Chapter 22
If I had a dollar for every time someone had said that lately, I’d be a millionaire. I couldn’t help but hmph.
Raffe’s arms tightened around me. “Is this a trick?” he rasped as his anger slammed into me.
“No.” Hecate stretched out her fingers. “It’s not a trick. My magic can’t coat her. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.”
I remembered how the air around me had buzzed when Slade had cast spells near me in the past. This time, I’d felt only heat and no prickling sensation. What am I going to do?
We’ll find a spot in the woods to rest until you can shift, he replied, not taking his attention off Hecate. I don’t know what else to do.
I shook my head, whimpering from the agony in my muscles and down my back. You’re shirtless. You can’t stay out here with me like that. You’ll catch a cold.
Warmth, like love, filled the spot where his emotions rested within me. He replied, I love that you care, but were you not listening to what I said back there? I’m never leaving your side again, and your wolf body’s temperature is higher than mine. You can be my own personal heater.
That sounded way too damn tempting, but before I could reply, Hecate spoke. “I’ll try again.” She rubbed her hands together and cleared her throat.
Her warm magic enveloped me again, but I didn’t feel it settle over me like a blanket the way Slade’s had before. A lump formed in my throat, and I hacked. I sounded like an animal trying to cough up a hair ball, and my back screamed as my muscles convulsed.
“Stop whatever you’re doing to her.” Raffe’s chest stiffened. “She’s in pain.”
Stomping, Hecate lowered her hands. The intimidating woman I’d first met at a football game a month ago slipped back into place as she regarded him. She lifted her chin. “I didn’t make her sound like that. That was all her doing. I’m trying to concentrate on cloaking her, but it’s not working, especially with you accusing me of stuff.”
“It’s funny how you suddenly can’t hide her. Are you stalling so someone else can attack us?” Raffe’s voice held a dangerous tone, and his fear and suspicion filtered into me.
“Yes, that’s why I followed you so close to campus. So when wolves come out to attack you, any nearby humans will hear the growls.” Her face flushed, and she crossed her arms. “That’d be real smart, but I’m a witch. The only species that’s actually smart are the wolves, right? That’s why we’re having this conversation—because you know best.”
Shit. This would escalate because Hecate wasn’t one to hold back, and Raffe couldn’t handle people talking to him like that.
“It just seems really convenient that my injured mate and I are separated from everyone else, and now you can’t help us.” The muscles in his jaw twitched. “What else am I supposed to think?”
“Clearly that I want to hurt one of my sisters, who, might I add, I helped save when you were being an ass to her.” Hecate arched a brow. “Why would I do that if I wanted her to die? It would’ve been easier to explain then.”
Babe, I did shift into a wolf, which we don’t understand. My blood jolted. Raffe and Hecate were wasting time arguing. All I wanted to do was lie down somewhere next to my mate and pass out. I was so damn tired of the constant pain. Hecate has been a friend to me, so—
You thought the supreme priestess was a friend too, and we learned she influenced the board to bring you here and then hid it!
His words felt like a slap, and my wolf nudged forward. That’s not fair, and you know it.
He let out a breath. I didn’t mean to say it like that. It’s just… witches are manipulative, and one just blocked us from you again.
My anger ebbed. He was right. A witch had blocked him and the others from getting to me when I was kidnapped, and he’d just gone through hell all over again. Can we give her the benefit of the doubt for now? ’Cause I’d like to find a way inside.
“Fine.” Raffe gritted his teeth. “If you can’t cloak her, is there another option?”
She snorted and tapped a foot. “What? You can’t come up with anything?”
I wanted to smack them.
Raffe rolled his shoulders enough to make me grunt, and he froze.
I’m sorry— he started.
It’s fine. I just want to lie down and be still.
I can do that. He exhaled. “Hecate, look. I just want to get Skylar inside unseen. Do you have any idea how to do it? Because only a witch can accomplish a feat like that.”
And I fell in love with him even more. I understood how hard those words were for him to say. He was putting my needs above his pride and bias … for the moment.
Hecate’s arms dropped back to her sides, and she blinked. She tapped her chin and pursed her lips. “I can’t think of anything other than—” She bounced on her heels. “How about this? I run into the apartments and open the door to the stairs, and you take her up that way. As long as we can get her to that door without being seen, I can do an aversion spell so everyone will want to stay in their room.”
That was risky.
“What about the elevator?” Raffe asked.
She arched a brow. “Your hearing’s decent, right?”
Raffe didn’t respond, which spoke volumes.
She smirked, and I believed if we hadn’t been in such a dire situation, she would’ve patted herself on the back for goading him.
