Chapter 17 Elijah
ELIJAH
“What did you do to agitate my dove earlier?” I asked Wyatt lightly, as if I wasn’t half-contemplating shifting and letting my beast put his head in its mouth.
We stood shoulder to shoulder, dressed in our Guardians training gear, and were surveying the arena as some of the sophomores dragged the practice weapon stash from the storage room.
He arched an amused brow. Wyatt was the member of our quad who took the challenges of packing up with a mythic the most in stride, and I did appreciate the levity he brought to our little brotherhood.
Usually.
But if he hurt my dove, he could spend the afternoon healing in the infirmary.
“Stalking her, are you?” he asked, chuckling. “Why am I not surprised? Though I’m not sure how you’re going to fit stalking the wildcat into your packed schedule.”
“I’ll manage. Answer my question.”
Because he’d done something to her. I knew this because I’d wandered over to the Magical Education building after my morning class had let out, hoping I might catch a glimpse of Avery on her way out of the class she shared with Wyatt and Heath.
I’d lingered for a few minutes, tucked nonthreateningly into the shadows of a copse of trees. Minutes passed, and I figured I’d missed her, until she came storming around the corner from one of the building’s courtyards, her lovely face flushed and her hand in a death grip around her little blade.
Seconds later, Wyatt had trotted out after her, looking pleased with himself.
I’d watched him amble off in the opposite direction, and the only thing that stopped me from chasing him down and interrogating him had been the sudden and alarming pressure of my beast slithering up under my skin as I bounced between suspicious anger that he’d done something to upset my dove and seething jealousy that he’d gotten to be near her at all.
Now we were under control, so it was time for answers.
He sighed and shook his head, his wild auburn hair flopping onto his forehead with the movement. “Callista said something shitty to Avery, and it set her off. She had her blade to Callista’s throat when I ran into them in the hallway. So I… diffused the situation.”
I cocked my head at him.
“Fine. I stole her sword and carried her out of there over my shoulder. She wasn’t pleased with our encounter.” His eyes went hazy, a far-off look crossing his face, and he grinned. “But I sure was.”
“Mmm,” I said, pondering that. When faced with the same situation, I probably would’ve seized the same opportunity to…
seize her. “I suppose I’m relieved you intervened.
I’d hate for her to be expelled so soon.
” I kicked at the floor and huffed in irritation.
“Especially because I keep missing her mouthwatering little displays of viciousness.”
It was why I’d shown up to training this afternoon. I wouldn’t be missing any more.
“With the way you’re behaving about her, that’s been a good thing,” Heath said, striding up with all his quad leader energy.
He gave me a chastising look. “If you’d have been there yesterday when Rip and those idiots challenged her, I suspect they’d all be dead, and we’d have a really fucking big mess to clean up. ”
“There’s still time,” I replied, waggling my brows.
He pointed a finger at my face. “Do not kill anyone on this campus. And no stalking Avery either. We’re supposed to be focused on… other shit.”
Still smiling, I snapped my teeth at his finger. “Sure thing, boss.”
He rolled his eyes, but then his attention snagged on something across the arena. Wyatt and I followed his gaze, and there she was.
Avery, walking out onto the floor, wearing an easy smile and chatting with her brother.
My gorgeous new fascination.
Our campus was home to many lovely ladies, but none of them were vigilante wraith slayers, nor were any of them harboring quite the delicious secret that was my dove’s inner beast.
I wanted to know everything about her.
How many freckles decorated her pale cheeks.
How many wraiths she’d ended with her little swords.
Why my ornery pet snake was obsessed with her.
Why she was hiding her inner magic from us all when her aura was so bright.
What her body looked like under those tight leggings and her loose Guardian trainee T-shirt.
How her tongue would taste if I stroked it with mine.
How her pert tits would feel in my hands.
And, most urgently, why my control of my beast was most threatened when she was near.
As she meandered in our general direction, all three of us stood up a little straighter.
I elbowed Heath. “It’s delightful how full of shit you are.”
“Shut up,” he growled.
Cash chose that moment to stomp into the arena, the rest of his quad and fellow trainers in tow.
Because of my relationship with Wyatt, I’d had the opportunity over the years to meet many of those in Guardian leadership, and I’d judged most of them to be decent shifters.
