Chapter 3
Amrin
Holy fuck.
Did that really just happen?
I wasn’t usually into violence, but something happened between the time that jerk Gunner called me fatty and the smexy blue-skinned giant handed the overgrown dog his ass that turned me into a fan. Maybe it was because I was tired of being the butt of lame jokes like that one.
Or maybe it was because I had never noticed all the muscles on Sten—of course I knew his name. He was in my class. I mean, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to Professor McEwan, but I would have to be dead to not notice him.
But honestly, why hadn’t I ever considered the cords of muscles beneath the black on black ensemble he usually wore around school?
He kept to himself. I knew that because, like I said, we were in the same class and never once did he speak to me, or anyone, for that matter. He sat in the back of the classroom, never taking part, apparently acing everything, shrouded from head to toe in all black, as if all that darkness could somehow mute the cerulean glow of his skin.
“So, what did you want to ask me?”
I stared at Sten with my mouth hung open like a fish out of water until he huffed impatiently and started to turn away. We were starting to garner attention, and it was my guess, he really didn’t like that. But I needed his help, so I followed after him.
“I’m failing Astronomy,” I said when I caught up with his stupid long strides.
Really?
Wasn’t it bad enough he was built like some sort of sexy blue MMA fighter?
Did he have to be tall as fuck, too?
I sighed and grabbed his elbow, causing him to stop and me to bump into him. His eyes zeroed in on where I was holding onto his black hoodie, and I gulped. Audibly.
“Don’t touch me. You can never touch me again, understand?” Sten grunted the words between clenched teeth, and I felt them like a clap across my soul.
“Sorry,” I muttered, shivering as I let him go. “Your legs are too long, and I can’t explain what I need help with if I can’t breathe because I have to run to keep up with you,” I explained, cheeks flaming.
I mean, how embarrassing was it to be the fat girl who just got called such by some Wolf Shifter asswipe in front of the whole school, only to prove him right because I couldn’t keep pace with this, this whatever he was. Gunner, that lewd asshole, had called him a Hobgoblin, and I didn’t know what that was, but for some reason it rang false to me.
Sten looked like more. He looked powerful. Radiant. But maybe that was just because of his unique coloring.
I touched my hair self-consciously, realizing belatedly we sort of matched. I’d dyed my hair a sort of turquoise color weeks ago, but it was faded now, more gray than blue. Anyway, I squirmed where I stood, waiting for him to say something to break the tension.
“I’m Amrin,” I said when I gave up on waiting for him to speak.
We’d started walking again, his pace slower, and I smiled to myself. I didn’t know why, but it felt like I’d won something, getting the giant, powerful male to slow down for me.
“Sten,” he muttered, looking around like he’d rather be anywhere but there.
“I know your name,” I said, pulling out the sheet of notes I made after reading through Professor McEwan’s ridiculous extra credit assignment.
“Okay, so, like I said, I am failing Astronomy, but really, I can’t. My parents, especially my mother, will be so upset if I have to redo the course,” I explained.
“So, get a tutor,” he replied, taking a turn that led to one of the many winding paths outside Blackthorn Castle.
“I’m trying, but you keep running away,” I mumbled and followed him.
There were many trails to and from the castle. Some were well worn, used daily by students, faculty, and staff. But the one he took, I’d never even seen. It was as if the darkness revealed the path to him alone with each step. I hurried to keep up.
“I’m busy, Luna—”
“Amrin,” I corrected.
“Amrin with the moon in her eyes,” he whispered, but I caught it and froze.
My eyes were enormous. Bug eyes, my sisters always called them. And they were very light. An exceedingly pale shade of amber that sometimes made them look yellow. I never liked the color of my eyes, but when he said that a twinge of something shivered through my blood. And for once in my life, I felt as if maybe, just maybe, I was pretty.
I shook my head and shoved the paper at him once he stopped moving. He took it, careful not to touch any part of me, and leaned against a tree.
Shit.
When did we get to the forest?
I hated the woods in general, and these woods in particular, because they were enchanted. And not in a good way.
The forest here was dark and scary, and students were forbidden to step foot past the tall copse of trees that stood about a hundred yards behind me.
Fuck.
This was stupid.
The sky cracked with lightning, and thunder rumbled angrily above. It seemed to rain most of the time since I’d arrived at Northumberland Island, and I’d never been one to shy away from a storm. But goosebumps broke out across my flesh as Sten stood reading.
“You want me to pretend to be your love?” he barked, blue eyes glowing out of his head as he lifted his eyes to mine.
“I mean, I’m not asking for your firstborn or anything, but look. Professor McEwan wants me to chart a course to my true love by the Spring Equinox and that’s two measly weeks away! How can I do that without a little fiction?”
“You don’t have to actually prove to him you have found a mate, you do know that don’t you?” he asked.
“It specifically says I need to bring him the chart and show him my date the night of the festival.”
“Then use your boyfriend, for fuck’s sake.” Sten glowered at me just as another bolt of lightning crashed above.
The skies opened up, and rain pelted down on us. Of course, Sten just lifted his hood, but not me. I wasn’t even wearing my robes anymore. I’d dumped them in my dorm, choosing to play hooky from the rest of my classes for the day. The oversized white t-shirt I had on stuck to my skin and I tried desperately to hold it off my belly rolls. There was no way to hide the thickness of my thighs beneath it since I was wearing bright pink leggings. The last thing I needed to do was give Sten another reason to say no to me.
It was a crazy plan. A flawed plan. But I needed him to pass.
“No,” he said, shaking his head.
“Look, you do this for me, you help me chart the skies and pretend to be my date on the night of the festival and I will do anything you want!”
“What?”
“You heard me!” I shouted over the roar of thunder.
I knew I looked desperate and ridiculous, but his blue eyes raked over me from head to toe before a smile curved at the corner of his exceptionally pretty mouth.
“Anything?”