Chapter 45 Raven
Raven
My head spun as I followed Glynda into the food hall. My friend had no clue how I’d spent my night, and although she’d commented on my quietness, I was grateful she’d not pressed for answers.
Unless anyone saw the mate mark, they wouldn’t know Maverick had claimed me as his soul-bonded mate.
To stop the gossip train from leaving the station, I’d deliberately worn a thick sweater to hide the bite.
I wasn’t ashamed of it, but I knew Maverick wanted to wait a few days before we informed the headmaster of our new status.
Chatter rolled over me as Glynda decided what she wanted for breakfast. I barely glanced at the dishes on display. Nothing appealed. Not even pancakes with maple syrup.
Was my bear safe?
Zane’s talk of hellhounds had frightened me. I still recalled how terrified I’d been all those years ago when a demon found me. The stupid prank a few weeks ago hadn’t helped. Honestly, if a real-life hellhound appeared right this minute, I would legit pass out.
Something furry brushed past my legs. The witch in front of me shrieked when Kenji jumped onto the counter and grabbed a metal dish of crispy bacon.
“Ew, that’s so unhygienic!” She scowled at me in disgust. “You need to train your familiar. It has no manners.”
“It?” Kenji huffed in annoyance as he gobbled down some bacon. “Is she blind? I have an excellent pair of balls. Not to mention a huge—”
“Stars, Kenji, no. Just… no.”
I grabbed a bottle of chocolate milk and hustled over to an empty table before Kenji could cause a scene. Thankfully for all of us, he scampered after me and perched on an empty chair.
“The bear is fine,” he said between bites of bacon. “He’s busy washing off demon mess.”
My shoulders slumped in relief. Thank the goddess. The thought of anything bad happening to my bear made me want to set fire to things.
“I’d stay away from the forest for now,” Kenji added. “Demon activity has increased.”
“I thought witches sealed the portal years ago?” Or so Professor Dunton had said.
Kenji shrugged but didn’t answer my question. I glanced around the hall, listening to my fellow students chatter while sipping my drink. Nobody mentioned demons or seemed concerned, which was odd. Surely if demons lurked nearby, their presence would have set off the wards?
Nothing made sense.
Glynda arrived with a tray of food and sat down next to me. Kenji’s paw darted out and stole a pancake. She glared at him, but he stuck a middle claw up and smirked.
“Goddess, Raven, that familiar of yours is something else.”
“File a complaint. I’ll pass it on to Kitsune Resources.”
“Kitsune what now?”
Before I could elaborate, a huge and very stressed-out bear shifter came storming into the food hall. Conversation dried up as every student stared at our PT coach in surprise.
He growled as he approached our table. Glynda’s jaw dropped when he scooped me up from my chair and hugged me so tightly I could barely breathe.
“Let me go!” I hissed, embarrassed but also relieved he was okay.
“No.” Oh.
Stars above, the bear was in control. His heart thundered in his chest, and I could sense his fear and anxiety. My bear hated that he’d left me and was likely worried about the increase in demon activity.
The hum of conversation kicked off again. Only most of it was about us. Shifters, witches, and mages hooked up sometimes, usually at the full moon parties, but never this publicly. And also, Maverick was a teacher, not a student.
“Mine,” he growled when a male wolf moved past our table and his bulky body accidentally brushed against my hip.
The wolf jumped back, his eyes glowing yellow as his wolf came forward. Stars above, if we didn’t get out of here, Maverick would be throwing down with half the students.
“Err… Raven… is there something you need to tell me?” Glynda’s question broke through my paralysis.
I wiggled loose from the bear’s grip, and he reluctantly let me down but kept his arm around my waist. My friend’s shocked gaze swung between me and our coach.
From the way her eyes bulged, she was on the verge of a meltdown.
“Um…”
“Oh my stars, have you seriously mated a shifter?” Demelza’s awful shriek nearly burst my eardrums. The witch stared in horror at the mating mark on my neck, which was no longer covered by my sweater.
I touched the raised bite mark and winced.
Not because it was in any way shameful, but because it still freaking hurt.
“Shut the fuck up,” Glynda muttered under her breath while Maverick growled threateningly. Demelza must have recognized how much danger she was in, because she took a giant step back. It didn’t stop her from sneering at me, however.
“How unsurprising. First a filthy familiar and now a filthy shifter mate.”
Maverick pushed me behind his broad frame and grabbed the bitchy witch by the throat.
“Insult me or my mate again and see what fucking happens, witch.”
Maverick tightened his grip, making Demelza’s eyes bulge.
She tried to cast defensive magic, but nothing happened, which was odd.
Then I noticed Glynda murmuring something and realized my friend must have cast her own defensive spell.