It took at least some degree of self-sacrifice and genuine desire to protect others to want to become a Guardian, even with the prestige and benefits that came with it.
Cash and his quad weren’t decent or altruistic or valorous. They were power-hungry sadists who hid behind their stellar kill record and family members on the Northeastern Council.
Heath and Aiden tolerated them because they knew how to kill wraiths, and that was what we were all here to learn.
Wyatt thought they were mostly full of shit but dismissed them as a threat because they weren’t—to us.
Cash was a Prime lion shifter, but he was practically a cub compared to Holden Blackwell.
The rest of the quad was comprised of two Alpha wolves and a snow leopard, none of whom could take Heath, Aiden, or Wyatt in a challenge.
And they certainly couldn’t handle me in a fight, but my beast never got to have that kind of fun.
I wasn’t convinced Cash was harmless, though. I’d tasted his fear once, during one of the very few times I’d let my beast out in the arena, and there was something off there. Sour. Dark, even.
And right now, if he didn’t take his slimy fucking glare off my dove, I’d be tasting more than just his fear.
“Everyone shut up and line up!” he shouted across the floor. “We’re doing conditioning first today. Maybe if you were all in better shape, you wouldn’t be such fucking embarrassments.”
I groaned. “This is what I get for deciding to actually show up today.”
“Look alive, man,” Wyatt said, nudging me. “If we hustle, we can position ourselves so that we’re right behind Avery. Staring at that perfect ass while we run bleachers will make it all worth it.”
I snapped my fingers and grinned at him. “Excellent thinking.”
“Damn it,” Heath said, a growl scratching inside his chest. At this point, I feared he might be stuck that way permanently. “Can you two behave?”
“Is that a serious question?” I asked.
Unfortunately, we did not make it into line behind Avery, who was surrounded by Brody Dara’s little squad of feline friends.
Fortunately, Brody only had eyes for Avery’s brother, and the rest of the group appeared to be wary enough of her that they kept a respectable distance.
I’d hate to have to maim any of our Support Squadron.
After we were all required to strap our weapon of choice to our backs, we began our conditioning.
Heath wore his saber like a second skin and was one of the few of us—along with the Baxter siblings—who used his own blade rather than those provided by the program.
Wyatt bitched, but he was the strongest of our quad pound-for-pound in human form, so running around with a massive ax strapped to his body would hardly register.
I didn’t use a weapon when facing the SWIM, but I did carry a dagger for certain emergencies.
For half an hour, we ran laps up and down the bleachers. Heath, Wyatt, and I paced each other perfectly, as always, and by the end, I was feeling invigorated. Physical activity in my human form had a way of lulling my beast into a relaxed state, and I’d been remiss with that sort of thing lately.
As we lined up on the arena floor again, I drifted Avery’s way.
She sparkled under the arena’s fluorescent overhead lighting, a light sheen of sweat coating her pale skin.
I was delighted to find that she’d shed her ill-fitting Guardians T-shirt and was gracing us with a view of her lithe torso and perfect tits in a sports bra.
Heath and Wyatt drifted with me, both eyeing the same prize. Wyatt was grinning like it was his birthday, while Heath looked to be on the verge of apoplexy.
“Dove,” I purred as I sidled up to her. I couldn’t smell her as well as my quad brothers would be able to, but a pass of my tongue over my lips told me she was wary but not fearful of me. Perfect. “You look delectable.”
Her brother, who was standing next to her, unsheathed his katana in a flash and pointed it at my chin. “Thinking of taking a bite of my sister, snake?” he asked, which would’ve had a bit more teeth if he wasn’t wearing an amused grin.
“Ian!” Avery gasped.
Heath rumbled a displeased noise, and Wyatt snorted.
“Always,” I replied, returning his grin.
“Hey!” Trent, Cash’s second, barked in our direction. “Break it the fuck up over there. Baxter, you set off that snake, and I will toss your ass out of here—if he doesn’t kill you first.”
Oddly, my beast had little interest in killing Ian Baxter. I’d been told that George tolerated him as well—the privileges that came with being so closely related to our dove.
Ian sheathed his blade, but not before he darted an ill-advised, threatening look at Wyatt, and then another at Heath. “You assholes need to tread very lightly around my sister. Hurt her, and I will kill you.”
