eyes but remain focused on heading to the dining hall. “There’s an asshole trailing us who can probably hear everything I have to say and he doesn’t deserve the insight,” I grumble. Bryony glances over her shoulder and, just as expected, two words ring in my ears a moment later.

“I can.”

“See,” I exclaim with wide eyes, pointing my thumb back at the asshole in question while Bryony blinks at me in confusion.

“Wait… what have I missed?”

Before I have a chance to answer, I spy Minnie waiting by the double doors. Even among the sea of people darting in every direction, I still spot my friends easily. Any joy and relief I feel from seeing her is short lived as she glances over my shoulder and a grin spreads across her lips.

I offer her a tight smile as I approach, but again, I don’t slow down. It doesn’t stop her from flanking my other side as she nudges my shoulder.

“Hey, are you the reason my brother didn’t come home last night?”

My cheeks heat as I continue to stomp my way toward the dining hall, the smell of food making my stomach growl with need. “I’m going to be the reason your brother is castrated,” I offer, and she barks a laugh.

“No fun, that’s my joke, but for real, what the hell happened? You left last night and⁠—”

I slam to a stop at the doors leading into the dining hall, whirling around to face her with a serious look. “I’m not talking about this with you.”

Her eyebrows crinkle in confusion for a second before understanding washes over her face. “Oh, ew, that’s probably for the best.”

Bryony snickers to my right, and I shake my head at them, acutely aware of the tingles at the back of my neck, confirming the fact that Lincoln is still near.

Before meeting Bryony, I slipped into the bathroom, panicked he was going to follow me in, but to my surprise, he waited outside. When I crossed his path again, he kept his mouth shut and his hands to himself. Is it bad that I think my frustration and rage grew stronger with the fact?

Even now I want his hands on me.

Fuck.

Minnie links her arm through mine, tugging me to the right, and my steps falter until I manage to draw to a stop at the end of the long wolves’ table.

“You’re sitting with us, right?” Minnie asks, and I freeze, my cheeks still burning as I feel as though every single person in here is watching me.

They’re not, I know they’re not, but I have the gut feeling that the wolves are, and a particular vampire, too.

“Actually, I⁠—”

Liquid splashes in my face at full force, stiffening my spine and drenching me. My lips part as I glance to the left, searching out where the hell the source came from to find a wolf sneering at me.

Fuck.

“What the fuck, Bianca?” Minnie snarls, beating me to it as I remain frozen in place, covered in a sticky orange substance. Maybe orange juice isn’t quite my favorite anymore.

“I’m done with this bitch thinking she can take what’s mine. Agreements aren’t to be broken. Wylder is mine, and if you even think about coming anywhere near the fucking wolves’ table, I’ll do more than throw a drink on you. Do you understand?” Every word from her lips has her taking a step toward me until we’re toe to toe.

Her eyes swirl with gold flecks as she gets in my face, but before my mind can compute an answer of any kind, my body decides to do the talking.

My fingers trail over the rim of a silver tray and I swipe it from the table, feeling the contents of food tumble onto the wood. But I don’t pay it any mind as I lift it in the air and smash it across her face. The sound echoes around the room, ringing in my ears as the entire place falls silent, another embarrassing scene unraveling around me.

Bianca screams, hand planted against her face as she stumbles back a step, but before she has the opportunity to retaliate, Lincoln steps between us, blocking me from her view.

I’m done with this bullshit from her. I don’t know what fucking agreement she’s talking about, and Wylder has never hinted at the fact that he’s hers, so why am I having to deal with any of this?

My chest heaves with every breath as the ringing in my ears subsides and I realize what I just did. My hand flies to my mouth as I gape in horror. “I didn’t mean to do that,” I mutter, spying Bryony still on my right, but before she gets a chance to respond, there’s a voice behind me.

“Yeah you did, Amica Mea.”

Tingles zip up my spine as I glance over my shoulder to find Blaze a breath away from me. There’s a hint of amusement in his eyes, but it’s paired with a slightly puzzled expression.

“You can fuck off too,” I snap, refusing to deal with him as well. My morning has been filled with enough and I haven’t even managed to eat yet.

“Need another?” he offers, nodding to the table, and I shake my head.

I side step him as I inch away from the wolf table. Bianca glowers at me and the guilt I felt moments ago washes away as I straighten my spine and stand as tall as I can, despite the juice still clinging to my clothes.

“I’m taking my breakfast to go.”

12

POLARIS

Idon’t see what my choice of breakfast is until I flop down on a patch of grass outside. I’m running on adrenaline. It feels like I’m going crazy. There has to be something wrong with me.

Maybe instead of acting like that I could have channeled a calmer version of myself and thought about the repercussions of my actions. Even more so, maybe I should have considered that Blaze was right there.

Fuck.

I’m not going back now. I’ve already made a show of myself.

Before I indulge in the croissant I grabbed in the middle of my grand exit, I steal a pinch of sand from my pouch and whisper under my breath. I exhale the moment I feel clean again.

Somewhat satisfied, or as satisfied as I know I’m going to feel, I take a bite of my pastry and my shoulders sag with a mixture of ease and defeat. Before I can digest my thoughts, a shadow casts over me, and I look up to find Minnie and Bryony hovering beside me.

I shake my head instantly, waving my hand for added measure. “You don’t have to⁠—”

“Please, you’re lucky it’s only the two of us. Wylder and Tatum were hot on our heels, but I didn’t want to overwhelm you,” Minnie states, taking a seat to my left while Bryony flanks my right.

A warmth blossoms in my chest, but I feel guilty for its existence. “You shouldn’t have had to do that, I’m sorry,” I murmur, and she cocks a brow at me.

“We’re besties, remember? Besides, it didn’t come without a sacrifice. Be prepared to be bombarded by them later. I put your magical kitty cat up for grabs as payment.”

“You did what?” I screech, eyes wide in surprise as she cackles, Bryony joining in.

“I mean it must be magical the way they’re all tripping over themselves to get in there,” she retorts with a wink, and I roll my eyes.

“That’s gross.”

“Maybe,” she breathes, a smile still lingering on her face as she takes a bite of her own pastry.

The silence that lingers is comforting, but only because they’re patiently waiting for me to speak. I take a few more bites of my croissant before I relent. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Shouldn’t you have?” Minnie replies, cocking a brow at me once again, and I shake my head.

“No, I…”

I try to find the right thing to say, but that only makes the victorious glimmer in her eyes shine brighter before she speaks.

“What’s up, Polaris? Can’t come up with an excuse for why she didn’t deserve to be smashed in the face for being a bitch?” she encourages, and I sigh, glancing down at my lap.

“When you put it like that,” I mumble, struggling to find a reason to defend her, but it still doesn’t stop the guilt from settling in my gut.

“I’m going to be straight with you, are you ready?” Bryony interjects, and Minnie cheers her on.

“Yes, that’s it. Bring it to her, lay some truth on us. Let’s boost her confidence,” she hollers, and despite the seriousness in Bryony’s eyes, there’s a hint of humor that lingers among the three of us.

Minnie always has the ability to lighten the air around her. I just hope my darkness doesn’t overshadow her to the point of extinction. With that thought in mind, I sit taller and nod. “Hit me with it, even if I don’t think I’m ever ready for what comes out of either of your mouths,” I muse, keeping the air light as we all grin at one another.

Bryony stands, wringing her hands in front of her as she settles her attention on me. “Our life was destined for disaster before we were even born. We can’t control the blood that runs through our veins or the curse that imprisons us. We also can’t really control the fact that we’re here, bound to one another. What we can control is how we choose to live the time guaranteed to us. Once our birthdays roll around, everything is out the window. It becomes a dog-eat-dog world and I hate to break it to you, but you need to realize this before you’re swept up in it without a single chance.”

“Yes, I agree,” Minnie adds enthusiastically with a clap. “Especially the dog-eat-dog reference. Stellar. You’re taking good pointers from me, I like it.” I let the words sink in, the truth palpable. She’s reiterating my own thoughts and I need to really absorb them now or I may as well give up and not bother to waste my energy. “Besides, she deserved to get smashed in the face. She deserves a hell of a lot more if you ask me, but that brings us right back around to the curse looming over all of us because ending her ends another,” Minnie says, eyes narrowed in anger, and I hum my agreement.

“You’re right.”

“I know, I’m glad you’re catching up, but for real, Polaris. You have to stand your ground and you have to be willing to do whatever it takes,” Minnie repeats, backing Bryony’s words, and I nod.

“Thank you.”

“Great, so my pep talk worked?” Bryony checks, and I nod again.

“Perfect, so tonight… girl plans or group plans?” Minnie asks, and I frown.

“I thought you put my magical kitty cat up for offer?” I reply, giving her a pointed look, and she snickers as she waves me off.

“Please, I always get my own way. Girls or group?” she repeats, and I rub my lips together in thought.

“The difference is…”

“Just the three of us or everyone else too.”

“I don’t know, maybe I should buckle down on my grimoire,” I reply, worried she won’t like my answer, and the way her eyebrows crinkle confirms she’s not sold on the fact.

“There’s plenty of time for that too,” Bryony interjects, and I offer a tight smile.

“Not if I want to catch up.”

Minnie sighs dramatically, flopping back on the grass to look up at the sky. “I don’t like it when you’re right.”

The worry eases in my chest. I don’t know when I got my own emotions so entangled in others, but I need to get out of this. One step at a time. I sigh too, but instead of getting comfortable on the grass, I rise to my feet. “Me either.”

“But we need plans, and soon. All work and no play makes for a boring life,” Minnie insists, and I nod, but before I have a chance to respond, the bell chimes, confirming it’s time to head over to combat.

Offering her my hand, Minnie slaps her palm against mine and I haul her to her feet. The crowd starts to thicken around us as everyone else filters from the dining hall, but before I can get overwhelmed, Minnie links her arm through mine and tugs me along to our next class.

I silently thank the gods for putting this girl in my path again. Without her and Bryony, I don’t know if I would be here right now. And even if I was, my sanity level would be questionable.

“Is your wolf’s bane in place?” Minnie asks as we near the combat field and I nod.

“Yeah, why?”

She gives me a pointed look. “I might think Blaze is brilliant for you, but I don’t trust him with your mind just yet,” she explains, and I nod. I’m unsure what to actually make of her statement, but before I can think too much on it, Professor Drummond is calling out for everyone’s attention.

“Pair off in your usual couples. Let’s work on challenging each other today, yeah?”

I mutter my goodbyes to the girls and edge over to the usual mat I take with Wylder. Dropping my bag at the edge, I take off my sweater and place it over the top.

“Hey, Little Witch.” Wylder’s breath brushes over my ear as he looms behind me and I shiver at his close proximity.

Spinning to face him, I don’t get a chance to speak a single word before he wraps me up in his arms, sighing as he rocks us from side to side.

“Hey, Wylder,” I rasp, barely able to breathe, but the feel of his arms around me causes all of my worries to melt away.

He releases me all too quickly and I immediately miss the warmth of his embrace.

“What’s that for?” I ask, nervously twisting my hands together as I take him in and he gives me a pointed look.

“Just breathing you in,” he says with a shrug, stealing my breath so effortlessly.

“Breathing me in,” I repeat, more to myself than anything, and the corner of his mouth tips up at the side before he leans in.

I shiver at the press of his lips against my ear. “Totally fucking hot this morning, Little Witch. It’s not every day I get hard watching someone get hit in the face, but when you’re the one doing it, it’s impossible not to.”

My mouth dries as I try and struggle to gulp.

This man is a hazard.

“Wylder,” I breathe, unable to form a whole sentence, and he leans back, winking for good measure.

Accepting my inability to speak, I rake my eyes over him instead. His light, cropped hair begs for me to run my fingernails through it, while his hazel eyes hold promise of all the sinful things running through his mind. I know without asking that each and every one of them involves me, and my thighs press together.

“I’ve fucking missed you, Polaris. You’ve been injured, and not to be selfish, but I’ve felt left out. If Minnie gets her way, she’ll have you all to herself for the rest of eternity. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen, yeah?” He tucks a loose tendril of hair behind my ear and I blush, a mixture of his words and the realization that when I rid the juice from my body, I didn’t consider if my hair was messy now that it’s coming undone.

Clearing my throat, I try to calm my heart rate, but hearing him so openly express himself, in comparison to the mess I dealt with last night and this morning with Lincoln, is refreshing and impossible to downplay. “Eternity, huh? That’s a long time,” I murmur, and my breath hitches as he places his hand on my waist, tugging me in closer.

“Not when it comes to you. Even eternity wouldn’t be enough time with you, Little Witch.”

Slay me dead.

When a man bigger than me in every sense of the word speaks softly, promise in his tone, I’m certain the angels at the pearly gates await me. That’s the only thing that would explain such ecstasy from words alone, especially when everything else that surrounds me is drenched in a darkness that refuses to leave.

I press the palm of my hand to his chest as I run my tongue over my bottom lip, but his eyes dart from mine the second I inch closer. From the crinkle that forms between his brows, whatever has his attention isn’t good.

Understanding washes over me the moment I glance over my shoulder and a glaring vampire slowly walks past us. Wylder’s hand flexes at my waist and I quickly turn away from Blaze before he has the chance to try and speak to me.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, and Wylder instantly captures my chin, tilting my head back so he can look into my eyes.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Because if things weren’t complicated enough, they just reached new heights,” I say with a sigh, and he scoffs.

“If you don’t think I can take him then you vastly underestimate me. Get that fucker in the ring and I’ll show him a good time,” he states with extra fire in his words, and I shake my head.

“That wouldn’t be necessary.”

It’s weird and awkward. I’m not blind to the fact that factions are usually separated. I’m not unaware of the fact that it feels like whatever this is between us, as intoxicating as it is, is likely to come with an expiration date. Wylder’s never promised me anything, none of them have, so I shouldn’t apologize for Blaze, but, I can’t help it.

“Minnie said you have your memories back,” he broaches, and I hum. He searches my eyes, looking deep into my soul. “Good or bad?”

I blink at him for a second, surprised by his question. “It depends. Both, maybe? There’s a lot for me to process, some things that may be relevant to you guys too, but as much as I want to reveal everything to you all, I’m aware that your loyalties lie with one another, just like his loyalties lie with himself. I need to be careful.”

“You don’t trust me.” There’s a tinge of hurt in his tone, and my tight smile does nothing to ease the tension bunching his neck muscles together.

“I do, just not as much as I need to trust myself, and even that’s questionable some days.”

“You want my loyalty?”

My eyes widen. “Wylder, I⁠—”

“I’ll give you my loyalty hands down,” he interjects, his voice projecting beyond the confines of the bubble our bodies have created, and I shake my head.

“I’m aware of factions and⁠—”

“I’ll mark the fuck out of you,” he interrupts again, his jaw now tight as his eyes storm with need and urgency.

“Wylder,” I breathe, but he shakes his head.

“This is serious, Polaris.”

“It must be if you’re using my actual name.” I try to ease the tension, just like Minnie does, but he rolls his eyes.

“You’re picking up too much sass from Lincoln. We’re going to have to rein that in.”

My cheeks heat as I take a deep breath. “You’re drawing attention to us,” I mumble, and he scoffs.

“Is that a problem?” The challenge is clear in his tone, and if I don’t watch myself, he’s about to get louder, and that’s the last thing I want or need.

“It is when the rest of us are trying to fight and you’re practically pissing on her leg like the lovesick puppy you are.”

My gaze snaps to the left, following the familiar voice, but instead of the usual wolf ready to come at me, it’s a vampire instead.

“Nobody asked for your opinion, you fucking jacked up mosquito,” Wylder grunts, and Sian rolls her eyes as she folds her arms over her chest.

“Oh my gosh that hurt my feelings so much,” she says dramatically, and my chest tightens. As soon as I feel relief and contentment, something else comes along to remind me how fucked up my life is. I’ll rest in Hell, I guess.

“Sian,” I mutter and she sneers at me.

“Don’t say my name. Why are you even looking at me? I bet you have something to do with Terence going missing, don’t you?” My gaze snaps to Blaze a few steps behind her at the mention of T, but the unfazed expression on his face tells me Sian isn’t privy to anything relating to him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sian,” I state, bypassing the fact that she’s causing a scene, then complaining that she has my attention. If I rise to her like I rose to Bianca, I’ll never make it to the end of the day.

Thankfully, Professor Drummond appears to our right, clearing her throat. “Are you done making a scene?”

“Ask her,” Sian grunts in response, and I lift my hands in surrender.

Blaze chooses that moment to step forward, a cocksure grin on his face. “If the witch is done playing⁠—”

“Keep her name out of your goddamn mouth,” Wylder snarls from behind me, his chest pressed against my back, and I take strength from his warmth.

“With pleasure,” he spits, glaring at me before turning away like I don’t exist once again.

Professor Drummond gives me a stern stare before stalking off, and I sag with relief once everyone gets back to their own business.

“It’s okay, Little Witch. Let’s work on those moves so you can snap his fucking neck,” Wylder whispers against my ear, and my pulse spikes.

I want the moves, but why don’t I want to use them against Blaze?

13

POLARIS

“Do you want me to come in with you?” Wylder asks, his arm draped over my shoulder, cocooning me in his warmth. Despite how much I love it, I shake my head as I look up at him.

Standing outside of Professor Juniper’s class, I sense a few students give us a questioning glance as they walk by, completely aware of the witch caught in the wolf’s den. The last thing I need is him stepping inside with me too.

“Don’t you have your own class to attend?” I respond, and he shrugs. There’s a feeling to that gesture, one that shakes me to my core. One that understands he would skip it for me.

Like he thinks I’m worthy of that.

“If you need me, I’m here,” he offers, his words much lighter than the message his actions are sending, and my body hums with delight.

When I don’t respond right away, too caught up in the unspoken revelation, he glances down at me with furrowed brows and I quickly brush it off. “I’m fine, honestly,” I add for good measure, even though I want to deepen my addiction to him.

“She needs the space to think,” Bryony calls out, appearing at my side. She isn’t wrong about that, but knowing it’s visible to others makes me dip my chin in a failed attempt to hide my burning cheeks.

“Shut up, Bryony, or I’ll say something like that to Minnie,” Wylder retorts, causing me to gasp in surprise. I look up just in time to see Bryony glare at him before rushing inside.

As the queen of blushing, I’m sure there was pink coloring her cheeks as well. Wylder chuckles to himself as I glance up at him.

“You noticed that too?”

A smirk stays on his face as he glances down at me. “I notice anything and everything that might affect you, Little Witch.” Another shrug. It’s as if he doesn’t recognize the effect his words have on me.

“Me?” I breathe, and he cocks his brow.

“They’re your two closest female friends. They don’t come close to me,” he adds with a wink, pulling me closer against his side. But when he notices the puzzled look on my face, he elaborates. “I don’t want them to do something foolish that could hurt you down the line.”

I may not even be here then. I suppress my initial thought, but it lingers in my mind. I definitely won’t survive if my mind constantly wanders to the negatives instinctively.

“I’ll come find you for lunch, okay?” Wylder murmurs.

I rub my lips together nervously, recalling what happened in the dining hall at breakfast, and my stomach twists. “I’m not sure if⁠—”

“I’ll sit outside with you if I need to. Damn, I’ll get them to set up a whole table just for us in the dining hall if necessary,” he declares, dropping his arm from my shoulders to face me directly, placing a hand on either side of me as he looks me straight in the eyes. “But please, Polaris, don’t push me away anymore. It’s tearing me apart.”

I gulp as his words floor me once again, and he leans forward to press a kiss on my forehead before disappearing into the crowd of students filtering off in every direction.

Any chance I have to decipher how he makes me feel vanishes when I hear someone clearing their throat, pulling me from my thoughts. I find Professor Juniper giving me a pointed look from her position at the classroom door.

Her arms are crossed over her chest, her circular glasses resting on the tip of her nose and her hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail. None of this is any different from usual, except for the way her lips purse in distaste.

“Playing games with other factions isn’t a good idea, Polaris.”

My eyebrows rise in shock, but instead of allowing embarrassment to creep up my spine and take control, I meet her disapproving stare with one of my own. “I didn’t realize that was any of your concern.”

I try to step around her to enter the classroom, but she blocks my path. “It’s not. But as a member of the Serenity coven, I⁠—”

I lift my hand, cutting her off before she continues to spew her opinions at me. “I’m going to stop you right there because I don’t need your advice, nor do I want it.”

I’m trembling inside as I push past her and enter the classroom. Bryony is already in her seat, but she’s too busy whispering with Foster to notice the drama I’m caught up in. Instead of letting the stress linger, I drop into my seat with a huff and pull out my grimoire.

When Professor Juniper closes the classroom door and takes her usual spot at the front of the class, ignoring me, I feel relieved.

A thrill pulses down my spine knowing that I stood up for myself. Or was it because I didn’t want her to speak poorly about Wylder? Either way, I feel empowered. Now, if only I could execute that level of attitude and confidence with everyone else.

“Again, Polaris.”

My breaths rasp between clenched teeth, my chest rising and falling in quick, sharp pants as exhaustion clings to every inch of my body.

“I can’t.” It’s hard enough for me to say the simple words, never mind what she’s actually asking.

“You have to,” she snaps back. She’s not handling it calm and collected now. No. Her anger and lack of control are fully visible, and I’m at the center of it.

It seems my earlier attitude toward the professor has come back to bite me. We’re no longer taking private lessons in her back room. Instead, she has me on full display in front of the entire class.

My shoulders sag as I struggle against the chokehold my magic has me in, but that doesn’t matter to Juniper. “Do as I taught you. Read the room, Polaris. Feel it, feel everyone,” she calls out, her shadow looming over me as she circles around, making me even more of a spectacle for the room as everyone watches.

The desks have been pushed aside and used as seats for the other students to watch my torture, which is precisely what this is.

“I’m trying,” I grind out, and she scoffs.

“Not hard enough.”

I want to cry. I’m sure the sweat dripping down my face probably makes it look like I already am, but I’m not. I don’t think.

The sand in my hand isn’t enough; I feel like I need to immerse myself in it, and even then, it won’t magically compel me to do what she wants.

Completing another lap around me, she comes to a stop within my line of sight. Her nostrils flare as she purses her lips and points a finger in my direction. “As a mind witch, as the center, you must be able to control your ability to read the room.”

Anger boils through my limbs.

“All I can sense is you,” I snap back. It’s the truth. I’ve definitely learned something today, but it’s just not what she wants. Maybe she knows I won’t be able to reach the peak she’s demanding; she just wants to watch me suffer trying.

“Not good enough,” she barks, and I’m sure I hear someone snicker. More than that, I can feel it in my chest, just a twinge, but it’s hard to confirm over the fury radiating from Juniper.

“Give her a break. She needs to breathe,” Bryony calls out, coming to my defense for the second time since this all began, and Juniper’s angry stare whips her way.

“No, she needs to learn.”

“She’s not learning anything like this,” Bryony insists, but Juniper pays her no mind as she turns back to me.

“You need to focus, Polaris. Try again.” I blink, the movement sluggish as the weight of the world descends with the closing of my eyelids, but forcing them back open is even more difficult. “Say the motions out loud as you perform them. Draw strength from it,” she adds, and I sigh in resignation.

“Sand,” I start, clenching my fist tightly around the grains clumped together in my hand. “Close my eyes,” I add, breathless as I follow my own command. The room goes dark, but the rigidness that pains my limbs doesn’t subside like it did the first time I tried. Now, I’m locked into a state of despair, and it’s not helping my abilities.

“Explore the darkness,” Juniper calls out, and I want to scream at her to shut the hell up, but it won’t do any good; I’ve already told her three times to no avail.

Instead, I follow her instructions, my head pulsating with every beat of my heart as I navigate the darkness.

“Memores. Cogitationes. Intentio.”

Three words on repeat, just a movement of my lips without sound at this stage, but it helps tremendously.

It feels like I’m back in that moment when Blaze and the wolf were fighting on the lawn. Back then, I was scared and confused about what was happening to my body. Now, I can sense the emotions and feelings in the room, just as I did so intensely in that moment; yet instead of being overwhelmed by sensations I couldn’t understand, I remain grounded. Strong.

Light flickers across the backs of my eyelids and a pale shadow casts over the darkness, mirroring the energy in the room. The students are wisps in my mind. All white. Only Juniper stands out in a different color.

Red.

She’s taught me the colors to watch for.

Blue for calm.

Green for fear.

Yellow for love.

Red for rage.

She’s burning with it.

It’s so bright that no one else exists beyond the white outline in comparison, which apparently means nothing to her.

“What do you see?”

“Just you,” I grind out, my body aching with tension as she huffs, and even the illusion of her in my mind slaps her hands at her sides, just as I assume the woman before me does, the sound echoing around me.

“Take five.”

I collapse onto the floor, my knees buckling under me, but I manage to catch myself on my palms.

“Are you okay?” Bryony asks a moment later as I feel a hand on my back. I don’t waste energy tilting my head to look at her. I’m drained, completely spent, and— “Shit, ignore me. Stupid question,” she mutters. Despite the disaster I’m drowning in, a whisper of a smile skims my lips for a moment. “Here, I’ve got some water for you.”

A cool bottle presses against my arm and I lift my hand blindly to take it from her. Thankfully, I hear her twist the lid before bringing it to my lips, sighing with relief as the icy liquid touches my tongue.

“Thank you,” I rasp, finally managing to pry my eyes open again, and she offers me a tight smile.

“If it makes you feel any better, she used to do this to Lucille a lot too.”

“It doesn’t make me feel any better,” I reply honestly with a defeated smile.

“Let’s go, Polaris. You’ve had enough time. All you’re doing here is making a spectacle of yourself,” Juniper grunts, and my gaze snaps to hers, my neck tightening from the quick movement.

“I’m pretty sure that if you backed off, there wouldn’t be a spectacle,” I grumble back, handing the water bottle to Bryony as I force myself to stand. She shakes her head as if I’m wrong, but I know I’m right.

She revealed my magical abilities to the entire class, letting everyone know I’m a mind witch. I saw the look exchanged between Bryony and Foster, and I hated it, but I hate the fact that I’m sure she’s doing this on purpose even more—for that exact reason.

Knowing she did this to Lucille doesn’t do anything to ease the tension inside of me; if anything, it makes it worse because I don’t want to be a replica of her, but that’s all Juniper is going to push for.

She clears her throat, planting her hands on her hips as she taps her foot. “Polaris, if you can’t do this alone, you must consider a coven.”

And there it is. Thinking it is one thing, hearing it is something else entirely. I should have seen it coming. I shouldn’t have pissed her off, then maybe she wouldn’t have thrown me in the deep end. Deeper than that, she’s exposing my secrets to the entire class, which I’m sure will flood through the entire academy in no time. Which I’m sure will be just another thing people use to try and manipulate me.

Although, it has offered me a way to tap into my abilities that wasn’t possible before. I’ll be grateful for that fact later, I’m sure, but right now, I’m far from it.

I steady my gaze on hers. “I don’t need a coven,” I say calmly, and she scoffs.

“I think you’re mistaken.”

I shrug, hoping to come off as nonchalant as Wylder did when he did it earlier. “I think you’re asking too much too soon.”

“If you were part of a coven like The Renegades, you would have control over this right now,” she says, and I frown, tired of her constant insistence on linking me to a coven.

“Why are you more focused on this than on actually helping me strengthen my magic?” I snap. It doesn’t make sense. Her role is to empower us as witches, not to match-make us with covens.

Don’t get me wrong, the offer is enticing. The idea of having complete control over my magic is everything, and likely the boost I need in my confidence to survive this place, but my morals… this would change everything, and my morals are all I have left.

“Because strengthening your magic is risky without a coven to ground you,” she says, and I drag my hand down my face.

I’m not going around this circle with her again. Not today. Not when she’s drained me to practically nothing.

“I’m not having this discussion right now,” I declare, feeling somewhat empowered for standing up for myself, but that feeling is short-lived as she shakes her head at me.

“You should.” She closes the gap between us, wrapping her fingers around my upper arm as she pulls me toward her, and my spine stiffens, pain coursing through my limbs as my defensiveness finally surfaces.

Despite the aches, I push her away, shaking my arm out of her grip as I glare at her. Rage fills my eyes as my nostrils flare and the sand in my hand slips through my fingers. But instead of grains falling to the ground, flames do.

Holy fuck.

I yelp and jolt backward, just like most of the other students in here, as the flames burn bright, quickly reaching nearly as high as my waist. Juniper swiftly takes control of the situation, muttering a few soft words under her breath. The flames diminish to nothing, but a fire still burns in the professor’s eyes as she looks at me.

“You’re proving my point.”

Defeated, I raise my hands in surrender. “I can’t do this right now.” I can’t let this woman pressure me when I’m just not ready.

I bolt for the door, snatching my backpack as I go. I nearly buckle under the weight of my grimoire, but that doesn’t stop me from putting one foot in front of the other to escape this batshit crazy woman.

Fortunately, no one stops me, likely because they saw how uncontrolled my magic is at the moment. For me, it’s just another addition to my ever-growing list of problems. Problems that are learning to swim in the despair I desperately hope they drown in.

As I feel the mid-morning breeze on my skin while stepping outside, I can’t help but worry that she’s right. But even if she is, she needs to let me figure it out on my own and find my own way.

Diamonds are created under immense pressure, but it’s impossible to rush the process.

14

POLARIS

My feet carry me of their own accord away from the main academy building that has been nothing but Hell on Earth since I woke this morning, and hopefully in search of calmer surroundings.

I didn’t think it could get any worse after Bianca, but Juniper, a professor no less, proved me wrong.

If one thing is clear today, despite my poor confidence levels, it’s that I’m done taking people’s shit without pushing back.

I might regret it in the bleak moments that follow, but that’s just my anxiousness over the sudden change rearing its ugly head. I’m sure I’ll face more consequences for storming from Juniper’s class, but that’s an issue for another day. Right now, if I don’t want to be in someone’s proximity, then I won’t. It’s as simple as that. I’m just going to do what I want to do, and not what others want for their gain.

The gentle breeze carries me across the perfectly manicured lawn before the familiar entry to the maze greets me. Without even realizing it, my subconscious has led me right where I need to be. I step under the arch and I relish in the peace of being here as I work my way a little deeper into the trimmed shrubbery before I flop down on the grass.

My bag tumbles in one direction as my hair catches on the bush behind me, but I don’t move. Feeling the clipped grass tickle at any exposed skin, I take a deep breath, followed by another until they feel lighter. Pressing my palms into the grass, I hum, letting nature cool my pent-up stress.

If I lie here for long enough, will the world forget I exist? Could I forget that I exist? Or the fact that my problems do, at least?

It doesn’t really matter. Not when the swift breeze of contentment floats over me. The tension seeps from my bones, easing my muscles, and I hum with the sense of relief I’ve been desperately seeking since I woke up in the medical center.

A branch snaps close by, pulling me from my thoughts, and my heart skips a beat. I can sense them drawing closer without my magic. It’s almost like they have a beacon set on me and I shiver.

“Tatum?”

When no response comes, doubt sets in.

Pressing my palms firmly into the ground, I shift to sit up, a few tendrils of my hair still clinging to the bush behind me as my eyes lock on the intruder.

“You,” I grunt, lips tight as I glare at the man now standing in the opening leading to the center of the maze.

Amusement dances in his eyes. “Me.”

His aura shifts the air around us and I scurry to my feet, wrapping my arms around my waist to feel less… vulnerable.

“What are you doing here, Blaze?”

He tucks his hands into his pockets, tilting his head to the side as he assesses me. “I heard you ran off.”

My eyebrows pull together in confusion. “How did you hear that?”

He shrugs.

Just like Wylder does, only his shrugs don’t leave me relaxed and content.

No.

I feel more on pins than ever as he stares into my soul.

“Well, you can fuck off,” I decide, waving my hand at him before quickly wrapping it around my middle again, silently pleased with myself for standing firm, but he scoffs despite my efforts.

“I’ll stay.”

“No, you won’t,” I reiterate just as the sound of his cell phone vibrating in his pocket cuts through the air. He doesn’t pull it out to see the notification, but his jaw ticks an inch higher.

“B is in danger.”

“Wait, what?” I take an instinctive step toward him but stop immediately and he shrugs. Again.

“That’s why I had to leave you at the hospital with the wolves.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“Nothing… yet, but keeping him hidden isn’t working as well as I had hoped.”

“I don’t understand,” I mutter, tingles zipping up my arms as I stare at him.

“Neither do I.”

I scoff, disbelief clinging to every rasp. “That makes no sense.”

“It’s all for you,” he states, his hard stare locked on mine as I frown.

“For me?”

“Why I’m doing this,” he offers, but it does nothing to help me understand.

“You’re giving me a headache,” I say with a sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose, and he huffs.

“And you’re making me hard.”

I gape at him, eyes wide as my cheeks burn, and he grins.

“It’s not funny,” I snap, making the curl of his lips grow.

“I know.”

“Then knock the smile off your face.” I jab my finger in his direction, but instead of taking it as the warning it is, he eliminates the distance between us until the tip of my finger is firmly pressed against his chest.

“Just making sure you’re alive in there, Amica Mea,” he murmurs, tapping at my face, deepening the hue at my cheeks.

I huff, whacking his arm away as I step back, but the second I do, he follows after me, keeping a mere inch between us.

“You can leave now.”

“And if I don’t want to?” he breathes, skimming his finger down my arm, and despite the material of my sweater resting between us, I shiver, goosebumps rising at his touch.

Dammit.

“Then I’ll leave,” I decide. I was finally starting to think straight before he showed up. I can’t let him bring me to my knees when I’m desperately trying to keep my balance.

“And if I follow?”

My breath hitches at his whispered question, my heart racing like a galloping horse.

“I’ll keep running,” I breathe, earning another sinister smile on his lips.

“You’ll only entice the predator in me.”

I gulp and my fingers twitch at my sides. I don’t know whether it’s with the urge to slap him or grab him, but he notices it regardless.

“Do it. Slap me,” he goads, and I curl my hands into fists to stop myself.

“It’s not the same when you ask for it,” I grumble with a roll of my eyes.

“Back. Off. Now.”

Tatum’s voice cuts through the air like a blade and I jolt. Blaze, however, doesn’t seem as surprised as I am.

“Ah, good, Minnie told you,” he states, barely glancing over his shoulder, and I frown.

“Minnie what?”

Ignoring my question, Blaze cups my cheek as he looks deep into my eyes. “Behave, Amica Mea. You can’t be alone right now.”

“Why not?”

“It’s best I don’t say his name out loud, isn’t it?” He says it with a smirk, like it’s a funny inside joke, but the panic that floods my veins is far from it.

“I’m not following,” I state, and he somehow manages to lean in closer.

“I know why you were shot in the chest with an arrow, Polaris. I don’t want you alone, and since I’m apparently playing the heroic vampire who doesn’t unalive your friend, I need to ensure someone else has eyes on you.”

I search his eyes, seeking the words he doesn’t speak, but he’s a closed vault and I definitely don’t have the code to gain access.

“You can leave now,” Tatum grunts, his words harsher than I’ve ever heard, but before I can decipher it, I’m consumed by Blaze as he slams his mouth against mine.

It’s intense, intoxicating, and addicting.

I feel like I’m balancing on the tips of my toes, letting him take everything from me with one simple kiss, but it’s over before it can truly begin, and I’m left trembling in place.

My hand lifts to my lips, imprinting his touch to memory as he stalks toward Tatum. My pulse is thundering in my ears, but I hear his parting words.

“Make sure you pay attention to the fluttering of her heartbeat. Yeah, wolf?”

Confusion coils inside of me, but the dark gaze Tatum snaps my way feeds into my soul and understanding washes over me.

My heart is racing. It was racing before Tatum arrived.

For him.

For Blaze.

I think my face might be on fire as Tatum ignores him and centers his attention on me. His hands curl into fists at his sides as his jaw tics.

He’s mad. He’s trying to hide it, but it’s there. Guilt trickles down my spine as the silence stretches between us.

Clearing my throat, I offer a tight smile. “Minnie sent you?”

He nods, scrubbing at his jaw. “I’d have come regardless.”

I press my lips together, nerves settling in my stomach. “Want to sit?” I offer, and he shakes his head. “Oh.”

My hands wrap around my middle again, my defenses rising.

“I want to wipe him from every inch of your body.”

My heart lurches, lodging in my throat at his revelation.

I step toward him. “Tatum, I⁠—”

“I’m struggling for control right now, Polaris,” he interjects, the shake to his shoulders certainly from the tension consuming him as his eyes storm.

“Do you need me to call one of them or⁠—”

“No. I need you not to be so… you.” I feel the color drain from my face as I blink at him, his words hurting more than they should. “Wait, I… fuck. Not like that. It came out wrong. I’m sorry, Polaris. I mean…” His words trail off as I worry my bottom lip nervously. The distance between us shortens, and for the first time since he arrived, it’s not from me. He closes the space between us, stopping when we’re toe to toe. “You’re making it worse with that,” he states, swiping his thumb over my bottom lip to release it from behind my teeth.

Satisfied, his hand shifts to my cheek as he searches my eyes.

“Tatum?”

“Tell me to stop, Polaris.”

I shake my head in confusion. “Stop what?”

His hand leaves my face to trail down my side. “Tell me to stop, Polaris,” he repeats, stopping at my waist. His fingers flex, digging into my side, and I shiver.

“But if I like it?”

My words linger in the air as our breaths mingle between us. It’s as if the world stands still. Nothing moves. Nothing but his hand as he slips beneath the waistband of my pants and panties in one swift move.

I hiss as he runs his fingers over my clit, running through my folds until he’s fully cupping my pussy.

“Polaris.”

I gulp as he breathes my name, his hand enveloping my core as he uses his free hand to tap a finger against his cheek. I understand the command instantly, and with his hand locked in place, warming my center, I rise on my tiptoes and do what I’ve grown addicted to…

I brush my lips across his cheek.

The second I make contact, he detonates, his fingers kicking into motion. He plunges deep into my pussy, wrangling a gasp from my lips. I stumble backward, my legs catching on the shrub behind me as he uses his free hand to grab my waist, holding me in place as he fucks me with his fingers.

His touch is all-consuming as I grind against him, my hips moving without prompt as I desperately seek everything he has to offer.

“Please, Tatum,” I breathe, pleading for what exactly, I’m not sure. I just know I need more. Of him, his fingers, his everything.

I feel light-headed.

The last time we were this close, I was on my knees in front of him in Professor Whitmore’s office. Now, the tables have turned, and I was a fool to think that I am ever even remotely in control when it comes to him.

His fingers swirl inside of me, making my pussy clench around him as the familiar tingles of an orgasm zip up my spine. But it’s not enough. I want more.

“I need more, Tatum. I need you,” I rasp, and he shakes his head.

“When you have me, it’s going to be slow, cherished. Right now, I feel too feral for that,” he grunts, grinding his palm against my clit, and I hiss as my eyes roll to the back of my head.

“What if I want you feral?” I look at him through hooded eyes, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip.

“You don’t know what you want.”

“Show me the side of you no one else sees,” I plead, his restraint hanging by a breath as his fingers pause inside of me.

“You don’t know what you’re asking for, Polaris.”

“I do,” I insist, my body trembling with my impending release as he denies me once again.

“Come on my fingers, Polaris,” he orders, ignoring my pleas as he resumes the intense pace of his fingers, and just as he commands, I fall apart at his touch.

I whimper when he slips his fingers from my pants, bringing the dripping digits to his lips. Wordlessly, I watch, gaping with desire as he tastes me, his eyes latched with mine as he brings his painted fingers to my lips. “I can see the disappointment in your eyes, Polaris. But there’s no way in Hell I’m fucking you for the first time because I’m trying to remove every trace of a vampire from your thoughts. That’s not me. That’s not us. When I fuck you, and I will, there’s no denying that it’ll be all consuming because we’re lost in each other, not trying to erase someone else.”

15

POLARIS

After hiding away in the maze with Tatum through lunch and sharing another turkey and Swiss sandwich, the rest of my classes were mundane. It doesn’t help that I’m once again distracted by thoughts of wolves, vampires, and covens, but I manage to stay focused enough to know I’m not missing anything important.

As the final bell rings, I hike my backpack over my shoulder and head for the door with a relieved sigh.

“Hey, I have a meeting with The Renegades. Are you going to be okay heading back, or should I call Minnie?” Bryony asks, appearing at my side, and I shake my head.

“I’m good. Blaze is just being… Blaze. Heading back to my dorm in a sea full of other students doing the exact same thing is going to be fine,” I insist, watching as her eyebrows rise at the mention of the vampire, but she manages to keep any questions to herself, nodding instead.

“Okay. If you need any help with witchy business tonight, just let me know,” she offers, squeezing my arm as we step out of the classroom.

She heads left as I turn right, following the flow of students toward the exit. Some head toward the dining hall, but most lead out to the pathway toward the dorms.

I enjoy the calm, the peace amongst the chaos.