Goddess, how blessed I was to have such an awesome friend.
A friend who actually studied and knew useful spells, unlike me.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Maverick snarled.
The students nearby all gasped when he shoved Demelza away so hard she stumbled against a table and fell to her knees, much to the amusement of two wolves sitting nearby.
I watched with zero sympathy as she ran out of the food hall, her face red with anger and embarrassment.
“We’re leaving,” my bear growled once she’d gone.
He picked me up like a doll, and ignoring the rising tide of gossip, carried me toward the exit.
“Message me later!” Glynda yelled.
Stars above, I couldn’t wait for that conversation.
Maverick’s anxiety radiated down the bond, making me simultaneously anxious and worried. My bear had always seemed in control. Stoic and level-headed. The only time I’d seen him lose it was when we first met at the market.
He carried me back to his cabin in silence. I could have insisted on using my legs, but something told me he needed the closeness. In truth, I did too. Kenji had stayed behind, probably to finish eating his body weight in bacon. The kitsune was obsessed with the stuff. That and pancakes.
“Are you alright?”
Maverick laid me on his bed, the sheets still rumpled from our activities this morning. I loved the way the bed smelled of him. Delicious pine with a hint of ozone, like the forest after a storm. He stared down at me, cataloging every inch of my body.
“No, not really.” The pain flayed me. This wasn’t about leaving me right after we bonded. There was more going on here.
My bear raked his fingers through his hair. I tried not to admire his huge muscles and thick chest hair, but stars above, it was difficult. A witch only had so much self-control.
I forced my needs down. This wasn’t the time. My bear hurt.
“What can I do to help?”
“I just… need to be close to you right now. Once the bond settles, it will be easier.” He grimaced. “I’ve canceled my classes and yours for the next two days.”
“I get to miss PT?” The thought of doing the obstacle course again made me want to vomit.
Maverick chuckled. “Yes. But the minute the bond settles, I’m giving you some extra lessons. Your self-defense skills are shit.”
I pouted. “Mean.” Then the practicality of both of us skipping lessons hit me. Everyone now knew there was something going on between us, mostly thanks to Demelza and her big mouth.
“What about the headmaster? Won’t he be angry we’re mated?”
“I don’t give a fuck what the headmaster says. He doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Soul-bonds are sacred and, therefore, protected. If two magicals have a soul-bond, it’s too dangerous to separate them.”
“How dangerous?” I wasn’t sure I liked the idea of dying if my bear and I got torn apart. The realization that such a scenario might happen sooner than I liked gave me a mini heart attack. If Adam kidnapped me at winter solstice, as Willow implied might happen, it would hurt my bear and me.
“What’s wrong?” Maverick dropped onto the bed and pulled me into his lap.
“Um…” Maverick knew nothing about my guardian. We’d not really talked about my past. “I got a letter from Willow, a witch from the coven I lived with. She said, um, that Adam, my guardian, planned to take me from school at the Winter Solstice Ball.”
“Why would he do that? You can’t leave here until you graduate. If you do, the mage enforcers will track you down and punish you.” Maverick growled.
A small huff of frustration escaped. How had this conversation gone from me wanting to help him to it being all about me? I was the worst mate ever.
“I don’t actually want to leave, but Adam is worried about my safety here.”
Maverick’s eyes narrowed. “Why would he be worried, Raven? This place is as secure as the Mage Council offices.”
“If it’s that secure, how come demons appeared in the forest?” I scoffed.
From the way Maverick scowled, he also suspected something wasn’t right.
“I don’t know, but the incubus is looking into it.”
The tether in my chest tightened when I thought about my sexy incubus.
“Is he alright?” I chewed my lip. Surely he was. My bear would have told me if not.
Maverick rolled his eyes. “Yeah, he’s annoying but fine.”
“Good.”
He hugged me tighter while nuzzling my neck. The bite mark throbbed, but not painfully. When he licked the area, I shivered.
“Does this hurt, baby?”
“A little,” I admitted.
He licked the claim mark some more, and it tingled, any residual discomfort fading.
“That helps!”
“My saliva has healing properties.” I wondered if it was more than that. The pain had gone, but arousal had taken its place.
Maverick inhaled and then groaned. Stars above, I forgot how sensitive a shifter’s sense of smell could be. How embarrassing.
“Mate, let me undress you,” he said in a deep, raspy tone.
I nodded, thankful his sadness had lifted. At least partially. Knowing I could distract him helped reassure me I wasn’t such a terrible mate.
Maverick tugged my shoes and socks off before unbuttoning my shirt and removing my skirt. My underwear wasn’t remotely sexy because I didn’t own anything like that, but his heated gaze still burned like a thousand suns.
“My beautiful mate.”