I laughed. Wyatt’s smile had turned evil, and Heath had gone stone cold.
“Excuse him,” Avery said, exasperated, stepping in front of Ian and blocking him from our view. “He enjoys being provocative, and he is aware that I do not need his help to kill any one of you.”
“There she is,” Wyatt said, green eyes blazing. “Our savage girl. Wrap that hand around my throat again anytime, Wildcat.”
Heath and I both slanted a look at him. Avery had choked Wyatt? Not fair.
“Control your brother,” Heath growled at her. “That shit can get him killed. He’s lucky Wyatt and I have superior control over our beasts and that Elijah just ran his into a lull.”
Her eyes flashed electric blue, and she stepped toward Heath. Fuck yes. “Are you threatening my brother, Alpha?”
A gold sheen rolled over Heath’s irises, his beast’s energy surging in the space around us. Wyatt’s bear prickled, and mine opened a curious eye.
“Pair up!” Cash bellowed, snapping the tension. “Weapons drills for the next half hour!”
Ian snatched his sister’s hand, pulling her back from her confrontation with Heath. “C’mon, Aves. We haven’t sparred in a million years.”
Trent took that moment to butt into our huddle. “Nice try, fox. Go pair up with someone in Support Squadron. Cash wants Miss Baxter paired with Harrow.”
“Absolutely the fuck not,” Heath snapped. “Does he think we’re stupid?”
Trent sneered. “If the bitch doesn’t want to spar with a Prime mythic, she can see herself out. Or does she still claim to have what it takes to become a Guardian?”
“Why don’t you ask Cash if he’d like to spar with Elijah?” Wyatt said, his voice taunting. “He’s top of the Guardians, and yet, I don’t think he’s ever had the pleasure of sparring with a mythic.”
“Watch your fucking tone, Gale,” Trent growled. “You don’t get special treatment just because of who your daddy is, and he isn’t here to save your ass today.”
“How about you and I spar, Trent, and I’ll show you special treatment.”
Avery’s gorgeous gaze had bounced around the group, a confused frown on her face. “What is everyone’s problem? I don’t mind working with Elijah.”
I sighed, reaching for her hand. I rubbed my thumb across her palm, and she softened, peering up at me curiously.
“My beast is unpredictable in combat situations, Dove,” I said in a low voice.
“Cash is purposefully putting you in danger. As much as I’d like to think we would never harm you, I can’t exactly guarantee it. ”
In fact, her hand in mine had awoken my beast, the tension inside intensifying rather rapidly. Color leached from my vision, and my teeth throbbed. I sucked in a deep breath and released her hand.
She studied me. Her heartbeat had jumped, but I tasted no fear. “We can’t let Cash win, Elijah. Heath and Wyatt can work out right next to us. I have faith in you.”
Was this love? If her existence didn’t make my beast so fucking feral, I would’ve thought so.
“Not happening,” Heath said, then he turned his scowl on Trent. “Tell Cash I’m working with Avery, and Wyatt will take Elijah.”
“Only if Baxter wants to get tossed out on her tight little ass, Blackwell.”
Avery’s lip curled, and I gritted my teeth as the pressure doubled.
Luckily, Wyatt stepped right into Trent’s stupid, smirking face, his bear’s sudden rage heavy in the air, which mollified the monster within me.
“Talk about her like that again, you sniveling dickhead, and I will rip your snowy white hide apart.”
“What the hell is this? Are you fucking her, Gale? Are you, Blackwell? Not that I blame you. She looks like she has a tight—”
“That’s enough.” Avery shouldered in front of Wyatt, separating him from Trent.
“We’re wasting training time. Trent, please tell Cash I will be working with Elijah under the condition that Wyatt and Heath will be nearby.
” She didn’t wait for him to respond, whirling on her heel.
“Come on, Elijah,” she said over her shoulder as she marched out onto the arena floor, ripping her swords from their sheaths on her back as she went.
A pleasant feeling bloomed in my chest, the buoyancy releasing me from the clutches of my beast, at least for now. I strolled after her, a pep in my step.
Heath and Wyatt fell in next to me. “You sure?” Heath asked quietly.
“Yes,” I replied easily. “About something, anyway.”