As much as I love my… friends? Every time I’m with someone, I end up embroiled in drama. At least, alone, I can narrow the chances of that happening. It’s just like being back at Florentine’s. The drama didn’t really find me there.

With every step I take, I formulate a plan for the evening—one that involves my grimoire and snacks—lots and lots of snacks. I decide I’ll head back out to get some later as a little treat, once I’ve actually managed to get some work done, as I take the sandy path that leads to the witches’ dorm building.

We bustle inside and I take the stairs two at a time, hurrying down the hallway to my door. I sweep it open and kick it shut just as quickly, sagging back against the wood with a languid sigh. My stress levels have definitely lessened as the day has gone on, but I suppose an orgasm will do that. Not just any orgasm either, one at Tatum’s hands.

My cheeks heat at the thought as I push off the door and head toward my bed, barely making it two steps before I come to a halt.

Panic floods my veins as I stare at the sheets, and as much as I try to gulp down the terror, I end up choking on air. My instincts take over and I react without thought, pulling my cell phone from my backpack and opening up the messages.

Polaris: I’ve had a visitor.

I wait with bated breath, staring at the device in my hand instead of the item nestled on the center of my bed. Thankfully, my cell phone vibrates immediately.

Asher: I’m on my way.

I should be embarrassed messaging so quickly, unable to handle the situation alone, but after the last time this happened… I’m confident I don’t yet have the skills to take care of this on my own.

Dropping my cell phone to my side, I peer at the glimmer of gold on my bed. Cautiously, I step toward it, fearful of getting too close, as if it’s a ticking time bomb, when my cell phone vibrates again.

Wylder: Meet you there.

Oh God. There’s going to be more than one of them here. As if that wasn’t enough, another message pops up on the screen before I can decline any further help.

Tatum: Almost there.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck… three knocks rap on my door and I gulp. Frozen in place, uncertainty takes root. As if sensing my panic, a voice carries from the other side of the door.

“It’s me, Polaris,” Asher calls out, and I sag a little with reassurance.

Hurrying toward the door, I pause as I reach for the handle. Are there any magical abilities that could make someone sound like someone they’re not? In a roundabout way… is it actually Asher on the other side?

I run my palms down my thighs, sweat getting the better of me, and before I can come up with a better idea, I reach for my pouch of sand. Tugging at the string, I pour it into my hand, letting grains scatter to the floor as I clench my fist around them.

Taking a deep breath, I recall the witch’s class from earlier and close my eyes.

“Polaris? Are you there?” Asher calls out, knocking again, and he comes to life in my mind, a white wisp on the other side of the door. If there’s any ill intent, I’ll feel it, I hope, but there’s nothing but concern that greets me. I’m instantly reassured as another wisp joins the first, the same green color that lightly represents a hint of fear, and I pry my eyes open.

“Sorry,” I breathe, hurrying to the door. “I was just…” My words trail off as I find Asher and Wylder standing side by side, eyebrows gathered with worry as another two sets of footsteps hurry toward us.

The three of us glance down the hallway to find Tatum marching our way, with Lincoln grumbling at his side.

Great. Just… great.

“Where’s Minnie?” I ask, stalling, and Lincoln rolls his eyes.

“She’s with our mother,” he states, slipping through the gap at my side and entering my space once again without an invitation while I’m left nodding like a fool.

Tatum follows after him, squeezing my arm in support, while Wylder plants a kiss on my temple as he passes, leaving Asher and me to linger at the door for a moment.

“Did you tell anyone else?” he asks, and I shake my head, aware of who exactly he’s referring to. “Words, Polaris.”

“No,” I murmur, and he nods, gripping my chin.

“Good girl.” The kiss he places at the corner of my mouth is feather-light. So light I could have imagined it because in the next moment he’s filtering into my room.

I sigh, closing the door as I turn to face the wolves now overcrowding my personal space. Clearing my throat, I walk around them and come to a stop by my nightstand, eyeing the golden object along with them. “I didn’t mean to haul you all over here, I just…”

“It’s the chalice. The one he felt would be useful for us,” Tatum explains, eyebrows gathered tight as Lincoln glares at him.

“She doesn’t need to know that.”

“She took a fucking arrow for it. She can know what she wants,” Tatum snaps back, surprising not just me but everyone else too.

Eager to stop the rising tension, I attempt to take control of the situation before it continues south. “I never even thought to ask if you got it,” I admit, earning a tight smile from Asher.

“We did. It was in Lincoln’s office. With you being in the medical center, I didn’t want to bombard you, and obviously, Lincoln didn’t want to trust you over the whole vampire thing, but…” His words trail off and I gulp. That doesn’t make any of this better.

“But the crow wanted me to see it.” It’s not a question; it’s a statement. Even if I don’t know the guy, it’s here for a reason.

Wylder shrugs. “You’re the one who took the arrow. You should definitely know we found it.”

“Are none of you listening to me?” Lincoln complains, still set on placing invisible barriers between us.

I thought seeing him out in the hallway this morning meant something. I know I didn’t act like it, but damn, he deserved to stew a little. Hell, a lot. Especially after he left me stewing all night. I’m not usually one for petty revenge, but sometimes, where needs must, a point has to be made. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to change anything.

Disappointed, I shake my head at him. “We don’t have time for your crap right now. We actually have to discuss this. I actually have to pull my head out of my ass and understand⁠—”

“There’s nothing for you to know,” he interjects, sending a burning irritation through my veins.

I’m done with this crap. I’m done with being on the cusp of knowing things with them but always being cut off before I actually learn anything at all.

“What does T.K.O.G. stand for?”

Silence drenches the room, kicking my heart rate up a notch. Tatum clears his throat as he tilts his head. “Why?”

“It’s on my coin. Is it on yours?”

“Yes,” he answers without hesitation, and I gape in surprise.

I don’t know why my head went there, but the first time Tatum was in my room, we pinky promised to try to trust each other. He showed me his coin. If we’re going to get anywhere right now, this has to be the place to start.

“What does it stand for?”

The four of them eye each other, a flash of uncertainty flickering in the air as I hold my breath. This is another make-or-break moment. Everything hangs in the balance, and it’s Asher who meets my stare first.

“The Keeper Of the Games.”

I wait for more, but nothing else is said.

“In English?” I mutter, tucking a loose curl behind my ear and Wylder offers me a tight smile.

“When you come of age, and your blood kin is announced, the fallout is controlled by the keeper of the games. Well, controlled is a strong word. They are high up in the hierarchy that is the supernatural world, but more than anything, they keep the figures and document who survives and who doesn't.”

I nod like it makes sense, but it really doesn’t. “Does the coin mean anything else apart from the fact that it’s linked to our ancestors, who are connected to the original witch and her men?” I ask, and Tatum shrugs, disappointment evident in his eyes.

“I’m sure it means far more, but that’s all we know.”

I take a deep breath, assessing the situation as my gaze returns to the golden chalice in the middle of my bed.

“What could the chalice help us with?”

“You don’t need to know that,” Lincoln interjects again, and my eyes snap to his.

“She took a fucking arrow for us, she deserves everything,” Ashers snaps, calming the storm inside of me.

“No more keeping me in the dark.” My hands ball at my sides as I try to contain my frustration, but it’s futile as I glare at the asshole wolf.

“We can’t⁠—”

“If you can’t trust me, then I can’t trust you, and I refuse to waste any more time on this ridiculous back and forth,” I interject, cutting off whatever bullshit was about to spill from Lincoln’s mouth, but despite my irritation, he smirks.

“You don’t have any control here.” It’s a warning, one I don’t care for, but as I part my lips, ready to tell him exactly where he can shove it, Tatum lifts his hand.

“I’m in.”

“Me too,” Wylder chimes as Asher nods.

“Third.”

My heart thunders in my chest, aware something is unraveling before us, but I can’t bring myself to jump to any conclusions. Not when it comes to these guys.

“I’m not backing this,” Lincoln grunts, and Tatum whirls around to him.

“Then get out.”

Hot fuck.

“Tatum—”

“He’s right. Get out,” I add, aiming a finger at the door. I don’t entirely know what I’m agreeing to, but Tatum seems to follow me into the darkness, so I can do the same.

“You can’t tell me what to do.”

I scoff. “You’re lucky you’re standing here right now after what you did last night,” I bite as my stomach clenches at the reminder, causing Wylder to peer at me.

“What did he do?”

I shake my head. “That doesn’t matter, but me letting him in here is an olive branch, one he doesn’t deserve. Especially if he’s just going to act like this.”

“I’m standing right here,” Lincoln mutters, waving his hands around. I tilt to give him the stink eye.

“Sadly.”

“I told you earlier, Little Witch. I’ll mark the fuck out of you if you let me,” Wylder declares to the room, and Lincoln whirls around to gape at his friend.

“What the fuck?”

“I’m all in. I trust you. And to clarify, this puts us exclusively off the market,” Wylder adds, beaming from ear to ear as my jaw falls slack and my pulse ricochets in my ears.

“Wait, I never⁠—”

“Me too,” Tatum calls out, repeating his earlier sentiment as Asher nods too.

“Third.”

“You guys are insane,” I breathe, unsure how to actually understand what’s going on here.

“You’re damn right they are,” Lincoln snaps, turning to sneer at his pack. “Because are you all forgetting the vampire that’s bound to her?”

My chest tightens, but before I can even formulate a word to say, Wylder shrugs.

“I don’t care.”

“So you’re saying you’ll share with a vampire?” Lincoln states, looking for clarity, but it’s Tatum who huffs.

“Right now, it sounds better than sharing with you.”

“I’m standing right here. Don’t I get a say on who I’m shared with?” I interject before anyone else can have their say, and Asher turns to me with a grin.

“Sure, just not right now,” he says with a wink, leaving me to gape at him even more while Lincoln shakes his head in disbelief.

“She’s not a wolf.”

“We’re well aware,” Wylder mutters with a sigh.

“She’s bound to a vampire.”

“You’ve already said that part,” Tatum states, pressing his lips together.

“She’s…” Lincoln’s words trail off and Asher smirks at him knowingly.

“Go on, find something else to say about how she’s not right for us, and we’ll give you a reason why it doesn’t fucking matter.”

Lincoln’s nostrils flare as he turns to me, eyes wide and dark with desperation. “You’re going to ruin us, ruin me.”

“I have to survive this place for that to be true,” I mutter, and silence drenches the room.

It’s my space, but I consider running for the door. The tension is thick. There’s no escaping it. Until…

“Fourth.”

One word from Lincoln’s mouth and I think I’m going to faint. The tension eases, but he doesn’t look at me.

“Nah, the vampire gets fourth,” Wylder declares, and Asher tries to hide a snicker but fails miserably.

“Fuck off,” Lincoln grunts and Tatum cocks a brow at him.

“Go on, say it, and acknowledge the fact that he’s in this too,” he breathes, and my brows crinkle in confusion.

“No,” Lincoln instantly protests, but the three of them stare at him, unified against their alpha, and I want the floor to open up and take me now.

They wait him out and I join them, even though I’m unsure what’s happening.

“Fifth,” he finally breathes, and the tension in the room vanishes between them, but it still wraps tight around my limbs.

Clearing my throat, I blink at them. “What just happened?”

Eight eyes, four wolves, one sentence.

“You just became ours.”

16

ASHER

She blinks between us, the sense that she’s overwhelmed clear in her wide eyes.

“Yours?” she questions, eyebrows furrowed as she looks from Tatum, to Wylder, to me, and then Lincoln. She doesn't linger there long, though, the scowl on his face makes sure of that.

Whereas Wylder rocks back on his heels, pride radiating from him. “Ours,” he repeats, confirming what we’re all thinking, and she shakes her head in disbelief.

“Do I get a say in that?” she asks with eyebrows raised.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to deny her, just as I did before, but the reality is, I want her to want this and forcing it doesn't achieve that.

What I see when I look at her is more than this moment, more than this period of time, more than the blood kin curse. Claiming her without consideration, although it gets my cock hard as fuck, is not how I want this to go.

“Do you need a say in it? Haven’t you been ours for a while?” Tatum asks, cocking a brow as the room hangs suspended in silence.

Her jaw is slack as she stares at my brother, and as innocent as his question is, it cuts deeper than that.

“She always needs a say. If we commit, so should she. We’re nothing but all in, and that means all of us,” I finally call out, breaking through the tension rippling around the room. Tatum rolls his eyes at me while Polaris’s cheeks gain that usual pink hue.

She likes that. She likes being seen, considered, taken into account. Something so simple and easy makes all the difference to her.

Lincoln clears his throat, scrubbing the back of his neck with his eyes set on our girl before us. “Say no, Midnight,” he murmurs, and she scoffs. Yet there's no surprise from her at another one of Lincoln's outbursts.

“You would like that, wouldn't you?” she states, and he shrugs.

“I agreed, didn't I?”

She bands her arms around her middle, adding an invisible divide between us as she tilts her head at him. “That doesn't mean anything from you,” she retorts, and I sense the hurt in her eyes, but the pain is just as clear in Lincoln’s gaze too.

It’s a rare sight to see, one Polaris probably doesn’t even realize, but I don't interject because she's not wrong. If he's going to be better, he needs to see that his actions have consequences. This is one of them. The only person who can heal the damage he’s done is him.

Worried our Alpha is leading us off track, I clear my throat. “Do you want to be ours, Silver?”

She gapes at me with wide eyes. “I-I don't know.”

Fuck.

“What don't you know?” I push as gently as I can, trying to understand the situation from her perspective.

She sighs, but the tension that coils around her doesn’t ease with the motion. “Anything… everything,” she admits, and I sense something in her tone. The way her breath hitches and her pulse quickens just a tick has understanding settling in my chest.

“Does this have something to do with Blaze?”

She shrugs, but I sense the tension that lingers in her muscles, keeping her coiled tight.

I don't like vampires. None of us do. As wolves, we were raised to see the world as factions and the thought of sharing her with anyone outside of the four of us, let alone a vampire, feels absurd. Never mind that she's bound, that's not an obstacle we can remove. That's set in stone, just as it would be if one or more of us were to mate with her. If I have to concede to still be a part of this, whatever this is, then I'm willing to consider it all.

Fuck, we literally just made Lincoln call fifth to acknowledge we know the vampire is caught up in whatever dynamic this is, but it seems that’s not registering strong enough to our witch.

“What do we need to know about that?” Wylder asks, seemingly on the same page as me as he interrupts my thoughts, and she shrugs again.

“Honestly, I’m still trying to put all the pieces together,” she admits, shuffling nervously from foot to foot.

The five of us stand stoic in her room. Our defenses are high, but I feel like if I ask her to take a seat or give any form of direction right now it will break the moment, and there might just be a chance for us to figure some things out here.

“How about you explain it to us so we can figure this out together?” I offer.

She rubs her lips together nervously until Tatum steps forward, his little finger extended as he breathes. “Pinkies.”

The two of them interlink their little fingers, the action saying more than words can, and the tension eases slightly from her bunched muscles as she exhales, eyes set on Tatum.

“He has a coin.”

Fuck.

Understanding stretches between the four of us, each wolf glancing from one to another as Tatum remains connected with Polaris. “That changes everything,” he states, and Lincoln huffs.

“That changes nothing.”

Tatum pays him no mind as he keeps his focus fixed on Polaris. Just like Wylder and me.

“Is it the same as ours?” Tatum asks and she nods.

“Yes. He showed it to me a while back. It's one of the memories he hid from me with compulsion,” she offers, and although the knowledge of it kicks my heart rate into overdrive, the fact that she’s sharing is everything.

With his free hand, Tatum gently runs the back of his fingers down her cheek, proving to her that he's here for her no matter what, easing even more of the tension around her, and she melts into him.

I want it to be me that she falls into, but I get the feeling that if I take a step toward them, it could tip the balance we seem to have established, so I plant my feet shoulder-width apart and lock in.

“What else did he hide from you?” Wylder asks, hands flexing at his sides, and she offers a tight smile.

“The bonding,” she offers with a light snicker.

There’s a hint of humor there, but I can't get a read on how she actually feels about that. Although, it makes sense why he would hide that. Even though it's confusing as hell, it explains why she's never been pulled in his direction knowingly, since the information was hidden, and why there was no inkling for us either.

What it doesn’t explain is why he would compel her to forget, but the only person who can offer us that answer is the vampire in question, and I don’t think we’re quite ready for a conversation just yet. Acknowledging him is one thing, accepting him is another.

“Anything else?” I ask, and she drops her hands to her sides, releasing Tatum’s finger.

“Uh, when I was at Florentines, I was friends with Sian,” she starts, and Wylder holds up a hand.

“The vampire?”

“Yeah, Terence too,” she adds.

“The other vampire?” Wylder clarifies, and she nods. “The one that Sian girl was looking for at the hospital?”

Polaris shrugs. “I don't know.”

“The one I… had some fun with?” Lincoln interjects, and Polaris cocks her brow at him.

“You mean the one you beat the hell out of?” she corrects, and he shrugs.

“What about them?” Lincoln asks, distracting away from the finger being aimed at him.

“Well, Sian had a boyfriend, B, or Benjamin, sorry, and when we got here, he was declared a human by the chalice. But from the moment we left the assembly hall, I didn't see him again.”

I frown. Sure, there are four different factions on site, and it's not a small campus, but it's fairly easy to cross paths with the same people again and again. Especially when you're in the same age group, which leads to some of the same classes.

Polaris clears her throat, making it known there's still more to the story. “Well, not until I recently found him in my room, but at the time, none of it made sense. It was only when Blaze gave me my memories back that I could digest it.”

“What else was he hiding?” Wylder asks, impending rage brewing beneath the surface until Polaris offers him a soft, genuine smile.

“Nothing bad. Not about him, at least,” she states, slightly bewildered by that fact herself, more so than us. Lacing her hands together, she takes a deep breath. “The first memory he hid from me was of him taking me to the vampire dorms to see if Benjamin was there. I don’t know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that he was because he was chained to a bed on the edge of death, nearly drained of every ounce of blood.”

“Fuck,” Tatum curses under his breath and Polaris’s mouth sets in a thin line.

“He was chosen,” I murmur, and her gaze snaps to me.

She nods. “If that's what it's called, yeah.” Tatum reaches out to tuck a loose tendril of hair behind her ear and she tilts her face to look down at the floor. “What makes it worse is it was Sian who chose him.”

“What the fuck?” Wylder blurts, just as surprised as I am, and she nods.

“The third memory he hid from me was of him taking me back to the vampire dorms, only that time, he didn't lead me down into the basement. He took me to his bedroom.”

The tension immediately thickens, each wolf uncertain of where this is now leading, but if she senses it, she doesn't show it. “Ben was there, alive and… fine, just like he always was.”

Relief floods my veins at the fact that he hadn't stolen a memory of taking her back to his room to do fuck knows what with her, potentially against her will. That’s the kind of shit that shouldn’t be hidden by compulsion.

“But you can't take a chosen,” Lincoln grunts, interrupting my thoughts, and Polaris shrugs.

“He did, and he has.”

“For you,” Wylder states, and her eyes latch on his.

“Yeah.” Her heart races a little with the acknowledgment. As if it’s bewildering to her that someone would do something crazy for her, as if she’s undeserving, and I make a silent vow then and there to remove that self-doubt.

“Why?” Lincoln asks, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she gulps.

“I don’t know.”

“Because he loves her, obviously,” Wylder states, making her eyes widen, disbelief framed by shock.

She shakes her head, looking at the floor once again, but it only lasts a moment before she gathers herself. When she lifts her head back up, she settles her stare on Tatum.

“What's the importance of the coin if he has one too?” she asks, eager to change the topic, and we let her. Now isn’t the time to lose ourselves to feelings and emotions we’re not truly ready to address.

“Why is Terence still in the medical center?” Lincoln barks back before anyone can consider answering her initial question.

“I asked first,” she states, cocking her brow at him, and he shrugs, unfazed.

“Humor me.”

“Lincoln,” she grumbles, the plea evident, but he doesn’t back down.

“We both know my answer is going to link back to Blaze. I feel like it's fair knowledge for us to make judgments on him. If I’m choosing you, I’m choosing him, and I want transparency with that.”

She shakes her head and I sigh, aware Lincoln isn’t going to stop or take a step back.

“You want the option to figure this out between us all, don't you?” I ask, and she turns to me with a glare etched into her features.

“Don't try manipulating me,” she snaps, and anger burns inside of me. Not at her, but my stupid fucking Alpha.

“Is Terence there because of Blaze?” Tatum asks, thankfully taking her deathly stare away from me.

“Yes,” she admits.

“Is he awake?” Tatum presses, and she shakes her head.

“Why?” Wylder presses, and she glances around at the four of us.

“Because…”

“Because…” Lincoln prompts, and she sighs again.

“Because I was Terence’s chosen.”

“That motherfucker. I'll kill him this time,” Lincoln snarls, expressing exactly how all four of us are feeling.

Fury vibrates around the room while Polaris stands exactly as she was, rolling her eyes at my Alpha.

“You sound like Blaze,” she grumbles, and Lincoln tenses even more.

“Don't insult me,” he snaps back, and she snickers, shaking her head.

“The reason he's there and not dead is because, apparently, Blaze doesn't want to run the risk of killing someone innocent along with him,” she adds, her nose wrinkling as though she doesn’t like the idea of being the reason someone is dead, but she fails to see how important she is.

As much as I hate to think it, let alone say it, Blaze’s actions make sense, but something else niggles in my mind.

“Wouldn’t he have known that before, though?” I ask, and she hums.

“I think he did. Then he saw me chase after him the night of the Full Moon Party and…”

“The mess I left on him,” Lincoln finishes, eyes widening as they both recall that night in ways the rest of us can’t.

“Apparently.”

Silence draws over the room, each of us dissecting the information before Wylder clears his throat. “So, if he has a coin, does he know Tatum has one?”

“No,” she answers, and her heart rate stays at the exact same pace, confirming she's telling the truth.

“Good,” Lincoln says with a nod, rocking back on his heels, but once again, she shakes her head.

“I’m going to tell him.”

“Like hell you are,” he snaps back, and she turns to him with her hands planted on her hips.

“He might know things we don’t,” she insists, and Tatum glances back at Lincoln, giving him a pointed look.

“She has a point.”

Any calm that Lincoln had summoned is gone again. “You can't expect us to trust a vampire,” Lincoln grumbles, and Polaris aims a finger in his direction.

“And you can't expect me to trust wolves, but here we are.”

My cock twitches at the tone of her voice and the way she stands on her own two feet, unwilling to back down to anyone in a moment like this. It’s completely opposite to the girl who first stepped on campus. She was a shell of herself, and watching her blossom is addicting. Watching her stand tall for herself compared to the submissive woman between the sheets when I have her in my grasp is even more of a turn on too.

Lincoln takes a step toward her, a reply on the tip of his tongue when his cell phone goes off, leaving his jaw clenched as he pulls it from his pocket.

“Fucking pack issues,” he grunts. The look in his eyes says it's not as serious as it could be, but something that needs his attention right away. Maybe it will be good for him to step back from this situation for a bit. He’s far too good at rolling with his emotions when there's a logical side of him in there somewhere.

“You guys go, I'll stay with Silver,” I decide, earning a glare from Wylder as Tatum frowns.

The reality is, Wylder is the muscle needed if necessary when the wolves try to get out of hand, while Tatum is the calm and collected one who can neutralize a situation swiftly. So it makes the most sense for them to go and me to stay.

“You don't need to stay,” Polaris insists, and I wave her off.

“You're not being left alone. Blaze was right, especially with this waiting for you,” Tatum answers before I can say a word, pointing at the chalice that remains on her bed.

She rubs her lips together nervously, but doesn't answer back, accepting that this is how the rest of the night is going to go.

Without another word, Tatum pulls her into his embrace, pinning her to his chest, and she wraps her arms around his neck, drinking him in. It’s strange seeing Tatum so openly affectionate with someone, but it’s only fitting it’s her. She sees him, just like he sees her. Both in ways no one else can.

He leans back just enough to meet her stare as he taps his cheek. A smile curls the corner of her mouth as she rises up on her tiptoes to press her lips against his skin.

“Later, Polaris,” he murmurs, and she blushes, nibbling at her bottom lip.

“Later, Tatum.”

He steps back and Wylder immediately fills the space, the complete polar opposite to the man who was standing there a moment earlier. He's a lot more feral. There’s no rising sexual tension, it’s already there, thick and ready as he grabs her jaw and slams his lips to hers, claiming her in one swift breath. Her nails dig into his shoulders as she holds on for dear life, and my cock is even more alive at the sight before he ultimately releases her and she stumbles back a step.

“Little Witch,” he says with a wink before sauntering toward the door. He doesn't linger, heading straight out, and Tatum follows after him. I'm quite sure that's because he knows that if he doesn't, he'll be back in here for more, and there are other matters to address. Matters only the Alpha is supposed to handle.

Which leaves Lincoln rocking back on his heels as he tilts his head at Polaris. She stares him down just as firmly. I'm certain Lincoln is going to head straight for the door without saying a word, but to my surprise, he takes two steps, cutting the distance between them until they’re toe to toe. Resting his forehead against hers so their noses run alongside one another, he closes his eyes and brings his hands to the back of her neck, holding her in place.

He doesn’t move to kiss her, he doesn’t do anything except whisper so softly I almost miss it. “I’m sorry.”

He's gone in the next breath, leaving Polaris frozen in place, blinking at the door trying to make sense of what just happened. The door closes behind him and her shoulders slump forward, not so much with relief, but from overwhelming exhaustion.

She takes a deep breath as she turns to give me her full attention. “What now?” she asks, and I shrug.

“Now we work on some of your magic.”

Her eyes widen in surprise. “We do what?” she repeats as her brows furrow.

“Well, Minnie mentioned that you're determined to strengthen your magic.”

“I am.”

“Then we better get to it,” I offer, refusing to let my cock lead the way as it swells more and more at the smile that creeps across her face.

“What, me and you?” she asks for clarification, and I glance around the room.

“Who else?”

She rolls her eyes at me, but her amusement is clear. “But you're not a witch,” she states, and I grin.

“No, but I'm yours.”

17

POLARIS

Sunlight streams through the window, waking me from my slumber as a comforting warmth surrounds me.

I don’t remember falling asleep.

I don’t remember waking up a million times through the night.

I don’t remember overthinking every little thing that’s happening in my life.

Nothing.

I try to stretch out, but it quickly becomes clear that it’s impossible with the body wrapped around me from behind. I know from the scent alone that it’s Asher, and I instinctively lean deeper into his embrace.

I let my eyelids fall closed again as I sigh, letting the memories of last night flood my thoughts. Asher wasn’t kidding when he offered to help me focus. He worked with me on my magic for hours—more than just hours. It felt like an eternity. He never grew impatient; he offered guidance where he thought he might be of assistance, but otherwise, he just let me figure things out on my own.

It was… breathtaking.

At some point, Bryony brought us food, helping us push through, but we didn’t stop until it was dark outside and my mind felt disconnected from reality. Every moment in his presence was a dance filled with sexual tension. Lingering glances, gentle touches, and the charged atmosphere around us had me hooked on it all.

I wanted to end the night with him inside me, but the moment we laid down in my bed, I was out.

Fast asleep.

Damn.

Just thinking about it makes my cheeks flush. His attention, paired with my determination to learn, has left me feeling empowered. We began at the front of my Grimoire, turning the pages until I could no longer keep my eyes open.

He was incredibly helpful and selfless, and for the first time in maybe ever, I felt like someone’s priority—not just because of what they might want from me, but because they genuinely want to see me shine.

I squeeze his arm around my waist, running my thumb across his forearm, and he doesn’t move an inch.

I need to get up, though. I have to get my thoughts out, but I can’t do that while I’m locked in his embrace. It takes a few moments of wiggling as I quietly slip away from him, but I don’t go far. I simply prop myself against the headboard and glance down at him.

His hair is messy, yet his eyelids stay closed, as sleep still claims him. It’s nice to see the guy who is always riddled with tension be at peace, even if just for a few moments.

Smiling, I can't help but wonder if this could really be something after what they said last night. I don’t want to get my hopes up, especially since our lives still hang in the balance of time, but it has definitely left me intrigued, curious, and excited. Reaching for my diary on the nightstand, I can’t resist pulling out a pen and opening the Tatum-issued journal to the next blank page to write down my thoughts.

Dear Diary,

The wolves aren’t crazy about the vampire, which is certainly not a surprise, but there’s something there. I’m not sure what yet because I don’t know what I’m looking for it to be, but the fact that there are now three coins in the mix makes everything feel different.

I wonder how many coins there were to begin with. Was there just one for each of her men, or could there be more?

There's a lot we don’t know, but I think I’m ready to explore it. Maybe trusting them won’t be so bad. After all, the chalice might have something to tell us.

But with the chalice comes The Crow. Does bringing it here lock me into an agreement I can’t refuse? Either way, it could provide us answers that we’re not yet privy to.

All I know for sure is I'm done being naïve now.

Perhaps this agreement with the wolves and the uncertainty with Blaze could lead to a positive outcome.

Regardless, I feel empowered and strong, like I’m going to take charge today.

Polaris x

My chest feels warm with a lightness I’m not very familiar with as I place my diary back on my nightstand. Just as I turn to look at Asher, he grunts beside me, and I frown.

The guy that was asleep and serene just a minute ago is now riddled with tension. His shoulders are bunched together, his jaw locked tight as his nostrils flare. His fingers wrap around the sheets, distress becoming clearer with every second as he whimpers. The sound doesn't last long, turning to a bark of anger before quickly dwindling back down to a plea.

“Please, please stop,” he rasps, and panic surges inside of me as I gape at him helplessly, desperate to ease his pain.

Shuffling in my spot, I rise up on my knees, leaning toward him as I try to figure out what the hell I should do. I place my left hand on his shoulder and he starts to thrash beneath the sheets, tangling himself up as his pleas get louder.

An intense pain sears through my mind, leaving me dizzy, lightheaded, and overwhelmed by feelings I’ve experienced before.

Fuck, it's happening again.

I groan, my face throbbing as I struggle to breathe. Barely able to lift my head, I lean toward the nightstand, searching for my pouch of sand. My vision is blurred, making the task challenging, but I eventually feel the velvet against my fingertips and delve inside, filling my palm with sand.

I try to remember exactly what I learned in my lesson as I lean back toward Asher, who continues to flail around. I balance myself with my hand on his shoulder as I finally let my eyelids fall closed, the muttered words from my grimoire parting my lips. But this time, it’s not a vision of him or a silhouette of a color revealing what he’s feeling that greets me. Instead, what I see is, what I can only assume, what he’s seeing.

A different kind of pain radiates through my body. Bumps, fists, and kicks—a beating, if that word even suffices. Darkness, despair, and agony consume me completely, and one thing that remains present is a mask with an elongated nose and a sinister cackle that hurts my soul more than anything else.

The Crow.

Nothing about this is pleasant. I can't pinpoint any of it. It's all a flash of scenes, but each is viewed from behind arms locked over my face, shielding me from what I seem to know is coming. Blow after blow, every angle, every limb, all aching from the cruelty and devastation.

The nose of The Crow’s mask comes into view, but this time it gets closer and closer until Asher jolts, moving me along with him. I pull my hand away from him, but it’s a bit too late as he reacts, landing a powerful hit that sends me flying across the room.

I grunt as my back hits the floor. Thankfully, I’m not winded, just shaken as I press my hand to my chest. My gaze immediately darts across the room to where Asher sits on the bed, gaping at me with wild eyes.

“Oh, Silver, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,” he stammers, jumping off the bed and sinking to his knees in front of me a moment later.

“No, it's okay. I shouldn't have intruded like that. I didn't know what to do. I'm sorry,” I mumble, acutely aware that I’m over-apologizing, but the look of despair in his eyes reflects his fear for me, and I need him to know it’s not warranted.

He tentatively extends his hand, and the second I place my palm against his, he maneuvers me so that I’m on my knees. The two of us sit face to face, a mirror image of each other as our chests heave with every synchronous breath.

I’m uncertain how much time passes before he lifts his hand to my face, cupping my cheek as his stormy blue and green eyes pierce into my soul.

“I’m not sure what happened,” he murmurs, and I do my best to give him a reassuring smile as my heart races wildly in my chest.

“It's okay. You were just⁠—”

“You look pale. Are you alright?” he interrupts, lifting his hand from my cheek to my forehead to check my temperature. The more alert he becomes, the more understanding spreads across his features. “I recognize that look in your eyes, Silver. What’s happening?”

I clear my throat, unsure how to explain, but he deserves the truth. “I just… it was… I started to feel dizzy, like…”

“From my energy?” he asks when I can’t quite place it, and I nod.

“I grabbed my sand, but when I closed my eyes to try to focus…” My words fail me again, but he thankfully shows me more patience as I gather my thoughts. I feel as though I’m intruding on something that wasn’t meant for me. I don’t want to make him upset, not after the night we just had.

As if sensing the panic within me, he curls a lock of hair behind my ear as he speaks. “It’s okay, Silver. Whatever it is, it’s okay,” he breathes, soothing me as if I’m the one who was trapped in that torture.

I shake my head. “I didn't see your aura when I closed my eyes like we practiced last night,” I begin, watching his brows furrow. My throat grows even drier, but I summon the courage to blurt it out. “I saw what you were seeing.”

His body becomes rigid, his hand pausing at my cheek as his eyes widen and true understanding dawns. I’m not the only one looking pale now. As I watch the color drain from his face, I nervously rub my lips together and gulp.

Panic burns in my throat as I scramble to explain, visibly watching him retreat into himself. “It was like flashes of pain, despair, terror, and more emotions than I can name. But I saw The Crow, too.”

His hands drop away from me as he rises to his feet, chin to his chest as he avoids my gaze. It almost looks like he’s sinking in defeat, but the tension veins wrapped around his arms, leading to his clenched fists, shows the emotions he’s trying to contain. “I’m sorry you had to bear witness to that,” he mutters, turning away from me, and as much as I want to bask in the sight of his ass in just his boxers, the distance he’s adding between us keeps worry thrumming through my veins.

The weight I see resting on his shoulders breaks my heart, so despite my inner struggle to stay quiet, I rise to my feet. “It wasn’t just a dream, was it?” I fidget with the hem of the oversized t-shirt that hangs to mid-thigh. He doesn’t respond as he reaches for his pants, indicating that I’ve struck a nerve, but I press on. “It was a memory, wasn't it?”

His shoulders bunch closer together as his fists tighten around the fabric in his hands. He keeps his back to me, so I clear my throat and wrap my arms around my middle.

“I’m sorry. Asher.”

He spins around as his gaze snaps to mine, wild and furious. “I don't want your sympathy,” he snaps, and I shake my head.

“You don't have it,” I reply honestly. He frowns and turns to face me fully, as if he’s seeking more of an explanation. So that’s what I provide. “I know what it’s like for people to look at you strangely, as if it’s sad to even see you because they know what you’ve been through. That's not what this is.”

His hand relaxes, causing his pants to drop to the floor as he runs his tongue along his bottom lip. “Then what is it?”

My heart aches. I’ve never seen this man appear so vulnerable, and I think it only worsens with the acknowledgment that he’s exposing this side to me. “Understanding, awe, pride,” I rattle off, ready to throw a thousand words at him, but the first three seem to overwhelm him enough for me to pause.

His brows bunch together. “Pride?” he repeats, disbelief in his tone.

I shrug. “Yes, pride. Just the fact that you’re still here fighting…” I say. The tension in his jaw eases slightly, but the uncertainty remains.

“It doesn't usually feel like fighting,” he admits as I try to offer a warm smile.

“That's because it's a natural two-step dance routine for you at this point: fighting and surviving. When it’s all you know, you do it without even realizing.”

He tilts his head at me. “Is that what you're doing?”

I feel the familiar heat ghost my cheeks as I shrug. “Mostly.”

“Mostly?” he repeats, and I nod. “How only mostly?” he presses, and I let out a long breath. Sharing the truth hurts, but in the sweetest way possible.

“Because then I came here,” I admit, and his lips twist as he continues to stare down at me, clearly aware that there's still a bit more to the truth. So, I share a piece of my own vulnerability. “And because I finally feel like I'm on the brink of living.”

18

ASHER

Why is she looking at me like that? Why the fuck do I like it so much?

My hands flex at my sides, our gazes locked. It took every ounce of control I had last night to not find a reason to claim her over and over again. To bring her to her knees and make her beg. The memory of her sweet pleas from the night at the fight club still consumes me.

Now she’s standing there, knowing a sliver of my past, and she’s right, it’s not sympathy I see. It’s more. So much fucking more.

I know what she’s hinting, what she’s saying, she feels like she might be living, and I know I’m a fucking part of that. I know it with every fiber of my being. Or my wolf does. Either way, it sets my soul alight.

Her throat bobs as she gulps before her tongue peeks out, running over her bottom lip.

It’s unreal how much she doesn’t realize how enticing and intoxicating she is. To see the deepest, darkest parts of me and still want more, that’s everything.

My cock stiffens beneath my fitted black boxer shorts, but her eyes remain locked on mine.

“On your knees, Silver,” I rasp, and her eyebrows furrow with an innocent confusion that burns me even hotter.

“Asher?” My name is nothing more than a whisper on her lips. I want it to be a prayer.

“Did I stutter?”

She shakes her head as her lips part, but before she can say a word, the sound of her alarm goes off, interrupting the moment. Not for long, though. She darts to her nightstand, turning it off immediately before scurrying back to the exact spot by her desk.

She rakes her teeth over her bottom lip. “Maybe we should probably⁠—”

”Knees, Silver. Don’t make me say it again,” I order, and the sweet sound of her knees hitting the floor echoes through the room.

I cut the distance in a handful of strides, grabbing her chin to turn her face up to me. I bite back a groan as I feel her tremble, lust flooding her eyes as she stares up at me, silently pleading.

“Take your top off. Let me see those pretty pebbled nipples that are hidden beneath,” I murmur, dropping my gaze to her chest where her taut peaks beckon to be released.

Her delicate fingers curl around the hem of the oversized t-shirt before she lifts the fabric over her head. My dick throbs at the sight of her soft skin and taut pink nipples, even more so at her slender waist that leads down to soft, pink lace covering her pussy.

“Good girl,” I praise, and her heartbeat flutters.

Fuck.

Stepping back, I blindly edge up to the side of her bed, sitting when I feel the mattress against the back of my legs. She remains frozen in place for a moment before she starts to rise, and I lift a hand, pausing her.

“I didn’t say you could move, Silver.”

Her brows pull together once again, but she retakes her position, waiting for my command.

Double fuck.

Spreading my legs, I place my hands on my knees as I stare straight into her soul. “Crawl.”

“No,” she instantly retorts with a grimace, and I grin.

“This is going to be fun.”

“What is?” I’ve never heard a question so softly spoken, and it only makes my desire grow stronger, along with the smirk on my face.

“Watching you break.”

She scoffs, shaking her head. “I’m not going to break.” Her voice is firm, a complete contrast to a moment earlier, and I cock my head.

“You think?”

“I know,” she insists.

“How about this: the distance remains between us until you crawl to me.”

She doesn’t miss a beat as she shakes her head again. “I’m not doing that.”

“We’ll see.”

She glares, and it’s impossible for me to ignore my cock any longer. I slip my boxer shorts down just enough to release my dick, sighing as I wrap my fist around it, but the pressure isn’t enough. Nothing but her will be enough.

Her eyes widen as she gulps, watching my hand slowly run up and down my length.

“Place your hands on your shoulders,” I order, and she frowns, but she seems willing to comply as she places her fingers against her exposed skin.

“Good girl,” I praise again, clenching my hand tighter around my cock at the sound of her pulse quickening.

Fuck.

“Slowly run your hands over your collarbone and your pretty tits, Silver.”

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip, but after a moment, she complies, running her fingers over her collarbone before stroking across her chest. Goosebumps rise in her wake as her breath comes in short, sharp gasps.

“Pinch your taut peaks for me, Silver.”

Her fingers engulf her nipples, just as I order, and as she pinches, a startling gasp breaks past her lips. “That’s it. Now, skim your hands over your waist and to the lace.” Her teeth work her bottom lip as she follows my instructions. “Good girl, now run your hands over your hips and to your thighs.”

She stares at me, a frown in place, but she hisses as she bypasses her core and does as I say.

“Needy yet?” I ask, and she groans.

“Always,” she replies, raspy as fuck, and I smirk.

“Now you can tease the hem of your panties,” I order, and she shivers, touching the material that hides her center from me. “How desperate is your little clit?”

“Not desperate enough to crawl to you,” she retorts, and a bark of laughter parts my lips.

The sound surprises both of us, but the curl to her lips confirms she’s having fun too.

“How desperate is your clit, Silver?” I repeat, and she rolls her eyes.

“Very.”

“Feel it over the lace,” I order, and she sags with relief as she brushes the pad of her finger over her needy clit, groaning with delight.

I don’t say a word, giving us both a moment to bask in a little ecstasy. I track every movement of her fingers, watching them draw tight circles at her center. When I finally lift my eyes to her face, it’s to find her gaze zeroed in on my cock.