Mirth twinkled in her eyes before she turned serious again. “I can spell the area and hold the elevator to make sure it doesn’t go down until you get her into her room. The only thing is, with how much magic I used trying to conceal her, I won’t be able to hold the aversion spell for long. Maybe a few minutes. You’ll need to move fast and get her inside before it wears off. Even if that makes her uncomfortable.” She focused on me, saying more with her glare than she had aloud.
She might as well have pack-linked because I understood. Keep my pain to myself, or he’ll worry more about me than getting me inside as quickly as possible.
I nodded and cringed. Even the little head movement caused me pain. All my muscles seemed to move through my back.
“Fine, as long as her pain isn’t unbearable.” Raffe tightened his hold on me. “Let’s do it. With wolves and witches going missing, I want to get her somewhere with walls and fast.”
Hecate nodded. “Go through the woods to where you can see the other side of the building, and watch for me to open the stairwell side door.” She took off toward the front entrance.
During my entire time at EEU, I’d never seen anyone use the stairwell. The school wasn’t crowded, and the elevator was so quick that no one minded waiting. This late, no one could enter the stairwell from outside, so we had that going in our favor.
Raffe linked, If I move too fast, tell me. I’ll slow down. He took off at a quick walk.
I swallowed the whimpers that wanted to escape and closed my eyes, focusing on the cool rain as he continued his path toward the stairwell door.
After a short while, Raffe slowed, and I opened my eyes to find us between the men’s and women’s apartments.
A group of drunk guys and girls were hanging out between the buildings, almost right in front of the door.
“Fuck,” he muttered.
I shouldn’t have been surprised that we were facing another damn obstacle. This night had been one disaster after another. Maybe you should leave me here. I’m close enough that it’d be foolish to attack me, and I can link with you if something happens. I didn’t like feeling like a burden.
If you sleep out here, I will too. I can shift. But after you’ve been attacked twice in these woods, I don’t think I can handle you staying out here.
His worry and frustration knotted in my chest, holding me hostage. I was getting so damn sleepy after everything and feeling this pain constantly.
The stairwell door opened, and Hecate’s head popped out. She frowned, taking in the group standing in front of her. Then she raised a hand.
Even though we weren’t close, I could feel the heat of her magic faintly.
One of the girls visibly shivered. “It’s getting cold. We should go somewhere else.”
“Oh yeah.” The guy closest to her wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Why don’t we go hang out in my room?”
The group reached a quick agreement and headed toward the men’s apartments.
Raffe and I were silent as we watched them go indoors, and my wolf surged forward, listening for others outside.
I could hear TVs playing and people laughing, but I didn’t hear anyone outside. Behind us, small animals like raccoons rustled close by.
Hecate scanned the area then waved us on.
Not hesitating, Raffe moved quicker than he had been to get here. Let me know if you’re hurting too much.
It felt like razor blades slicing through me, but I wouldn’t tell him that. I couldn’t lie, so I just remained quiet. My heart pounded, and my blood fizzed until we got inside the door. I held my breath until the door shut, and Hecate muttered, “I didn’t have magic to spare, so once we get upstairs, move fast.”
“Not if—” Raffe started, but I interjected, I’ll be fine. I just want to go home.
Raffe’s displeasure filled my chest, but he didn’t say another word.
“I’ve cast a small spell on the doorway to the stairwell, in case a human decides they want to take it tonight.” Hecate rolled her eyes. “You know how humans decide stupid things sometimes.”
Now that we were inside, the pressure not to give supernaturals away weighed so heavily on me that I wanted to howl. We were so close to humans. My breathing quickened as Raffe climbed the stairs, Hecate in the lead.
Each step made my anxiety spike higher. We could be caught at any second.
Babe, I swear, nothing is going to happen. And if it does, I’ll take care of it, Raffe assured me as if he could make that sort of promise.
After what felt like hours, we reached the top floor, and Hecate slipped out of the stairwell to scope out the hallway. I heard her footsteps stop short.
High heels padded against the carpet. Hecate wasn’t alone. An herbal scent floated to us, and Raffe tensed just as the door opened, revealing a frowning Supreme Priestess Olwyn.
Her gaze landed on me, the whites of her emerald-green eyes more visible than usual, as if she was tamping down her surprise. “Is that Skylar?”
“Yes, and she’s injured.” Raffe’s tension increased tenfold, squeezing my chest harder than it had been. “We need to get her inside.”
“Fine.” She spun and flipped her palms down. After a few seconds, she said, “Take her in now.”
Raffe didn’t hesitate, stalking down the hallway. When I heard him enter the key code, I wanted to cry from relief, but I refused to do anything foolish, especially with both witches around.
We entered the apartment, and Raffe marched to the couch, not bothering to hold the door open for the two women.
