Chapter 23
CAM
Stupid, possessive, protective, obstinate, ladder-blocking stone wall of male. Argh. I had it. I fucking had it, and he ruined it.
The anger rolled over me, through me, and then it was gone.
Just gone, leaving me cold and confused.
I was annoyed, yes. I’d almost had the ladder, but the rage was totally out of character and proportion.
“Cameron!” Selas joined me outside the training room. “What was that?”
“I don’t know.”
“He’s fighting his instincts to protect you. This isn’t easy for him, especially since his beast is very aware that there was a time, not too long ago, when Orix tried to kill you.”
I knew this, of course I did. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what happened.”
Selas studied me for a beat—not my face, but the air around me.
“This is just like the moment when you part-shifted. Like when you breached the wards on Greenwood Forest on the omega moon.”
“How can you know that?”
“The colors that surround you…the vibrations…they’re the same. The sooner Willowman has your blood tested, the better. I’ll speak to him today.”
“You might want to tell him about Derek.”
“What about him?”
“We know what he is now.” I filled her in on how Derek had materialized during Supernatural Defense. “He’s my shield.”
“Well, that certainly explains a lot. I’ll let Willowman know. In the meantime…” She glanced back at the training room.
Crap. “Yeah. I’ll speak to him. I know how hard this must be for him, what with Levi here and Curi playing fake boyfriend.”
“And how has Curi been with you? Respectful?”
“He has. He was an ass to begin with, but he saved me a couple of times, actually, and…well he’s kinda a part of the group now.” The strange look on her face, almost one of longing, had me asking, “What is the deal between you two? I know something happened. Dayn was blackmailing Curi over it.”
Her eyes snapped wide. “What?”
“Yeah. Curi won’t say, but I can tell he’s cut up over it…Whatever it is.”
Her delicate jaw hardened. “It was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter anymore.”
I needed to shut up now, but the words wouldn’t stop. “I think it matters to Curi.”
“ Hmmm . We still have the room for another hour if you want to continue training.”
Change of subject. Message received. “Sure.”
“I’ll pop over to Stone Comfort and grab us some coffee and cakes. We can try the evasion a few more times with Serath in the room once you’re fueled up.” She gave my shoulder a squeeze and left.
Orix was speaking to Serath in a low voice when I entered, but Serath’s gaze snapped up to meet mine immediately. “Cameron, I didn’t mean to—”
“I know. I’m sorry I got so mad.”
“You went all red in the face,” Orix said.
“Yeah, well, you have chest hairs, and they’re abrasive.”
Orix looked down at his chest, covered in lastonflex now that he wasn’t in goyle form.
Serath frowned. “You felt his chest hairs?”
“It’s hard not to while being smothered by his epic pecs.”
Orix shot Serath a wary look. “Not helping, Cameron.”
Serath pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. “No…no, I’m fine. This is normal. This is what happens during training. I can handle this.” He sounded like he was desperately trying to convince himself of the fact.
“What about you?” Orix asked me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Selas thinks that the rage was a result of whatever changes are happening to me.”
“Your late puberty?” Orix said with a smirk. “The late bloom into full goyle femalehood?”
“Orix…” Serath’s tone held warning.
Orix strode over to the window and parked his butt on the sill. “Willowman will figure it out.”
I hoped so because being hormonal once a month was one thing, but this unpredictable swing of emotions and bodily sensations could be dangerous, especially around Serath. I needed to be in control of my faculties and emotional highs and lows.
Serath stepped closer and lightly touched my cheek. “I’ll be fine. We will figure this out.”
The anxiety bled out of my pores. “Why do I always believe it when you say it?”
“Because he’s so convincing,” Orix drawled. “Now stop touching each other and step away from the temptation.”
Fuck, when had my hands come up to press against his chest, and when had he threaded his fingers through my hair?
We parted hastily and put distance between us.
“Better,” Orix said. “Now how about you run some laps while we wait for Selas to get back.” He smiled faux-sweet in my direction. “Can’t have you cooling down too much.”
Laps sounded like a good way to expel the sudden excess of energy in my body and put distance between me and the object of my desire.
Yep, Orix knew what he was doing, and I was grateful for that.