“Fuck, Silver,” I grunt, and her gaze snaps back to mine.

“Asher.” There it is. The plea.

“Yes?”

“Please.”

“Crawl to me,” I order, and she tenses, but nowhere near as much as earlier.

“No.”

I shrug. “Then it’s your own fingers slipping beneath the lace,” I state, loving the way her mouth forms the perfect O as she pouts. “Spread your legs.” Her thighs open up for me. “Hand under the lace,” I follow up, and she slips her slender fingers beneath the material that still separates us. “Two fingers, Silver,” I add when she leads with one. “Stretch yourself until you’re ready for me.”

The familiar pink hue trails across her chest at my command, and if the angle of her hand didn’t give me the cue that she’s inside herself, the look on her face would.

Her cheeks brighten as a gasp parts her lips and she slowly starts to rock back and forth, grinding desperately.

I watch her through hooded eyes, her gaze locked on me the entire time, and I have to squeeze my cock with more force than usual to stop myself from coming too soon.

“Please, Asher,” she pants, shoulders shaking with desire.

“You know the requirement.”

Her eyes darken before glancing at the floor. A sigh of frustration bursts past her lips before she tilts her head back, exhaling slowly as she looks up at the ceiling. “I can’t come without you.”

“How so?” I fucking know how so, I feel it myself, but I want to hear her say it.

“My body needs your touch,” she groans, her fingers working diligently as she continues to grind on her fingers.

“Then crawl to me, Silver. Show me how badly you want it,” I goad, leaning back a little as I work my cock.

She bites back a scream as her fingers slip from beneath her lace, and before I can truly process what is happening, her palms hit the carpet. My breath lodges in my throat, making it impossible for me to think as I stare at her in awe.

One hand moves first, followed by her knee, then the other.

There she is—my queen in all of her glory—crawling toward me.

Fuck.

Her eyes remain on mine with every move until she’s perfectly settled between my thighs, then they drop to my cock.

She drags her fingers up my legs and over my thighs as she nears, my pulse throbbing in my ears. “Good girl—fuck,” I grunt, my praise slamming to a halt as she brings her mouth to my length.

A shiver runs down my spine as she swipes her tongue over the tip, and my head falls back with a groan. I lower my hand and she lowers her mouth, taking more of me. She doesn’t stop, and I have to pull my hand away altogether as she continues, gagging when she goes too far. The way her throat clenches around my cock has me close to climax, and after she just crawled to me, there’s no way in Hell I’m coming down her throat.

Grabbing her hips, I flip her in the air and spread her on the bed in one swift move. She bounces with the force, eyes wide as she blinks up at me, but I jolt into action, lowering myself between her thighs.

I drag my tongue along her folds, circling her clit, and her fingers find their way into my hair. The grip of her hands urges me on, and for a short moment, I concede control.

She rides my face with purpose, with the same amount of determination that I have as I feast on her sweet cunt. The second I thrust two fingers into her core, she tightens, the grip deadly before she climaxes, drenching me in her release as her cries fill the room.

The moment her center relaxes, I slip my hand from her core as I drag my lips up over her hip bone and toward her breast. I take her pebbled nipple into my mouth as I align my dick at the entrance to her pussy.

“Asher,” she cries as I slam home, releasing her taut peak with a pop.

Our groans mingle as sweat clings to every inch of me. Desperate for more, I grab her ankles and rest them on my shoulders as I lean up, needing to be deeper. Her fingers curl into the sheets as I slam into her relentlessly, feeding both of our desires as my vision blurs.

“One more time, Silver,” I command, my muscles tingling with the impending ecstasy I know is coming and the feel of her core rippling around me. Her obeying my order so readily is enough to send me over the edge.

I hiss, biting back a groan as she drenches me in her release once again. The second she’s done, I pull out, painting her chest with my own release. We both stare at the ribbons along her skin until her eyes find mine. I part my lips, but before I speak, a knock sounds from the door.

Fuck.

Neither of us turn away, both digesting the moment between us, but when another knock comes I know it’s time for our moment to come to an end. But there’s something I have to make clear before we get to that.

“Silver.”

“Yes?” she asks, spent.

“Next time, I claim you.”

19

POLARIS

Asher’s words linger in the air like the promise they are, somehow managing to make my temperature rise even more, despite the burning inferno that still clings to my skin after he just fucked me into the mattress.

I’ve finally been taken in an actual bed.

Unfortunately, the opportunity to bask in the afterglow is gone as another knock comes from the door, firmly breaking the moment as Asher sighs and rises to his feet. He slips his cock back beneath his boxer shorts as he heads for the door while I scramble to cover myself with the sheets.

I barely have the sheet covering my chest when he swings the door open to greet whoever waits on the other side.

“Fuck, finally. I’m jealous,” Wylder states, breezing past Asher, and his eyes immediately fall to me. “Definitely jealous,” he adds, adjusting his cock through his pants as his teeth sink into his bottom lip.

I’m absolutely spent, ready to sleep for a thousand years, but I still have to clench my thighs together as I watch him watch me.

“We’re late,” Lincoln grunts, following him inside. His eyes immediately dart to where I lay, but he doesn’t say a word.

“I think we all know the reason for that,” Tatum adds as he is the last to step inside, and Asher closes the door behind him.

“We’re just getting ready,” he offers, pushing a hand through his hair all casual, like we haven’t just gained an audience.

“Sure, it sounded like that’s what you were doing,” Wylder muses, and I feel my cheeks flush.

Lincoln clears his throat as he stands with his arms folded across his chest, staring at the object on my desk.

“Any luck with the chalice?” he asks, and I shake my head even though he’s not looking at me, but I can’t manage to find the ability to make my mouth work.

“No. We focused on her magic,” Asher offers, and Tatum offers me a half smile as he tucks his hands into his pockets.

“Progress?” he asks, and I nod, still unable to make words with my lips.

“Have you fucked the attitude out of her?” Lincoln asks, his question clearly aimed at Asher, but he glances over his shoulder to stare at me.

I think my face might actually be on fire.

“No, she’s just on that post-orgasm high. I’ll be sure that she’s back to giving you hell before we leave,” Asher offers, earning a chuckle from Tatum and Wylder, while Lincoln rolls his eyes, grumbling what I think is ‘asshole’ under his breath. “Now, politely, get the fuck out so she can get ready.”

“I don’t mind staying. It sounds like a view worth having,” Wylder says with a grin as my eyes widen, but he’s already heading to the door. Tatum follows after him while Lincoln lingers for a moment longer.

It’s almost as if there’s something he wants to say, but he either doesn’t know how or doesn’t want to. Either way, nothing parts his lips before he trudges toward the door and Asher kicks it shut again behind them.

“And then there were two,” he says with a soft smile ghosting his lips, and the corner of my mouth curls up too.

“The chalice?” I breathe, and he nods, running his fingers through his hair again as he glances at the golden object on my desk.

“I didn’t want to overwhelm you last night, but now that we have it, you might be able to help us figure it out.”

“I like the sound of that,” I admit, and he nods, reaching for his t-shirt, and I immediately miss the view of his ripped chest.

“Perfect, then that’s tonight’s plan, okay?” he confirms, and I nod my agreement. “And Polaris,” he murmurs, his eyes darkening as his tone shifts, and I cock a brow at him as the silence stretches between us until he clears his throat. “What happened here, me hurting you… that was never my intention. It won’t happen again, I swear it,” he promises, and I realize the darkness that lingers in his marbled eyes is pain, but not his, mine.

I dart from the bed, moving before I can even think. It’s only when I’m leaping off the bed and catapulting toward him that I panic, but he captures me mid-air and I cling to him like a spider monkey.

As much as I want to hide in the crook of his neck, I don’t. Leaning back, I level him with what I hope is a serious stare before I speak. “If nightmares like that come often, Asher, then you bet your ass it’s going to happen again because I’m always going to try and help you.”

With a pastry for breakfast, courtesy of Tatum, I made it to the first class of the day with them hot on my tail. One class leads into another and another, and I manage to have an uneventful day, which is pure bliss as I make my way to my final class. I avoided drama at lunch, which feels like a huge success, but as I sit in the final lesson, where we’re all together, everything quickly becomes a blur once the professor starts talking. I can feel eyes on me.

Wolf eyes.

Vampire eyes.

Gossiping eyes.

It’s impossible to acknowledge my own thoughts, never mind hear someone else speak. My start to the morning definitely didn’t help. That’s the excuse I’m going with, at least. It definitely doesn’t help that I shuffled into class with four broody wolves a step behind me, because Bianca clocked it straight away and she’s spent the entire class whispering with her friends.

As the end of the lesson draws near, I’m eager to get the hell out of here so I don’t have to deal with her shit and inevitably do something stupid like hit her again. As if sensing my prayers, the bell rings, and I rise from my seat, darting for the door.

I don’t make it two steps before I’m stumbling over my own feet, nearly face-planting on the floor like a true spectacle, when a pair of arms wrap around my middle, stopping the inevitable from happening. With my heart thundering in my chest, I peer over my shoulder to see who my hero is and freeze.

“Amica Mea.” My breath hitches at the two words that are barely more than a whisper, and before I can genuinely register what the hell just happened, Blaze releases me from his hold. “Watch where you’re going,” he grunts, harsher and louder, as he takes a backward step, clearing the path for me.

His words sting, yet his actions somehow soothe the interaction.

“Asshole,” Minnie grunts from a step behind me, and she quickly links her arm through mine and hauls me toward the door.

Embarrassment threatens to claim me once again, but I cling to my friend instead.

“Are you okay, Polaris?” Tatum asks, appearing by the door as we step over the threshold, and I nod.

“I’m fine,” I insist, and he nods, but I don’t miss the glare he aims over my shoulder.

I know who the recipient of that look is. But even more than that, I know he won’t care.

Heading down the hallway, I don’t bother to look back, still overwhelmed with embarrassment when shouting echoes through the corridor. Minnie frowns, glancing at me, but I shrug, just as confused as she is.

I’m happy to walk on by and head back to my room, ready to get my hands on the chalice like Asher mentioned, but it seems Minnie has other ideas as she tugs me to the left, toward the drama.

I stumble to a stop when we reach the manicured lawns to find a witch and a vampire standing toe to toe with one another.

Sian and Foster.

“What’s going on?” Bryony asks, appearing on the other side of Minnie, and I shrug. There’s no point in answering when Sian is yelling at the top of her lungs.

“You promised me it would work. It didn’t. You better fucking fix it,” she snarls, jabbing the tip of her finger against his chest with every word.

His hands ball into fists at his sides as he glowers back at her.

“I’m not going to tell you again. It’s. Not. My. Fucking. Problem.” He steps back, but she follows after him, seemingly unaware of the growing audience that surrounds them.

“It sure as fuck is your problem. You told me it would help me find him. Does it look like I’ve found him? Terence is missing, and I fucking paid you to help me.” Her face is red with anger, but my attention snaps to my right, where Blaze stands. He’s a step or two away from everyone else. I have no idea how it’s so easy for me to find him among the crowd, but he’s right where I anticipate him to be.

At the mention of Terence, I wonder whether he’s going to step in, but he does nothing.

I consider interrupting, offering up his location to diffuse the situation, but I quickly remember that neither of them has been remotely nice to me. Sian dropped me so fast the moment we got here I’m still dealing with the whiplash, while Foster was cruel the only time I spoke with him.

I’ve got enough issues to deal with; I don’t need to add this one to my plate as well.

“If you don’t back the fuck up, I’ll show you what else my magic can do,” Foster warns, and even I gulp at his tone, but Sian doesn’t seem to notice as she sneers at him.

“Woah,” Minnie blurts, quickly untucking her arm from mine as she shifts to her left, and as I follow her line of sight, panic kicks in when I notice Bryony leaning against her, struggling to stand.

“Bryony,” I gasp, the scene between the two assholes no longer my concern. “What’s wrong?” I ask, shuffling around Minnie so I can help her with Bryony.

“I don’t…” Her words trail off with a groan as she slumps even more.

“Is she going to faint?” I murmur, glancing at Minnie in concern, and she shrugs, eyes wide with fear.

“I don’t know.”

Glancing over her shoulder, I find the wolf I’m seeking, but before I can wave him closer, I’m ushered aside as Foster appears, taking Bryony into his arms. “She needs the medical center.”

That sounds like a good idea. Good enough to warrant the slight manhandling so I let it slide.

“You’re not taking her anywhere without me,” Minnie snaps, a determined glare on her face as she stares him down, and he rolls his eyes.

“Whatever. Let’s go.”

“I’m coming too,” I add, and his narrowed eyes snap to mine.

“Like fuck you are.”

I instinctively stumble back a step, hand plastered against my chest in surprise as Bryony groans in his hold. Minnie plants her hand on my shoulder, offering me a tight smile. “It’s okay. I’ll go with them. You do what you need to do.” Her attempt at soothing me doesn’t stick, but I nod in understanding before the three of them quickly exit.

“What was that?” Wylder asks, appearing at my side, and I shrug.

“She’s not okay.”

“Minnie will make sure she’s taken care of,” he offers, and I nod again.

“Sure. I just… she’s my friend too. I want to make sure she’s alright,” I admit, acutely aware of the fact that I’m grumbling over my feelings when something clearly isn’t right with her.

“I know, Little Witch. You’re cute like that,” he states, wrapping his arm around my shoulders as he tugs me into his side. “But Minnie was right. We’ve got things to be doing too. Things that could greatly help everyone in the long run,” he states, and I hum in agreement.

I don’t tear my gaze away from my friends until they’re out of sight. Only then do I let Wylder guide me toward the dorms. It’s not until we’re taking the sandy path that I even realize Lincoln, Asher, and Tatum are a step behind us. I didn’t even notice where Sian and Blaze took off to, and I silently berate myself for not trying to make sure I’m fully aware of my surroundings.

Entering the witch building, we find the communal area empty, which makes the presence of four dominating wolves less of an issue as we take the stairs. When we reach my door, I curl my hand around the handle but Lincoln wraps his hand around my wrist, pausing me.

“What was with Blaze earlier?” The look of intensity on his face makes me snicker.

“What’s with Blaze at all times?” I retort, giving him a pointed look, and his eyes narrow.

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I’m aware, but neither does he.”

“I don’t like it,” Tatum interjects, and I glance past Lincoln to meet his gaze. “I don’t like that he’s an ass in public,” he adds for clarity, and I offer him a tight smile.

“Me either. But we’ve got too much going on for me to try to understand him right now,” I admit, and the silence that follows makes it clear that the conversation may be done with for now, but not forever.

Lincoln finally releases my wrist and I open my bedroom door, leading the way inside. Nothing is out of place this time, and the chalice is still perched on my desk where we left it. A little of the tension I hadn’t realized was gathering in my shoulders subsides.

The four of them filter in after me, completely taking over the room like they always do. Asher heads straight for the chalice, repositioning it on the bed as we all stand around, waiting for it to do… something.

“What do we do?” I ask when no one takes the lead, and Lincoln sighs.

“We’re hoping the witch can figure it out because we sure as shit haven’t been able to.”

“Great,” I mumble, nervously wiping a hand over my mouth.

“There’s no pressure, but in our hands, it’s been nothing but an empty cup,” Tatum offers, doing nothing to ease the pressure I suddenly feel.

Determined to find the something we’re searching for, I grab the chalice and stare down at it, tingles running along my fingers.

“Has it always been… vibrating?” I ask, frowning as I glance at the others. They all look at me with an equally confused expression.

“Vibrating?” Asher asks, questionably peering at the object in my hands, and I nod.

“It’s really light, almost like it’s not here at all, but…”

“But what?” Lincoln asks, and I rub my lips together nervously.

“I think I read something in my grimoire about this kind of thing yesterday,” I admit, lowering the chalice to my bed as I reach for my bag. Heaving the thick grimoire onto the bed, I flip through the pages, searching for the passage I’m trying to recall.

It takes a few minutes, but I eventually find what I’m looking for. Whether it actually connects, I don’t know, but there’s only one way to find out. Excitement pools in my gut as I tap the worn page with my right hand while blindly slipping my left hand into my pocket, searching for my velvet pouch.

“What is it?” Wylder asks, his voice hitched with intrigue, but I don’t get a chance to answer before Asher’s interjects.

“Just let her do her thing.”

“She doesn’t even know what her thing is,” Lincoln grunts, and my gaze snaps to him, anger coiling down my spine, but just like a moment earlier, another one of the wolves reacts on my behalf.

Tatum’s fist sails through the air, slamming into the side of Lincoln’s face.

I leap back in shock, almost dropping my sand, but I manage to pin it to my chest as I gape between the two of them.

“Stop tearing her down with your backhanded comments,” Tatum snarls, rage brewing in his eyes, but to my surprise, no anger exudes from Lincoln.

Instead, he rubs at the sore spot. “Jesus fucking Christ.”

Wylder holds out a fist bump for Tatum, but he rolls his eyes, refusing to partake. However, it does seem to calm the simmering storm inside of him.

“Are you okay?”

I frown with concern at Tatum, who nods, taking a deep breath as he shakes his hand out, and Lincoln huffs.

“What about me? He hit me,” he grunts, and I glance at him out of the corner of my eyes.

“You deserved it,” Wylder states, and I roll my eyes.

“Are you okay?” I ask, genuinely concerned as he tries to hide a grimace.

“I’ll be fine. Do your thing with the chalice,” he murmurs with a half smile on his lips. I think he’s trying to reassure me about something, but the hurt is evident on his face.

An outburst from Tatum isn’t the norm, not one of that caliber anyway, and I feel a little bad that it’s because of me.

Nodding, I try to let the matter go as I reach into my pouch of sand and sprinkle the grains over the rim of the chalice and mutter under my breath. “Revelare. Ostendo.” I repeat the words three times as I run my thumb over the edge of the chalice, and as the third repetition leaves my lips, the chalice grows heavier and water starts to fill the cup from the base.

“What the fuck?” Wylder blurts as I gape in disbelief.

“That wasn’t there before,” Lincoln mutters, stating the obvious.

“Good observation, asshole,” Asher says with a huff of surprise as Tatum scrubs the back of his neck.

“What now?” he asks, and I gulp, lifting my gaze to meet each of their stares.

“Now, we drink.”

20

POLARIS

Idon’t think, I just do. Placing the chalice on my nightstand, I dip my hands into the liquid and bring it to my lips, my eyelids falling closed in the process. It’s a replica of what I did on the first day I arrived here at Trinity Falls Academy, and my gut is telling me it’s going to work this time too. Only, it won’t be my faction that is revealed, but the secrets held in the gold.

The liquid runs down my throat, leaving a warm path in its wake, which feels odd since it’s initially cool against my lips. It’s weirdly sweet too.

I wait a moment, hoping for a flicker of a memory to play on the back of my eyelids or something, but nothing comes. Nothing except a cool breeze dancing over my arms.

With a sigh, I let my hands fall away from my face as I pry my eyes open, slightly defeated, but the moment my gaze looks around my room, I fall short. It’s not the familiar four walls that greet me. It’s… something—somewhere—else.

A burnt orange roof sits above me, kept up by rickety slats that make up what looks like a barn. The first inkling I have is the fact that there’s a huge pile of hay off to my right and a horse settled behind a wooden gate on my left.

This is definitely not where I was a moment ago.

“What the…” My words trail off as I take a tentative step, the smell of fresh hay and horse manure in the air as the sound of laughter dances in the distance. I don’t take any of it in, though, because the first step I take is uncomfortable, my toes squished, and when I look down the length of myself, I find I’m⁠—

“What the fuck am I wearing?” Lincoln grunts, appearing in front of me, and my gaze snaps in his direction. My eyes widen, acknowledging his question, but I don’t have an answer as I take him in. I don’t get a chance to make full note of his attire from head to toe because he’s in my face a moment later, finger aimed in my direction as a scathing look darkens his features. “Don’t fucking do that,” he snaps, and I slam my palm against his chest, hoping to put some distance between us, but all it does is make me move.

The effort was there at least.

Sighing, I give him a pointed look. “Do what?”

He shakes his head in irritation, his hand dropping to his side as he glances around the barn. “Where the fuck are we?”

“I don’t know, Lincoln,” I grumble, still confused by his initial outburst, but my attention is once again distracted when Tatum appears a step to our left.

“Oh, thank God,” he mumbles, swooping me up in his arms a moment later as Wylder and Asher quickly appear in the same spot.

“What in the magic is going on?” Wylder asks, wrangling me from Tatum’s grasp so he can tuck me into his side.

“I don’t know,” I admit, my worry caught in a tug of war with itself. The lack of understanding of what is going on right now is outweighed by the company I now have, and it doesn’t feel as uneasy as it did when I was alone.

“More so, what the fuck are we wearing?” Asher grunts, and I slip from under Wylder’s arms so we can all take a moment to assess our attire.

Lincoln, Tatum, Wylder, and Asher are all wearing white shirts beneath black, worn suits. Shiny, overly polished shoes are at their feet, and their hair, apart from Wylder, is all swept back with the worst comb over I’ve ever seen.

I don’t make that fact known, not when they all have the first few buttons of their shirts undone, revealing just a hint of skin beneath, and I’m a goner. Their hair may have seen better days, but their get up brings out a whole other side to the wolves.

“You guys look hot at least,” I grumble, tilting my face down to take in my own clothes. Square-heeled shoes adorn my feet, squeezing tighter than necessary, while a huge yellow dress puffs out in every direction. The sleeves are unnecessary, and the corset around my waist makes it barely possible to breathe.

“We look… old,” Asher grumbles, but Wylder grins.

“It’s more vintage, and if it displays my Little Witch’s tits like that, then I’m all for it,” he states, drawing attention to the way my dress pushes my chest up toward my face.

I don’t engage in the topic with him, but my cheeks heat nonetheless. Attempting to brush him off with an eye roll, I flick my silvery hair over my shoulder and take a deep breath, but Lincoln speaks before I can formulate a sentence.

“What do we do?”

Tatum scoffs. “You’re the Alpha.”

Lincoln rolls his eyes before settling a heavy stare my way. “I didn’t bring us here.”

Instead of letting his words bring me down, I smile at him. “That would be me. Do you want me to be in charge, Lincoln?” I goad, and he grunts.

“No.”

“Too late,” I sing, sidestepping them as I head for the exit. Before I reach the barn door, I glance back over my shoulder at them. “I think we’re actually in a memory instead of simply viewing it,” I add before stepping outside.

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Lincoln mutters, and I sigh.

“You don’t like the sound of much,” I retort, and Wylder appears at my side a moment later, fist extended in my direction. I curl my hand into a fist and knock it against his, loving the beaming smile on his lips as I earn my first ever fist bump.

Lincoln grumbles something under his breath that I can’t quite hear, but I’m paying more attention to our surroundings. The dusty dirt road is poorly lit, but there’s another building across the way to the right with the lights on and the sound of music wafting through the air.

My gut tells me that’s where we need to go, so I grab a few layers of my dress and take off toward the noise.

“Where are you going now?” Lincoln gripes, and I fight back another eye roll.

“If you’re going to complain, you can wait here. I’m not dealing with your mood swings on top of not knowing what we’re all walking into,” I snap as Wylder tosses his arm around my shoulders.

“Feisty. I like it. That’s my witch,” he declares as I shake my head at his antics.

Approaching the building, I notice the sign above the door. Pinky’s Tavern. That explains the music. As we approach the door, it barrels open from the inside out as two men stumble over one another. They’re too busy singing, swaying, and drunkenly laughing to pay us any mind. Sidestepping them, we enter the tavern just as the music quiets down.

Rows and rows of chairs occupy the space, each one filled and aimed toward the far wall where a man stands. There’s a gray top hat on his head and a cane in his hand. I plaster myself to the back wall with Wylder to my left and the others spread to my right, each following suit as we try to blend in.

“Thank you all for joining me for what I hope will be a fine and productive evening. As many of you know, the factions that we call our own are under threat. Not a threat from the outside world. There’s no known supernatural hunter on the prowl and the truth of our existence isn’t on the brink of being released. No. The threat comes from the inside. From our own.” Gasped whispers fill the space, and my heart rate creeps up as worry settles in my gut. “We all know who they are, but if you need me to spell it out for you, I’ll happily reel out their names. Octantis, Jonah, Bracken, Felix, Timothe, and Belladora.”

Wylder nudges my arm, pulling my attention to him. “Do you think that⁠—”

“The six of them make a coven like no other. The six of them together are a force I’m not willing to reckon with. The six of them should not be allowed any more time to flourish. Their time must come, and that time has to be now.”

Cheers ring through the air as I nod at Wylder. “The original six?”

His mouth sits in a thin line as he turns back to the man holding the entire tavern captive.

“Why?” Someone hollers from the crowd, and instead of becoming more enraged at the question, the leader grins.

“Well, I thought you would never ask.” He straightens the lapels on his jacket as he slowly paces back and forth on the small platform. “You see, when you hear the word coven, you assume that they’re all witches. Correct?”

Murmurs of agreement ring out, but the look on his face darkens.

“That’s where you would be wrong. You see, the only witches among the coven are Belladora and Octantis.” He shakes his head with a grimace as the volume of the crowd lowers once more. “Jonah is a human, a supernatural hunting human to be precise, while Bracken is a wolf. And to make matters worse, both Timothe and Felix are vampires. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, when I say it’s a coven like no other, I don’t use such words lightly. It’s because there is indeed no other coven that holds more than witches. There are some from each faction, and I declare that we must put an end to it immediately.” His voice thunders as he drives his point home and the crowd comes alive once again, chanting and hollering in agreement.

My heart aches, a pain I can’t explain holding me captive, and I can’t bear to listen anymore. Without glancing at the others, I beeline for the door, struggling to breathe until I make it outside into the dark night air.

I plant my hand on my chest, heaving in a breath as unshed tears settle in my eyes.

“That was… something else,” Tatum states, appearing at the side of me, and I fail to smile in acknowledgment.

“Imagine being the ones spoken about. Imagine loving someone for others to pass such judgment on. Not one thing he said was about how they had hurt anyone or shown signs of being a danger to their community. They just…” I sigh, shaking my head as I look down at the ground.

“They just loved each other,” Lincoln murmurs, completing my sentence as he joins us.

“They died for loving others outside of their factions,” Asher reiterates, driving the point home, and I feel like I’m going to be sick.

What would the people in there think of me?

Love? No, maybe, it can’t be, but I’ve made no effort to hide anything I’ve done for others to make judgment.

Defeated, I walk with my head down, eager to get back to the barn and figure out a way back from here. But I don’t get far before I hear the gentle sound of soft sobs coming from behind a large oak tree off to my right.

“It’s okay, Princess. It’s all going to be okay,” a man says, attempting to soothe a sobbing woman. She’s wrapped up in his arms, clinging to him like her life depends on it.

“I just want to love you, Jonah.”

My heart stills at the name on the woman’s lips and I freeze, allowing them to captivate me completely as the man leans back to brush a tendril of hair from her face.

“I know, Princess. We’ll figure this out. They can’t tear us apart, any of us, and the sooner they learn that, the better,” Jonah insists, his voice firm as, who I assume is Belladora, nods in acknowledgment.

“I would die for you. You know that, right?” she breathes, and I feel the weight of her words in my gut.

“That’s the only love I know, and it’s you, Princess,” Jonah promises, digging into his pocket to retrieve something small and shiny.

A coin.

“Jonah.”

“I’m going to love you in every lifetime, Belladora. This coin will forever be proof of it,” he promises, my heart soaring at their pain, but before I get a chance to truly comprehend the true weight of the coins we own, reality slips from between my fingers and everything fades away.

21

POLARIS

My bedroom reappears, and although I sag with relief to be back on familiar turf, I feel like a piece of me is still there, hurting, grieving the pain I could feel.

With my hand clutched against my chest, I stumble toward my bed, sitting with a sigh. I don’t look up from my feet, aware the guys are here with me, but I need a moment to compose myself.

“What the fuck was that?” Lincoln grunts, and I sense him starting to pace, but I’m still trying to gather my thoughts.

“That was…” Asher starts, but his words swiftly trail off when he realizes there’s no describing what that was.

“It was sad as fuck,” Wylder grunts, and I finally lift my gaze to nod in agreement.

“Heartbreaking,” I murmur, palm still pressed against my chest as my heart thunders wildly.

“There’s a lot to unpack,” Tatum adds, sitting beside me on the bed, and I nod again.

“It’s sad that their love, their pain, and their everything created such a powerful curse that continues to hurt so many afterward, yet we hardly discuss their names. They died because of love, cursed us for it as well, and most people here wouldn’t even recognize a single name,” I murmur, my chest tightening with the truth of his words.

“I’ll be sure to honor them when I kill my blood kin,” Lincoln replies with an eye roll, and I glare into the back of his head as he continues to pace.

Asshole.

“The coins,” Tatum starts, and I reluctantly pull my stare from the irritating Alpha. “Each coin seems to represent one of the men, symbolizing their love for their woman.”

“Their center,” Asher corrects, reminding us all of one huge factor. The originals, the purpose of the curse, weren’t just in love; they were magically connected as a coven, too.

“I didn’t think it would be possible for covens to operate with multiple factions,” Wylder states, and I offer him a tight smile.

“How do we dissect all of this so it helps us figure out how to bring it all to an end?” Lincoln asks, wiping a hand down his face, and I shrug helplessly.

“So if Bracken was a wolf, do you think that’s where your coin came from?” I ask, glancing at Tatum, and he nods.

“Potentially. It makes the most sense, at least. And if Blaze has one, his could have descended from Timothe or Felix,” he adds, but as his brows furrow, I know he’s confused. “What I can’t figure out is if Belladora had her own. If not, do you have the one that belonged to Octantis?”

“Do you think there would be a way for us to find out?” I ask, and Asher sighs.

“To figure that out, I get the feeling we would need all of them, and between us, we only have three of them, including Blaze’s.”

“Jonah was the human, right?” Wylder calls out, and I nod. “And the fifth one would belong to another vampire?” he clarifies, recalling each supernatural in Belladora’s coven, and I nod, my lips setting into a thin line. “Assuming you have Octantis’s then there would only be two remaining,” he states hopefully, but Lincoln’s scoff quickly disregards any progress we may or may not be making.

“There may only be two, but finding them isn’t going to be easy when they could be anywhere in the world.”

“Where’s yours?” Tatum asks, and I point to my nightstand.

“In there.”

He places his hand on my thigh. “Bring it with you today so we can compare,” he states, and I nod.

“I take it everywhere anyway, so it’s not an issue,” I explain, and he frowns, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes.

“You do? Don’t you want to keep it safe?” he asks, and I shrug.

“That thing keeps me safe,” I insist, and he nods, although I can tell by the look in his eyes that he doesn’t really understand how. Neither do I, really; I just know it has the ability to keep me grounded and fill me with strength, just by the feel of it against my palm.

“So what do we do now? If—” Lincoln is cut off by a knock coming from my bedroom door, and the five of us all turn toward it warily.

No one makes a move, each of us fixated on the wood separating us when another knock sounds. “Come on, assholes. Not you, Polaris, but I know you’re all in there,” Minnie sings from the other side, and before I can stand, Lincoln is by the door, opening it for her to enter.

“Is everything okay with Bryony?” I ask as she comes into view, remembering the concern I felt earlier before we were swept into a memory.

“She’s doing okay. They gave her some herbs and she seems much more stable. She was going to come back here with me, but it didn’t make sense to bypass the main academy building to go all the way back there again,” she explains. I frown, confused as to why that matters.

“We can go for dinner soon, Minnie. We were just⁠—”

“Dinner? What are you talking about?”

“What are you talking about?” he retorts, eyebrows furrowing as he takes in his sister, and she meets him with a matching glare.

“Lincoln, I’ve been at the medical center all night with Bryony. I’m exhausted. I don’t have time for this,” she grumbles as confused looks travel between the five of us.

“So it’s not dinner time?” Wylder asks, and Minnie gives him a pointed look.

“No, Dufus. If we had time, it would be for breakfast, but the assembly is about to begin, so there’s no time to eat first,” she explains, still not actually clearing the air for us.

“Assembly?” I murmur, and she nods, her facial features softening as she turns to me.

“Yes. The students that were mentioned previously are set to have their blood kins announced today.”

“Today?” I repeat, lurching to my feet in panic. I’m more stressed out about that than the fact that it seems we lost an entire night to the chalice.

“Today. This morning. Right now. The blood kins are about to be announced, and we need to get moving so we’re there to observe.”

22

POLARIS

“What is it we’re walking into here?” I ask nervously, worry getting the better of me as we head closer to the main academy building.

Even with my hand in Tatum’s and Wylder’s arm draped over my shoulders, the threat of disaster overwhelms me. The guys share a look, making Minnie roll her eyes as she hurries a few steps ahead to turn and speak to me.

“I forget you’ve never been before,” she murmurs, an unnecessary apologetic smile on her face that quickly seems to morph into a grimace. She walks backward, completely unfazed, as she explains. “It’s not the nicest, but it’s real, I guess,” revealing far less than I anticipated.

“What does that mean?” I question further, tilting my head at her, and she waves her hand, ushering Tatum out of the way before she takes his spot beside me. My palm feels the loss of him immediately, especially when Wylder falls away too, but she links her arm through mine and I somehow manage to feel an inch taller and more confident as I match her determined strides.

“I mean, it’s… chaotic,” she admits, eyebrows raised, and despite the news she’s sharing, she doesn’t falter, and somehow, neither do I. “You’re about to witness students discover who their blood kin is after all this time.” I gulp as she continues. “Some react instantly while others leave to think and consider their options. The whole ‘you die, I die,’ is gone, and that makes a difference.”

“What she’s trying to say is you’re highly likely about to watch someone die,” Lincoln grunts, never sugarcoating anything, but despite the unease that settles in my gut, I appreciate the heads up.

“I don’t like the sound of that,” I admit as the double doors leading inside loom ahead.

“Agreed, at least this time we all know that they’re dying trying to survive, and it no longer has repercussions on someone else.”

That’s true. It doesn’t make the reality of the situation any less daunting, though.

Nothing more is said on the topic as we enter the main academy building with the rest of the students, who seem to linger outside for as long as possible. The fact that others are nervous, too, is reassuring, but I would still rather be anywhere else but here.

As we near the assembly hall, Professor Whitmore stands outside with a device in his hands, and it takes me a moment to realize he’s checking off everyone’s name as they enter.

When it’s our turn, Minnie steps up first, and Lincoln moves in right behind her. They both offer their names and Whitmore hums in acknowledgment as he ticks them off before pointing them toward the wolf faction.

“Ah, a Florentine, if I recall correctly,” he states when I step up next, cocking a brow at me, and I nod, hating that I’m still associated with that place even when my sigil is gone. “Excellent. Your name?” he asks, irritating me even further.

“Polaris Beauchamp,” I grumble, and he nods, checking me off on his device.

“Witches are to the left,” he states, pointing in the opposite direction he guided Lincoln and Minnie. My heart sinks as I slowly realize we can’t be seated together.

Glancing back over my shoulder, my eyes latch on Asher’s first, noting the grim line his lips are pressed in, and I offer a meek smile before slipping through the doors. I barely make it two steps before I freeze, gaping at the unfamiliar room that now lies before me.

I’ve only been in here a handful of times, but I’ll never forget the room where I learned my name and the faction I belong to, and it definitely did not look like this. Previously, there was a small stage area to the left with rows and rows of seats filling the rest of the space. Now, the room is… bigger. Not just by a little bit, either. More like double the size, if not, triple. The center of the room is bare, with rows of velvet chairs creating a circle around it as a focal point for everyone to see. The space in the middle feels like it’s big enough for the entire witches’ dorm to stand in the center of it.

I gulp, feeling small in the space as I scan the chairs to my left, finding Bryony in the front row. She spots me as I near, a wide smile on her face, and she looks far better than she did yesterday.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” I ask, taking the seat beside her, and she nods.

“Honestly, I’m good. I have no idea what that was, but I’m feeling normal again today,” she insists, and I smile wider.

“Good. You had me scared,” I state, but before she can respond, a scoff comes from the other side of her, where I find Foster. His eyes are narrowed on me, disdain plaguing his features as he sneers.

“I thought we agreed⁠—”

“No, Foster. You did. Just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean I share it,” Bryony snaps back, interrupting whatever he was about to say. He shakes his head, redirecting his attention to the center of the room, and I gulp again.

Whatever he was about to say was about me, that’s for sure. A part of me wants to push him on the matter and give him a piece of my mind, but the light in the room dims, drawing my focus to the middle of the space.

“Good morning, students. Firstly, I would like to thank you all for your prompt attendance. As we all know, today is a very important day for many, and it’s paramount that we show united support to our fellow blood kin students,” Professor Whitmore says, turning in a slow circle as he addresses everyone in the room.

Glancing away from him momentarily, I turn my attention to the other factions. It takes me a second to spot that the wolves are seated diagonal to us, while the humans are directly across, leaving the vampires to our right. I try to see if Blaze is here, but there are too many students in our way for me to get a clear view.

“I’m aware it’s a first for our Florentine students to be present for such events, but it brings me great pleasure to offer the opportunity to watch it before you take part in the tradition yourselves,” Professor Whitmore continues, his words doing nothing to ease the pent up emotions swirling in my gut.

“Are you ready?” Bryony whispers beside me as she nudges my leg with hers, and I shake my head, refusing to look away. She squeezes my arm, silently attempting to offer comfort, but until this entire thing is over, I’m not sure I’ll simmer down.

“Let’s proceed, shall we?” Whitmore declares, smiling from ear to ear as he holds his hands out wide. Six figures take to the center, each coming from a different angle, and the temperature in the room seems to drop.

Each figure is draped in a forest-green gown, similar to the ones I saw The Renegades wear. They stop in the middle of the floor and Whitmore steps back to give them space as they form a circle among them.

The room is swept with silence as the figures mutter words under their breath. I glance around the space, watching for what’s going to happen, and I’m almost certain nothing will as time stretches out until a golden symbol suddenly appears, shining and floating in the open air above the impending doom below.

It burns brighter and brighter until it suddenly extinguishes, and with a snap that rings around the room, twelve students suddenly stand. My heart hammers in my chest as they each make their way to the center of the room, eyes focused, determination in their stride.

“Are they⁠—”

“Their blood kin is among them,” Bryony whispers, answering the question I didn’t get a chance to finish.

Twelve students. Six blood kin ties.

A tremor runs down my spine and I have to sit on my hands to hide the shake of my fingertips.

“Wonderful,” Professor Whitmore says with a clap. “We have twelve fantastic students who are ready to advance to the next step of their journey. For those who have never witnessed such magic before, I will quickly explain. The first stipulation of the curse has been lifted, marking the twelve students with a symbol that only one other may bear at the same time: their blood kin. This symbol will be unique to the two of them, acknowledging not only their bond, but also the countdown that has now begun. If you become the lone survivor, the symbol will vanish with the curse. After fifty-two weeks, the emblem must exist on only one body, or both will die. Any questions?” he asks, peering around the room as he waits five seconds before proceeding. “Now, let’s allow our students to find out who among them is their blood kin,” he declares, clapping once as the witches begin to chant, only louder this time.

I’m not the only one enraptured. We all are. Not a single person is lost in their own world or gossiping with friends. Everyone is silent, waiting for the “chaos” to come, as Minnie put it.

As the chanting gets louder, the students all suddenly sink to their knees, a hiss of pain slipping from their lips, but it’s not from the floor biting against their skin. They each desperately pull up the sleeve on their left arm, revealing a glowing mark.

I can’t see the distinctive differences between them, but it seems they can.

One by one, they stand, eyes flicking between their emblem and those that mar the skin of the others. My heart lurches in my chest as I watch them each still when they find the one that matches theirs.

Their chests heave as they stumble to stand toe to toe with their blood kin. Some gape in horror, some bolt for the door immediately, while others charge.

Everything happens so fast that I don’t know where to look.

Someone screams as another student chases them, fangs elongated and red-rimmed eyes consuming their face as they try to claim their victim.

My hand flies to my mouth, a gasp burning my throat as I stare in disbelief.

The student who took off for the door first doesn’t make it far before a student who wasn’t one of the selected twelve shoulder checks them, knocking them to the ground.

What the hell?

“Why did they do that?” I blurt, peering at Bryony with wide eyes, and she at least has the decency to grimace as she explains.

“They probably know their blood kin and want to help them,” she offers, and my jaw falls slack.

I never considered that.

What will I do when it’s my friends standing up there? Will I help them kill someone else?

There’s no time to consider an answer when my next breath is stolen as someone comes barreling into me. My back hits the floor with a thud, the girl on top of me in no hurry to move as I flail, arms and legs swinging in every direction as I try to free myself.

“Fuck yeah!” someone cheers above me, arms in the air as they pay me no mind. Despite the carnage, I capture the moment the symbol on their arm disappears without a trace.