Someone caught the door, and Hecate complained, “Don’t wait on us or anything.”
Raffe pretended not to hear her as he set me softly on the cushions, orienting my head toward the hallway so I could see the supreme priestess and Hecate.
Once the pain eased, I became appalled. Wait, Blood. I didn’t want to ruin the furniture.
We’ll pay to get it cleaned or buy a new fucking couch. I want you comfortable. Would you rather I take you to our room instead?
Our room. Every time he called something ours, I wanted to giggle like a schoolgirl. That was how damn happy it made me. No. I’d rather Supreme Priestess Olwyn not enter our room. Some places were meant to be safe havens.
I rested my head on the cushion, still in pain but better than I had been. Raffe stood partially in front of me.
“What the hell were you three thinking?” Olwyn hissed. “I wasn’t happy to hear you were cloaking Skylar to get her in here, but not hiding her at all was beyond stupid.”
“Supreme Priestess, I’m sorry. I tried to cloak her, but it didn’t work.” Hecate shoved her hands into her jeans pockets. “The spell wouldn’t stick to her, so we had to improvise, and my magic was depleted from trying to hide her.”
Olwyn’s attention landed on me, and she grimaced. “She’s a wolf, and your magic didn’t work on her. What is going on?”
“You don’t think I want to know the same thing?” Raffe spat. His words were controlled, but he had a viciousness to his tone that I’d never heard before. “But we aren’t going to figure it out tonight. My mate needs rest and sleep.”
“Our magic doesn’t work on her, and she’s now a wolf shifter with magic in her blood. That’s unheard of.” Olwyn paled. She stared at me with a neutral expression, but her eyes … those held fear. “We have to determine—”
“I said not tonight.” Raffe radiated power. “You two need to leave before you force me to do something rash. There’s nothing more important to me than Skylar and her well-being. You two are adding to her stress, and that’s unacceptable. So leave.”
His raw, animalistic magic was strong and made me feel inappropriately warm. I’d always found his commanding presence sexy, but not even that word described how I felt now. He was powerful, and boy, did I like it.
Nostrils flaring, Supreme Priestess Olwyn looked ready to go to war. She sighed and forced herself to relax. “Fine, but I will be back to check on her. I’m on the school board, and I will visit our student.”
I hate her, Raffe linked as he nodded. “Whatever it takes to make you leave now.”
They were at a standoff. Neither wanted to yield, and neither would fully back down.
“Come on, Hecate,” Olwyn said sternly and grabbed her wrist. “We need to talk.”
I watched as she led my friend out the door, and I wished I could thank Hecate, but that wasn’t possible tonight.
The door shut, and Raffe and I were finally alone.
He sat down on the floor next to me and leaned his back against the couch, placing a hand on my fur.
My eyes were closing, ready for sleep to overtake me. Raffe—
No talking. We’re safe, and I’m staying here. Get some sleep.
I opened my eyes enough to watch him place his arms and head on the cushions and one hand on my front paw.
He was going to wake up hurting, but I knew better than to try to change his mind. My heart felt so full, and my eyes closed as I linked, I love you.
I love you, too, he replied.
Then I fell asleep.
A person laughed,and my eyes popped open. The world spun as things came into focus. I was in the living room, my face plastered to the couch’s armrest. I jerked to get up and froze, remembering my injuries, but when no pain hit me, I glanced down.
And found myself naked.
In human form.
What the—
I sat up and saw Raffe’s sweatshirt tied around my lower waist and upper ass and his sock uncomfortably tight around my ankle. More confusing than anything else, I didn’t see Raffe.
Nothing made sense.
I stood on my feet and didn’t even feel a twinge of pain. How was that possible, and how had I shifted back into human form? I would’ve thought this was a dream if I hadn’t woken up alone and naked on the couch with Raffe’s random articles of clothes tied to me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a note.
I changed the fucking code so that not even Lucy knows it. Don’t let anyone in until I get back with breakfast. Your mate—Raffe
I snorted. He’d felt compelled to leave not only his name but the fact he was my mate. As if I wouldn’t know it was him. That was so … Raffe. Claiming everything he wanted and putting his name on it.
The sock and shirt were covered in dried blood, and I didn’t want Raffe to find me like this. I had one option.
Shower.
I gathered clean clothes and a towel then got into the shower. The hot water relieved the tension in places I hadn’t known were sore. I washed myself three times, and when I finally felt clean, I climbed out of the shower.
The front door opened and shut. Then Raffe linked with me, Sky? Are you okay?
Before he was even done with the question, he was standing in the hallway, watching me dry off. He scanned me, and his jaw dropped. “You’re in human form and healed?”
“Yeah, I woke up this way.” I shrugged and turned to him.
Then something inside me snapped.