Which would mean…

“No. No. No. No. No,” I chant, finally managing to heave the body off me, and she slumps to the floor beside me. “Oh my God,” I grimace, turning away as my eyelids fall closed and my heart thunders wildly in my chest. But it’s too late, her face, her vacant eyes, they’ll forever be imprinted in my mind.

Spinning on the spot, I search for Bryony, desperate to feel grounded by her familiarity, but no matter which way I turn, I can’t see her. I can’t find Foster either.

People move in every direction, pushing and shoving. Some to get in on the action, others attempting to run from it. I think I’d rather be with the latter, but that still entails making my way to the exit, and from here, it feels like a million miles away.

Another knock to my side, and I stumble again, only this time I manage to catch myself on the only chair still remaining upright. Taking a backward step, I glance around the room, seeing nothing but bodies, and I feel like I can’t breathe as bedlam unravels.

Fists are flying, battle cries echoing around the room, and I’m confident it’s far more than those with symbols that are fighting now. Any attempt at trying to take a calming breath is short-lived as I begin to make some kind of progress toward the exit.

Clenching my eyes shut, I try to take a deep breath, failing miserably again and again until I relent and blink my eyes back open. The moment I do, dark wood catches my eye and I act on impulse. Fourteen steps, I count and take pride in each one until I find myself pressed against the wall. No matter which way I go, left or right, if I keep my back pressed against it, I’ll find my way to the exit.

One way will take longer than the other, but despite the insanity, I remember entering from my right, so I opt to seek safety in that direction.

I barely make it a couple of steps before a hand clamps down on my left shoulder and I screech, turning with wide eyes, but my panic instantly dissolves as Blaze appears beside me.

“Fuck. How do you always wind up in the middle of the madness?” he grunts, stepping around me so he can lead the way. He takes my hand in his, not bothering to look back at me as he charges toward the exit.

“You can’t honestly be mad at me right now,” I snap, and he doesn’t say a word, simply shaking his head. Asshole. “Let. Go,” I bite, digging my heels in as I try to tug my hand free from his grasp, but he’s far stronger than me. “Hey! I said get off!” I repeat, rage coiling through my veins, and he spins to face me, anger vibrating in his every breath as his shoulders heave and his eyes narrow at me.

“You can say whatever you want once we’re out of here, but for now, shut the fuck up so I can at least attempt to keep your crazy ass safe. I’ve already watched you scramble beneath Krystal’s dead body, let’s not add you to the mix too,” he growls, and my nostrils flare with my own rage, but the second my lips part, ready to tell him exactly what I think, he snarls.

“Watch out.”

He’s moving me before the warning even registers in my ears, maneuvering me behind him just in time as a wolf leaps through the air, jaw cranked wide and teeth on full display.

Horror poisons my veins as I gape in disbelief, terror leaving me speechless while fear locks me in place, ready to accept my fate.

But it doesn’t come.

As the wolf descends and their jaw begins to close, it’s not me their teeth sink into, but Blaze.

A scream rips from my throat, but he barely makes more than a grunt before he fights back. Rearing his fist, he wastes no time slamming it into the wolf’s head, sending them forcibly across the room.

Astounded, I gape at the wolf for a moment before returning my attention to Blaze. He’s wounded, his arm bleeding and pinned to his chest, but he pays it no mind as he steps into my personal space, cupping my cheek as he peers deep into my eyes.

“Are you okay?”

I shake my head in disbelief. “You’re the one bleeding.”

“I’ll be fine. Now, let’s get you the hell out of here before anything else ridiculous happens,” he grunts, his steps slightly more labored as he tugs me behind him.

This time, I don’t complain, just as desperate to get out of here as I am eager to help him with his injury.

Only a few breaths pass before the exit appears, but instead of upping my speed and charging through the doors, my eyes drag up, freezing when I notice a balcony above the exit. I’ve never noticed it before, but who knows if it was even there before today. The balcony isn’t what’s actually capturing my attention, but the person standing on it.

“Blaze,” I call out, my words barely more than a wisp of air as I feel the color drain from my face. He doesn’t hear me, which is not surprising, but this is important. “Blaze,” I repeat, tugging my arm back, and he whips around to glare at me.

“What the fuck now, Polaris?” he growls, but I ignore his tone as I point to the balcony.

“Who is that?”

He huffs, eyebrows gathering in a mixture of irritation and confusion as he follows my line of sight. He barely glances before turning back to me with a sigh. “That’s the keeper of the games. Why?”

With nausea churning in my stomach, I shake my head. “No reason,” I rasp, eyes pinned on them again as Blaze tugs me over the threshold of the assembly hall and down the corridor without a backward glance.

I move on instinct, my mind still in the assembly hall, staring up at the balcony.

Gray-peppered hair, worn-framed glasses, and a band tee that looks like it’s been worn for over a thousand years. Only one memory lives vividly in my mind, but my gut tells me there are more. Far more.

Because the keeper of the games isn’t just anyone.

No.

He’s the man from my memory.

He’s the man I was told died a long time ago.

My father.

23

BLAZE

Itry to ignore the searing pain in my arm, but it’s impossible. I don’t know which fucking wolf it was, but when I find out, I’m going to kill them slowly.

With Polaris’s hand laced with mine, we make it outside and I grimace, slowing to a stop as I take a deep breath. The change in pace doesn’t stop Polaris from ushering me around the corner, out of sight of everyone, as she positions me against the stone wall and rakes her eyes over me.

“We need to get you to the medical center,” she states, her stare eventually latching on to the blood staining my t-shirt.

“We don’t,” I grumble, trying to shield the wound from view, but she grabs my hand, refusing to let me hide.

“Blaze, you’re bleeding,” she insists, worry tainting her bright, blue eyes.

“I’m a vampire. Blood isn’t an issue,” I state, failing to give her a pointed look, and she tosses one back, flooring me with the fire flickering across her features.

“The lack of color in your face says otherwise,” she retorts, and I can’t help but grin.

“Slap me. That will put some color back in my face.”

As predicted, she rolls her eyes, refusing to give in to me. “You’re not funny.”

“I never claimed to be.”

Her eyes narrow. “You’re infuriating.”

“Right back at you,” I reply, and she frowns, stepping back as she folds her arms over her chest.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ignore her, gingerly bringing my arm to my side as I push up off the wall. “If you’re not going to the medical center, the least you can do is let me take you back to your room,” she offers, her hand falling away from mine as I head toward the pathway that leads to the dorms.

“No,” I snap, glancing over my shoulder at her. She startles at my sudden snarl, but I mean it with every fiber that I am, and if that means being an asshole to protect her, then so be it. “No matter what, do not go anywhere near the vampire dorms.”

“I was hoping to check in on Ben,” she breathes, banding her arms tighter around her middle, and I scoff.

“That’s also a no.” I turn toward the dorms again, my steps slower than I would prefer.

“Why?” She appears at my side, curiosity getting the best of her as always.

I could lie, make up some bullshit scary story, but it seems I’m a sucker for the woman before me. “Because I’m trying to keep everyone safe,” I grumble, settling on a clipped statement instead.

“Fine, then I’m taking you back to my room,” she grumbles, wrapping her hand around my uninjured arm in a semi-link.

I don’t put up a fight—more time with her sounds precisely like what the doctor ordered. Besides, if anyone can heal me, it’s her. And getting my Amica Mea all to myself without a wolf on my heels is a rarity I can make the most of, even if I am injured.

We walk in a comfortable silence. All I can hear is the rustling of the leaves and the thump of her heartbeat. The sound of her pulse alone is enough to ground me, despite the pain I’m in. It lights a piece of me I never knew existed. Not that she needs to know that.

I feel like she already knows far more than enough anyway.

Thankfully, we make it to the witches’ dorm without incident as she ushers me up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom door. She opens it and pauses before stepping over the threshold.

“Oh, wait here a second,” she murmurs, slipping inside her room without a backward glance, leaving me to stare at the wood between us for a few moments before reappearing. She nervously tucks a loose tendril of hair behind her ear as she opens the door fully and steps back, making room for me to enter.

“What was that about?” I ask, cocking a brow at her, and she waves me off.

“Nothing.”

She looks anywhere but at me, but I let it slide, the pain burning down my arm impossible to ignore as she guides me to take a seat on her bed.

I cradle my arm, looking up at her as she shuffles nervously from foot to foot. “What are you protecting me from, Blaze?” she asks, catching me by surprise.

“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” I state, and she sighs as though she was expecting that answer.

“I don’t know if you’ve learned this yet or not, but I’m going to worry regardless.”

For the first time since I was last in her presence, a small smile curls the corner of my lip. “You are braver than you think.”

“And you’re even more of an asshole than you give yourself credit for,” she retorts, amusement in her eyes, and it makes my smile grow.

“I love it when you’re feisty.”

“Really? I thought you loved giving me the cold shoulder and being an ass in front of everyone?” she snaps, the pointed look on her face making me pause. The humor is gone. The hurt that remains from our last encounter remains.

“I’m trying to make sure no one knows,” I grumble, offering an explanation that I would never usually give to anyone else.

“Knows what?” she pushes, and I shake my head.

“That we’re bound.”

She rubs her lips together, the hurt in her eyes morphing into something else. Sadness, maybe? Her mouth opens and closes four times before she huffs.

“Are you embarrassed by me?” she blurts, and I gape at her in surprise.

She has to be joking, right?

Surely. But… the look in her eyes.

Fuck.

“Is that a joke?” I ask, wanting to hear it from her lips before I start putting feelings into the mix that don’t exist, and she scoffs.

“Does it look like one?”

Double fuck. That confirms my assumption.

Wiping a hand down my face, I try to find the right words to explain what I’m juggling while still keeping some distance between us.

“You’re my bound, my devoted, and that puts a target on both of our heads.”

Her brows furrow as she winds her arms around her middle again. I can’t decide whether she’s doing it to comfort herself in my presence because I’m being an ass, or because she’s trying her best to keep a barrier between us. Either way, I don’t like it.

“I’m a Florentine. I’m naïve to a lot of this stuff, so I’m going to need you to break it down a little more than that for me,” she explains, and I nod, my lips pursing as I think.

“You’re my weakness. Anyone and everyone will try to use you against me. That could be accomplished in any number of ways, but the most direct approach usually involves hurting you.”

“That… sounds like an issue,” she states with a gulp, trying to downplay the facts, but I’m sure she can see it written all over my face.

“You would be correct.” I want to say so much more. I want to explain to her the lengths people will go to, but she’s not ready to hear the truth.

“But,” she says, standing taller as she looks deep into my eyes. “You also said I’m braver than I think. So, is it because you don’t think I can handle it?”

Well fuck. That’s not at all what I was expecting her to say.

“Do you want to handle it?” I ask, the words leaving my lips before I can truly consider them and the vulnerability they show.

A blush creeps along her cheeks as she shrugs, avoiding my gaze once again. “I don’t know what I want.”

“I’m sure the wolves have been convincing you of exactly what they want,” I state. It’s another burst of honesty that I should be keeping to myself, but she shakes her head at me, easing the tightness of her arms around her middle as she points a finger at me.

“You would be wrong there.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, my brows pulling together in confusion as she turns to glance out her bedroom window for a moment. I wait her out, but when her eyes find mine again, I notice a determination that wasn’t there before.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?” she asks, making it clear she’s attempting to change the subject. I consider my options on whether I want an actual explanation, but the pain in my arm is unbearable, which means I need to curb my curiosity for now.

“Actually, there is, but it requires your blood,” I state, noting her short inhale of breath.

“How?”

I raise my eyebrow at her. “Do you trust me?”

“I don’t know,” she admits, and my eyes widen in surprise at her admission.

“That’s not a no.”

“It’s not a yes either.”

“Do you trust the wolves?”

She presses her lips into a thin line as she tilts her head at me. “Give me a reason to trust you.”

I hear what she’s not saying. She trusts them, but as much as she says she doesn’t know whether she trusts me, she wants to.

“You’re my bound. Your blood is an elixir like no other to me. You taste euphoric, making it impossible to indulge anyone else’s blood, but you also have the ability to heal me. Just as I had the ability to heal you.”

Her cheeks glow brighter with every truth I offer her. I hold my hand out, letting her see that even though I could just sink my teeth into her, I don’t. I wait for her. She blinks at me, then blinks again, nerves leaving her gaze to bat back and forth between each of my eyes until she clears her throat and gingerly places her wrist against my palm.

“Don’t hurt me,” she whispers, and I sense there’s more to that statement than just what’s happening in this moment. Things I’m definitely not going to address right now.

Instead, I bring her delicate wrist to my lips, pressing a soft kiss against her skin before I rake my teeth along her vein. Her pulse thunders against the pad of my finger, matching the racing of her heartbeat. As quickly as I can, I snag my fang against her flesh, piercing her ever so slightly before I tear my head away.

I can smell her in the air. The desire to feed off her is overwhelming. The soothing sound of her pulse disappears as my own begins to roar in my ears, but despite my desires, I bring her wrist to my wounded arm.

Without lifting my gaze to look at her, refusing to let her see a glimpse of the need on my face, I focus on watching the droplets of blood drip from her broken skin onto my wounded arm. I hiss at the initial contact before the spot immediately heats.

I let two more droplets fall on my wrist before I spin her arm and encourage her back a step.

“Blaze,” she breathes, hand clamping down over the wound, but we both watch intently as I heal from her touch.

Fuck.

That’s something else.

“Wow,” she whispers when nothing but crimson stains remain on my skin, the gaping holes closed completely.

The main door to the building opens, the sound of thundering footsteps following the creak, and I know our time is up. Rising to my feet, I stand toe to toe with the woman who has irrevocably changed my life without even trying to. She doesn’t know the ramifications that will come our way or the challenges we shall forever face, but for now, she remains innocent and sweet, just for a little while longer.

“Thank you.” I cup her chin, running my thumb over her cheek as I lightly tilt her head back.

Her throat bobs as she gulps nervously, and I lean in, placing a chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth just as a pounding on her door vibrates throughout the room.

“Saved by the devils themselves, Amica Mea,” I murmur, and she frowns, fingers curling into my t-shirt as she stares into my eyes, dancing with my soul.

“And if I don’t want to be interrupted?”

“Soon, Amica Mea. When the time is right,” I promise, my cock throbbing against the waistband of my pants as she clings to me.

“I don’t think the time will ever be right,” she mutters, disappointed, and I grin.

“It will be sooner than you think.”

“What does that mean?”

I release my hold on her, edging toward the bedroom door as another thunderous knock comes. With my hand wrapped around the door handle, I glance over my shoulder at her. “I’m waiting for your blood, Amica Mea,” I rasp, and she frowns as her cheeks burn brighter than ever.

“My blood?”

I nod, but it’s clear she deserves a little more explanation. “The first time I have you, I want your blood,” I state before swinging the door open to reveal four foul-faced wolves.

Wylder is the first to step up toward me, toe to toe as he sneers. I’m sure a vein is going to pop at his temple as he barges past me, and I scoff. “I don’t have time for your temper tantrums.”

“We can settle this in the ring,” he states, folding his arms over his chest as he stands between Polaris and me while the others remain in the hallway.

“How so?” I ask, confused with the direction he’s instantly taken, but intrigued enough to indulge him.

“We both get the satisfaction of beating the fuck out of each other.”

I nod. Even if he doesn’t entirely make sense, I like the sound of that. “What’s the prize?”

Wylder grins while Polaris appears from behind him, eyes wide as she gapes between the two of us. “Technically, there isn’t one because we’re all in this together when it comes to Polaris. You just haven’t pulled your head out of your ass,” he states like he knows a single thing I’m dealing with. I don’t correct him, though. That’s not what this is.

“Fair, but there should be a prize for the night, don’t you think?” I goad, and his grin grows darker as Polaris starts to shake her head.

“Winner gets Polaris. Uninterrupted.”

I glance at the woman in question but don’t say a word. Instead, I offer out my hand, which Wylder snaps up in an instant, shaking to seal the deal.

I’m marching for the stairs before anything else can be said. They’re going to want to update each other on what the fuck happened back there, but I don’t need to wait around to listen to it. I saw Polaris in danger and I acted on instinct.

As I trudge downstairs and down the sandy path, I turn toward the vampire dorms with a sigh. My cell phone vibrates in my pocket as I enter the building and I take a quick look to see it’s a message from my mother.

Mom: Are you free this week for lunch? I miss you.

I close out of the text and save my reply for later. It’s not a cute catch-up she’s after, and we both know it. I can talk to her later. The other notifications on my cell phone confirm three missed calls from my worst nightmare, which are a more pressing matter.

Stuffing my cell phone away, I return to my room to find Ben waiting on my bed.

“Has there been a miracle today?” he asks, the same question he brings up every time I get back, and I shake my head.

“Nope.”

“You’re not much fun to be around,” he grumbles, and I scoff, giving him a pointed look.

“At least you’re not dead,” I retort, and he rolls his eyes at me before nervously clearing his throat.

“Someone was trying to get in earlier.”

I freeze. “And did you do as I said?”

“Yes.” I cock a brow at him expectantly and he rises from the bed. “I swear, but they didn’t get in anyway.”

Fuck.

Squeezing the bridge of my nose, I will the world to not crumble at my feet as I attempt to juggle far too many things all at once. I should let him die. He’s not my fucking problem. But the thought of upsetting Polaris makes it impossible.

There’s no walking away from this situation. My soul won’t allow it. I just have to hope I don’t destroy myself to save my devoted and everything that matters to her. But even so, it would be worth it. She’s my bound. There is no survival without her.

24

POLARIS

Lincoln is the last to enter my room, glaring down the corridor in the wake of Blaze before kicking the door shut behind him. I’m relieved to see they’re okay too, but my mind continues to wander back to the man standing on the balcony in the assembly hall.

I shake my head. It can’t have been real. My vision was putting two and two together to get ten. My imagination was clearly running wild with itself.

“How did you guys get here so quickly?” Asher asks, pulling me from my thoughts, and I frown at him as he takes a seat on my bed.

“Quickly?” I repeat, the word almost foreign on my lips. There was nothing quick about what happened back there. I feel like I’ve aged a decade.

“We couldn’t get out of the assembly hall. It was mayhem,” Tatum explains, dragging a hand down his face, and I shrug nervously.

“Honestly, it was madness for us, too. I managed to find the exterior wall but couldn’t make my way to the exit. Blaze helped me,” I admit, my pulse thundering in my ears at the mention of him as I prepare for their opinions on the matter, but to my surprise, only silence greets me.

Lincoln rocks back on his heels, eyeing the bedroom door before he turns to me. “What was the blood?”

“Blood?” I repeat, my mind exhausted, making it harder than ever to keep up with them.

“On his arm,” he clarifies, pointing over his shoulder in the direction Blaze had disappeared moments ago.

“Oh, a wolf,” I admit, rubbing my lips together nervously, and the energy in the room shifts immediately.

“You’re going to have to give us more than that, Little Witch,” Wylder states, and I eye him nervously. I’m not delusional to the fact that he just outright demanded a fight with Blaze for everyone to see, but I’m going to circle back to that later. For now, he’s right, they need more than that.

“A wolf launched at me and Blaze got in the way. Their teeth sank into him instead of me.”

My heart races from the memory, the fear and panic flooding my veins once again.

“What the fuck?” Lincoln grunts, eyebrows furrowing as he shakes his head.

“Who the hell would do that?” Tatum murmurs, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I could give you one guess,” I say with a frown, hating to point fingers, but Wylder nods in understanding without me saying anything else.

“Bianca,” he grunts, voicing my thoughts, and I shrug.

“She wouldn’t be so ballsy, would she?” Asher mumbles, scrubbing at his chin, and I shrug again.

“You tell me.”

“Why are you saying it like that?” Wylder grunts defensively, and I turn to him with wide eyes, ready to remind him of the fact that every reason she has to be a bitch to me links back to them, but before I can utter a single word, Tatum is waving his hands in surrender.

“We all need to calm down,” he says softly, hoping to get a handle on the situation, and Lincoln grunts.

“No, we need to sort this out. Now,” he snarls, and my chest tightens with panic. His eyes are dark, the tick of his jaw beyond tight, and the anger that vibrates from him is palpable.

“Lincoln,” I breathe, and he shakes his head dismissively.

“I’m calling a pack meeting,” he declares, pulling out his cell phone.

“That’s not necessary,” I insist, stepping toward him, and his gaze cuts to mine.

“One of my own tried to hurt what’s mine. That doesn’t fly.”

My heart flutters in my chest at his declaration, but I force myself to brush it off. “Really, Lincoln. You don’t need to do anything.”

He ignores me as he taps away on his cell phone, leaving me to helplessly look around at the others, but none of them step in to help.

Dammit.

Instead, Asher clears his throat, settling my attention on him. “I’m assuming you healed him because you’re his bound?” he asks, and I nod. “He didn’t try to drain you, did he?” he adds, and I shake my head.

“No, it was, uhh…” Instead of trying to explain, I tilt my wrist for him to see the tiny scratch mark that remains.

Asher’s gaze narrows for a split second as he assesses me before offering one curt nod.

Silence descends over the room again as Lincoln continues to tap away on his cell phone, and a thought comes to mind.

“Where’s Minnie? Is she okay? I couldn’t find Bryony anywhere. One minute she was there, the next she was gone. That asshole, Foster, too,” I add with a grumble, and a slight grimace washes over Tatum’s face as I peer at him.

“Bryony is back at the medical center. Minnie is with her.”

“What? Why? Is she hurt?”

“I don’t know,” he admits, eyeing Asher for a second before returning his gaze back to me. “Same thing as last time, I think.”

“They have to find out what’s wrong with her,” I insist, worry tightening my chest, and Asher sighs.

“I think we all know what’s wrong with her.”

My eyebrows furrow as I gape at him. “Speak for yourself.”

He cocks a brow at me. “She’s struggling with being light-headed, feeling faint, and an unbearable pain in her head,” he rattles off as though that will make sense to me, but I’m drawing a blank. When it’s clear I don’t get it, he rises to his feet and leans slightly so we’re eye to eye. “I think she’s a center, just like you.”

My feet ache with every step I take as I rush through the medical center doors and barrel into the waiting room like a crazy woman, but I don’t care. My friend is…is she? I don’t know. All I know is that she needs me.

Tatum looks for someone to speak to, and I head straight for the next set of doors that lead to the medical rooms, but I barely make it two steps over the threshold before Foster is in my face. Rage consumes his features as his hands ball into fists at his sides.

“You’re not welcome here,” he snarls, but before I can say a word in response, I feel Wylder press against my back.

“Step the fuck back. Now. Before I do it for you,” he warns, and Foster gulps, taking a single step back as he folds his arms over his chest.

“There. Now, fuck off,” he grunts, unwavering on the matter, and a nurse rounds the corner a moment later. “Can we escort them out? They’re not part of the coven,” he states. She turns to look at me apologetically, and I quickly realize it’s the same nurse that helped me.

“Polaris, you’re looking much better,” she starts politely, but the way her mouth sits in a thin line confirms she’s about to agree with Foster. “Unfortunately, I can’t let you in here to see Bryony without consent from her coven. I have a wolf in there, but as I said, coven approved,” she states, nodding toward Foster, and I shake my head in disbelief, even though I knew it was coming. Dammit. “Unless you have proof of any relationship that may be able to aid you, bound or otherwise, then I will have to ask you to get comfortable in the waiting room.”

My shoulders sag with disappointment and I turn for the exit, but I can’t move because Wylder doesn’t get the hint. He remains exactly where he is, only now we’re chest to chest.

“I think we can clear this up, ma’am,” he states, glancing over my shoulder before turning his attention to me. “You have a bound contact, Little Witch,” he states, raising an eyebrow at me, and it takes far longer than I care to admit to put two and two together.

“Oh.”

Pulling my cell phone from my pocket, I search for the name Blaze said he stored his information under; Tuum. Weird, but it’s Blaze. I’m sure there’s a meaning there, but that’s for another time.

Clicking on his name, I type out a message.

Polaris: Hey, my friend is in the medical center, and her coven is refusing to let me see her. I think the nurse is hinting that you can help me out… can you?

Three dots immediately flash at the bottom of the screen, confirming an instant response.

Tuum: Done.

I blink at the message, surprised, and a split second later, the sound of a telephone ringing echoes around the room. I peer over my shoulder at the nurse who tries to hide a smile from her face as she hurries over to the telephone secured on the wall farther down the hallway.

I can’t hear what she says, but she only speaks for a brief moment before she replaces the handset and makes her way back toward us.

“I apologize for the delay, Miss Beauchamp. Access has been granted,” she states, and Foster gasps.

“What the fuck? She can’t overrule a coven,” he snaps, and the nurse shrugs.

“Unfortunately for you, she can,” she retorts, giving him a pointed look before turning her attention back to me. “Please, follow me.”

Foster refuses to move out of the way, but Wylder quickly sidesteps to place himself between me and the witch who hates me more than anyone else, and Foster quickly backtracks, clearing a path for us.

I hurry after the nurse, but quickly pull out my cell phone to tap out another message.

Polaris: Thank you.

Tuum: Always.

I shake my head in disbelief as I tuck my cell phone away. It’s insane that he was able to get me access as easily as that, but what’s more shocking is the fact that he did it without trying to get something out of me. Like, I expected a bargain between us, tit for tat, but there was none of that.

I don’t get to dwell on it for too long before we enter the medical room to find Bryony sitting up on the bed, rocking back and forth while Minnie struggles to run a hand up and down her spine in an attempt to comfort her.

“Bryony,” I murmur, and her gaze snaps to me. The pinch between her eyebrows confirms she’s not okay, her pupils like pin pricks as tears stream down her face.

“Polaris.”

“What’s going on?” I ask, glancing between my two best friends, but neither of them seem to have an answer.

Bryony sighs. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she mutters, glancing at everyone now in the room. The nurse has left us to it, but the crowd has grown from her and Minnie to the two of them plus Wylder, Lincoln, Asher, Tatum, Foster, and myself.

If Asher is right, this isn’t going to help her. Clearing my throat, I take a tentative step toward her. “Asher thinks he knows,” I admit, and her stare tilts to him for a brief moment before she latches back onto me. I gulp. “Do you trust me?” I ask, and her brows furrow deeper.

“Yes.”

Relief swarms through my body as I eliminate the remaining space between us, stuffing my hand into my pocket to grab my pouch of sand. “Close your eyes,” I breathe, and she does so, deep lines remaining etched between her furrowed brows. Scooping a handful of sand from my pouch, I press it into her palm, curling her fingers around it. “Do you remember what Professor Juniper taught me in class the other day?” She tilts her head, unsure, and I clarify. “You know, before I stormed out like a brat,” I add, and a wisp of a smile curls her lip for a split second before the frown falls back in place. “That’s what we’re going to do now, okay?”

She shakes her head slightly. “I don’t⁠—”

“Focus, Bryony. If Asher’s right, it’s going to help,” I insist, and she nods, relenting. “Focus on the room, on the energy. Tell me if you see any colors or outlines,” I murmur gently, hoping to guide her as silence drifts over the room.

I’m not sure how much time passes, but the markings between her brows ease just a touch until Foster sighs. “This is all bullshit. You need to get out, the coven is on their way,” he snaps, and any kind of progress that had been made is gone when Bryony’s muscles bunch in pain.

“Foster is red,” she grunts through a taut groan of pain, and I gape at her in disbelief before peering over my shoulder.

“Foster, you need to leave,” I say as calmly as possible, and he grunts, obviously not taking my order well.

“Like fuck,” he bites, and I sigh.

“You’re making her worse.” How I keep my voice neutral, I don’t know, but it won’t last for much longer if he doesn’t listen.

“Bullshit,” he calls, and my face dips as I try to take a calming breath.

“It’s just until you cool off.”

He scoffs. “You’re trying to come between us,” he snarls, and I shake my head.

“No, I’m trying to regulate her because she’s a fucking center,” I snap back, aware I’m not helping the situation, but him not listening isn’t aiding us either.

Meeting his stare across the room, I watch an array of emotions flicker over his features as he shakes his head. “That’s not possible.”

I sigh. “I know it feels that way, and I’m completely aware that I don’t know much about all of this, but Asher is right and she’s seeing you in her mind. She has mind magic,” I explain, hoping like hell it makes sense.

“How?”

“We can get the answer, just give her some space first,” I insist, and his nostrils flare as he looks past me to where Bryony writhes on the bed. Without a word, he turns for the door, forcibly slamming it behind him.

Wary looks pass around the room as we all look at Bryony.

“Polaris?” The word is nothing more than a whisper from her lips, and I reach for her hand, hoping to guide and comfort her the best I can.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry,” she breathes, before her body goes limp and she slumps back on the bed.

25

POLARIS

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I ask nervously, glancing between my two best friends, who both nod far too eagerly for it to be true.

“Watching two men fight over my friend? Absolutely,” Bryony insists, making Minnie cackle as the three of us stand in Minnie’s bedroom, staring at our reflections.

“If it’s not safe for you, I don’t think we should go. There will be a lot of energy in that room,” I say, glancing at her in the mirror as she rolls her eyes at me.

“I expect there will be. I’m going to be fine,” she insists, and I give her a pointed look.

It’s been three days since she fainted in the medical center. She refuses to tell Professor Juniper or the rest of her coven about what happened. Foster knows, of course, but that doesn’t mean he likes me. They released her the following morning, and although she has no recollection of what she was apologizing for, she seems fine.

Now, it’s fight night. A routine for Wylder at this stage, but this time, his opponent feels personal—at least for me.

“You’re insane,” I finally grumble when it’s clear she won’t budge on the matter, and she snickers.

“And you’re hot,” she retorts, winking at my reflection, and I roll my eyes.

This is entirely Minnie’s idea. I’m wearing a silver, sequined, halter-neck dress that compliments my hair, along with a pair of black sandals. My hair is piled high on top of my head, with loose tendrils cascading and curling around my face, while my eyes are accented with a smoky shadow that Bryony insisted upon.

“They’re going to be brawling over you,” Minnie muses, clapping with excitement, while my gut churns with worry.

“Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” I admit, concern getting the better of me as they both raise their eyebrows in question.

“Says who?” Minnie asks, adjusting the neckline of her deep-red dress while Bryony fixes her hair.

“I don’t want them to fight over me,” I mutter, feeling the tightening in my chest swell as they both shake their heads in disbelief.

“Maybe it will do them good and break the tension between them,” Bryony suggests, and I gulp, still uncertain.

“Does fighting have to be involved in that?” I grumble, and Minnie grins.

“Absolutely, since you never denied that they need to get along,” she states. I panic, but it quickly subsides when they both giggle.

I don’t know why I always expect judgment regarding Blaze, especially since I don’t fully understand it myself. However, he’s not the only one who feels a connection; the bond has ensured that.

“I mean…” My words trail off as Minnie, thankfully, waves a hand, dismissing the tension that courses through my veins.

Instead, she shifts her focus to Bryony. “Have you talked to your coven yet?”

“No,” Bryony quickly replies, her gaze falling to the floor. She was supposed to speak with them earlier, but I know she didn’t. Now it appears Minnie is discovering that fact as well.

She raises an eyebrow at her, and when Bryony finally lifts her head, a hint of embarrassment colors her cheeks. It feels strange to see that emotion on someone else for a change. “I want to wait until it’s safe,” she mutters, and I scoff.

“Safe? We’re never going to be safe,” I state, and she gives me a pleading glance.

“I know, but learning that I’m a center after spending all this time believing I was an elemental witch…” Her sentence trails off as she glances helplessly between Minnie and me. It’s a feeling I’m familiar with, and I hate that there’s no real sense of comfort we can offer her.

“Someone must be able to give you an explanation,” Minnie declares, her jaw tight as she stands firm, and I nod in agreement.

“Someone was using magic on me, suppressing me somehow. That’s the only possible explanation, but acknowledging that makes me question who I can truly trust.” Her shoulders slump, despair overtaking her, and I wish I could alleviate the stress she’s facing.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur, wrapping my arm around her shoulders as Wylder does with me. She leans into the embrace, returning a half hug in response.

“Don’t be sorry, just distract me, please,” she says, and I nod, determined to fulfill her wish.

“If you want a distraction, let me show you my brother laying claim to our bestie here,” Minnie sings, pulling her cell phone out of her clutch before spinning the screen for us to see.

“Wait, your brother did what?” Bryony asks, shifting us both for a better view of the screen, and I gulp as the wolf in question appears.

“Listen up! I don’t give a fuck who you think you are or what you might be capable of. What matters is your allegiance to this pack and what it stands for. That not only includes every single person present here today, but also those who aren’t, those who are family, and those who are family by invitation. Polaris Beauchamp is family by invitation. Let that fact be known by every wolf. I’m aware someone decided to try to take matters into their own hands at the blood kin assembly and almost caused her harm. When I find out who it was, and believe me, I will find out, there will be consequences. But more than that, if I find out that anyone so much as looks at her with cruel intent, they will face the same repercussions. Any. Fucking. Questions?” His chest heaves, hands clenched at his sides as he snarls at everyone. I’ve never seen his eyes so bright, swirling with flecks of gold I never knew existed.

“Why are we protecting other factions now? It was strange when you did it protectively as a pack the second she stepped on campus because some fucking vampire was mean to her, but what’s this about? Are you claiming her?” someone calls out. I can’t see their face, but the voice belongs to a man, not Bianca like I would have expected.

“You’re damn fucking straight, she’s claimed,” he barks back, and an audible chorus of gasps rings out around the gathered crowd. I’m sure I can hear Minnie chuckling in the background, but a grunt quickly washes it out.

“But she’s a witch.”

“Does it look like I give a shit?” Lincoln cracks his neck from side to side, his nostrils flaring as he glares around the room.

“It’s not right,” a girl calls out, but it’s too far away for me to determine if it’s Bianca. If it is her, Lincoln doesn’t acknowledge her directly. He continues to speak to them as a group.

“I’m the fucking Alpha. I say what’s right and what’s not,” he bites, and the video ends.

Minnie gleefully places her cell phone back in her clutch while I stand gaping in shock.

“How does that make you feel?” Minnie asks, pressing her lips together to stop herself from chuckling, and I shake my head, unable to formulate an answer when Bryony does it for me.

“She’s embarrassed, but she loves it.”

I roll my eyes as I take a step back, dismissing them both as I stomp toward the door.

“Whatever, let’s go.”

26

WYLDER

Iroll my shoulders back, sweat already clinging to every part of me as I practice my swings. Tonight is going to be a good night.

Asher is nose-deep in his cell phone, like usual, while Tatum has been lost in his sketchbook for most of the week. Lincoln, however, is on his high horse, throwing weight around to try to get to the bottom of the wolf that tried to attack Polaris. He’s yet to find answers. I’m half considering offering him my position in the ring so he can let off steam, but I need it myself, especially with the vampire in question.

Did we make Lincoln acknowledge his place in Polaris’s life? Yes.

Have I thoroughly done it myself yet? Definitely not.

I’m furious—eager to rip his limbs off—but I know deep in my soul that he’s going to be a part of this whether we like it or not.

Besides, he saved Polaris in the assembly hall, and fuck knows what would have happened if he wasn’t there, but one thing is for sure: I’d rather live with him than without Polaris.

Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I tilt my head back as I take a deep breath, counting the minutes down, when a knock comes from the locker room door. My gaze snaps in the direction of the sound, but before I can consider taking a single step, Tatum stuffs his sketchbook in his backpack and heads for the door.

Excitement pools in my gut at the idea of my Little Witch coming to see me before the fight, but when the door swings open, my dream is shattered.

Blaze.

“The fight takes place in the ring, not here, asshole,” I grunt, and he cocks a brow at me.

“No shit,” he murmurs, rocking back on his heels as Tatum closes the door behind him. He’s a vampire among wolves, completely out of his comfort zone with no protection, but looking at him, you wouldn’t know it.

He’s relaxed. Too relaxed.

“What do you want, Blaze?” Lincoln asks with a sigh, and the vampire swipes his tongue along his bottom lip, the only hint of nerves he reveals.

“Before we do this, I think there are a few things we need to straighten out.”

“That’s what the fight is for,” I grunt back, and he shakes his head.

“There’s more to this than just pounding the fuck out of each other,” he replies with a pointed look, and I snicker.

“That’s what she said.”

He stares at me, blinks, and continues to stare.

Nothing. Nada.

That was funny.

Fucker.

“Fine, I’m listening,” I grumble, folding my arms over my chest, and he nods.

“Once we’re done in the ring, we’re done.”

“Agreed,” Tatum chimes in, but Blaze doesn’t pull his stare away from me. He’s searching for something. What, I’m not sure, but eventually, he sighs.

“I need you to win.”

I scoff. “That’s the plan,” I explain, and he doesn’t say a word, but the grin on his face spreads.

My jaw ticks when he tilts his head at me, happy to let the silence linger. “Anything else?” I bite, the tension in my muscles coiling, and I channel it, eager to let it spur on my adrenaline.

“Yes,” he breathes, nostrils flaring ever so slightly as he nods before stuffing his hand into his pocket. “I’m also here because I believe you know about this.” He lifts his hand, revealing a gold coin between his thumb and forefinger.

“She told you?” Asher asks, and he shakes his head.

“Nope.”

“Then how?” Lincoln snarls, glaring at the vampire like it’s going to burn him on the spot.

“My gut is telling me it’s the only thing making this almost amicable between us.”

“That still doesn’t make any sense,” I mutter, and he gives me a pointed stare.

“I just showed you a coin, a special fucking coin at that, from across the room. You didn’t blink or frown in confusion. You know exactly what it is and how important it is.”

“Maybe.” My hands flex at my sides. I feel overwhelmed when I’m not in control, and with this fucker, I feel like I’m spiraling.

“Maybe you have one, or maybe you know what I’m talking about?” he asks, looking for clarity, and I shrug. “Because I know she has one,” he adds before turning his attention to Tatum. “And if my research serves me correctly, it’s Tatum who has a coin out of the four of you.” Tatum gulps, but none of us offer an answer. “I’ll take your silence for what it is, but once this is done, we have to get over this shit. For her.” It’s not a request. It’s a demand.

“I’ll do what I please,” Lincoln snaps, a small vein protruding at his temple with anger as he clenches his fists at his sides.

“My priority is her; if yours isn’t, I’m not going to take your opinion into account,” Blaze bites back, and Lincoln grunts.

“Of course not,” he mutters under his breath, turning away from the vampire, but the way he said that… the meaning and determination that was there… I like it. More than I care to admit.

Without thinking, I cut the distance between us, clenching my right hand into a fist before lifting it in the air. Blaze looks from me to my fist and back again before he finally takes the olive branch and fists bumps me.

No words to initiate our agreement. No contract. No signature on the dotted line. But it’s there. We can both feel it.

I grin. “Okay, motherfucker. See you in the ring.”

Adrenaline courses through my veins, controlling my every step as I make my way down the corridor and toward the noise and lights. My music plays through the speakers, but it’s barely audible over the chanting of my name. Before I turn the corner and step into the audience’s view, I pause for a moment, letting their chants filter into my mind, fueling me further.

Cracking my neck from side to side, I pry my eyes back open and turn into the light. If I thought the noise was loud before, I was mistaken. It’s insane now.

Prowling down the walkway, slapping a few hands as I make my way past, I spy my opponent, waiting patiently for me in the ring. But his eyes aren’t trained on me. I know without following his line of sight where he’ll be staring, but I take the breadcrumbs anyway and wind up spotting the most stunning woman here.

Fuck it. The most stunning woman to ever exist.

My Little Witch.

Her hair looks brighter than ever, but her skin against the silver dress leaves me drooling. I have to snap my gaze away and focus on the vampire. Otherwise, I’ll fucking forfeit before we’ve even begun, and he can’t win. Ever.

As I enter the ring, the cheers die down, or do I tune them out? I’m not sure. Either way, the referee calls us both to the center of the ring.

“Neither of you are going to wear gloves?” he clarifies, and we both grunt in response. “You’re two insane motherfuckers, that’s for sure,” he states before holding his hand palm down between us. “Touch,” he orders, and we both lift our fists, ready to connect.

“Remember what I said,” Blaze murmurs, drawing my gaze to his, and I nod, knocking his fists with mine before taking a step back.

“It won’t be a problem,” I explain, and a hint of a smile gives him the air of a serial killer as he eyes me.

“We can’t make it look like we did it on purpose,” he states, and I roll my eyes.

“Don’t worry. I won’t go easy on you,” I reply just as the bell chimes, calling the start of the first round.

As we sidestep one another, the crowd falls silent. My focus is on watching his every move, piecing him together brick by brick. It’s fun taking the time to assess how they step, the distance, and the sway between each move. It’s like unraveling a mystery, only to use it to my advantage.

He rears his lift arm back an extra inch twice, giving me a small tell of when he’s sizing up his actual move, and when it happens for the third time, I duck to the right, prepared for what’s to come, but I stumble back a step when his right-hand connects with my jaw instead.

Holy fuck.

I blink at him, arms still raised, and he grins.

I’m surprised, but I’m not losing.

He’s got more skill than I gave him credit for, but that doesn’t make me cower away. If anything, it makes this whole thing more exciting.

“I’ll give you that one,” I state, and he scoffs.

“You didn’t give me shit. I took it. Just like I took her,” he goads, hitting the mark immediately.

Any fighting decorum I had is gone, shattered between us as I barrel toward him, slamming my shoulder into his stomach and sending us both to the mat. Shuffling my knees, I try to pin him as I take a swing at his face, but his arms are locked in position, shielding him from me.

Fucker.

I can play dirty, though.

Instead of aiming for his jaw like I want, I aim for his side instead, earning a grunt after the third swing before he jerks his hips, sending us both to the left. I don’t give him a chance to pin me to the mat. I’m up on my feet, arms raised and fists ready as we circle each other once again. Only this time, there’s purpose in every stride I take.

“I thought you wanted to win? I thought you wanted her to yourself,” he pushes, using his words to bring me to the edge, but as well as it worked last time, I refuse to let my composure slip again.

“Oh, I’ll have her to myself. I’ll have her any way I want her. In the locker room… in the girls’ bathroom… on the log flumes, coming all down my⁠—”

His fist slams into my face, knocking me off balance, but I manage to avoid the mat.

Anger burns in his eyes as his chest rises and falls rapidly, and it’s my turn to grin.

Two can play at this game, now that fact is clear.

“One day, you’ll get to hear her cry your name, Blaze. One day. Just not today. But I promise you, it’s the sweetest fucking sound you’ll ever hear. That pink hue that ghosts her cheeks all the time… fuck, you’re not even ready,” I insist, and his gaze snaps to the woman in question.

He lingers longer than he should, his arms dropping a fraction, and I use this to my advantage, slamming my left hook straight into his chin. His eyes roll as his head knocks back, and he lands on the mat with a thud.

I expect him to be out cold. Anyone else who has been on the end of that has seen stars for a long time after, but not him, it seems. He snarls, rising to his feet with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He looks unhinged as fuck.

Feral.

Like a fucking rabid wolf.

Looking into his eyes at this moment is like looking in the mirror. The way this woman makes us feel; it’s impossible to deny and too addictive to let go.

“That’s it, Blaze. Do you want to know a little secret? When you fuck her, she’s going to want you just like that,” I promise, surprisingly not angry about the thought of him having her. Not like I thought I would want to be. It’s going to be amusing watching the uptight vampire unravel for the woman who has drawn us all in.

“When I fuck her, you’re going to hear every throaty breath she exhales,” he murmurs, and my jaw ticks, irritation quickly clinging to me as I glare at him.

It’s funny when I say it. Definitely not amusing when it’s the other way around.

Fucker.

We both move together this time, colliding in the middle of the ring with a bang as we both land a hit, and another, before we drop to the mat. Arms flail, fists not connecting as we try to take each other out. I almost manage to tangle our legs so I can shift us both, earning the advantage, but he beats me to the exact same move. Just when I think he’s going to slam me against the mat, he keeps rolling, giving me the opportunity he insisted on.

I don’t think twice. I balance myself above him and slam my fist into his face before twisting my legs around his arm, locking him in a deathly grip until I hear the sweet tapping coming from his submission.

Relief floods my veins as I ease up on him, rolling to my back as I catch my breath.

Fuck.

That was more than I was expecting, a bigger fight than I predicted, but it was worth it. Because now I have the perfect prize.

Rising to my feet, sweat beads down my temples as I ignore the grumbling vampire sulking from the ring without a backward glance and settle my gaze on the sweet witch in question.

Taking my prize and claiming her for myself has never been sweeter.

27

POLARIS

Ifeel hot all over. Every inch of my body is antsy, needy, desperate, and it’s all because I just witnessed two people fight over me. Two people that I feel… something for. It shouldn’t be that hot. But it was. It really was.

It doesn’t help that Asher has been ghosting his hands over my body, leaving goosebumps in his wake. It started with a brush against my arm, easing the panic and tension that first plagued me, but it quickly morphed into his hands at my waist, flexing as my pulse rang wild in my ears.

I could hardly breathe by the time they were done, partly with worry and another part… desire. Now, I’m ready to explode.

The referee calls it, declaring Wylder the winner. He lies flat on his back, staring at the ceiling as the crowd goes wild, but my focus is on the vampire who steps from the ring with his usual swagger. Uncertainty wars inside of me, but as I reach the bottom of the steps, his gaze finds mine among the throng of people, and he winks before getting swept up in the crowd.

I exhale, relieved. One move from him, and I know everything is okay—or as okay as it can be.

Taking another deep breath, my gaze snaps back to Wylder. Only now, he’s not flat on his back; he’s standing, eyes already fixed on me as a grin spreads across his face.

I run my tongue over my bottom lip, butterflies erupting in my stomach as he crooks a finger at me.

Hot.

This is the third fight I’ve witnessed at The Aurum, each one for Wylder. The first time, he came to me, finding me in the crowd before tugging me along to his locker room. The second, Asher swept me away to the VIP section. Now, it’s my turn to make the effort to go to him.

My cheeks heat as I move through the crowd, completely aware of the eyes tracking me. We’re not a part of the same faction, that much is sure, but it seems the wolves don’t care, and I’ve never spent time, until now, in an environment where it mattered, so fuck it.

Fuck all of it.

I want what I want, and so do they.

With my mind made up, I stride the remaining distance with a confidence I’ve never felt before. I’ve only ever felt like this in their grasp, but never like this. It’s invigorating.

Stopping at the edge of the ring, I peer up at him. The grin on his lips is wider than ever, but he crooks a finger again, making it clear exactly where he wants me.

In there. With him.

Gulping, I eye the steps, and another official in a black and white striped shirt that matches the referee’s offers me a hand. My nerves vibrate through my bones as I reach the top and the official sits on the rope, dropping it to give me better access. I nervously slip through the gap, barely putting both feet on the mat before I’m swept off my feet again.

Wylder pins me to his sweaty chest, peppering kisses across my face, throat, and shoulder, and I giggle in his hold. He tries to hike my legs around his waist, but I gasp, acutely aware of how short my dress is.

“My dress,” I plead, and his hands relax against my thighs, settling around my middle as he smirks down at me.

“My dress,” he corrects with that possessive tone that works so well for him, but I roll my eyes instead of melting into the needy puddle that I am.

“Your dress? Yeah, I think it would suit you,” I state, and he laughs whole-heartedly. He tosses his head back as the raspy tone parts his lips, and I bask in the sound for a moment, forgetting we are still in the center of the room with hundreds and hundreds of people likely watching us.

When his gaze falls back to mine, his smile is soft, victorious.

“So, I won,” he states, lowering me to my feet as he plays with a loose tendril of hair framing my face.

“So you did,” I breathe, holding on to his shoulders.

“What do I get?” he asks, wagging his eyebrows. I shake my head, a light giggle slipping from my mouth.

“This was your idea. No way in Hell am I just going to hand it to you,” I tease, tingles running down my spine under his intense stare.

He rakes his teeth over his bottom lip with a slight nod. “I want to fuck you in this ring.”

I gulp.

Damn.

“With an audience?” I clarify, and he scoffs.

“Fuck no. But there’s a training gym,” he explains, pointing over his shoulder toward the locker rooms.

The suggestion is evident in his eyes, and a spark of excitement pools in the pit of my stomach, eager to see what he has planned.

“Then why are we still here?” I ask, and a wisp of breath pulls from my lips as he grabs my waist, hoisting me in the air.

He’s moving to the edge of the ring before I even realize what’s going on. I try to keep the hem of my dress over my ass as he saunters over the rope with little effort, keeping me in place over his shoulder before storming through the crowd.

Everyone calls out his name, but instead of hyping it up like he usually would, he barely responds, offering little acknowledgement as he beelines for the back exit with my body perfectly secured over his shoulder.

All I have is the perfect view of his ass in his loose shorts. I only notice that we’re no longer in the main space when the music and cheers die off, disappearing as a door closes behind us. The air feels cooler along my heated skin as the sound of another door opens and shuts at Wylder’s touch.

I can sense his body shift, a calmness relaxing his shoulders as his strides slow. His palm runs over my ass cheek before he grabs my waist and lowers me to the floor. Only when I get my balance do I find myself inside another ring, the rope separating us, but not for long.

The moment I take a step back, I slip through the rope so we’re toe to toe, completely alone in a ring just for us two, while everyone else continues to celebrate elsewhere.

Despite the coolness in the air, my body temperature still runs hot. Goosebumps tingle over my arms as he stares at me like he’s really taking me in.

“What now?” I ask, nervous, but refusing to show it, so I force myself to stand tall instead of hiding behind my folded arms or another form of defense I would usually resort to.

“Now you’re mine,” he rasps, his eyes growing more hooded with every breath he takes.

“And what does that look like?” I cock a brow at him, teasing, and he takes the bait, inching closer to run the tip of his finger over the exposed skin on my chest.

I shiver when he dips his finger down between the valley of my breasts before following the material of my halter top straps.

“It definitely involves more skin,” he states, snaking a hand to the back of my neck as he tugs at the bow holding it in place.

The material falls away, slipping down over my chest, stopping at my waist to expose my breasts.

“Hands down, these are the prettiest fucking tits I’ve ever seen,” he murmurs, running his thumb over the pebbled peaks, and I feel my blush spread across my cheeks. Before I can think of anything to say in response, he leans closer, engulfing my taut nipples in his mouth, one at a time, swirling his tongue in the most delicious way possible as I cling to his arms, a groan tumbling from my lips.

“Wylder,” I gasp, and he releases my nipple with a pop, grinning up at me.

“They look even prettier when they’re glistening,” he states, and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip as my thighs press together with desire. “Do you know what else looks prettier when it’s glistening?” he asks, bringing his lips to my ear, and I shiver.

Shaking my head, I expect to feel his lips continue to drag over the shell of my ear, but he doesn’t use words to answer. No. He resorts to his hands instead.

Slowly, so damn slowly, he trails his calloused hands over my thighs, slipping under the hem of my dress. My legs part instinctively as his fingertips press against the lace of my panties, and I hiss.

“Let me see it, Little Witch.” He stands back, adjusting his cock beneath his shorts as I stand nervously in the center of the ring.

My confidence wavers without him so close, but his eyes on me seem to give me strength as I curl my thumb into the material at my waist, slipping it over my thighs along with my panties. I also kick my shoes off for good measure, so I’m completely bare for him.

“Congratulations on your win, Wylder,” I breathe, letting the fabric drift to the floor beside me.

“Spin. Slowly,” he commands huskily, and my tongue swipes out across my bottom lip, but I do as he asks.

The room shifts as I take my time turning, but I don’t take any of it in, too focused on how my body reacts to his undivided attention. All too quickly, we’re facing each other again, and I consider spinning one more time, addicted to how it makes me feel when his gaze leaves goosebumps, but he crooks his finger at me.

As I step closer, he slips his hand beneath the waistband of his shorts, letting them pool at his feet, and I can’t tear my gaze away from his cock. It’s rock hard, looking as needy as I feel.

I give in, beginning to lower to my knees so I can feel the weight of him on my tongue, but he grabs my arms before my knees hit the mat. “No, Little Witch. I’ve been dreaming about stretching your cunt out while you’re bent over the rope.”

Gaping at him, I nod, already needy at the idea of it.

He pulls me against his chest, crushing his lips against mine, and I fight for control for a minute before I willingly give in, desperate to feel his dominance over me. As his hand curls into my hair, I groan, quickly feeling the loss of his body pressed against mine before I feel the rope against my hot skin.

The fibers rub against my body, across my chest, and my nipples grow tighter. I feel the rope shift to my left, and I understand why a moment later when Wylder appears on the other side. He takes a few steps back for good measure, running his thumb back and forth across his bottom lip as he drinks me in.

“Perfect, Little Witch,” he breathes, and my thighs clench again. If he doesn’t hurry the hell up and get back over here, I'm going to start rubbing myself against the damn rope for the friction I’m so desperately searching for. “I want you bent over the middle rope.”

It’s a statement fueled by an order, and I tremble as I do as he says. I duck beneath the top rope and the second band hits my middle, offering little leverage to keep me upright as I peer at him.

“Like this?”

He groans. “Fuck, yeah, Little Witch. Just like that.”

He disappears out of sight again as the rope shifts beside me before I feel his presence behind me. With his cock nestled between the globes of my ass, he runs his fingers down my spine.

“How hot was it watching us fight?” he rasps, and I nod, embarrassment coloring my cheeks along with desire.

“Surface of the sun,” I admit as he runs his hands over my hips before delving between the apex of my thighs and straight to my core.

“Fuck. You’re not lying. You’re so wet already,” he rasps, and I hum in agreement.

“I’m not going to stretch you out with my hands tonight, Little Witch. I want to feel you around my cock,” he states, disappearing for a moment, and I peer over my shoulder to find him pulling a condom wrapper from the lining of his shorts.

I don’t say a word; I just enjoy the view of him rolling the latex down his cock before he positions himself behind me.

“Congratulate me again,” he murmurs, and a shiver runs down my spine.

“Congratulations, Wyld—oh, fuck,” I groan, his name cut off as he slams into me.

I almost topple over the rope, but he saves me, fingers digging into my hips as he claims me.

Holy crap.

He remains seated inside of me as I pulse around him, desperately on the edge of release already. Slowly, he works himself out until only the tip remains before he slams back into me.

The sound of our skin connecting fuels the heat rising through my body until he snickers. A moment later, he’s hovering over me, head to toe, so that he can whisper against my ear.

“We have an audience, Little Witch.”

I freeze at his words, glancing around the room in panic, but I see nothing. Wylder must sense my confusion because he points to one corner and I instantly spot the outline of a man hiding in the shadows.

Not just any man.

Blaze.

“He almost had me, you know, in the ring. He wants you that much,” Wylder whispers against my ear, and I shiver, wondering if Blaze can hear him, too. “I trust you with him, and he trusts you with me. With us,” he states, and I shake my head in disbelief, curious when they came to this conclusion.

“Wylder,” I breathe, and he wraps a hand around my mouth, cutting off whatever I was about to say before running his fingertips along the seam of my lips. They part for him as he continues to thrust in and out of me, but it’s the movement of him pushing his fingers into my mouth that holds my attention.

“Imagine if my fingers were his cock in your mouth,” Wylder murmurs, making my pussy clamp down around his dick as a shiver ricochets up and down my spine. “You like the idea of that, huh?” He presses a delicate kiss to my cheek, followed quickly by a firmer one, before he peels himself from my back. His fingers slip from my mouth, and I gasp as he settles his grip back on my waist. “Vampire.”

Blaze steps out of the shadows with that single word, sauntering closer as Wylder continues to fuck me, and I’m confident my blush is covering every inch of my body now.

“Wolf,” he grunts when he nears, and Wylder snickers behind me.

“I think we both won, don’t you? She wants your cock in her mouth while she comes on my cock. Don’t want to disappoint our woman now, do we?”

Holy. Fuck.

Maybe this is how I die.

I’d take it.

Blaze’s stormy gaze settles on mine but quickly dips to my parted lips before traveling farther down to where my breasts sway with every thrust from the man behind me.

“Let me hear you say it.”

Dammit.

Two sets of bossy assholes, and my pussy is dripping.

“Please.”

“Please, what?” he pushes, capturing my chin in his grasp.

“Please fuck my mouth,” I whisper, my cheeks on fire, but before I can even attempt to hide from him after blurting what I want, his shorts are down, cock aimed in my direction.

“That’s it, Little Witch,” Wylder grunts, his fingertips burning into my flesh as he fucks me harder, firmer, all while Blaze rests the tip of his cock on my tongue.

I swallow around him instantly, desperate for more, and he groans, head tilting to the ceiling as he curses under his breath.

“Let’s make her come, shall we?” Wylder offers, and Blaze grunts in response before they both kick it up a notch.

Wylder pounds into me again and again while Blaze grabs my hair, tilting my head to be at the perfect angle as he thrusts his cock to the back of my throat.

They work in tandem, taking and taking and taking, until there’s nothing left in me.

My core claims every part of me, bundling tight, eager to find the release I’m chasing, and my world shatters.

I scream around Blaze’s cock, gagging along the way, and he curses again, tearing his length from between my lips to paint my face with his release while the clenching of my pussy around Wylder’s dick brings him to the edge of the climax cliff I’m falling from, and he’s pulsing inside of me a moment later.

Disbelief and contentment wash over me as my limbs give out, and the men maneuver me between them until I’m pressed against a firm chest.

I don’t know how long passes as my breathing evens out, but when I manage to pry my eyelids open again, I find Wylder holding me.

Blaze is gone, but that’s fine. I know what that was, what this moment will always be.

A silent truce.

28

POLARIS

“Istill feel like there’s time for morning sex,” Wylder states as he adjusts the collar on his polo shirt, and I roll my eyes at him through the reflection of the mirror.

“I mean, there’s always time for morning sex, but Minnie is on the other side of the door waiting for us,” I clarify, and he sighs, sidestepping so he’s directly behind me, hands making their way to my waist. He squeezes and I groan.

“If you knew how to be quiet, that wouldn’t be an issue,” he breathes against my ear with a smug grin curling his lips, and I turn to face him with my best attempt at a pointed look, despite finding him amusing.

“Carry on and you don’t get to hear me ever again,” I warn, and he darts back, palms up in the air in surrender.

“I’ll shut up,” he promises, and I can’t hold back my smile any longer.

“What a good idea,” I muse with a wink, and he snatches me up before I can take a breath, pinning me to his chest as he wraps me in a warm embrace.

Linking my arms around his neck, I squeeze him tight.

“I like you,” he mutters against my ear and I grin, feeling the familiar heat of blush on my cheeks.

“I like you too,” I repeat, the exact words he’s said to me repeatedly since last night.

He all but carried me back, and faithful to their promises, the wolves refused to leave me unattended. Lucky for Wylder, he chose last night and I fell asleep against his chest like there were no worries in the world.

All too quickly, he presses a kiss to the crown of my head before placing me back on my feet. Another knock sounds from the door and he cuts across the distance to swing it open. But as he curls his hand around the door handle, he pauses, glancing back at me.

“Where did the chalice go?” he asks, and I point toward my armoire.

“Oh, I moved it when Blaze came. I panicked,” I ramble, still unsure whether it was the right decision to make or not.

“But you think he should know,” Wylder states, speaking my thoughts, and I nod.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t entirely my thing to tell, so I didn’t.”

He smiles in understanding. “Soon,” he confirms, waving me closer, and the second I’m at his side, he presses another kiss on my head before swinging the door open.

“Thank God. I thought I was going to be sick having to listen to you two do… whatever you two do,” Minnie grumbles, waving a hand at us, and I snicker. “Luckily for you guys, everyone else is waiting downstairs,” she offers, heading for the stairs. When she reaches the top and we still haven’t moved, she looks back at us with a pointed look. “Now!”

Wylder chuckles, slinking an arm around my shoulders as he tugs me toward the stairs. We make it down the steps and outside quickly, where Asher, Tatum, Lincoln, and Bryony are waiting for us.

Tatum smiles at me in the sweet way only he can, melting any worries that settle in my soul, while Asher cocks a brow at us, amusement dancing across his features, leaving Lincoln to launch two pastries through the air. Thankfully, Wylder catches both of them, handing the cinnamon roll off to me without a word.

“Thank you,” I mutter, but it’s lost to Wylder’s grumbling.

“I’m going to need more than this, Alpha,” he states, and Lincoln rolls his eyes, taking off toward the main academy building with the others.

“Well, you should have thought of that before you slept in,” he retorts, peering over his shoulder, and Wylder frowns.

“Why? There’s plenty of time before our first class,” he exclaims, and Lincoln shakes his head, but it’s Tatum who offers further explanation.

“There’s another assembly,” he states, and I freeze, cinnamon roll poised at my lips as my legs stop working. Tatum sees the panic that radiates through me and stops walking to give me his full attention. “Don’t worry, there won’t be any fighting this time,” he explains, and I nod, lowering my pastry as I fall back into step with everyone.

“But what about the other students who ran?” I ask, acutely aware that not everyone broke their blood-kin bond when the carnage unraveled in the assembly hall.

“Oh, that could happen any time.” Bryony offers a weak shrug to try and ease the brutal reality, and my eyes widen. “I’m surprised you haven’t seen it already,” she adds, and I gulp, my nerves getting the better of me.

I walk the rest of the way in silence, listening to the light conversation transpiring between the others, but I’m too locked in my mind to partake.

Florentine’s was awful, but at least their purpose was to keep us alive so I didn’t have to witness death. Not like here. Watching V die, then Declan, it was a lot. But knowing there’s more to come, one possibly at my own hands… it’s overwhelming, and I’m right back to feeling imposter syndrome.

I’m struggling to feel confident enough or strong enough to survive this place. Every time I take two steps forward, I feel like I wind up taking five more back.

Thankful that no one calls me out for being quiet, I manage to eat my cinnamon roll and enter the assembly hall without puking. Bryony links her arm through mine as I stare around the room, seeing it in its usual arrangement once again. She spies Foster in the back row of the witches’ section and takes the spot beside him.

I don’t bother acknowledging him today. He never seems to think I exist, and I don’t have the mental capacity this morning now that we’re back here.

“Do we have any idea what the assembly is about?” Bryony asks, looking to Foster for answers, and he shakes his head.

“Nothing for sure, but there have been a few murmurs that it’s about blood kins,” he offers, and my stomach twists with panic. My gaze snaps to the spot above the entryway, remembering the man from yesterday, but the balcony has disappeared, the man I could have sworn I knew along with it.

Looking around the room, I note that bodies fill every seat, but before I can spot the wolves or Blaze, Professor Whitmore takes center stage, garnering everyone’s attention.

“Good morning, students. Thank you for joining me before classes begin. After the last declarations of blood kin bonds, we decided a new approach may be less… feral,” he explains, thankfully getting straight to the point, but it does nothing to alleviate my panic.

“Feral? It’s always like that,” Bryony whispers, offering me a tight smile, but I don’t know what to say. I wouldn’t know; it’s the only one I’ve experienced.

“With that in mind, we have decided to proceed as follows. We shall announce the next round of blood kins in a few short moments. From there, we will take seven days before we announce the pairings. When it comes time to announce them, it will take place in this hall as always, but instead of all at once, causing such disarray, each pairing will be declared one at a time. A thirty-second window will be offered to see how the students would like to respond to the knowledge before the next pairing is called. The curse will act as always. The countdown is no different, the symbols unchanged, simply revealed with more decorum. I’ll assume there are no further questions, but it is with the utmost importance that you remember to conduct yourselves responsibly. Understood?” He doesn’t wait around for an answer, clapping his hands together. “Now, for the names, are you ready?” His smile shouldn’t be so wide when announcing someone’s impending doom, but I don’t say a word as my hands ball into fists in my lap.

Bryony places her hand down on top of mine and I quickly hold on to hers, trying to offer her comfort, too, as Professor Whitmore begins reading names off a sheet. “From the humans, we have Letti Gold, Destiny Chambers, and Benjamin Nichol. The vampires called upon are Sian Tillman and Blaze Williams.” My gaze darts across to the vampires, but I still can’t see him. My heart races wildly in my chest, the usual pull I feel toward him wavering with the panic taking root. I’m sure I’m going to stop breathing. “Wolves, we have Lincoln James, Minnie James, Bianca Diamond, and Dylan Daniels. Leaving the remaining three students to be witches.” My face pulses with every word he says, the mention of Minnie and Lincoln making both Bryony and I squeeze each other’s hands even tighter.

I’m going to be sick.

“And those three witches are Foster Graham, Bryony Tanner, and Polaris Beauchamp.”

My hand claps over my mouth, bile burning up my throat as my pulse echoes in my ears, making it impossible for me to hear anything else the professor has to say.

Bryony’s hold on my hand doesn’t waver as I close my eyes, blocking out the world.

I sense people moving after a few minutes, but I can’t bring myself to join them. All I can think about is the fact that my time has come. I can’t even recall when my damn birthday is. Is it now? Is it soon? Why? How?

My blood kin has gone from being anyone in the world while I was at Florentine’s, to someone in this academy, and now, it’s one of eleven people, eight of which I know.

I can’t take it. My heart can’t take it.

None of this is fair.

Tears prick the back of my eyelids. I can’t hide the pain I’m struggling with.

Only when a set of hands land on my knees do I know it’s not just Bryony and me anymore. Another hand strokes down my cheek, dampness beneath their touch, and I know a few of my tears have fallen.

I can’t imagine what I look like at this moment, but I can’t bring myself to care about it more than the facts that have just been declared.

“Amica Mea, I need you to look at me.”

Blaze.

I shake my head, refusing to open my eyes, and he curses. “Someone get the fucking bracelet off her wrist, now,” he snarls.

“Like hell, who knows what you’ll do to her,” Lincoln snaps back, and Blaze snickers, but there’s no humor to the sound.

“You’re standing right here with me, asshole. It can go right back on once I’m done,” Blaze grunts, the hands on my knees rubbing back and forth soothingly.

“What are you going to do?” Minnie asks, and the vampire sighs.

“I’m going to compel her to be okay. I’m going to compel her to be strong. I’m going to compel her to live this last fucking week with every ounce of strength in her being. Because if I don’t, she’s going to succumb to the fear, hide from the darkness, and possibly waste what little time a lot of us have left. Now, do you want that for her? Because I sure as fuck don’t.”

Silence washes over us, Blaze’s words hanging in the air before another hand lands on my shoulder.

“Do it.”

“No, not just fucking do it,” Minnie interjects. “I get it. It’s a great idea; I’m considering it for myself, but she deserves the choice. It has to be her decision. Not ours.”

The silence comes once again, someone else seemingly talking sense, but now everyone is waiting for my answer and I don’t know if I have one.

What Blaze said, I know he isn’t lying; it’s so true that it’s almost frightening to know how much better he knows me than I know myself. Do I want to erase these emotions? The fear and panic that’s got me through so much, or do I want a week of ignorant bliss?

Fuck it.

Fuck it all.

Prying my eyes open, they settle on the vampire crouched before me. Worry brims in his eyes, but there’s a fierceness there that puts his concern for me above everything else. I can feel it deep in my bones.

Without taking my gaze from him, I unravel the bracelet on my right wrist, holding it out for someone to take. It’s gone a moment later. I’m not sure who takes it, but that doesn’t seem to matter as Blaze plants a hand on each cheek and…

“Ready for class?”

I blink, looking up at Minnie, who smiles at me. There’s a hint of nervousness in her eyes, but I shake it off, taking her outstretched hand as she pulls me to my feet.

“Yes,” I reply with a smile, linking her arm as I look around the group. Lincoln glances off to the left, ignoring everyone, while Asher has his gaze fixed on his cell phone, tapping away furiously. Wylder offers me a half smile and Tatum stares at me intently. “Who would have thought I was older than you, huh?” I say with a grin, winking at Wylder, who smirks back.

“Yeah, who would have thought,” he agrees, a sadness pulling his brows together slightly, and I smile at him reassuringly.

“We’re not going to stress about anything. This is our week, right?” I clarify, my smile spreading further when I look at Minnie, and she nods in agreement.

“Absolutely. Now, let’s get out of here, shall we?”

I take her lead, heading for the exit without a backward glance. No one says a word as we head outside. The morning sun manages to warm my soul even more, and I beam, tilting my face back to let the heat wash over me.

Today is a good day. It has to be.

“Let’s hope you’re my blood kin so I can put an end to you once and for all.” I blink to the left, following the snarl to find Bianca. Two of her friends flank her sides as she sneers at me, and I shake my head, my smile somehow growing even more.

“I don’t care to deal with you today,” I mutter, digging my free hand into my pocket to get a pinch of sand before I whisper under my breath.

I giggle manically as I bounce on the balls of my feet, watching my magic take effect. Gone are her long brown locks, and in their place is a pink-cropped pixie cut.

Bianca screeches, her hands desperately trying to find her hair that now lies scattered at her feet. Minnie gasps in surprise as I unlink our arms, taking a step toward the girl who has done nothing but cause me grief since I got here.

“That’s for your bitch-ass mouth, but I know it was you who came at me the other day too. For that, I’m going to come for you,” I warn, my voice dark and edgy, completely contrasting to how I usually sound, but she doesn’t waver, shaking her head profusely.

“They’re mine,” she insists, waving a hand in the direction of the wolves. “Wylder was promised to me in a family agreement.”

“Good for you,” I reply with a shrug, not bothering to confirm or deny her claim.

Bianca scoffs, hands balling into fists as she glares at me. “Wolves take agreements seriously; be warned, witch,” she snaps before turning on her heels and storming off across the manicured lawns.

Good riddance to that bitch.

Turning back to my friends, Tatum stares at me wide-eyed while Wylder nods, grinning like a fool. Asher looks at me through his lashes, his cell phone still poised in front of him as he rakes his eyes over me. Lincoln, on the other hand, stands with his hands stuffed in his pockets, head tilted as he looks at me… intently.

“That was some crazy shit, Polaris,” Minnie says with a giggle. “I like it.”

I shrug away the guilt that would usually follow as I smile at my friend. “Class?” I clarify, and she nods, but the sound of someone clearing their throat from behind me captures my attention.

Looking over my shoulder, my eyes widen at the sight of Professor Whitmore. “Miss Beauchamp, a word. Alone.”

29

POLARIS

Stepping into Professor Whitmore’s office, my gaze immediately darts to the filing cabinet along the right hand wall. I can see the folder with my name on it as if it was in my hands now. Page after page of my diary inserts. The vision doesn’t last long, though, as I step toward his desk, recalling the feeling of the carpet biting into my knees as Tatum fucked my mouth.

Damn.

That went from rage to embarrassment in zero point five seconds flat.

Whitmore clears his throat as he takes a seat in his chair, waving for me to get comfortable in the seat across from him. “Miss Beauchamp, how are you finding your time here at the academy?”

I frown at him, “Uh, fine?” I don’t really know how he wants me to answer. Not with the truth, that’s for sure.

“Your name was called today. How does that make you feel?”

I tilt my head at him, digesting his words as I wait to feel an overwhelming emotion, but nothing comes.

Odd.

“I haven’t really had time to process it yet,” I answer with a shrug, and he hums in acknowledgement.

With his lips pursed, he leans forward on his desk between us, resting his chin on his hands as his gaze narrows. “You know, many from Florentines do well here,” he offers, and my eyebrows rise in surprise.

“Okay?”

He nods along with himself, but his eyes don’t waver from mine. “Do you know why that is?”

My pulse quickens slightly, as though it’s a trick question I should know the answer to, but I don’t.

“No,” I admit, and he smiles. It’s not warm or reassuring, it’s almost… condescending.

“Because they remain isolated,” he states clearly, and understanding washes over me.

My gut tells me exactly where this is going, but I don’t say a word. I just nod curtly.

“Right,” I mutter, hoping to bring the conversation to a close, but he’s not done yet.

“They don’t let their emotions get the better of them.”

“Okay.”

“They don’t really gel with their factions. It’s a little late for that, given their prior separation,” he continues, and I hum in agreement. “So the idea of mingling with other factions never materializes,” he explains, and I sigh.

“I get it,” I blurt. I’ve already reached my limit of him dancing around the subject instead of getting straight to the point.

“Do you?” he pushes, dropping his palms to the desk as he leans forward even more.

“Maybe not, why don’t you spell it out for me?”

“You have a coin, one that’s also in the possession of those in other factions. How did you come to acquire the coin, or come to be aware of the fact that they do too, for that matter?”

I freeze, jaw slack as I gape at him.

What the fuck?

“I don’t know what you’re referring to,” I reply, heat creeping up my neck as my pulse thrums.

How the hell does he know that?

Did someone tell him?

The wolves wouldn’t, I don’t think? Blaze? Surely not. And I certainly haven’t. The only thing I’ve done is… write it in my diary, but that wasn’t… that was the other day, in my new diary that is no longer connected to this guy's file.

Unless…

“I think we both know what I’m talking about Miss Beauchamp, and I say this from a genuine place of concern: mixing with these factions is not safe. Not for you, not for them, and not for innocent bystanders.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

My hands are fisted in my lap, my spine achingly straight.

His lips part, but before he says another word, the telephone on his desk rings, cutting his attention from me for a split second before he glances at me once again. “That will be all for today, Miss Beauchamp. Please, heed my warning.” He waves his hand dismissively, and as much as I want to demand more from him, I need to breathe, but I know that’s impossible in here.

Launching to my feet, I rush from the room, startling when I find Bryony, Minnie, Tatum, Lincoln, Asher, and Wylder waiting for me. My gaze scans from one to the other, but the uncertainty, the wavering trust, it makes it impossible for me to say a word as I slip through all of them and race down the hall.

I hear them holler my name, but I don’t stop. I can’t stop.

My sneakers pound along the ground as I make it outside, turning toward the dorms without a second thought. I don’t stop, not once, not even to look back over my shoulder. My pace only slows when I battle the stairs leading up to my room, but before I can slam my bedroom door shut behind me, a foot lodges in the doorway, stopping my advances.

I gape with wide eyes, panic getting the better of me, but as I step back from the door, I realize it’s Tatum on the other side.

My heart races as he nudges the door open wider, just enough to slip through before he kicks it shut behind him.

“Polaris, what’s going on?”

I shake my head, the concern on his face doing nothing to calm the disarray inside of me.

“You need to leave.”

“I’m not going anywhere. We promised to keep you safe, even if you don’t like it,” he states, dropping his backpack by the door before lifting his hands in surrender.

I shake my head at him, disbelief coursing through my veins, and the anger, the rage that festers inside of me all focuses on this one matter. Spinning away from him, I dart to my nightstand, finding exactly what I’m looking for before I eliminate the distance between us, slamming the object against his chest.

“Did you trick me with this?” I hiss, my face heating, and he blinks at me, confused.

“Sorry?”

“Did. You. Trick. Me. With. This?” I bite, and he gives me a pointed look while remaining calm.

“You’re going to have to explain a little more than that, Polaris,” he states, and I shake my head with irritation as I jab my finger against the journal between us.

“You told me this was safe.”

He frowns, searching my eyes for a moment longer before reluctantly looking at the item between us. Prying it from his chest, he runs his fingers over the spine, his brows furrowing before he peers back at me.

“Polaris, this isn’t the diary I gave you,” he murmurs, and my spine stiffens.

“Yes it is.”

“No, it’s not,” he insists, pressing his lips into a firm line as he turns the spine to me. “It’s similar, sure, but the engraving on my journals is always in silver, this is gold.”

His words spiral in my mind as I take the journal from his grasp. “This isn’t the diary you gave me?” I repeat, needing the extra clarification, and he shakes his head.

“No. What’s going on, Polaris?”

Holding the journal at arm’s length, I meet his stare. “Whitmore knew about this.”

I flick through the pages, desperate to find it before thrusting it in his face.

Dear Diary,

Men are dumb. Like, dumb dumb.

Why do I like assholes? I’m starting to think it’s a me issue and not a them issue because I can’t help but attract them, but worse than that, I crave their attention.

They’re not all assholes, but the balance is real.

I joked that Blaze could give Lincoln a run for his money when it came to his attitude, but it seems Lincoln is hot on Blaze’s heels for doing what he pleases without actually considering my feelings.

Knowing everything I know now, as jumbled as it still is, I think it’s clear to see that our lives are even more entangled than any of them could imagine. Especially Tatum and Blaze; they both hold the same coin I do.

It feels important, and I think I need to talk to one of them about it. Maybe Tatum, he’s the safer option. Either way, I’ll be sure to be back here tonight to report whether I’ve had to knee anybody in the balls or not.

Polaris x

Tatum takes the diary from my hands, closing it as he drops it on my bed before planting both of his hands on my shoulders. “I swear to you, this isn’t the diary I gave you. If he knows this, he has to be behind whoever switched the journals out because that’s the only explanation for what’s happened here.” He speaks slowly, like he’s scared of making me skittish, but I nod, believing him.

I’m never writing in a diary ever again.

Never. Ever. Ever.

“But if he knows this,” I murmur, despair threatening to drag me under, but Tatum snaps me out of it as he grabs my chin and tilts my face to his.

“We’ll figure it out.” He says it with such certainty, so confidently, that it’s impossible to disagree.

But acknowledging his innocence also brings to light my lack of trust and unwarranted finger pointing. “I’m so sorry,” I rasp, and he wraps me in his arms, rocking me from side to side.

“Don’t be sorry, Polaris. Never be sorry. Not for this. Not when someone is violating your privacy. It’s not okay.”

I nod into his shoulder, taking a few calming breaths, and I can’t help but notice the fact that the usual guilt that would consume me doesn’t come. Instead, my breathing mellows out, my heartbeat calms to a normal rate, and I’m no longer lost to my emotions.

Leaning back, I look into Tatum’s eyes. “What do we do now?”

“We don’t do anything until you’re fully calmed down,” he states, and I roll my eyes.

“I actually am calm,” I insist, and he cocks a brow at me.

“Figuring this out isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to be really shit, and honestly, it’s going to look like we’re doing nothing about it, but we are. I promise.” I frown at him, confused with his train of thought as he continues. “Step one is going to involve you continuing to write in that damn thing,” he states, and I start to shake my head, but he quickly cuts me off. “Polaris, we want them to think that you don’t know.”

I freeze. “Oh.”

A soft smile curls the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, oh. So, are we going to discuss what actually went down so we can figure it out? Together this time,” he clarifies, and I nod.

Wordlessly, he takes my hand as he kicks his shoes off. Positioning himself in the center of the bed, he maneuvers me around so I lay alongside him with my head resting on his chest. I can feel his heartbeat thump beneath me. It’s distracting and calming all at once.

He runs his fingers through my hair, and I practically melt into him. I’m in a complete zen state when he finally speaks. “What did Whitmore say?”

“That I shouldn’t be anywhere near you guys,” I admit, my gut clenching at the reminder of his words, and Tatum sighs.

“Of course he did.” He drags his free hand down his face, but draws me in tighter with his arm around my shoulders.

“Why would the head of Trinity Falls Academy even comment on something like that?” I ask, that single fact confusing me more than anything.

I can’t understand why he wants information from my diary to begin with. I don’t really write about anything exciting as it is. It’s usually about me being lost or confused over boys. Sure, this information is delicate, but why insist on knowing my thoughts with the switched journal. It doesn’t make sense, and it certainly doesn’t explain why he pulled me into his office to discuss it. If I hadn’t been openly involved at the fight last night, would that have made a difference?

None of it makes sense at all.

“We’re obviously drawing attention to ourselves,” Tatum states, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts, and I nod.

“I’m just trying to live my life,” I admit, and he squeezes me even tighter.

“They don’t seem to like the sound of that,” he says into my hair, and I scoff.

“That’s true,” I muse before tilting my face to meet his stare. “But maybe we also need to put some distance between us,” I murmur, my statement barely more than a whisper, and his eyes narrow as his jaw ticks with barely contained anger.

“Like fuck.” I gape at him in surprise. “I’ve spent every part of my life that I can remember being sad and lost, using all of my energy to please others, and then there was you.” His words are firm, unwavering, like steel cutting through the air and holding me captive.

“Me,” I repeat in disbelief, and he nods, cupping my cheek.

“You are everything.”

My cheeks heat under his intense stare. “That feels like an exaggeration,” I breathe, half trying to lighten the mood and the other half revealing my insecurities.

“Have I been known to exaggerate?” he persists with a pointed look, and I relent.

“No.”

He shuffles us around so his arm is still under my neck, but now we’re face to face. “You make me want things I never did before.” My cheeks burn brighter at his admission. “I’ve spent as long as I can remember resigned to the fact that when it comes to the blood kin curse, I wouldn’t fight. Why take someone else’s life when mine is so worthless, you know?”

I gape in surprise, my hands clutching at his t-shirt as I shake my head. “Tatum⁠—”

“Until you,” he interjects, stealing my next breath. “Now I know I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get the chance to spend more time with you. Any means necessary, Polaris. Any,” he insists, and my heart thunders in my chest. “So Whitmore can go fuck himself. Along with anyone else that could have an issue with it. I’ve waited forever for you. I’m not hiding any of that.”

I nod. Just enough to agree while still cautious about the mayhem continuing to unravel around us.

“I need to figure out who swapped it out and why,” I murmur, referring to the journal, and he nods.

“Absolutely, but let me just be in this bubble, me and you, for a little while longer,” he murmurs, running his thumb over my cheek, and I nod, feeling the pounding of his heartbeat against my palm. “It’s beating for you. Only you,” he declares, his fingers finding their way into my hair again, and a shiver runs down my spine.

“I never feel more seen than when you look at me,” I admit, and his eyes darken.

“That’s exactly how I feel. You make me feel… everything,” he states, and I nod. “The good, the bad, and the ugly.” I frown at the negatives, but he shakes his head with a wry smile spreading across his face. “I love all of it. I went from feeling nothing to everything.”

I can’t take it anymore. Curling my fingers even tighter into his t-shirt, I eliminate the distance between us and press my lips to his.

His grip on my chin tilts my head back slightly, giving him better access to the seam of my mouth before he delves inside, deepening the kiss. I fall into him. Every breath he takes is mine too. It’s everything and nothing all at once.

He completes a part of me, but it feels effortless. Like it’s so natural, having it any other way doesn’t seem right.

“Make me yours,” I plead, tearing my mouth from his, and he shakes his head.

“I don’t know if I can, not without claiming you,” he admits, and I’m taken back by his honesty. Not that it should be a surprise, not when it comes to him.

“And if I want you to do that?” I finally ask when I manage to compose myself enough to speak, and he shakes his head again.

“You don’t know what you want.”

I lean back, giving him a pointed look. “That's what you said last time when we were in the maze,” I remind him. “Are you always going to doubt what I want?”

“No, but I always have your best interests at heart,” he insists, and I sigh.

“And what about what I want? Is that important? Because it matters to me.” My jaw tightens, but the dam has broken now. Before anyone can even conjure an answer, I push on. “I want to feel safe, I want to be heard, and I want to belong, even if that’s only with myself, in my own skin, because if you can’t respect me the way I respect myself then it’s not good enough. But more than all of that, my body is screaming for you, I want you more than anything and everything in the world combined in this moment. I want your dick, thick and stretching me to your will, and I want it now.”

My chest heaves, my truth hanging heavy in the air as Tatum gapes at me.

“Always,” he promises, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth, and I groan.

“Please, Tatum.”

He moves a second later, pinning me flat on my back as he nestles himself between my thighs, all while his mouth remains on mine.

Our hands explore, running over the planes of one another as our kiss deepens. The moment he rocks the outline of his cock along the seam of my leggings, I can’t take it anymore.

“Tatum, please,” I beg again, and he finally tears his mouth from mine, only to dust kisses over my jaw, down my throat, and across my chest.

I move to slip my hands beneath my leggings, desperate to remove everything between us, but I don’t move them an inch before he tugs at my wrists. “You’re mine, Polaris. I get the pleasure of undressing you,” he states, and I gulp, feebly nodding as he shuffles onto his knees.

Watching him watch me is a kind of euphoria I didn’t know existed. His knuckles graze across my skin as he takes each layer of clothing off me until I’m lying before him in my underwear.

“You’re fucking perfect, Polaris,” he rasps, and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip, emotions blossoming in my stomach at his assessment of me. “I hope you aren’t attached to these,” he states, running his fingertips over my cotton panties and bra, but before I can answer or ask why, he tears at them, the material snapping under his force. He tosses the shredded fabric over his shoulder without a backward glance, grinning down at me with a sense of achievement glistening in his eyes.

“What about you? Do I get to undress what’s mine?” I ask, raking my eyes over him from head to toe, and he shakes his head.

“Maybe another time. Now, this is all about you,” he insists.

“But—”

He presses his finger against my lips, cutting off anything I was about to say. When he’s sure I’m not going to argue, he removes his hand and swiftly undresses, boxer shorts and all.

His cock is rock hard and jutting in my direction, and I gulp.

“I’m going to worship you, Polaris. Just not today. Today, what am I doing?” he asks, and I blink up at him, his words muddled in my mind as I find myself hypnotized by his cock.

“What?”

“Tell me what I’m going to do to you, Polaris,” he states, getting settled between my thighs again, and I instinctively spread them wider.

Clearing my throat, I look from his cock to his face three times before I find the words to answer. “You’re going to claim me.”

“Fuck yeah I am,” he rasps, running the tip of his cock over my slick pussy, and I groan.

“Please.”

Hooded eyes latch on to mine as his pupils dilate. “Beg me again,” he groans, his voice darker than ever, and I shiver, desperate to rub my thighs together, but it’s impossible with him situated between them.

“Please, Tatum. Claim me.”

It’s like my words unleash the madman contained inside. He grabs at my thighs, spreading me wider than I’m sure is possible before he lines his cock at my entrance. His head falls back when he feels how wet I am for him, a needy groan vibrating from his throat.

It’s only when his gaze settles on mine that he moves.

Swift.

Hard.

Sure.

There’s nothing between us, just raw need, purpose, and intention.

My back arches off the bed, desire coursing through every inch of me as he slams all the way home. He holds the position for a moment as we both gape at each other in disbelief.

“Beg me again,” he rasps, and I’m a sucker to please him.

Watching him unravel is everything. “Claim me, Tatum. Please. I need it. I need it now,” I cry out as he flexes his hips before slamming back into me.

My vision blurs, stars dancing along the back of my eyelids.

He takes me.

He fucks me.

He claims me.

I writhe beneath him, my body one with his, taking just as much from him as he does from me. The tingling starts in my toes, skirting up my spine seeking release, and I wrap my legs around his waist, desperate for more.

“Come for me, Polaris. I can’t claim you without it,” he orders, and I shiver, on the brink of falling apart as he lowers over me, lips ghosting mine as he speaks. “Leave me dripping in your sweet release, Polaris. Now,” he growls, his eyes golden, but my perfect view of them is gone when he lowers his head, wrapping his lips around my nipple.

He sucks, hard, and I scream, my back arching impossibly tight as my climax wins, hurtling toward him at his command. Wave after wave of ecstasy crashes through me, the feeling only intensifying as he sinks his teeth into the side of my breast, drawing another cry of pleasure from my lips.

His thrusts come faster, harder, needier, and a moment later, with his teeth still latched on my flesh, he finds his release, spilling inside of me.

I can’t breathe as another wave of euphoria claims me, leaving me a limp mess melting into my pillows. It’s only when he relaxes his bite at my chest and leans back that I manage to see anything other than fireworks dancing along my vision.

But it’s not his content face and hooded eyes that hold me captive.

No.

It’s the bite mark that glows at his chest.

One that matches exactly what he just did to me.

“You’re mine now, Polaris,” he declares, and I nod, gaping at him in shock as he shuffles down the bed just an inch, unfazed by the mark he’s left on both of us. Instead, he lowers himself to his elbows, eyes focused on my pussy as I feel his release drip down onto the sheets.

With two fingers, he teases my entrance, and I watch with curiosity as he slips them inside, thrusting his cum back in.

He looks up at me through hooded eyes, a dark smile curling his lips. “Now it’s time to worship.”

30

POLARIS

The wolves have stayed true to their word. Every night, one of them has taken a shift as sentry. But since Tatum marked me, he hasn’t let anyone else take his place. We haven’t told the others, not yet, this is our moment to just be together, to be seen among the madness.

It’s been two nights now, though, so I’m sure someone is going to interject soon, but as I lie here, the morning sun peeking through the window on a weekend, I’ve never felt more at peace.

I find out who my blood kin is this week, but I’m not scared. I’m just content to be alive. It feels amazing. I still have no idea who switched out my diary, which is driving me insane, but as Tatum suggested, I’ve continued to write in it every night. It’s been easy to avoid talking about anything important, but hard as hell to not let Whitmore know I know his secret.

Sighing, I tilt my head back on Tatum’s chest so I can look up at him. He’s fast asleep, a serene look on his face as his chest slowly rises and falls.

I could watch him sleep forever.

As gently as I can, I run my fingers over the mark on his chest, almost feeling the heat from my own scar, and I smile. It’s insane, but I like it.

Shifting quietly, I bite back a groan when discomfort squeezes in my abdomen.

I’ve never hated the bathroom being so far away, but I’m mildly annoyed about it this morning as I slip from the bed, making sure not to wake him. Looking down the length of me, I decide it’s fine to trudge in the academy-issued navy pajamas I slept in. My stomach doesn’t ease up, seemingly growing stronger as I slip out of the bedroom and make my way down the hall.

The moment I enter the bathroom, I grab what I need from the cupboard and quickly take care of myself, already over the monthly visit from Mother Nature. I’m sure I’m a day or two early, but either way, why can’t it be a simple high five or fist bump to declare that all is well and you’re not pregnant? Nope. Instead, I’m about to enjoy the crappiest cramps that ever cramped.

Once I’m done, I head over to the vanity lining the far wall, turning the faucet on as I look at myself in the mirror. The last thing I need is a nothing day when I’m supposed to be living the best week of my life. Sighing, I’m instantly flooded by the words Blaze left me with the day I healed him back in my room.

“I want your blood.”

My cheeks heat at the reminder, embarrassment and curiosity warring inside of me, and I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts when the bathroom door opens.

Bryony waltzes in with Minnie a step behind her, and they practically screech to a stop when they see me. Guilt washes over both of their features and the discreet little hand holding is gone as they leap away from one another.

“Hey, uh, are you okay? Tatum has been hiding you all to himself and we’ve been worried,” Minnie states, plastering a smile on her face.

“Why are you hiding?” I blurt, cocking a brow at them both, and for once, I get to enjoy somebody else blush. Or two somebody else's. It seems I’m lucky today.

“We, uh, I… Minnie?” Bryony rattles, staring with wide eyes at my other friend. I expect Minnie to take control of the situation, wave it off and make us all laugh, but she looks just as dumbfounded as Bryony.

Clearly, this one is down to me.

“Okay, am I to safely assume, as I have for quite some time, that my two friends are more than friends?” They both snap their attention to me, wide eyes blinking rapidly like they’re still unsure whether they can admit it or not.

Minnie clears her throat first. “If they were?” Worry shimmers in her eyes, and I hate the sight of it immediately.

“Then I would say congratulations,” I reply cautiously, despite the desire to jump up and down and clap with joy.

“You would?” Bryony clarifies, and I nod.

“Why would I not?” I ask, my eyebrows gathering, and Minnie offers me a tight smile.

“I don’t know. Maybe because they don’t want to leave you out, or make you feel like you’re not important. But also maybe because they’re from different factions and if that’s not frowned upon enough, there is definitely no dick involved and⁠—”

“I love you guys,” I interject, hating the worry in her eyes. “Regardless of who you are or who you like. Nothing matters but our friendship.”

I’m engulfed in their joint embrace a moment later, and I hug them back, but the pain in my stomach makes me groan and Minnie leans back, a confused question in her eyes.

“Sorry, I’m also cramping like a bitch. But this isn’t about me,” I insist, and Bryony giggles.

“Technically, we haven’t said it’s about us either.”

The three of us chuckle, the moment settling before Minnie claps her hands. “Oh, this is perfect. We can have a girls’ day,” she declares, and I shake my head.

“Hell no. I’m not getting in the way.”

Bryony rolls her eyes as Minnie wags a finger at me. “Please, we’re besties. We also deserve some relaxation before our lives are all upended,” she states, and I hum in agreement. A day off from classes with my friends sounds… perfect. Cramps be damned.

“So, what do you say?” Bryony asks, and I nod.

“It sounds like a plan.”

“Excellent. Besides, you can explain that,” Minnie states, pointing a finger at me.

I follow her line of sight, panic pulsing through me when I see what has her attention. The bite mark that lingers on my skin, peeking out.

Dammit.

“About that…” I start, and she waves me off.

“Not yet. I’ve got the perfect idea. You can tell us then.”

“There’s nothing to tell,” I insist, and she smirks.

“It’s not every day a witch is marked by a wolf, Polaris. We want details, and sushi. Maybe the other way around because I’m starving, but regardless, we need both. ASAP.”

“We’re off campus?” I murmur, excitement pooling in my gut as I glance between Bryony and Minnie, but it’s the latter who nods.

She’s the organizer of organizing, and I love it.

“Girl, we haven't been off campus since we went to the theme park. It’s well overdue,” she states like it’s a given, like we’ve earned it, and I smile, turning to glance at the pretty surroundings that don’t belong to Trinity Falls Academy, and even better, don’t resemble Florentine’s at all.

Bryony hums in amusement, sweeping her hair over her left shoulder as she glances between Minnie and me. “I’m more shocked that the guys aren’t complaining,” she states, and my eyebrows rise as I peer at Minnie, who shrugs.

“Please, if you don’t think one of them is going to follow us then you’re even more insane than they are,” she grumbles with an eye roll, but there’s something about it that I like.

I glance around, seeing if I can spot anyone I recognize, but I come up empty. I have no idea where I am, all I know is I’m standing in the middle of a patch of grass, people laughing and smiling around us, while tall buildings frame us in the distance.

“Do you really think so?” Bryony asks, surprise in her voice, and Minnie giggles in response.

“Absolutely.”

Unfazed by the potential detail we might have, I turn my attention back to Minnie. “So, what are we doing then?” I ask, excitement clinging to me like a breath of fresh air. It’s not often I feel light and happy, but in this moment, I truly do, and it’s nice to not have those feelings entangled in a man for a change. Just me and my friends. It’s exactly what I need. My cramps are gone at least. Bryony taught me a spell to rid the aches and pains, and now I feel like a new woman, ready to take on the world.

“Well, I thought about the theme park again because it’s my favorite happy place in the entire world, and if the reveal of my blood kin doesn’t go well, then at least I got to go on the log flume one more time,” she muses, and I feel my cheeks heat at the mention of that ride. “But I decided you deserve to see something new since you’ve never really been out in the real world among the humans who don’t know we exist,” she explains, and I’m eternally grateful for her.

She could have taken me anywhere, even somewhere on campus, and I’d be delusionally happy right now.

“And where’s that?”

“We’re back in New York, only this time, it’s of our own free will,” she says, a hint of nerves to her smile, but when I beam back at her, she relaxes. The idea of creating better memories here, after suffering at the end of an arrow, I’m all for it.

“Well, I was thinking we could go and grab some sushi from my favorite spot, get a coffee, and enjoy some sunshine in Central Park.”

“Sushi and coffee. It sounds great.”

“It’s a way of life,” Minnie insists, and Bryony snatches her hand, grinning foolishly at her, and it makes me smile.

“If you say so,” I muse, and Minnie waves me off.

“Then I was thinking we could do the Empire State Building?”

I grin. “You’re saying that like I know what it is.”

“That’s true,” Bryony chimes in, and Minnie links her arm through mine, keeping Bryony tight on her right side, and just like that, I’m whisked away.

I’m lost to the world around me; concrete buildings towering over concrete roads. Cars honk, people yell, music blasts from passing bikes, and I absorb it all. Everyone is in a rush but us. I trail along with my friends, grabbing the sushi that Minnie was desperate for, and find myself in a caffeine coma when we stop at her favorite cafe.

Hours drift by as we find the perfect spot in Central Park, eating, drinking, laughing, and having fun.

It’s carefree. I’m carefree.

Music plays in the distance from different street performers. There’s a duo playing jazz with a guitar and trombone, while a guy in the opposite direction strums a tune on an acoustic guitar, the bass much heavier in comparison. They shouldn’t go together, but sitting in the middle of them both, it feels like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

“Okay, I’ve had my sushi and caffeine. Now it’s time for you to tell me about your mark, Polaris,” Minnie states. I tear my gaze away from where I’ve been transfixed on watching people dance on rollerblades.

How have I come from an academy for supernaturals to the middle of Central Park, and this seems to hold more magic?

“There’s not much to say about it,” I offer, hoping to gloss over the subject, but there’s no way in Hell she’s going to let that happen.

“Please, you’re bound to a vampire and mated with a wolf. That’s some next level shit right there. Besides, I’m assuming it’s Tatum. It’s fresh and he’s been snarly at the others even trying to spend time with you,” she explains, and my instinctive reaction is to feel guilty, but it doesn’t last.

Not when I know I’ve experienced things with the others, held a connection different than what I have with Tatum. He deserves this moment, this intertwining of our lives, just as much as I do.

“It is Tatum,” I confirm, and she beams at me.

“I knew it. I’m happy for you, I really am, but Tatum, he…” Her words trail off as unshed tears settle along her eyelashes. “He deserves this more than I could ever explain.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I agree, nodding along, and her smile grows wider.

“Are you doing okay, though?” Bryony asks, interjecting. “Bound and mated, that’s a lot for anyone.”

I hum, shrugging. Not in an attempt to downplay it, I know it’s insane, but so is my entire life. “It feels natural.”

“It looks like it too. Now you just need three more bite marks to complete the entire thing,” Minnie muses, and I shake my head, dipping my chin to my chest in an attempt to hide my blush.

“Let’s hope there’s enough time in my day to make it happen,” I murmur, with a wink, and Minnie snickers before rising to her feet.

She dusts off her jeans before she holds out her hands for Bryony and me. “That got gross real quick. Ready to head to the Empire State Building? Then we can get some pizza on the way back.”

We don’t need to be asked twice. And even though it’s on the tip of my tongue to point out that she brought it up, I opt to keep my mouth shut.

Once again, the three of us take to the streets, existing among the charm that is New York City before Minnie is ushering us inside the entrance to the Empire State Building.

I wander around in amazement, unsure what’s really going on as we’re ushered into an elevator. My stomach feels like it’s been left behind as we go up, the feeling never ending, not even when the doors open.

Following Bryony and Minnie, I keep a step behind, giving them a moment to be together, hand in hand. As I turn the corner, I’m drawn away from them to the glass that wraps around the entire space. A breeze blows against my arms and I spot a door leading out onto a patio to my left. Before I can think about it, I’m outside, my hair blowing in every direction as I gape out at the skyline.

Everyone huddles together, taking photos, and I mumble my apologies as I make my way to the edge. You can see for miles up here, the view endless, and I can’t help but wonder how I’ve gone through life never knowing this existed.

Never.

It’s breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and bewildering all at once.

I take a deep breath, closing my eyes as I soak in the moment. With the wind ghosting around me, I feel like I’m flying since my stomach is still back on the ground floor.

Exhaling slowly, I pry my eyes open and spy an empty silver machine to my right. I’ve spotted a few people looking through the eye pieces and decide I want to have a try. I’m two steps away when a girl beats me to it.

“I’m so sorry,” she murmurs, smile widening nervously, and I shake my head.

“No, it’s fine. I can wait,” I breathe, a weird sensation rippling over my chest. Tingles zap down my arms as I take in her long brown hair and dainty features.

Features I’ve seen before, but that can’t be possible.

She steps back, waving a hand for me to take my turn before she saunters off into the crowd. I’m still gaping at her, locked in confusion, when Bryony appears at my side.

“Hey, are you going to have a look?” she asks as Minnie steps around her, beaming from ear to ear.

“Yeah, I just… I thought I recognized someone, but it can’t be possible,” I explain, and Bryony frowns.

“I mean this in the politest way possible, Polaris. But you don’t really know many people. If you recognize someone, I’m sure you do. Who was it?” she asks, and my eyes trail in the direction the girl had gone, but she’s no longer there.

Shaking my head, I try to let the weird feeling pass. “Honestly, it can’t be her. I think her name was Krystal? But, the only reason I know her name or what she looked like is because I literally had to maneuver from under her dead body at the blood kin assembly.”

31

BLAZE

“So my name has been called?”

“Yes.”

“Yours too?” He checks again for the hundredth time, and it takes everything in me not to lose my cool with him. I’m already a bundle of fucking stress. Dealing with his confusion isn’t at the top of my to-do list, but I’m holding it together.

“Yes.”

“And Polaris.” I sigh, my stomach churning so hard it almost knocks me over.

“That's what I said,” I grunt, wiping a hand down my face, trying to hide my emotions more than anything.

“Are you worried?” he asks, and I finally glance at him.

“No, Ben. I’m not worried.”

He sits at the foot of my bed, elbows braced on his knees as he frowns at me. “Are you sure?”

“I should have left you down in the basement,” I grumble, turning away from him before I actually consider doing it, and he snickers, but it lacks the humor I think he was expecting.

“I’m thankful that you didn’t,” he states, clearing his throat, and I cut my gaze to him, eyes narrowed.

“Then shut up.”

My outburst only makes the grin on his face spread wider. Fucker. “I’m still struggling to understand what Polaris sees in you.”

I turn to him fully, giving him my entire attention. I have to when he makes a statement like that. “How’s that?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. She always kept everyone at arm’s length at Florentine’s. She also hated anyone with a bad attitude. You scream asshole with every fiber of your being. She never would have paid you any attention back there.”

“Are you saying I have a bad attitude?” I grunt, gaping at him, and he snickers again.

“The worst.”

I roll my eyes at him, but I know he’s not wrong. But so fucking what? There’s a reason I have a bad attitude, at least I own it. “She seemed to pay Terence attention at Florentine’s.” I hate the words as soon as I say them, especially when his grin spreads from ear to ear.

“Nah. She entertained him, for sure. Maybe explored a little, but when he wanted something he couldn’t have, he lost interest and showed his true colors. She’s always known her worth.”

Amen to that.

Her worth.

Fuck.

Even when she’s confused, lost, surviving a world she doesn’t understand, she still knows her value. It may not always be clear to her when she does, but I’ve never seen her drop her morals. Not once. And I’ve been watching.

Ben clears his throat and I peer at him from the corner of my eye. “Do you think Sian thinks of me?”

I grimace, hating the truth, but he deserves to understand. “She’s still hunting for Terence, so I’d say not.” His smile vanishes, and I feel bad for him, but he’s delusional when it comes to that girl because she sure as shit didn’t worry over him when she chose him has her fucking feeding bank. But that reminds me, there’s something else he should know. “Also, her name was called too.”

“Wait, what?” He darts up off the bed, eyes wide as he shakes his head, perplexed. “No, what if she’s my…”

“Are you forgetting what she did to you?” I growl back, exhausted by his unwavering love for this girl, but there’s a part of me that gets it because if Polaris were to do that to me? I’d still be hers and she’d still be mine.

“No, I’m just stuck on clinging to the past. It’s all I fucking understand, remember?” he grunts, and before I can snap back at him a knock sounds from the door, silencing both of us.

Uncertainty dances in his eyes as I mouth one word to him.

“Hide.”

I give him five seconds to disappear into the makeshift space we’ve created in the floorboards before I turn my attention to the door. I’ve barely turned the knob when it’s forcefully swung open from the other side. I glare at the fucker that comes into view, sauntering into my room like he owns it.

It’s hilarious, really.

Most people on campus think I’m an asshole. They’re not wrong, but they know nothing. Especially the other factions. They don’t have to deal with this motherfucker.

“Finch,” I grunt, but he ignores me, shouldering me as he moves farther into my room, searching for Ben.

He doesn’t say it, and I don’t acknowledge it, I just remain frozen in place, waiting for him to realize he’s not winning here today. Not this time at least.

Finch is the secret puppet master of the vampire dorm. Fuck. It’s more than that, as the right hand man for the devil who walks the Earth, he reigns over more than just the dorms. He just focuses here more because the younger you are, the longer you’re in his pocket. Yet he’s still nothing in comparison to his boss; The Crow.

Sometimes I consider if it’s worth losing to the blood kin curse so I no longer have to live in a world where they both exist, but the thought of not seeing Polaris ever again makes it a stupid idea. One I won’t follow through on. Not unless she’s my…

No.

Saying it places it in the hands of the universe, and I refuse to do that.

I saw the fear and panic in her eyes when our names were called for the next assembly. Not just my name alongside hers, but her friends’ too. No matter what, the chances of life being the same after this week is impossible. She doesn’t realize that yet, that’s the part my compulsion focused on the most, the anxiety, the impending doom of wondering ‘what if.’ She deserves more than that this week. I just hope I manage to be a part of it too before it’s all over. I’m trying my fucking hardest to make sure I don’t draw any more unnecessary attention her way.

Finch clears his throat, rocking back on his heels as he slips his hands into his pants pockets, staring me down. “There’s a vessel missing,” he grunts, and I cock a brow at him.

“Okay?”

“I don’t see him here,” he states, and I roll my eyes.

“I could have told you that.”

He runs his tongue over his teeth, making it look as though he’s containing his rage, but we both know by now that this is all just part of his show. He wants me to think I’ve got him where I want him, but that’s never the case.

Ever.

“The Crow is aware you aren’t fulfilling your end of the deal,” he states, changing the subject when he doesn’t get what he wants out of me, and my chest tightens.

Of course this is his angle.

I wish it wasn’t.

Maybe if I offered him Ben he would change the subject, but we both know that would never be the case. He loves making problems. Nothing is ever simple. I honestly don’t remember a time when it was.

“That’s nothing to do with you,” I mutter, and he sneers at me, making my gut clench. It’s like he wanted me to say that.

He’s in my face in the next breath, toe to toe as he seems to make himself taller so he can glare down his nose at me. “You’ve got seventy-two hours.”

He’s gone before I can object, the doorframe rattling from the force of slamming the door behind him. My nostrils flare, anger getting the better of me. If I stay here, Ben will have questions, and I’m not answering any of them. Not when I know I need to face this issue head on.

Seventy-two hours. That fucker knows it’s still before the assembly is due to be called. Which means I could be dead before my time is set to come.

Swinging the door open, I close it behind me with a lot more care than Finch did, making sure to lock it, despite the urgency I feel to get the fuck out of here.

My boots pound with every step I take, the sound vibrating through the corridor and down the stairs as I head for the exit. The late afternoon sun does nothing to ease the tension coiling through my body. It grows worse knowing I have to turn to them, to tell them what’s really going on. Otherwise, this is all going to shit whether I like it or not.

Trudging toward the wolf dorm, bile weighs heavy on my stomach. The last people in the world I want to help me are the ones I must turn to.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I roll my shoulders back, cracking my neck from side to side as I take the wood chip path down to the building. There are a few wolves in animal form running around the grass to my left, but they don’t stop me from entering the building. Thank God. The last thing I need is the blood of another wolf on my hands.

Letting the door swing closed behind me, I storm to the left, knowing exactly where I’m heading, but to my disappointment, when I enter the Alpha’s office, the door ricocheting off the wall, I find only one wolf present.

My chest heaves with every breath I take, and he darts to his feet, nostrils flaring as he takes me in.

“We need to talk,” I snap, and he gives me a pointed look.

“We knock around here,” he grunts, stuffing his hands in his pockets, and I shrug.

“Does it look like I have time for knocking?”

His tongue runs along his bottom lip as I imagine him assessing every way he can put an end to me, but to my surprise, he nods at the chair closest to me. “Take a seat.” I shake my head, too tense for that, and he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose with defeat. “Do my words mean nothing around here?” he mutters under his breath. It seems like he’s talking to himself more than anything, so I ignore the question and focus on the situation at hand.

“Where are your friends?”

“Why?” he retorts immediately, and I raise my eyebrows at him.

“I’m not repeating myself and it’s important that everyone is present.”

“Polaris isn’t here,” he states, a smug look curling his mouth, and I sigh.

“I’m aware. It’s probably for the best,” I rumble, irritation getting the better of me, and Lincoln must sense it because he doesn’t say another word. Instead, he grabs his cell phone off his desk and taps out a quick message. Not even thirty seconds pass before Asher and Tatum join us.

They both glance at me, eyebrows drawn, but neither say a word.

“Wylder?” I grunt, and Asher sighs.

“Watching the girls.”

I already knew that, but I don’t want them to see how much I fucking know. I walk through the shadows and hold secrets close to my chest for a reason.

“Good.”

“Why are you here?” Tatum asks, scrubbing at his chin, and I purse my lips as I think.

Now that I’m here, I don’t know where to begin.

Fuck.

Before I can overthink it, I decide to blurt it out.

“I have a deal with The Crow.”

“What the fuck?” Asher grunts, jaw slack as he stares at me with wide eyes.

“Fun, right?” I say through clenched teeth, and he shakes his head while Lincoln burns holes in the side of my face from glaring at me so hard.

“I don’t think the word fun has ever been in the same sentence as The Crow before,” Tatum mutters, and I scoff. That’s true. Well, until now.

“Why are you telling us?” Lincoln asks, and I nod. It took him longer to ask than I expected.

“I have seventy-two hours to follow through. Otherwise… well, we all know what happens.”

“You’re going to need to wind it back to the beginning for me,” Asher states, his voice even, but it’s not from a sense of calm, more tension.

“You don’t want to know what it is?” I ask, the surprise clear in my voice, and he nods.

“I do, but tell me how first.” It’s not a question, it’s an insistence. With him being the nephew of the man I’m discussing, I’m not surprised.

“I don’t know what you know about Finch,” I start, and Asher scoffs.

“Apart from the fact he’s an asshole?”

I snicker. “He’s definitely that, but he’s also a vampire.” I stuff my hands in my pockets, curling my fists as I try to remain as calm as possible. I’d rather not step back in time, but if it’s going to help us move forward, then I’ll do what is necessary. Especially if it protects Polaris.

“The fuck? I hadn’t considered that. I assumed he was a wolf too,” Asher states, and I shake my head.

“He runs the vampire dorms.”

“Explain,” Lincoln cuts in, and I finally take the seat across from him.

My emotions are running high, but the three of them are only making it worse. Thankfully, once I take a seat, so do they. “He runs the vampire faction as a whole, overseeing all deals made with The Crow, but he spends most of his time here, working the dorms, because fresh, young blood doesn’t know any better.”

“No one says no to a deal.”

“Exactly.”

“Do you know which vampires have deals?” Lincoln asks, and I huff, shaking my head as I turn my stare to him.

“No one says no, Alpha. Consider those numbers,” I murmur, and Tatum curses under his breath. To make it a little more real, I offer them a truth. “That's why I had to kill the wolf. Declan? Yeah. When I refused, he sent the wolf crazy until I had to do it.”

“What did you gain out of it?” Lincoln asks, and I shake my finger at him.

Asher sighs, drawing my attention to him instead. “Okay, what is your deal now?”

I take a deep breath, looking at each of them. It would be better if Wylder were here, but beggars can’t be choosers right now.

“I have seventy-two hours to kill the one who mated with Polaris.”

The words leave my pulse thundering in my ears, but I can’t say anything, I’m fucking bound to her. I knew sharing would come eventually, I’m almost half surprised it hasn’t happened before now. I just know there wasn’t a mating mark on her body the night of the fight. So that means it happened recently. My order only came in yesterday. I’ve been avoiding my Amica Mea and these fucking wolves ever since.

“Mated?” Lincoln murmurs, frowning at me. “No one⁠—”

“It’s me,” Tatum blurts, eyes laser focused on me.

I nod in understanding, and when I don’t make a move toward him, it becomes apparent that I’m not interested in following through on the deal.

“How do we make that not happen?” Lincoln asks, but his gaze is fixed on Tatum.

I rise from my seat. “Think about it, get back to me,” I state, and the three of them gape at me as I saunter toward the door. Before I leave, I glance back over my shoulder.

“Where are the girls, anyway?” I ask, already aware, but intrigued by the why more than anything.

Tatum shakes his head, clearly confused by the whole situation, but he still manages to answer me. “New York. Something about period cramps and sushi, I checked out after that,” he admits, and my pulse races for an entirely different reason now.

I’m gone before another word can be said. There are more pressing matters. Because she’s mine.

32

POLARIS

Best. Day. Ever.

It’s all I can think as we head inside the witch dorms.

“Do you want to come and watch a movie?” Bryony offers, and I shake my head. It’s been the best day, but now I'm exhausted. Like actually. Me. Who knew?

“No, go enjoy yourselves,” I insist, following them up the stairs.

“Are you sure?” Minnie asks with a frown. “We⁠—”

“I’ve been the third wheel long enough. I’m honestly exhausted,” I insist, cutting her off. She doesn’t need to worry that I’m going to feel left out. It’s not like I’m inviting them to my room while I… never mind. I need to cut that train of thought now, otherwise I’ll end up restless and definitely won’t be able to sleep.

Minnie smiles at me, reaching out to squeeze my arm in comfort. “If you change your mind, you know where we are,” she insists, and I nod.

“Thank you, and thank you for an awesome day. It really was spectacular.”

They carry on up the stairs, and I detour to the bathroom. I feel gross. All the steps we took today have left me tired, but also sweaty, and I want to feel clean and refreshed when I slide between my sheets.

Thankfully, the girls’ bathroom is empty as I grab a towel from the shelf, but I still hang all of my items on the back of the stall door before I step under the spray and go through the motions. I let the water beat down on my hair for what feels like an eternity, my movements getting more languid as time passes, but it’s a weird feeling, one I like.

I’m sure I should be more alert and stressed over what’s to come this week, but… I feel content. Focusing on my hair, I shampoo and condition the ends before turning my attention to my body. My skin feels even drier since it’s that time of the month, and I half regret not taking Bryony’s offer earlier. She mentioned a spell that would stop the bleeding altogether, and I almost said yes, except, Blaze’s comment still lingers in my mind.

Drying myself off, I take a pinch of my sand and mutter under my lips, preening at the feel of my soft pajamas donning my arms and legs. I decide to watch my spell work its magic on my hair, so I gather my belongings and move over to the vanity. Satisfied, with my hair dried and braided down my back, I’m ready to get lost in my sheets.

It’s still surprisingly quiet when I head out into the hallway and make my way to my room. I half expected the wolf following us to make an appearance, since no one likes to let me be alone. It’s kind of nice to be in my own presence and be happy, though, so I bask in it.

Opening my bedroom door, I startle at the man waiting on my bed. Sprawled across the sheets, back against the headboard with his hands laced behind his head, he looks ridiculously hot.

My mouth instantly runs dry. I clear my throat as I close the door and cross the room, placing my belongings by the desk before giving him my full attention.

“You scared me,” I murmur, tilting my head at him, but he doesn’t say a word. He simply stares at me, making me shuffle nervously from foot to foot. When it’s clear he’s really not going to say anything, I sigh. “Okay then. This is great. The last time I saw you, your dick was in my mouth and now you don’t care to speak to me, I⁠—”

“Amica Mea, you’ve been keeping something from me today. I’m deciding if I should punish you or not,” he states, cutting off my rambling, and I gape at him.

“Punish me?” I repeat, and he shrugs. “That feels unfair,” I mumble, and he cocks a brow at me.

“So is something you want being held out of reach,” he retorts, and my cheeks heat of their own accord. “Ah, so you do know what I’m referring to,” he muses, lust darkening his gaze as he looks me over from head to toe.

“Hmm,” I breathe, lacing my fingers together in front of me, unsure what I should say.

“Playing cute suits you,” he states, making my blush deepen as I shake my head.

“You’re insane.”

“Only for you,” he replies quickly before twisting his body to face me, legs over the side of the bed as he crooks a finger at me. “Come here.”

“I’m good,” I breathe nervously, and he grins, raising an eyebrow in question.

“Really?” I shrug, nerves getting the better of me, and he rolls his eyes. “Are you worried I’m going to see the wolf’s bite mark?” he asks, and my eyes widen in surprise. My jaw falls slack, but I can’t find the words to speak. “Do I look mad?” I shake my head, a slight tremble running through my body at the fact that he knows, but still remains impassive. “Then come here.”

My teeth sink into my bottom lip as I cut the distance between us, but the second I get close, he readjusts himself so he’s positioned in the center of the bed with the headboard behind him.

“On my lap,” he orders, and I gulp, my muscles tense as he pats his thighs.

I crawl up onto the bed slowly, and when I’m close enough, he grabs my waist, lifting me in the air before quickly dropping me into his lap, thighs splayed on either side of his. He keeps one hand at my waist while he brings the other to my chin, cupping my cheek as he looks deep into my eyes.

“Did you use magic?” I gulp, and he seems to take that as his answer because he groans, rolling his hips up against me so I can feel the bulge of his cock nestled between my thighs. “Fuck, Amica Mea. You’re going to be the death of me,” he rasps, sweeping his tongue along his bottom lip as his eyes become hooded. “Show me.”

My heart thunders in my chest, the sound vibrating in every part of my body. Desire leaves me wanton, but I can’t pluck up the courage to do that.

“No,” I whisper, shaking my head ever so slightly.

“Why are you embarrassed?”

I’m startled by the genuine curiosity in his gaze. He’s unhinged. He has to be.

“Why are you not?” I retort, but I avoid his gaze, looking down at my lap as I question him, but he quickly nudges at my chin, bringing my gaze back to his.

“You’re forgetting I’m a vampire, remember?” His words are soft, his tone laced with desire, and I think I’m going to pass out from my body overheating.

“An insane one,” I rasp, and he grins wickedly.

“You’ve already said that.”

“I get the feeling you’re going to make me say it a lot.”

His smile grows. “I like the sound of that,” he murmurs, running his thumb over my crimson cheek. His brows pinch suddenly. “I feel like you have just accepted me.”

“Accepted you?”

He nods. “I thought you would put up more of a fight.”

I roll my eyes, but instantly begin to question myself internally. Should I have? Why didn’t I? But before my mind can spiral out of control, I cut it off, giving him a pointed look. “You would have enjoyed it too much if I had,” I state, and he smirks.

“That’s true.”

“Besides,” I add, running my fingertips over his t-shirt. “Have you considered that being bound changes something in me too?”

His jaw falls slack, his tongue glazing his bottom lip once again. “So fucking beautiful and so damn smart,” he rasps, grinding his cock between my thighs again. “Give me permission and I’ll go look for myself.”

I frown in confusion, but quickly catch up when he trails his hands over my thighs.

Fuck.

I think my cheeks are literally on fire, but despite the wariness, I’ve been intrigued all day.

I nod, but he immediately shakes his head.

“Say it.”

I clear my throat, but it does nothing to dislodge the lump that has formed. Even still, I want it enough to croak around it. “You have permission.”

His fingers trail under the leg of my shorts, instantly finding the apex of my thighs, and I clench, my spine stiffening as goosebumps prickle over my face.

“Eyes on me, Amica Mea,” he groans as he teases the edge of my panties, and I almost fall forward. Catching myself with my hands planted firmly on his shoulders, I lift my gaze from my lap to find his eyes darker than ever. “I want to watch you fall apart as I take what’s mine,” he rasps, his voice rich with the remnants of woodsmoke and gravel.

My pulse rings in my ears as he teases the tip of his finger over my clit, drawing perfect little circles before he slips down to where we both want him to be the most. I tense as he finds my entrance, nerves getting the better of me, but he doesn’t slip deep into my center. Instead, he teases me, drawing more light circles.

“Fuck,” he grunts, eyes narrowed to slits as his chest falls in short, sharp gasps.

His other hand flexes at my waist and I’m certain there will be fingerprint bruises in his wake when we’re done. I wonder which of us will be more proud?

My thoughts are obliterated a moment later as he slowly thrusts one finger into my sensitive core, and I shiver, the movement easing the tension bunching my muscles together.

A soft moan parts my lips and the corner of his mouth curls in triumph.

“You’re going to ride my fingers now, Amica Mea,” he states, no question in sight, just an order.

He adds a second finger to the mix and I know the smooth entrance isn’t just because of how wet he makes me, but the reason he wants me in this moment too.

My blood.

I lift up onto my knees a little more, offering him better access, and he uses it to his advantage, shifting his hand into the perfect position before I take the metaphorical reins he offers me and sink down onto his fingers.

“Fuck.”

We both groan, our breaths mingling together as the embarrassment dissolves and desire takes full control.

Watching him react to me is addicting. They way his jaw ticks, the darkness in his eyes, the rasp to his groans, it’s intoxicating. I want to dance for him, perform on his fingers, make him watch me like I watch him.

“Grind against my palm, Polaris. Paint my fingers with your blood,” he grinds out, but this time it isn’t an order, it’s a plea.

A plea for me.

Holy crap.

Desperate, I do as he says, grinding against his palm like my life depends on it. The intensity of his stare only makes it hotter, and like a puppet on his string, I fall apart, climaxing with a whimper as my pussy pulses around his fingers.

Everything feels extra sensitive as he wrings my body out. I’m ready to collapse in his arms, but the look in his eyes, the sparkle right at the corner, promises more.

Another shiver runs down my spine as he retreats, the loss of his fingers at my core enough to make me pout, but my jaw quickly falls slack as he holds up his hand between us. Crimson streaks run down his fingers, a sight that should embarrass the hell out me, but watching the desire on his face leaves me speechless.

With his eyes locked on mine, he runs his tongue over one finger, then another, making a show of licking my release and blood. With every swipe of his tongue, a snarl parts his lips, again and again, until his hand almost shows no trace of me.

My teeth sink into my lip, a part of me desperate to stain him repeatedly as I claim him right back. My thoughts must flash across my face because a moment later, I’m launched off his lap and swiftly maneuvered to my hands and knees.

The sound of my pajamas ripping echoes around the room as he turns feral.

I arch my ass in the air, gripping the sheets, desperate as I drop my face into the pillows, attempting to smother my cries as he slams his cock into my center.

Fuck.

His hold on my hips is deadly, his cock punishing as he chants his nickname for me over and over.

He’s deep, so fucking deep, drenching his cock in my blood, and I cry out with pleasure. Desperate for more, I meet every thrust with my own, and he leans over me, removing his hands from my hips to place one on my shoulder and the other on the head board.

“Blaze! Fuck, Blaze,” I scream, my body alight as he fucks me into the mattress. My knees give out, his movements becoming more jagged, but the power behind each thrust grows stronger.

A bang echoes around the room and I gasp, almost feeling as though I’m moving, but it doesn’t truly register as another climax hits, washing over me, leaving me spent and splayed on my bed.

“Fuck, Amica Mea. I’m going to come,” he gasps, and his cock pulses inside of me a moment later, filling me with his release, but it’s the knowledge that his cock will be stained with a part of me that leaves me truly satisfied.

He collapses on top of me, our limbs tangled as sweat beads between us.

I feel like I’m floating for an eternity before he whispers kisses over my shoulder.

“I think we broke your bed,” he murmurs against my ear, pulling me from the afterglow, and I blink up at him, unable to move to see the mess he’s referring to.

I simply shrug, closing my eyes as I let the feeling of contentment grow. “Don’t worry. That’s what magic is for.”

33

POLARIS

Sleep clings to me despite the feather-light kisses that are sprinkled over my face. Only when the kisses turn heavier, drifting down my neck, do I shiver, the little shudder bringing me back to the present.

Prying my eyes open, I notice the light drifting in through the window, but my focus is entirely on the man hovering above me.

Blaze.

He looks down at me with an almost whimsical smile on his face. It looks completely out of place on the dark and edgy vampire that has done nothing but taunt me since the day I arrived on campus, but now I seem to have the luxury of watching him slowly expose another side to him that I didn’t think could exist.

A side that feels like it’s just for me?

“What time is it?” I ask, wiping at my eyes, my vision still slightly blurry as I try to recall when I even fell asleep.

My last fleeting memory is giggling about the broken bed, but after that, nothing else comes to mind. He stares down at me, amusement in his gaze, as I try to glance around him to check if it’s still broken, but it’s impossible to tell because he continues to reposition himself in front of me.

His smile grows wider until his cell phone vibrates, then he sighs. “I have to go, Amica Mea.”

“Already?” I rasp groggily with a frown, but his grin stays strong.

“You say already like it isn’t a new day.” My frown deepens and he shakes his head, nodding toward the window behind me. “It's morning.”

“Morning,” I repeat, as if the light coming through the window isn't enough of a hint.

He nods. “Yes, and I really have to go, but Asher is on his way over,” he states before climbing from the bed. I shuffle back to lean against the headboard, only to find it missing, lying in broken pieces on the floor, along with the legs that gave out beneath us.

Wow, that should be embarrassing, but it's way hotter than I can even process.

Adjusting my pajama shirt, which I don’t even recall putting back on, I sit up in the center of the bed, rearranging the sheets over my lap as I peer at the vampire watching me intently.

“Who coordinated that?” I ask, and he shrugs, a smirk on his lips.

“Don't worry about it. We want you safe. Okay?” His head tilts to the side, eyebrows rising as though he expects me to push further, but hearing that they’re working together and not throttling each other feels like a lot of progress, so I’m not going to intervene. Instead, I nod, and a little of the tension bunching his shoulders together eases. “He’s also going to catch you up on something I forgot to mention,” he adds, taking two more steps toward the door as his cell phone vibrates again.

My eyebrows gather slightly in confusion, but I offer a tight smile. “That sounds… ominous,” I murmur, and he waves me off.

“It’s fine, but before I leave, I want to make a wager with you. A deal, just me and you.”

Uncertainty vibrates through my body as I slip from beneath the sheets and rise from the bed, meeting him by the door.

“Deals don't usually bode well for me,” I admit, and he rolls his eyes.

“Humor me,” he says, taking my hands in his as I sweep my tongue over my lips, offering a subtle nod.

“Okay.”

He adjusts his hands to capture both of mine in one of his while the other ghosts over my stomach. “Use your magic now. Take the pain and everything else away. But the first day of every month is mine. Deal?”

My thighs clench, excitement pooling in my gut after last night, but I can’t help but sigh, the truth rearing its ugly head.

“I might not be alive for the next one,” I admit, aware of the numbness settling inside of me as I acknowledge the fact out loud, but the onslaught of desperation and preemptive grief doesn’t come.

Blaze shrugs, an easy smile on his lips. “Promise me anyway,” he murmurs, making my heart flip as my pulse quickens, pounding in my ears.

“I promise.”

He presses a kiss to my forehead, a delicate touch before he's suddenly gone, nothing more than a figment of my imagination as the door closes, leaving me alone.

With a contented sigh, I turn to take in the state of my room, or more specifically, the remains of my bed. Raking my teeth over my bottom lip, my cheeks heat as I recall last night’s adventures.

As much as I want to stare at the aftermath for the rest of my life, I definitely need to fix the bed. What did I say last night? That’s what magic is for? I better put my money where my mouth is and figure it out.

Ushering over to my desk, I dig into my bag, retrieving my pouch of sand and the huge grimoire that takes up most of the space. I move over to the broken bed with my two necessities and immediately begin flicking through the pages until I find something that should work.

With a good pinch of sand in my hand, I sprinkle it over the bed as instructed before reaching for a few more grains as I repeat the words noted in the grimoire. “Redintengro. Configo. Destino.”

In a blink of an eye, the bed is repaired, headboard and all, and I giggle, impressed with myself, as I quickly tuck my grimoire and sand away so I can slide back into bed. I hunker down under the sheets, humming with contentment as I hide my head under the pillows, shielding the light from my eyes as I consider whether I could drift back off to sleep.

My thoughts are short-lived when I hear the bedroom door creak open behind me, and I smile, recalling the visitor Blaze said I would be getting.

“Hey,” I call out, the chirpiness to my voice catching me off-guard as I roll over. “Blaze said—Ahh!”

I scream, horror and fear coiling up my spine as I come face to face with my guest. I expected Asher, but instead, I’m greeted by a man draped in black. Raking my eyes over him from the bottom up, terror clings to me. Black boots, black pants, and a black shirt are all mostly hidden behind a long, black leather coat that looks wet to the touch. The hood is over his head, with only a sneer visible on his face as the rest remains hidden behind a creepy black mask. The skin around his eyes is stained black, making the mask look even more daunting, but the most harrowing part is the elongated nose that protrudes in my direction.

“Polaris Beauchamp, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person.” His voice is dark, raspy, and scary.

I quickly twist in the bed, firmly leaning against the headboard that is now back in place as fear takes hold, clawing at my throat.

“I-I⁠—”

He waves a single hand, shutting off anything I have to say.

“I’ll be doing the talking for both of us today. You'll speak when I say,” he orders, and my chest grows tight, panic brewing in my stomach. “I offered you the chalice. I'm sure you figured it out,” he states, nodding toward the armoire where I hid it. He even knows that. My pulse quickens. “That means my end of a bargain has been upheld. Now you must do your part,” he adds, and I gulp.

He tilts his head at me and I take that as a sign that I'm allowed to speak.

“And if I say no?” I murmur, my voice weak and pitiful in his presence, and I hate myself. As much as I knew it would come, nothing could have prepared me for his presence.

“You're not going to want to say no,” he states, his mouth lifting at the corner with a sure grin as his eyes darken.

“You're so sure?” I challenge, and he slips his hand into his long leather coat, pulling out a piece of folded paper. He holds it out between us, but I don't move a muscle toward him. Instead, I shake my head in refusal.

I make sure I keep my gaze focused on his as I speak. “I don't want it.”

He tsks at me, almost humored. “Take it.”

I shake my head again, which I quickly realize is the wrong move when he's in my face a moment later. The tip of his elongated nose scratches against my cheek, sharp enough to draw blood as he snarls, eyes burning into mine. “Don't make me demand it twice, Polaris. That never fares well for others,” he warns, but it feels more like a promise.

Refusing to meet his stare, I look down at the piece of paper that is still folded between us. My pulse pounds in my ears, rendering me helpless, but I still manage to stand firm and keep my hands balled in my lap.

“Tell me what it is first,” I state, words firmer than I expect, and he leans back, almost a chuckle on his lips, as though he finds me amusing.

“Feisty. I like it. Since this is your first time, I'll give you a little leeway. It's the location of what you're searching for,” he states, and I frown in confusion as I try to think of what it is I’m searching for. He quickly grows tired of my silence, sighing heavily as he narrows his eyes at me. “The remaining coins you seek.”

He says it so casually, as if it doesn’t make my entire body stiffen in panic and disbelief.

“How?” I breathe, and he shakes his head.

“It doesn't matter,” he insists, and I shake my head, my mind spinning a mile a minute, completely overwhelmed by the possibilities of what this could mean. To have all of the coins together, that’s…

“And if I find them?” I ask, genuinely considering his offer, even though I wish I weren’t.

“Then you get to keep them. It's as simple as that.” A satisfied grin takes over his mouth like he knows he’s got me exactly where he wants me.

“Nothing is as simple as that with you,” I retort, and he snickers.

“You're learning fast. I like it,” he muses before his face becomes serious. “Now, take the paper.”

The demand in his eyes tells me I don't have any more chances—any more pushbacks—he’s done being humored by me, and he's ready to take action if necessary.

I don't want to know what that is. I'd rather never find out. But with trembling fingers, I extend my hand, my fingers curling around the parchment of paper as my bedroom door swings open once again.

“What the fuck is going on in here?” My eyelids fall closed at the sound of Asher’s voice as The Crow releases his hold on the paper and my arm falls lax at my side.

The deal is now in my hands, and I can't lift my head to see the disappointment on Asher’s face.

“I was just leaving,” The Crow says, and Asher grunts.

“Whatever you gave her, take it back,” he demands, and The Crow chuckles in amusement.

“Polaris,” Asher breathes, the desperation evident as he tries to be the voice of reason, but I shake my head, forcing myself to lift my gaze to meet his.

“No.”

One word and I’ve set my fate in motion, watching as the color drains from his face.

There's no coming back for this. We all know it. I've seen it myself.

Asher gapes at me in disbelief as The Crow flees from the room in a whoosh of black leather, disappearing from sight like he was never here to begin with.

Silently, Asher closes the door behind him, the thud vibrating around the room as he lingers by it. His fingers splayed against the wood, he takes a breath before finding the strength to turn and look at me.

Pain is etched into every inch of his face. “Fuck, Polaris. What have you done?”

I shrug helplessly, letting the tightening in my chest settle all the way into my gut, my soul. I offer a tight smile. “I don't know, but it's like you said, he was never gonna let me say no.”

34

POLARIS

“Wait a fucking minute. Can someone start from the beginning so we're all actually on the same page?”

I raise my eyebrows at the outburst, but Asher nods eagerly.

“I agree with Wylder,” he declares, folding his arms over his chest as he glances around the room while Lincoln grunts.

“You're the one who knows things we don’t,” he says in response, his nostrils flaring with a hint of irritation.

The energy in the room is concerning. Everything feels out of sync, possibly because there have never been this many people in my room all at once before. So many factions, too.

Standing on my bed—literally standing—I glance around the room, taking a deep breath as I figure out, or at least try to understand, what we do next.

Minnie and Bryony lean against the armoire, their arms linked as they gaze around the room with a sense of helplessness.

Wylder, Tatum, Lincoln, and Asher are at the foot of the bed, bickering among themselves, while Blaze stands to the right near my desk with Ben by his side.

Apparently, the reason Blaze had to leave was because it was no longer safe to keep him hidden, and it seems a silent decision has been made for him to come here. He’s going to be safer with others present than alone, I guess.

So that leaves witches, wolves, a vampire, and a human in my room. Who would have thought it was possible? All on the same side. To do what, I’m not entirely sure. Regardless, I don’t think it’s something Professor Whitmore could’ve envisioned.

Running my hands through my hair, I clear my throat, gaining everyone’s attention. All eyes turn to me, but the embarrassment I expect to feel doesn’t arrive. Somehow, it’s more guilt. Not a new feeling for me. But this time it’s because I made a decision, took a deal, and now all these people are involved. It doesn’t matter if it’s of their own accord; it’s still because of me.

“Perhaps we should go around the room so everyone can express their thoughts.”

I trust everyone in this room enough to tackle this chaotic situation together.

Fortunately, Minnie nods eagerly. Part of me knows that once Minnie agrees, the wolves will follow suit. It’s almost amusing that Lincoln is the Alpha of the pack, given how soft he is on his sister. He ends up following her lead more often than not.

Testing the waters to my right, my gaze locks with Blaze, and he winks, immediately confirming that he’s on board.

“Let's ensure we express everything,” Minnie states, unlinking her arm from Bryony’s as she climbs onto the bed with me and stands a step in front, pointing a finger first at her brother. “Lincoln, you can begin.”

He frowns, his eyebrows narrowing as frustration appears to take hold of his features before he rolls his eyes and shrugs. “I actually don't have anything to say.”

“That’s a first,” Blaze retorts, causing Wylder to snicker while Lincoln glares at the vampire.

“Fuck you.”

Blaze winks. “You wish.”

Who on Earth is this funny vampire, and where’s my dark and broody asshole? I’m sure he’s still in there somewhere.

Minnie cackles, pressing her hand to her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sound, but it’s futile. Once she finally regains her composure, she points her slender finger at Tatum.

He takes it as a hint to go and his eyes find mine immediately, a softness clear as a small smile curls at the corner of his mouth. “I am mated with Polaris,” he states, reaching for the hem of his t-shirt and lifting it high enough to reveal the mark on his chest that matches mine.

“Holy shit!” Ben gasps in disbelief as Wylder claps.

“That’s fucking awesome, man,” he gushes, and the two of them fist bump, making my cheeks heat. Especially when he turns to me, eyes dark with a promise in his gaze. One that swears I’m destined to have another mark on my body soon.

“Asher?” Minnie calls out, and he shakes his head.

“Nothing.”

Minnie shifts her focus to the vampire in the room, crossing her arms over her chest as she gives him a piercing look. It feels as if she’s ready for the unavoidable argument.

Blaze tucks his hands behind his back and nods. “Okay, I have about forty-eight hours to kill Tatum, or The Crow will come for me,” he states, and I gawk at him, nearly falling from the bed.

“What?” Minnie and I say in unison, and he shrugs, giving me a tight smile.

“Hence why we're all here, Amica Mea. We're trying to figure it out,” he states, like that's enough of an explanation.

I glance at Tatum, who is clearly not surprised by the news. I can’t help but wonder when this all happened. However, seeing him remain calm helps ease the panic and fear in my chest.

“Ben, right?” Minnie says, moving on from the topic more quickly than I would like, but I guess we need to hear what everyone is dealing with.

Ben smiles and nods as he lifts his hand. “Oh, I don’t have anything. I’m just glad to be out of the basement,” he says, and I smile slightly at his admission, despite how horrible I remember it being down there.

I’m glad about that too.

Minnie points her finger at herself. “What about me?” she says, teasing in her voice, and the humor lightens the energy in the room. Her gaze settles on her brother as she shrugs. “I like girls,” she blurts, her shoulder muscles coiling tightly as Lincoln stares at her in confusion.

“Well, duh,” he breathes, eyebrows raised in slight confusion, and Minnie’s jaw falls slack with surprise.

“Just… duh?” she repeats, and he shrugs.

“I mean, I love you, Minnie, but you’re so obvious about things. Your ability to keep a secret or hide how you feel is hilariously poor,” he states with a shrug, and the tension that riddled Minnie’s body moments ago depletes as she smiles from ear to ear.

“Oh, well, nothing else to report then,” she declares, turning her megawatt smile to Bryony, who beams back at her.

“Anything you have to say, Bryony?”

“Apart from liking girls too?” she adds, and I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face.

“Apart from that,” Minnie murmurs, her cheeks pink, and Bryony’s gaze snaps to me for a moment, her eyebrows pinching for just a second before she turns her attention back to Minnie. “No, nothing.”

All eyes cast my way, the last one to be asked. “Polaris,” she breathes, acutely aware that we’re all here because there are things I need to share.

“Well, I had a visit from The Crow this morning, and I now have the locations for two more coins. He said the remaining coins, but I⁠—”

“Coins?” Ben says with a frown, and I dig my hand into my pocket, revealing the piece of gold that has saved me more times than I dare to count.

“Coins,” I offer, turning it in his direction, and to my surprise, both Blaze and Tatum do the same thing.

Ben’s eyebrows remain gathered as his jaw falls slack. “Oh, wait, one of these?”

I watch in slow motion as he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a gold coin for everyone to see, and I freeze, my body locked in place with shock.

“What the fuck?” Wylder grunts, scrubbing a hand down his face. “I’m not sharing again. The Vampire is bad enough,” he states, and Ben’s face scrunches up in disgust.

“Ew. No offense,” he quickly recovers, turning to me with a grimace. “She's like my sister,” he states, and I smile at him.

I've never been anyone's sister before. What's strange is that we weren’t very close back at Florentine’s, and I’ve hardly seen him here. However, since he’s the only one traveling with me and didn’t abandon me the moment we learned our true factions, I feel a similar connection to him as well.

“So if you've got the fourth coin, that means these are the final two,” I say, pulling out the piece of paper, and the room grows solemn.

“We need to analyze this,” Blaze murmurs, pointing his thumb at Ben beside him, who offers the coin to the vampire without question. Blaze takes it, slipping it into his pocket as I nod in agreement.

“For sure, but I think it might be easier to analyze everything once we have all of them together.”

Everyone murmurs their agreement as Lincoln clears his throat. “So, we're all going?” he asks, and I nod.

“We're all going.”

Lincoln purses his lips. “Half of us might be dead by the end of the week anyway, so maybe we try and get this done as quickly as possible. Nothing is stopping us from splitting up to cover more ground. Then we can check both locations and get back here to try and figure out what it all means.”

“And what The fucking Crow expects too,” Asher adds, and I nod, nerves bundling in my stomach, but I force the worry aside.

“Let's do this.”

“When The Crow gave you the paper, did he happen to mention that we would have to consider that these coins would still belong to somebody?” Blaze asks, and I hide behind my hands, embarrassed.

“I hadn't really thought of asking that,” I admit, and when I spy him through my spread fingers, he gives me a pointed look. But it’s Wylder who rolls his eyes, grumbling my name under his breath. I hold my hands up in defeat. “It was my first time meeting him. Excuse me for not knowing what I was doing,” I protest, throwing my hands up in surrender, and I’m quickly swept into Wylder’s arms.

“I know, Little Witch. We’re sorry, it’s just… there are so many unknowns at play,” he states as we head down the sidewalk, passing house after house.

When we arrived in the middle of a field a few minutes ago, Wylder quickly explained that we were approaching a suburb. Somewhere normal humans with everyday lives go about their day, or so he says. Honestly, I’ve never felt more out of place in my whole life.

Perfectly cut lawns match each house, which are painted to perfection. Some are pale blue, others yellow, but they complement each other in some strange way.

When we reach the last house, the address matching the paper, I frown.

“What would somebody in a house like this be doing with a coin?” I ask, and Blaze shrugs.

“It's possible that if it belongs to a human, a supernatural hunter,” he offers, and I hum, eyeing the house as if it will reveal the truth for me.

“That wouldn't quite make sense, would it? Not with the remaining coins we’re searching for, supposedly owned by a witch and a vampire. At least, that’s what the original owners were,” I mutter, confused and unsure.

“There's only one way to find out,” Ben says, making his presence known, and I nod.

“What do we do? Do we just break in? Or do we let this play out a bit calmer? Or we could⁠—”

“Politely, Little Witch,” Wylder interjects, tilting my body to face him. “We're back in New York. I'm sure you had a great time with the girls when you were here, but you don't have the best track record, and keeping you safe is far more important than getting the coin,” he states, and Blaze grunts.

“Agreed,” he adds, and Ben smirks in amusement.

Without a word, the four of us take the short path to the front door, and as I lift my hand, ready to knock, my cell phone vibrates in my pocket, as does everybody else's.

Distracted, I pull my device out to see a message notification on my screen. Clicking on the text, I gasp with excitement at the picture of a coin with the short message underneath.

Lincoln: Got it. Update when we get back.

I sigh with relief. It was easy enough for them. It's going to be easy enough for us, too, right? I take a deep breath and knock my clenched fist against the wood before stepping back. Every second spans a lifetime as I wait with bated breath. Just when I’m sure no one is going to answer, the door swings open and I freeze.

Brown hair frames the delicate features of the girl standing before me.

Again.

“Krystal?” I breathe, my veins running icy cold at the sight of her for the second time since I last saw her dead.

She frowns at me nervously, keeping the door almost closed, her face filling in the small gap. “How do you know my name?” she asks, and I glance back over my shoulder, noting the confusion on Blaze's face too.

He steps forward, pressing his chest against my back.

“How are you alive?” he grunts, and she gulps, hand pressing against her chest.

“I’m sorry?” she whispers, and Blaze scoffs.

“Doppelgangers are about the only thing I refuse to believe exist. So how about you tell me how I saw you dead, and now you’re standing here?” His voice is firm and I whack his arm, acutely aware of the fact that he's scaring her.

“I’m so sorry about him,” I interject, plastering what I hope is a strong smile on my face. “I just… we don't mean to be rude, but really, the last time I saw you, you were dead.” I keep my voice as soft as possible, hoping to appear a lot calmer than the vampire behind me.

“Are you aware of how ridiculous that sounds?” she says with a humorless laugh, and my mouth sets in a thin line.

“Sadly,” I admit, running my tongue over my lip. I take another deep breath, trying to get a hold of the situation. “Okay, how about we get to the facts instead of overwhelming you?” I offer, and she nods. “Where were you two weeks ago?”

She frowns, exhaling as her shoulders slump. “In a coma,” she admits, and I gasp.

“Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.”

She waves a hand, brushing me off. “No, it's okay. I woke up in the hospital alone, no family, no recollection of my life, nothing,” she adds, and my heart literally aches for her.

“I’m so sorry,” I repeat, and amusement dances in her eyes.

“You already said that.”

I smile at her, a genuine one this time, but Wylder steps up to my left, tucking his hands into his pockets as he clears his throat. “Let's get to the point here, shall we? I don't mean to come off any crazier than these two right here, but do you happen to own something that looks like this?” he asks, flashing his cell phone in her direction, presumably to show her the coin.

“Oh, yeah, it was the only item listed in my personal possessions when I woke up,” she states, disappearing inside before returning a moment later with a black velvet pouch, the coin perfectly nestled inside.

“Holy shit, it really is,” Wylder blurts with a grin, and she smiles from ear to ear.

“Well, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm going to need to take that,” Blaze declares from behind me, dropping the temperature around us, and she shakes her head, instinctively stepping back. She moves to close the door in our faces. “No, I'm sorry, but no,” she starts, but before the wood can slam between us, Blaze wedges his foot in the gap, halting her retreat.

Dammit.

This is going to get out of hand.

“No, you guys need to leave,” she insists, panic in her eyes as Wylder presses against the door, forcing it open, and I cringe.

“I’m really sorry, Krystal,” I breathe as Blaze cuts the distance, wrapping his hand around her wrist. He pulls her tighter to him as he maintains eye contact.

“Blaze,” I call out, worry getting the better of me. I don’t want to hurt her, but he pays me no mind as he leans closer.

“Krystal, you're going to give me this coin without argument. You're going to forget you ever had it, and then you're going to go back into your house like none of this ever happened.”

I watch in disbelief as Krystal’s body relaxes and she offers him the coin freely, just as he asked.

The door closes a moment later and he spins with the coin in his hand.

“We need to leave now,” Wylder states, and I shake my head.

“We need to understand more. We can't just leave her here,” I insist, and Wylder plants a hand on my shoulder.

“We have the coins,” he murmurs. But it doesn't feel right. None of it feels right. “We need to go now, Polaris,” he repeats, and my heart aches.

Blaze places the coin in my palm and I subconsciously slip it into my pocket, slightly defeated at the fact that my gain is someone else’s loss.

Not just anybody’s; hers.

A shiver runs down my spine, my gut telling me to stay and talk to her, but when Wylder tugs at my arm, I go.

“I know it’s hard, Little Witch, but we’re one step closer to understanding not only your past, but the history of the curse.”

35

POLARIS

My room is crammed once again, but this time, there are only six of us. Bryony and Minnie are harboring Ben in Bryony’s room. The moment Blaze explained the dangers of him staying there, my friends jumped into action before I could even say a word, resolidifying the fact that I may make dumb decisions sometimes, but when it comes to my friends, I chose well. It’s a relief to know that Ben is safe, especially since his name was also called for the upcoming ceremony.

I stand in front of my desk, two wolves flanking either side of me and a vampire pressed against my back. We all stare at the gold coins lined up on the tabletop. There are six, each slightly different in some way, but I feel so overwhelmed by their presence that I can’t really decipher what stands out.

“They're all reunited,” Tatum states, and I can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that I was able to play a part in that. If I accomplish nothing else before my time is up, I’m glad I got to witness this. It feels right to see them all together.

It certainly doesn’t sit well with me that we had to take some from strangers, but I try not to dwell on the harsh reality, which is easier said than done when my mind loves to plunge deep into my guilt.

“What if the owners of the coins were just as important as the gold?” I blurt out, unable to deny the uncertainty that is taking hold of me.

I have no idea who the other person was, and neither do those who retrieved it. Apparently, they weren’t above a little breaking and entering and somehow managed to get away with the coin without running into anyone. But that doesn’t quell the concern gnawing in my gut.

Blaze presses a kiss to the crown of my head. “I’m sure we will find out.”

I hum in agreement, but another nagging thought takes over. “I still can’t get over Krystal. None of it makes sense,” I mutter, and Wylder squeezes my left hand.

“You need to decompress, Little Witch.”

I shake my head. “No, what I need is to understand all of the things. My emotions are driving me insane, and trying to regulate myself is nearly impossible,” I rattle off, taking a deep breath as I narrow my gaze at the coins, deliberately avoiding eye contact with any of them.

I might not be stressed about the upcoming assembly, which is really weird, but this… unsettles me.

“What you need is to ground yourself,” Lincoln states, and my desire to avoid eye contact disappears as I tilt my face in his direction, eyebrows raised to my hairline, blinking at him in surprise. He’s always one for orders, but never like this. It’s usually something that gives me a headache, not being… nice?

I offer him a tight smile as I gulp and find the right words to respond. “That’s easier said than done,” I finally murmur, cautiously. He rolls his shoulders back, giving me a pointed look, as if he’s bracing himself, then runs his tongue over his bottom lip, tilting his head slightly as he stares deep into my eyes. It’s on the tip of my tongue to urge him to spit it out, but he beats me to it.

“If you had a coven, Midnight,” he begins, and I shake my head.

One little word has me tumbling over the edge. I wipe my hands down my face, trying to avoid the disappointment as I exhale sharply. “I’ve had enough of being told I need a fucking coven,” I snap, frustrated, and I try to step back, but Blaze doesn’t give me space to move. If anything, his arms tighten around my waist, locking me in place. Only then does he shuffle us back a step so Lincoln can maneuver himself until we're eye to eye.

The vampire is aiding the wolf.

I’ve seen everything now.

“I prefer it when you two don’t work together,” I grumble, and there’s a hint of amusement in Lincoln’s gaze as he shakes his head at me. It only lasts a second before a seriousness washes over him, as if it was a figment of my imagination.

“What if it were us? What if we were your coven?” His words linger in the air as he tilts his head to the side, and my frown deepens as I try to process what he’s truly saying.

When he cocks his brow at me, all the pieces fall into place, sending my heart rate skyrocketing as I gasp, instantly shaking my head. “You don’t know what you’re saying,” I rasp, and his lips twitch with amusement. Another confusing sight from the wolf that loves to hate me.

“Don't I?” he breathes, cupping my chin as he looks deep into my eyes. All I can do is gape at him. As if sensing my turmoil, he exhales slowly. “You have the night to decide,” he states, confidence oozing from him as if he knows what my answer will be, while I continue to blink up at him in disbelief.

“Lincoln,” I breathe, and he shakes his head, gripping my jaw tighter as pain shimmers in his gaze.

“Minnie, you, me, hell… even Bryony, Ben, and Blaze. We could all be gone by the end of the week. Shit, maybe only half of us will remain,” he states, and the fear I anticipate still doesn’t take hold in my veins. I feel delirious. “Dead or alive,” he murmurs, his eyes piercing as his breath flows across my lips while he leans closer. “You're still mine.”

I’m breathless, trapped between two deranged men, with three more watching our every move. Before I can even begin to wrap my head around the emotions swirling in my chest, Blaze exhales from behind me.

“Prove it,” he murmurs, two words whispered as a challenge, but not to me; to Lincoln.

“She's ours, and we're hers,” Wylder says, his eyes darkening as I glance to my left.

“We don't know what will happen this week. All we have is the present,” Tatum adds, earning himself a nod of agreement from the wolf beside him.

“I say we show her what a fucking coven is supposed to be,” Asher states, snapping my attention to my right where he holds my grimoire in his hands.

What in the⁠—

“Find the page,” Lincoln grunts, causing my jaw to scrape along the floor.

I’m speechless as I watch Asher effortlessly flip through the pages, quickly turning it so everyone else can see the worn contents as well.

“I already located it,” he explains, my gaze darting to his, but he’s too busy looking at the words inked in the pages. “All we have to do is touch her as we say this phrase.” He points to the page, refusing to say it out loud, and Blaze chuckles, his chest rumbling behind me.

“Or we fuck her and say it,” he offers. The lilt to his voice makes it clear he thinks he’s devised the best plan ever as his lips drag over my ear, making me shiver.

“Polaris?” Tatum breathes, capturing my attention. His eyes are hooded, his gaze nearly black as he speaks. “This is your five seconds to choose. We’ve already made our decision.”

I never thought this would be a possibility until we saw what the chalice had to offer. Despite the ups and downs and the turmoil these five men have caused me, they are still the five people I trust most in the world, along with Minnie and Bryony. However, this situation is different. I don't speak—I can’t—but I nod.

A single movement, and they work in tandem.

Lincoln’s gaze locks on mine as Blaze wraps his arms around my waist, shuffling backward while keeping me in his hold. I expect to feel my bed dip beneath me, but when it doesn’t happen, I glance over my shoulder to see Asher holding out the grimoire, assisting Wylder, who has my pouch of sand in his hand and is sprinkling grains over my bed to create the symbol displayed.

I watch in awe as he draws a circle around a five-point star, just like the one on Professor Juniper’s office floor; only this is different.

It's for us.

The circle isn't quite perfect, but the intention and meaning behind it are what truly matter. As if sensing my acknowledgment, the symbol glows, securing the grains of sand in place.

The magic has to be activated. All we have to do is…

“Lay her in the middle,” Lincoln commands. In the next breath, Blaze lifts me off my feet and carries me the short distance before lowering me to the bed.

I don’t feel the sand as Blaze gazes down at me with heated intensity. “Tatum, we’re first. We already claimed her once,” he says, a sinister smile curling his lips as he reaches for the waistband of my pants.

I shouldn't be surprised by how quickly a moment can change with these men. But in the blink of an eye, I’ve gone from frowning over coins and worrying about their original owners to being spread naked on my bed with five pairs of eyes watching my every move.

Tatum is the first to lose any clothing, taking his time to walk toward me in his boxer shorts while Blaze reaches over his head, pulling at the neckline of his t-shirt. He discards it in a flurry as he moves to unzip his jeans, making no effort to roll them down his thighs as his cock springs free.

“I wonder how wet she'll get without us even touching her,” Tatum muses, and Blaze grins.

“I like the sound of that,” he mutters in agreement. “Get on your knees, Amica Mea,” he rasps, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Amica Mea?” Wylder grunts in question, and a smile ghosts across Blaze’s lips.

“My love.”

I’m breathless at the acknowledgement of what it means, but I don't have long to think on it because Tatum is already stroking a hand down my cheek. “On your hands and knees,” he orders, reiterating Blaze’s prior command, and I blossom under their attention, rolling over into position, more than happy to be the center of their desire.

“I want her naked. Now,” Lincoln grits out, and when I glance at him, his teeth rake over his bottom lip, need and desire flooding his features.

“Who knew I could agree with wolves on more than one occasion,” Blaze says with a snicker. When I glance over my shoulder at him, he winks. “As much as I’d love the pleasure of unwrapping my sweet treat, show us how you use your magic instead.”

Wylder offers me my pouch of sand, raising an eyebrow, and I gulp. Nervously, I reach for a pinch and whisper under my breath. My heart beats once. That’s how long it takes for my magic to strip me bare before them. But the added luxury of magic allows me to strip them bare before me too.

My gaze dips down to the apex of Wylder’s thighs, his cock jutting in my direction, and I rake my teeth over my bottom lip, failing to suppress a groan. A snicker comes from his lips and I glance up at him to find a wicked grin on his face.

“Nicely done, Little Witch.”

My cheeks heat under his intense gaze, but I revel in it.

Naked, with my knees pressed against the symbol beneath me, my body feels fully attuned to the sand and the presence of the people here with me.

Tatum climbs onto the bed in front of me, shuffling on his knees with his dick in his hand. I look up through my lashes, watching as his gaze darkens, when the body behind me nestles their cock between the globes of my ass.

Blaze.

“Take him in your mouth, Little Witch,” Wylder commands as Tatum presses the head of his cock against my lips.

I’m desperate for the weight of him on my tongue, so much it’s overwhelming, especially when I’m distracted by Blaze teasing the entrance of my pussy with his length. An instant reminder of fight night, being wedged between Wylder and Blaze, comes to mind.

But what we have between us is no longer a secret, hidden away in a gym; it’s a literal freaking ritual taking place in the middle of my bed.

Everyone is here for me.

As if sensing the excitement building in my bones, they both move in tandem, snapping me from my thoughts.

Tatum slips just past my lips, and as he retracts, pleasure fills my core. They both take their time working their way inside of me, no rush or urgency, as they claim what belongs to them.

Me.

When Tatum edges all the way in, the length of his cock hitting the back of my throat, I hollow out my cheeks, swallowing him down, and he groans. Despite the unshed tears already beading along my lash line, I look up to see his head fall back as a groan ripples from his lips.

Every nerve ending is alive, but I want to feel all of them. Desperate for more, I thrust my hips back to meet Blaze’s, relishing in the feel of his thighs slapping against mine. My body is on fire already, and adding the spectators to the mix only serves to send goosebumps along every inch of my flesh.

Blaze’s hands tighten at my waist, a snarl vibrating from behind me, and he runs a hand down my spine as he fucks me perfectly, encouraging me farther onto Tatum's cock at the same time.

“Vi. Fortis. Ad infinitum,” Blaze and Tatum sing in harmony with each other.

All too quickly, I feel the impending rise of an orgasm.

It's too soon.

I don't want to come yet.

As I tear my mouth from Tatum's length to say just that, I'm halted when he grabs his cock, fucking his hand as fast as he can before painting my face with his release. The first pulse drips down my throat, the heat warming my skin even further, and it’s enough to make me cry out with ecstasy as my release claims me.

I drench Blaze, my body falling limp between them, but the second I fall lax, Blaze’s pace picks up as he fucks me relentlessly. “Amica Mea,” he rasps, his hold on my hips on the brink of pain as I feel the first pulse of his release inside of me.

Thank goodness I wasn't the only one chasing bliss without care.

I whimper as he slips from my pussy and my knees give out. Contentment washes over me, and the desire to fall asleep weighs heavy on my eyelids, but I fight against it to peek through my lashes.

Wylder fills my vision, grinning at me as he climbs onto the bed with his cock in his hand aimed in my direction. Before I realize what's happening, he grabs my waist, pulls me into his lap, and sinks me onto his length before he’s even got himself comfortable against the headboard.

My arms wrap around his neck, a grin spreading across my face as he groans. “My turn,” he breathes against the shell of my ear before rolling us over so I’m pinned beneath him on the bed.

Tatum’s cum still clings to my neck as I wrap my legs around Wylder’s middle and hold on for dear life. “Vi. Fortis. Ad infinitum,” he mutters, the words parting his lips much earlier than the other two.

I groan, feeling a tingle down my spine as his hand comes up to wrap around my throat, clenching tighter as another climax threatens to claim me. It's only when he leans back, forcing my legs to relax around his middle, that I manage to gulp a single breath, but it’s short-lived as he brings my ankle to his shoulder.

There's no warning, not even when I look deep into his eyes, before his teeth sink into my flesh, an inch up from my foot. He groans and I explode, a scream burning from my throat as I ride the climax assaulting me in the sweetest way possible.

I won’t need to look at his ankle to see that there’s a mark there, too. I feel it in my bones.

Fated together, mated forever.

His thrusts become jagged as he tumbles over the edge with me, whispering my name into my ear as he finally relaxes his grip on my throat.

I instantly miss his warmth above me, his weight no longer pinning me to the mattress as he leans back, creating space for Asher.

The quiet yet dominant wolf looms over me with a dark gaze. He grabs my waist and flips me back onto my hands and knees. I go willingly, loving the feel of being a rag doll in safe hands. With my ass arched up in the air, he teases the tip of his cock through my folds before slamming home in one swift move.

I lurch forward on the bed, but before I can face-plant the mattress, Lincoln catches me, grabbing my chin and holding me in place as he nestles himself onto the pillows, cock aimed in my direction, just like Tatum.

I’m completely spent, but desperate for more.

Attempting the best deep breath that I can, I lean forward, mouth wide, and swallow him to the back of my throat, already eager to taste this release. Filled again, it feels like electricity zaps through my veins as they both repeat the same words as the others.

“Vi. Fortis. Ad infinitum.”

My whole body feels like it's glowing, a serene calmness I've never felt before washing over me as Asher fucks me relentlessly. His fingers claw at my sides while Lincoln takes control, obliterating the back of my throat in the most delicious way possible.

A third orgasm races up my spine, claiming me before I can even comprehend what's happening, and I cry out, weightless between them.

It’s impossible to keep my eyes open, lost to the connection of my coven as well as the euphoria that weighs heavily in my chest. I can't hear anything above the pulsing of my heartbeat, but a sharp pinch on my ass cheek from Asher makes me growl before I feel the ropes of cum paint my back.

“Take me, Midnight. Show me home,” Lincoln orders, and I pry my eyes open, peering up at him for a moment before he releases down my throat, and I drink him in.

Every. Last. Drop.

When he's satisfied, he pulls my jaw from his length, forcing me upright on my knees. He leans closer so we’re nose to nose. A dark smile spreads across his lips before he sinks his teeth into my throat, and I hiss at the sharp contact.

My eyes are heavy as he retracts his teeth, releasing his bite on me and allowing me to fall softly onto the pillows. I lie in a daze, staring up at five sets of eyes looking down on me.

The bite on my chest is now accompanied by another at my ankle, a third on my butt cheek, and a fourth at my throat.

I'm sure there will be something resembling Blaze mixed in somewhere too, but looking right now would require more energy than I have.

Blaze leans down, stroking his thumb over my cheek, a satisfied grin on his face. “We’re your coven now, Amica Mea,” he says, and I gaze up at him in wonder.

Wylder slaps him on the back and the widest smile I’ve ever seen spreads across his lips. “What’s our name?”

I frown, lost to the orgasmic afterglow I’m currently floating in as Lincoln scoffs.

“We’re too savage for a coven name,” he grunts, and Tatum hums, a gentle smile curving his lips as he brushes a loose tendril of hair back from my face.

“I think that makes us The Savage Six.”

36

POLARIS

Staring at my reflection, I feel like a new person.

Calm, collected, whole.

A smile clings to my lips, my eyes dazzling with a radiance I’ve never witnessed before, and the giddiness it generates is overwhelming.

Raking my eyes over the length of me, a shiver runs down my spine. Despite the fact that I'm wearing a pink sweater and a pair of jeans, I can sense the markings that lay hidden beneath. My ankle, my ass cheek, my breast, and my throat.

The latter is the most obvious, but the necklace that now hangs around my neck with a small red vial pendant—a gift from Blaze—does a good job of drawing the eye. My gut tells me I know what’s inside the vial, but asking would only make it real. I’ve accepted a lot in the past few days; the red contents of my pendant is not at the top of my list, especially now that classes are back in session.

The coins will have to wait as well, but only until after classes today. They need to be the top priority.

Curling a silver lock of hair behind my ear, I beam at my reflection as I stand confidently in front of the mirror like I’m really seeing myself. My bedroom door opens, pulling me from my personal stare-off to watch Blaze saunter in. He’s naked from head to toe, rubbing a towel through his hair without a care in the world while I gape at him in surprise.

I shake my head in disbelief. “Did you actually just walk back here like that?” I ask, and he grins with a shrug.

“Yes.” He saunters over to the desk with the same breeziness with which he walked into the room, and all I can do is watch him get dressed. He seems to enjoy the audience, though—watching me watch him.

My cheeks heat but I don’t look away. I do, however, choose to redirect the atmosphere that’s heating between us. “Are you sure Ben is going to be safe here today?”

He nods. “I believe so, but it’s better if we still proceed with caution,” he says, running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to remove the water droplets from the ends.

“Okay, well, I'm gonna give you a minute while I go check on him,” I murmur, but I don’t take a single step before he stops me in my tracks.

“I just checked, he’s sleeping. Besides, you’re not going anywhere. We’re going to face this day together,” he states, running his thumb over my cheek as he stares deep into my eyes, and I swoon.

“Okay.” I’m sure I shouldn’t be so easily agreeable, but here I am. He smiles at me before leaning closer to press a kiss to the corner of my mouth.

“Let’s go, Amica Mea,” he murmurs, swiftly slipping on his shoes before opening the door.

I stare at him in wonder for a moment before taking his extended hand and allowing him to usher me out of the room, backpack and all. Maybe this whole coven thing works miracles on them too, not just me, because who the hell is this nice guy right now?

The only way we'll ever truly know if this shift is because of the coven connection is if Lincoln pulls his head out of his ass too.

As if sensing my thoughts, the main door to the witches’ dorms opens as we reach the bottom step and the man in question appears.

“Midnight,” he breathes, his facial features almost soft compared to the usual sharp lines that accompany his barely contained rage. “Ready to eat?” he asks, and my stomach does the answering for me. A smirk spreads across his lips. “Silly question. It seems you're starving,” he muses, and I roll my eyes at him.

“Are you being sassy with me?” I ask, eyebrows raised in surprise, and he throws his arm around my shoulder, yet Blaze refuses to let go of my hand.

“I'm always sassy,” he states, steering us all toward the door, and I scoff.

“No, you're always an asshole,” I retort, and he laughs, his belly full-on shaking, head tilted back as his arm tightens around me.

“And I always will be,” he says with a wink. “Glad to know you love me too, Midnight,” he murmurs, clearly unaware of the words he just used as he all but skips down the sandy path, heading toward the main academy building.

I gape at him with every step, my cheeks burning bright in a mixture of shock and disbelief. If he notices, he pays no attention. Neither does Blaze, but the way he holds my hand allows me to sense the acknowledgment in the curl of his fingers. I don’t know how or why. I just do.

What scares me even more is that I can sense the contentment from the wolf as well.

Holy crap.

It feels like my intuition has skyrocketed; the atmosphere is… readable, as if someone figured out a way to transcribe the energy around me and scrawled the words into the air with a freshly inked pen.

I’m so lost in thought that we’re almost at the main academy building before I remember myself. “Where are the others?” I ask, and Blaze flexes his fingers around mine.

“Already eating,” he explains, bringing my knuckles to his lips. “We pulled straws, and I won, but it seems Lincoln didn’t get the memo,” he muses, drawing my gaze to his, and I smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lincoln insists, but I can see right through him.

None of it matters, though. Not when they’re both being so… playful?

“You mean to tell me you guys are working together?” I clarify, glancing between them, and Lincoln winks.

“Yup, the vampire asshole too,” he states, nodding at Blaze, who simply grins in response, and all I can do is gape at them.

As we approach the double doors, the aroma of freshly cooked bacon lingers in the air, urging me closer, but I don’t quite manage to step over the threshold before Minnie rushes out, panic in her eyes.

Lincoln freezes the moment he locks eyes with his sister. “What's going on?”

She shakes her head, the color draining from her face as her jaw goes slack. Her gaze darts from her brother to me, then glosses over Blaze before returning to Lincoln. Worry gnaws at my gut.

With a gulp, she rolls her shoulders back. “The assembly has just been called.”

My world stops.

I want to insist that it's not true. I want to call her a liar, but I see it in her eyes.

Worming my way from under Lincoln's arm, I blink at each of them, acutely aware that the assembly affects us all, but I need to see it with my own eyes.

I hurry inside, following the sea of bodies all heading in the same direction. When I step into the hall, I find that the usual setup is gone and the makeshift arena has returned.

Tilting my head back, I look up and notice the balcony on full display again. I try to shake off the worry and fear, but it’s impossible. Instinctively, I search for the same man I caught a glimpse of last time, but from this angle, all I can see is the base of the balcony.

Hands land on my shoulders, the grip firm, and when I peer back, it’s Minnie I find. She spins me so we’re face to face. Worry brims in her gaze, likely reflecting my own, but knowing we’re not guaranteed to make it out alive makes it impossible to breathe.

“We've got this, Polaris. Everything is going to be fine,” she promises. I squeeze her hand, trying to convey the same comfort she's offering me.

Bryony appears, a tight smile on her lips, and I try my best to replicate it. Minnie steps back and moves straight into her embrace as I turn to where I was last time with the witches. Before I can even consider heading in that direction, Lincoln grabs hold of me, pulling us back a step as he presses me against the wall.

Blinking up at him, my heart races in my chest as I look into his stony gaze. He doesn’t keep me wildly worrying, wondering what’s going on, though. “When your name is called and your blood kin is revealed, do not act. We don't take action. We regroup and think it through after. Nothing changes today, Polaris. Not even if it's me. And you should know, if it's me and Blaze, I swear to you nothing changes. We work together as one. If anything, this works in our favor.” My mind swirls from his speech, but I find myself nodding along with him. “If blood kins are called, it may help us tackle The Crow’s order for Blaze to eliminate Tatum,” he adds, and I gulp.

That makes sense, but it’s hard to linger on it amidst the swarm of panic holding me hostage.

A bell rings, cutting the conversation short. Lincoln presses a kiss to my forehead before joining the wolves without a backward glance. Despite my fear of crumbling to my knees, completely depleted, I move toward the witches, all hunched together, and find a seat beside Bryony.

The atmosphere feels different. It’s so charged, as though it has completely shifted. The blood kin curse hangs thick between us now, but we wade through, cementing our friendship. We both exchange another tight smile before she extends her hand, palm up. It soothes the worry coiling in my veins and I quickly place my hand in hers, squeezing tightly as our fingers interlink.

I’m certain Foster grumbles something from the other side of her, but I can’t hear him properly over the thumping in my ears. One thing I can sense, though, is the aura coming off him. It’s not as rattled as usual; I can see it clearly, and he definitely doesn’t like me.

It’s impossible for me not to get a feel for the room, the energy washing over and through me now seeming natural. Days ago, it would have all been a culmination of scattered thoughts and overwhelming emotions, but now, it’s as if I can clearly match each feeling to every person. Taking a deep breath, I ignore the setting and focus on the fact that my magic is beaming around me, and I have to sink my teeth into my bottom lip to stop myself from gaping at the array of colors flitting around the room.

Every single student looks as though they’re glowing, a color matching their mood framing them in the light.

It’s beautiful.

It’s also distracting.

Clearing my thoughts, I peer around the room before my gaze flicks up to take another glance at the balcony. The angle looks different from here, the view much clearer, and my throat constricts when my gaze snaps to the man I’m sure I’ve seen in a memory, but doubt settles heavily in my stomach again.

I’m delusional. I have to be. Because in my memory, he was my father, and the one thing Florentine’s was always clear on was the fact that my parents were dead. Right?

Glancing at Bryony, I clear my throat. “Who is that?” I ask, and she follows my line of sight, her eyebrows furrowing as she sees who I’m referring to.

“That’s The Keeper Of the Games,” she explains, and I shake my head, remembering that Blaze had told me the same thing last week.

Rubbing my lips together nervously, I turn away from the balcony and look directly at my friend instead. “What does it mean that he’s here?”

She raises an eyebrow at me. “Why?”

There’s a slight crinkling at the corners of her eyes, one that leaves me a little uneasy as the aura around her shifts slightly, but I attribute it to the impending news we’re about to receive.

“Because I have a vivid memory of him, and we both know I don't have vivid memories of very much,” I state, and her gaze darts to the balcony, confusion darkening her stare.

Her lips part, but whatever she is about to say is cut off as Professor Whitmore claps his hands, drawing everyone's attention to the center of the room.

“Good morning, students of Trinity Falls Academy. Thank you for gathering before classes today as we embark on the blood kin journey with twelve more students.” His smile is wide, stretching from ear to ear as he adjusts the lapels of his stone-colored blazer.

He feels too bright and cheery to be on the brink of telling me my fate, and I don’t like it. Bryony’s hand tightens around mine and I squeeze back just as hard as Whitmore proceeds.

“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we, so we can all enjoy some breakfast?” My stomach clenches, fear getting the better of me as I consider the fact that I might not make it to breakfast. Despite Lincoln’s words, I can’t control the actions of my blood kin, only myself.

Breakfast may be a gift at this stage.

“Lincoln James, Minnie James, Bianca Diamond, Sian Tillman, Blaze Williams, Benjamin Nichol, Destiny Chambers, Letti Gold, Dylan Daniels, Foster Graham, Bryony Tanner, and Polaris Beauchamp. Please, join me.”

As each name is called, the person stands, and when it’s mine that parts Professor Whitmore’s lips, I find myself on my feet; not by choice, but by magic.

The power in the room is palpable; especially as it helps me follow Whitmore’s order. We all move in sync, my heart racing wildly in my chest as I advance to the center of the room with a good portion of my friends, my coven.

With every step I take, I can’t help but remember the last time I was here.

The carnage.

The despair.

The blood.

Krystal.

My heart rate spikes.

Krystal.

My chest tightens until I’m certain my ribcage will collapse.

How is it that I know her, well, her corpse, but she doesn’t remember me?

How could I have felt the dead weight of her body above me, yet the woman I’ve encountered since believes she awakened from a coma with no family and a special coin?

It doesn't add up.

How does that even happen?

I stumble to a stop in the center of the room, but my gaze darts back to where I was seated the last time we were here. Another fresh memory of the weight of Krystal’s lifeless body pinning me to the floor washes over me.

To die here, then wake up in a coma in the same time frame… it doesn't make sense.

It just doesn't.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. Once again, I'm sure you recall the changes we've made going forward, but we shall begin by initiating the spell one person at a time. This will allow us to unlock the curse in a more structured manner. Unlocking one person’s curse will then unlock the curse of their blood kin among the other members of this group. One by one, each pair of blood kin will be declared.”

I gulp as fear takes root in my spine, a memory flooding my mind. One of Blaze concealing my fear and panic with compulsion, just as I asked, until this very moment. It rushes back at me like a freight train and I sway on my feet as Whitmore claps his hands together once again.

“Let’s begin with Blaze Williams.”

My heart lurches as my vampire steps forward, unfazed as he moves from the line we’ve created to stand alone in front of everyone. My pulse thunders in my ears as my concealed emotions take hold of me. I’m definitely feeling the shift back to my reality. I feel like I’m choking on my fear.

Whispered chants seem to echo around the room, but I can’t piece together a single word of them. The voices are so soft and melodic, like the setting for a whimsical day straight from a fairy tale, even though our surroundings are far from it.

Blaze grunts, a snarl ricocheting around the room as he tears at his sleeve, raising it to reveal his forearm where a mark now glows against his skin. Three stars now occupy the entire inner part of his forearm, each one larger than the last.

A screech comes from down the line, tearing my gaze away from Blaze. Bianca stumbles forward a step, her arm raised in horror as the same marking emerges against her skin.

Holy crap.

Blaze’s blood kin is Bianca.

Panic tightens in my chest as I glance between the pair of them. Horror twists Bianca’s features while Blaze sneers at her. His gaze snaps to mine for the briefest moment before refocusing on Bianca. When he does, I can’t help but sense a darker aura around him, the deepest of reds.

“With fucking pleasure,” he growls, racing toward Bianca without a second thought.

He moves so fast, too fast. Everything happens so quickly that I can’t process it. All I can hear is the snapping of a spine and a hollow cry as Bianca’s body falls limp to the floor. The world moves in slow motion as Blaze drops to his knees beside her, ignoring her corpse while he peers down at his arm.

I gape in disbelief as the stars vanish just as quickly as they arrived.

She’s dead.

Bianca is dead.

At the hands of Blaze.

There’s no time to truly digest the unfolding events of what feels like the past five seconds, as Professor Whitmore’s voice booms around the room.

“Benjamin Nichol.”

My gaze is torn away from the disaster to my left and snaps back to where Ben stands in the center of the room. I hadn’t even given myself a moment to realize he’s here, but it doesn’t matter now. Not when he stands in the center of the space, all color drained from his face as he peers down at his arm, waiting for his fate to be revealed.

A single diamond-shaped symbol glows against his skin, and another screech ripples through the room. This time, the sound comes from the right, and I turn in disbelief to find that Ben's blood kin has been revealed.

Sian.

Gulping, I peer back at Ben to see the despair on his face, and unshed tears brim in my eyes as my heart aches for him. I’ve come to learn the true person Sian is, but he doesn’t seem to care. Following his line of sight, I find Sian standing with her hands coiled into fists and a snarl burning her lips as she prepares to charge toward him.

My heart lurches as despair claims me, but just before she reaches Ben, who remains frozen in place, gaping at her, Blaze intercepts her, pushing her back a step before she can get her hands on him. With Sian in his grasp, Blaze glances over his shoulder at Ben.

“Run.”

His order is firm, ringing through the air, but Ben shakes his head.

“I can’t. I can't run from her,” he whispers, sadness clinging to every inch of his body. He's gray, gaze zeroed in on Sian, who continues to sneer and push against Blaze in a bid to get ahold of Ben. It’s clear for everyone to see what her intentions are. Everyone but Ben. “I love you, Sian. I love what we were, and I love that we forever shall be blood kins,” he breathes, slipping his hand into his pocket.

He pulls it out with a flash of silver in his grasp. Before I can acknowledge what it is, he slams it against his chest, dropping to his knees as blood pours down his t-shirt.

I cry out in disbelief, pain clogging my throat as Blaze shoves Sian away, dropping to his knees to tend to Ben, but it's too late.

The lack of a symbol on his arm confirms it.

He's dead. He died for her.

My eyes narrow on the woman in question, watching as her lips set into a thin line as she stares down at him. Without a word, not a single one, she storms from the room.

I think I’m going to be sick.

“Polaris Beauchamp.”

I'm not ready to face what comes next after seeing that.

Blaze is ushered aside as the magic in the room draws me to the center. I find myself stopping right beside Ben. I shouldn’t look down, but I can’t help it.

Silver protrudes from his chest and my heart aches. I gulp, embracing the whispers as a tingling sensation travels down my arm. I watch in fear as a symbol materializes. A vine stretches from wrist to elbow with leaves etched into my skin, glowing with an intensity I didn’t expect.

It would be pretty if the circumstances were any different.

“No,” the cry snaps my gaze toward the remaining students. My eyes find the glow before they shift up and lock on my blood kin.

Minnie.

I sink to my knees, my palm resting on Ben’s lifeless chest as I gaze in horror at my friend. My blood kin.

Tears stream down her face as she moves toward me slowly.

Lincoln’s words play on repeat in my mind, reminding me we have time to figure this out.

But this is different.

She is different.

All my life, the parts that I can remember, I’ve been content as a loner. Building wall after wall around me so I don’t get hurt, so I don’t feel any more pain than I already have.

Then came Minnie.

Minnie, who stuck up for me with her brother.

Minnie, who encouraged me to be the best version of myself.

Minnie, who showed me joy, happiness, and a freaking theme park.

Minnie, who just wanted to be my friend too.

My finger nips against a sharp edge, pulling my gaze away from Minnie’s as I glance down at the blade protruding from Ben’s chest.

All at once. Everything makes sense, but I have to move fast.

“Polaris,” Minnie whispers, tears spilling down her cheeks as she lowers to her knees in front of me.

My heart pounds wilder than it ever has before. “Do you trust me?”

“Polaris?” She calls my name again, but this time it’s a question laced with confusion.

I shake my head. “Do you trust me?”

Her eyebrows gather as she nods. “Of course, but why⁠—”

That’s all I need to hear.

Curling my hand around the handle of the blade, I tear it from Ben’s body as I keep my gaze focused on hers. “I love you, Minnie.”

“Polaris, no!” Her eyes widen, horror clouding her vision, but I smile, content.

“Come find me,” I breathe, bracing myself as I aim the crimson-painted blade toward my chest and strike.

TO BE CONTINUED…

The fourth and final book in The Savage Six series is available for preorder now. Grab your copy here.

AFTERWORD

KC Kean is such… a bitch. From her own mouth, so it must be true.

I don’t know what it is about this series, but I feel it in my bones. Maybe it’s because it’s my first growing character. Polaris wasn’t instantly a badass bitch, and I can’t explain how much she resonates inside of me. I love it!

But…

Back to that bitch of a cliffhanger!

How. Dare. I.

August better get here right now.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being on this journey with me.

You rock!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Michael. I don’t know if you know or not, but I fucking love you.

The sweet children I have been blessed with, thank you for being you, reminding me to learn to be myself and not the people pleaser I became. I love you more and more every day. Your laugh, your humor, your confidence, and your sass; even when it’s directed at me haha

Nicole and Jeni. The Alpha Queens. The word warriors. I love how much you have loved this series with me. Your support is so important, and I can never thank you enough.

Kirsty, thank you for just being you fam. You keep me grounded when my mind wants to take off, you’re a badass queen!

My beta readers, you are so freaking awesome, your constant support and cheer gives me life. Your comments always boost me up, even when I’m driving you insane.

David, your baddassary is too hot! I’m in awe. Thank you.

Sarah, I don’t think I could ever release a book without you. Don’t ever leave me. I love you too much. Thank you.

ADDI

Itug at the edges of my oversized hood, making sure to shield myself from view as best as I can. It’s noisier today. More hectic. Which is understandable, but it doesn’t make weaving through the cobbled streets any easier.

I’m used to sweeping through the shadows, hiding from the sun’s glow; not because it can hurt me like it can others, but because my objective is to remain hidden. Always. Well, it was. Things are most definitely about to change.

My feet ache already and I mentally berate myself for not breaking in my new boots before today, but there’s been so much to prepare for and little time to consider something so minuscule.

Dragging my hand over the stone wall to my left, I keep myself pressed as close to it as possible as another hoard of people charge by me. The buzz in the air is electric, infecting everyone, and I can’t deny the thrill of excitement that burns up my spine with anticipation.

It’s been a long time coming, and although I may be twenty years old—twenty-one in two weeks’ time—it officially feels as though my life is finally beginning.

The City of Harrows.

It’s drawn me in, and with every step I take, I feel another dose of determination and righteousness consume me. I take a deep breath, trying to quell the nerves that threaten to rise along with it, just as someone barges into me, slamming my shoulder against the wall.

I bite back a grunt, fighting the urge to find out who knocked me into the wall as I straighten my hood and continue down the narrow pathway. When it widens into the open square, I slow, pausing by the fruit stall that always makes me smile. I don’t know what it is about the smell of oranges, but it offers me a sense of comfort that I can’t seem to get anywhere else.

Plastering my back against the wall behind the stall, I pause for a moment to take in the bustling square. The clock tower stands tall and proud at the other end of the space, the large golden bell shimmering in the mid-morning sun. The water in the fountain spouts up in the air, making the small children gasp and giggle as they watch with a sense of wonder you don’t get to retain as an adult.

I don’t let myself embrace their joy for too long, looking at the rest of the people scuttling through the square with purpose. Everyone has a purpose today; to take part or observe. Either way, there’s a level of exhilaration I’ve never felt in the air before.

“Do you think all of this will be worth it?”

I peer at the fruit stall owner as he speaks with the person beside him. They shrug in response, folding a variety of fabrics along their stand. “Is anything really worth it? We’re lost to whatever The Council decides at this point.”

“We’ll see many losses, I’m sure. But we’re already facing too many of them as it is, don’t you think?”

My fingers flex at my sides as I listen, enraptured.

Losses.

That’s all the Floodborn Kingdom has experienced for as long as I can remember. Longer, if history stands correct. I shake my head, pressing my eyelids closed as tightly as possible and working to get my breathing under control.

Anger and rage don’t solve any situation, my love. Be controlled, considerate, and level-headed.

My father’s words play in my mind as I count down from ten. He’s always the voice of reason, especially mine, but that doesn’t stop my emotions wanting to get the better of me.

A horn blares in the distance, pulling me from my thoughts, and I glare at the source of the sound. Amidst the traditional stalls, pretty fountain, and clock tower, revs a sports car. Not just any sports car, a flashy red one, worth more money than I can consider, with music blaring.

It didn’t used to be like this.

Once upon a time, history says that the Floodborn Kingdom was home to the fae. Filled with wonder and a simple life. It has since been tainted by everyone else who chooses to walk the kingdom. The City of Harrows is the focal point, drawing everyone in, with the castle still perched heart-achingly high upon the hilltop in the distance. Uninhabited and darkening with every passing day.

Now, people of all kinds walk these streets; a fact I believe makes it a better place. Except for the damn vampires and their excessive lifestyle. They drive me insane whether they try to or not, and no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try to remain level-headed, considerate, and controlled, it means nothing when they’re around.

People part ways for the sports car to get through. Nobody is really grumbling, despite the clear inconvenience it causes. My eyes narrow as I watch it slip under the arch and speed off, heading in the same direction as everyone else.

The sea of people regathers once it’s gone, and it blows my mind how seamless everything becomes once again. I try to focus on a few people, attempting to guess what they are and where they come from, but it’s not easy in this kind of setting.

A fact I’m certain will change once I reach my destination.

Status is going to mean everything, and I know I’ll be in the minority. I’m prepared for that. I’m more than expecting it. I just need to remember my breathing exercises to keep a handle on my emotions.

“I think it will either be a vampire or a wolf that ascends the throne,” the fruit stall owner states, making me purse my lips in distaste.

He can think whatever the hell he pleases, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the truth. Pushing off the wall, my hands ball into fists as I trudge behind the remaining stalls, the spike of determination back in my steps as the bell chimes from across the square.

Dammit. I’m definitely late.

ADDI

Ibarrel ahead with less finesse and care than moments earlier, shouldering past someone as I move under the archway, my steps faltering as my destination comes into view. Even among the hoards of people approaching, it still captures my attention, stealing my breath without any preemptive thought.

I wet my dry lips, failing to add any moisture as the new addition to the Floodborn Kingdom stands tall and proud. The narrow bridge connects the main city walls to a floating island. The thought of it sounds wondrous and magical, but the jagged roofs and endless turrets tell a different story.

Keeping to the left, I take a deep breath and trudge forward with my head bowed and gaze aimed at my feet as I try to remain as invisible as possible.

Adrenaline courses through my veins the closer I get. It’s daunting as hell. This is everything I’ve been building up to. This is the moment everything begins to change. I’ve waited so long it doesn’t even seem real.

The wind whips wildly around me as I dart over the bridge, the grip on my hood tightening. All it does is fuel the excitement coursing through me, hurrying my steps before I barge into the courtyard.

I find a small nook along the wall and tuck myself away as I take a moment to stare up at my future.

Heir Academy.

Gulping, I let those two words repeat in my mind as I absorb my new reality, manifesting everything that will follow. With every breath, I solidify the fact that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

“Entrants, please make your way onto the grounds; proceedings are about to begin.”

A buzz zings down my spine, encouraging me to put one foot in front of the other as I follow the other attendants. Guards stand between the pillars, keeping a watchful eye on the bodies, and I think I’ve managed to slip past unnoticed until a hand clasps around my upper arm, halting me in place.

“No hoods,” he grunts, yanking mine down before I can even consider a response, and I glare up at him. His eyes narrow, his grip tightening around my arm, bringing me so close to the brink of responding rashly before someone else gains his attention.

“Gray, come and look at this.”

He dismisses me without a second glance, shoving me through the passage before offering me his back.

My lips purse as I clench my fists at my sides, counting down from ten as I take deep breaths. Once my mood seems a little more under control, I run my fingers through my hair, tucking the loose curls behind my ear before turning to rejoin everyone.

I feel exposed without my hood up. I’ve never walked a step in the City of Harrows without it, and although I knew it was coming, I wasn’t ready for the rawness of it. It’s a safety blanket I’ve grown accustomed to; a fact that instantly irritates me and only confirms that I won’t be wearing it any longer.

The space grows wide, filled with bodies, and I instantly acknowledge the groups. It’s not purposeful, but we’re drawn to our own kind. Always. I keep to the side of the large square enclosure, opting to stand in the spot where the sun beats down as I take everyone in.

The gathered attendants to the far right stand tall and proud. A level of righteousness seeps from them, exposing the natural superiority that oozes from them effortlessly, making my lip curl in distaste. They’re draped in luxury, dressed in designer clothes, with flashy gadgets and an air of regalness.

Vampires.

I peer to their right and find myself a little stunned to see the group standing so close to them. A different vibe emanates from them altogether. Everyone’s shoulders rub as they all stand closer than necessary, an air of familiarity and family pouring from them. They’re the second largest group here, but instead of designer clothes and the latest tech clinging to their every limb, they’re mostly in ripped jeans and open checkered shirts with tanks underneath. Males and females included. They laugh loudly, a bubble of excitement enveloping them.

Wolves.

Pressing my lips together, I move to the group standing in the center of the space, a quaint, almost solemn vibe coming from them. They’re all-knowing, studious, and proper. Draped in cloaks similar to my own, they talk in quiet, hushed tones, always carrying some kind of book with them. It’s almost cute and nerdy until they open their mouths to express how wrong you are and how right they are.

Mages.

My gaze travels to those in the far left area, their group smaller than the others, and although you get the sense they aren’t as close as some of the other groups, there’s still an air of serenity and adventure that bubbles around them. No one looks the same; no one acts the same. They’re all individual and unique, and they own it.

Shifters.

Similar to the wolves, but completely different all at once. They’re not packs, they’re not a family, and they don’t shift into wolves. They shift into whatever the fates decide they are.

Nerves bubble from the group near them, with a sense of wonder and panic twisting in the air. Ordinary. Mundane. Giftless.

Humans.

With gadgets tucked in their hands and a need to prove themselves drifting from them, they’re desperate to belong, to fit in—as they rightfully should. It’s just a shame that the actions they take don’t mirror it. They should be the most frowned upon group, but they’re not.

Which leaves the smallest group standing closest to the podium. The group that makes my heart sink. Everyone affords them a wide berth as the members shuffle nervously from foot to foot. It’s the uncertainty that comes from them that confirms what they are without you having to look for the most obvious point. Pun intended.

Fae.

Once the leaders of the kingdom, now the remnants of a nightmare. Simply an afterthought of atrocities that brought the kingdom down and left ruin in its place.

“Which group are you?”

I startle at the interruption, glancing up at a man dressed in a perfectly pressed navy suit. The black framed glasses on his nose somehow make him seem approachable, but the tightness of his jaw and squint to his eyes tell a different story.

“Why?”

He narrows his eyes, irritated with having to waste more time on me than necessary and completely unimpressed with my inability to be immediately pliant and at his will. “Because you’re standing alone, and the groups have been formed,” he states, and I cock a brow.

“I was under the impression we are here as individuals, that what or who we are doesn’t matter,” I counter, making his eyes narrow further.

“Be as you will, but you may seek strength from those around you. Alone…you won’t last long, I’m sure.” He smiles, the display not reaching his eyes as they darken. I can read between the lines and understand what he’s not saying.

He thinks I won’t last two minutes alone. Maybe he’s right, or maybe I am.

Time will tell.

Channeling my father’s words, I put a wide smile on my face and nod. “Thank you for the advice.”

I know I don’t really have a choice in the matter. I’ve already heard the rumors that everyone will be housed according to their origins when we step inside the academy. There’s no point delaying the inevitable, but what can I say? I’m stubborn and I’m not going to fall under someone else’s thumb so easily.

Especially not a vampire’s.

Turning away from the irritation spoiling my observations, I roll my shoulders back and cut through the crowd, slowing to a stop at the front of the podium. Along with my kind.

Fae.

The nerves and panic that drift around them threaten to seep into my bones, too, but I push it back, slowing my racing heart as I channel every ounce of strength, determination, and power I have. It doesn’t help when I can feel people looking at me. Or is that the anxiety attempting to get the better of me?

Dammit.

“Are you with the right group?” a girl asks, and I turn to look at her with a frown. It’s on the tip of my tongue to question whether she thinks anyone would actually choose to stand here if they didn’t have to, but I manage to keep my mouth shut and simply nod instead. That doesn’t seem to appease her, though. Her gaze shifts to my ears and back to my eyes. “It’s just you don’t…”

“Have pointy ears,” I interject, giving her a pointed look. “I’m aware. Would you like to look closer to see the scars from where they were snipped?” I grunt, annoyed that I briefly reveal my feelings. The only effect that ever has is that someone obtains the upper hand over you, but to my surprise, it’s pain that flickers in her gray eyes instead.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.” Her hand lifts to her mouth and I’m not sure if she’s going to cry or not, but I can’t deal with that.

No. Way.

“You didn’t do it. So don’t apologize.” I try to offer her a smile, but I know it’s weak, and there’s no rectifying it. So I turn my attention to the people gathered on the podium, murmuring among themselves as we all wait. The alternative would be to reach for my ears and feel the smooth edges to the tops, along with the slightly raised scar that serves as a memory sharper than any other.

Everything happens for a reason. Everything is meant to fall into place. Everything is okay.

“I’m sorry. I’m an apologizer. I’ll even apologize for apologizing,” she continues to ramble, standing at my side. I nod, hoping that will be enough of a response for her to back off, but apparently, my usual resting bitch face vibes aren’t in full effect today. “I’m Flora, by the way.”

Clearing my throat, I peer at her out of the corner of my eye, taking a moment to actually take her in. Her vivid orange hair falls around her shoulders in loose waves. Her big gray eyes are filled with a sense of hope, but they’re also tainted by the panic and worry that wars within them. She’s about my height, an inch or two taller if I’m being completely honest with myself, and her frame is small. She’s going to need to work on that while she’s here; otherwise, it will be pointless.

My hands flex at my sides. That’s not for me to worry about. Or is it? Is that not the entire end game of all of this? Taking a deep breath, I turn to face her properly.

“I’m Addi.”

“Nice. Addi, as in…”

“Just Addi will do.”

My throat clogs as it does every time someone takes the time to press me for details about myself, but thankfully, she doesn’t push, turning to face the podium again.

My gut clenches as I listen to the fae around me, the worry thick in their voices as they try to decipher everyone’s intentions. They probably need to be more focused on their own—another fact I may have to add to my to-do list. To prove myself as a fae among these people, I need to first prove it to my own kind. If it’s the last thing I do, I will make a positive name for us among this madness.

We are our people, Addi girl. We will always stand strongest when we are together and united as one.

My father’s words echo in my mind, guiding me as always, despite the fact that I have so many arguments I could throw back. As if our strength may have been stronger if we were united in this moment too. This is my first interaction, properly, with another fae, and it feels…weird. Maybe not weird, but it’s not my norm, yet I’m supposed to act like it is.

“There you are. I was wondering what was going on.” I glance at the guy approaching, but his gaze is on Flora, who blushes.

“It’s not like there’s really a sea of fae for you to lose me in,” she retorts, the pink of her cheeks deepening, and he grins at her before turning to me.

“Arlo, nice to meet you.” He offers his hand, a natural and calm smile on his face, effortlessly putting me at ease, which immediately sets me on edge. I don’t trust anyone, and I’m not about to start with him.

“Addi.”

He quirks a brow at me when I don’t immediately take his hand, but after a beat, I relent, just as Flora plants her hand on his arm. “She’s focused, give her some space.”

It’s my turn to raise my eyebrows at her, but she simply shrugs in response. I am focused. She’s not wrong. But, am I also that obvious? It doesn’t matter. As long as she didn’t come up with any other assessments that may weaken me.

“Focused. Nice. I⁠—”

Whatever he’s about to say is cut off by a siren ringing out around the huge space, drawing the murmurings to a halt. All eyes turn to the podium where a lady stands. Her white hair is pulled back into a messy braid, silver glasses are perched on the tip of her nose, and she’s wearing a florescent pink blazer and skirt set with a white silk blouse underneath.

She looks over the crowd, her smile growing when she turns toward the vampires, confirming what she is before she moves toward the slim, silver microphone perched atop the podium.

“Welcome, everyone, to Heir Academy.”

ADDI

Her voice instantly sets me on edge, offering no kind of warmth or excitement to be here. Not that it’s the approach she was going for, but still. We’re hopefully here for the long haul, building for the new future they’re insisting on, but what do I know?

A lot more than they think you do.

“Thank you for gathering here this morning. It brings me great pleasure to welcome you through the academy’s gates with open arms.” She pauses, lifting her arms in a fake half hug that looks awkward as hell before she drops them back down to her sides. “There is much for us to learn about one another, much for us to learn about our past that we don’t want to repeat, and much to embrace about where we hope the future will take us.”

“As long as you’re a vampire, she means,” Arlo whispers under his breath, making my teeth sink into my bottom lip to stop the smile from spreading. Flora, on the other hand, swats him in the stomach, her cheeks reddening once again. At least I’m not the only one coming to the same assessment of the woman before us.

“My name is Mildred Bozzelli. You may call me Dean Bozzelli. After much consideration among The Council, I have been appointed as the dean of Heir Academy, and it’s my utmost certainty that I will ensure everyone remains focused and dedicated to the cause we are undertaking.” She smiles proudly, reveling in the title she’s earned herself, and I feel the nervous energy around me increase. “But, less about me and more about all of our fine attendees today. Don’t you agree?”

Cheers echo around us, and when I peer over my shoulder, I find the wolves, mages, and shifters joining in with the vampires, while the fae and humans remain a little more stoic.

“Firstly, I believe we should start at the beginning. As many know, Floodborn Kingdom rose from the seas many years ago, led by many, but most recently, King August Reagan.” My chest aches as disgruntled mumbles spread among the crowd. “He was the last of the fae to lead us and the remnants of his rule still echo around us.” Her face is full of sympathy, but her words remain just as quick and sharp. “After all of the mistakes, The Council was formed, uniting the origins of our kingdom. Now, however, the time has come for us to find our new leader, one forged in stone by hard work and determination, fortified with the will to lead all of our people. No matter the cost, here at the academy, we will find the one who will lead us and unite us all, for the sake of our kingdom.”

Her gaze glances dismissively over the fae and humans again. She offers the wolves, shifters, and mages an extra moment, but she lingers on the vampires. It’s clear who she believes should rule.

Part of me wonders why the rest of us are even here, but then my heart skips a beat, reminding me exactly why I am here. There’s a lot to prove.

There hasn’t been a queen in over five hundred years, and the thought of a fae retaking the throne won’t come easy to many in the kingdom. I’m here to prove them all wrong.

“Our aim is to find the new heir among you. There will be trials, tests, and moments where we will push you beyond your limits; all to determine who that is. It won’t be easy, but if the past has taught us anything, it’s that we must not succumb to kindness that can linger in our hearts. This kingdom deserves a dedicated leader whose strength and cut-throat loyalty can do what’s best for the people above all else, someone ruthless enough to do what needs to be done for the best interest of Floodborn.”

Another round of cheers fills the air, and this time, it includes a few humans and some of the fae around me. I jab my hands into the pockets of my cloak, clenching them into fists in anger.

Paper brushes against my knuckles, making me frown, and I pull out a small folded sheet. With my gaze locked on Bozzelli’s, I meticulously unfold it until there’s nothing left to do before I peer down. My eyes skim the scratchy words scrawled across it. My heart instantly aches, but the warmth that blossoms in my chest almost floors me.

Quickly glancing at Bozzelli again, I’m relieved to see I’ve gone unnoticed as I refold the paper and return it to my pocket.

“In a few moments, registration will begin for everyone and we’ll filter you all onto the official grounds of the academy. Once in there, you will have the remainder of today to get comfortable, but everything begins tomorrow. Not everyone will make it. Not everyone will want to. But coming here today confirms your trust in The Council and your loyalty to the Floodborn Kingdom. I can’t wait to embark on this journey with you.”

“Why does she look so bloodthirsty when she says that?” Arlo whispers, nudging Flora with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

I school my features, pretending as though I don’t hear him as I watch six additions join Bozzelli on the podium. They stand shoulder to shoulder, three on either side of the dean, before she begins to point them out.

“On the end to my left, you have Professor Alyx Sorrow. She will be leading the mages. Followed by Professor Landon Fairbourne, who will guide the fae.” Her nose turns up slightly as she says it, but if anyone notices it, they don’t bother to say a word. “With Professor Garrick Knight beside me, who will assist the shifters.” They each wave at their introduction before Bozzelli lifts her other arm, indicating the three remaining professors beside her. “Professor Harrison Amos, to my right, will be here for the humans. Beside him is Professor Connor Whitlock. He will be commanding the wolves. While Professor Maxima Holloway will escort the vampires the best she can.”

I repeat their names a few times in my head as I stare at their faces, committing them to memory. Once over, I wouldn’t have remembered a single name she just said, but with my father’s guidance, I now understand the importance of remembering names and faces. Both to leave a good and lasting impression on them, while also remembering who may or may not betray you in the future.

The latter is more likely than I care to admit.

“As you are already in your groups, I will have each professor call out the origins before they guide you inside. They will go through the timetables, attire, accommodation, and dining details that will pertain to you for the next two years. Unless we find our heir before that time, of course,” she adds, twitching with excitement. I’m certain she’s going to bounce out of her shoes at any given moment, but before I can see if that’s likely to happen, Professor Alyx Sorrow calls out the mages.

She waves them forward as she steps down from the podium, leading them through the stone archway to the left. They follow her wordlessly and I take a moment to really absorb what’s happening right now.

There’s no going back, no alternatives. We’re going to walk under that archway and either die at the hands of Heir Academy, lick our wounds when the heir is declared, or bask in triumph as the crown to the kingdom is placed upon our heads.

I turn in the direction of Floodborn Castle, but it’s obscured by the academy so I picture it from memory instead.

“Are you nervous? I can’t really sense it from you like I can everyone else.” It takes me a second to realize Flora is asking me.

Shrugging, I shake my head. “Nervousness isn’t something I really struggle with.” Not in the way everybody else here does. “You can sense that?” I query, and she nods shyly, her hair covering her face for a split second before Arlo elbows her.

“Flora is the best fae with mind magic I’ve ever met,” he insists, revealing that familiar pink tint to her cheeks again.

“He’s overhyping me,” she mutters, fidgeting with her fingers, but I store the tidbit of information away. Knowing the strengths of those around you only makes you stronger yourself. Just as the weaknesses that grasp you, if not balanced perfectly, could find you dead.

“You know I’m not,” Arlo retorts, and I offer her a smile, which seems to help her relax again.

“Fae. Follow me.” Professor Landon Fairbourne’s voice booms around us, carrying more strength than you would expect, given the fae around me, and I immediately like it.

This man could be an asshole for all I care, but carrying himself the way he is only impresses me. Hopefully, he will find a backbone in some of those around us. I can sense Arlo is already open to saying what he thinks, and Flora can handle him just fine, but I get the feeling she doesn’t use that same level of strength with others.

I keep to the back of the group, Flora by my side, with Arlo flanking her. I try to assess him out of the corner of my eye now that I have a moment, but it’s not so easy with Flora between us.

He’s clearly over six feet, that’s for certain. I’m standing strong at five-foot-seven inches, and he towers over both of us. His messy brown hair makes his blue eyes seem brighter, twinkling with mischief, and although he seems slim, the set of his shoulders and power in his stride tells me there’s more to him than meets the eye. He catches me looking, throwing a wink my way, and I quickly turn to follow the professor once again.

He probably thinks I’m interested now. I’m definitely not. Besides, I can sense the air of affection between him and Flora. Nonetheless, I’m focused on my mission. There’s no time for distraction.

I’m pulled from my thoughts as we take in the cobbled walkway. The academy building itself comes into view, but we walk around it. The pathway forks off from a central fountain in six different directions. One for each origin.

Fae.

Humans.

Mages.

Shifters.

Vampires.

Wolves.

“Form a line, registration is about to begin.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KC Kean began her writing journey in 2020 amidst the pandemic and homeschooling… yay! After reading all of the steam, from fade to black, to steamy reads, MM, and reverse harem, she decided to immerse herself in her own worlds too.

When KC isn’t hiding away in the writing cave, she is playing Dreamlight Valley, enjoying the limited UK sunshine with her husband, children, and furbabies, or collecting vinyls like it’s a competition.

Come and join me over at my Aceholes Reader Group, follow my author's Facebook page, and enjoy Instagram with me on the links below.

ALSO BY KC KEAN - CONTEMPORARY

All of the below series are based in the same world and cross overs of characters may happen throughout.

FEATHERSTONE ACADEMY

My Bloodline

Your Bloodline

Our Bloodline

Red

Freedom

Redemption

ALLSTARS SERIES

Toxic Creek

Tainted Creek

Twisted Creek

BETHANY & RYAN’S STORY

Burn to Ash

EMERSON U SERIES

Watch Me Fall

Watch Me Rise

Watch Me Reign

RUTHLESS BROTHERS MC

Ruthless Rage

Ruthless Rebel

Ruthless Riot

ALSO BY KC KEAN - FANTASY/PARANORMAL

Each series listed below takes place in their own worlds and there is no cross connections.

SAINTS ACADEMY

Reckless Souls

Damaged Souls

Vicious Souls

Fearless Souls

Heartless Souls

SILVERCREST ACADEMY

Falling Shadows

Destined Shadows

Cursed Shadows

Unchained Shadows

HEIR ACADEMY

Kingdom of Ruin

Reign of Blood

Hunt of Night

Fate of Eternity

Court of Truth

THE SAVAGE SIX SERIES

Savage Hope

Savage Desire

Savage Torment

Savage Sacrifice - coming August 2025