30. Hayden
I blinked against the thick fog of sleep. I felt like I’d taken a double dose of NyQuil or something. Bright light streamed in through the massive windows. I frowned. Too bright.
Glancing at the clock on the side of the bed, I jerked upright.
“Whoa,” Knox said, his hand coming down to steady me. “Are you okay? Another nightmare?”
Worry creased his brow, but I was too concerned with the fact that he was fully dressed to be slowed by that. I threw off the covers and hopped out of bed. “Why didn’t you wake me? I already missed my first class, and I’m going to be late for my study session with Wren.”
Knox followed me into the bathroom. “You needed sleep.”
I glared at him as I shoved my toothbrush into my mouth. “That’s not for you to decide,” I mumbled as I pulled out the toothbrush. I’d set my alarm last night, but I wasn’t surprised that Knox had turned it off. That interfering, overprotective dragon.
I hurried through brushing my teeth and washing my face as Knox looked on.
“You need to take care of yourself,” he argued.
“You’re right, I do. But part of that is staying on top of my studies,” I shot back as I hurried toward the closet.
“What’s going on?” Cáel asked as he strode into the bedroom.
“Hayden’s pissed we turned off her alarm.”
I shot Cáel a glare. “You were in on it, too?”
He winced and glanced at Knox. “Thanks for throwing me under the bus.”
“It was your idea,” Knox groused.
I ignored them both and hurried to the stack of jeans in the closet. I pulled out a pair and then found a T-shirt and sweater to pair with them. I shucked my pajamas, not caring they were both in the closet.
Low, rumbling growls filled the air.
I held up a hand as I grabbed underwear and a bra from a drawer. “Don’t even think about it. I’m late enough already.”
Knox tried to move into my space. “I could make being later so totally worth it.”
“Keep your distance, green eyes,” I clipped, but heat pooled low in my belly. Damn them both.
I pulled on my clothes as quickly as possible.
“I hate school,” Cáel muttered.
Knox chuckled. “Definitely seeing the perks of graduating early.”
“Men,” I huffed, heading out of the closet and grabbing my backpack.
I didn’t wait for them. If they weren’t ready to leave, I’d just ask one of the enforcers to take me to campus.
“Wait up,” Knox called.
“You’re too slow,” I yelled back.
“I’m trying to get my hard-on under control, thanks to that ass shot.”
I choked on a laugh as I nearly ran into a tall form. I skidded to a stop, gazing up into green-gold eyes.
“Ass shot, huh?” Easton asked.
I licked my lips. “It, uh, wasn’t my fault. They made me late.”
Knox and Cáel came thundering down the stairs.
“You ready, East?” Knox asked.
He nodded and then handed me a cup and a bag.
I took them slowly, staring down at them. “What is it?”
“Hot chocolate and a chocolate croissant,” he answered gruffly.
I looked up at him. “Is it poisoned?”
Easton rolled his eyes as he turned for the door. “Shut up.”
My mouth curved. “Thank you, Grumpy Cat.”
He flipped me his middle finger, and I laughed. But warmth filled me at the idea that Easton had brought me something, but more than that, he’d paid attention to what I liked.
“These lab write-ups,”I muttered as my fingers flew across the keyboard. I loved the actual science, but having to give voice to our findings took for-freaking-ever.
Wren looked up from her notes, lips twitching. “Well, we did get a little behind.”
I winced. “I’m so sorry you got a dud for a lab partner.”
She shook her head. “You’re not a dud. But you have had a hell of a start to the school year.”
Understatement of the century. Thankfully, Maddox had given us a generous extension on our lab work. But I wanted to get it done.
“I’m really hoping for boring for the rest of the semester.” But somehow, I doubted that would happen.
Wren glanced to the table a few over from us where Cáel, Easton, and Knox sat working on their own schoolwork. And I knew Pete and Terry were patrolling the library. “How are you doing?”
I shifted in my seat. It had only been a few hours since Knox and Cáel had kissed me goodbye, but I was starting to get twitchy. Like a foreign energy was humming beneath my skin. “I’m good. Still recovering a bit, but mostly good.”
That was the normal thing to say, right? People thought I’d been shot. When in reality, the injury from that blast of dragon fire I’d taken had completely healed, leaving only a faint scar behind.
Wren worried her bottom lip. “If you ever need anything, I’m always here.”
I studied her for a moment. Her dark brown hair acted as a sort of shield from the world. But her piercing blue eyes locked with mine, and I knew she meant it. “Thank you.”
“Here you go, ladies,” Knox said, depositing two sodas and some vending machine snacks on the table. “Thought you might need some study sustenance.”
He bent then, slipping a hand under my hair and pressing his lips to my temple. The moment his skin brushed mine, that phantom energy eased, and I could breathe again.
I grabbed his arm, pulling Knox down for a kiss. “Thank you,” I whispered.
His mouth curved against mine. “Anything you need. Always.”
And I knew Knox meant it.
He released me slowly, and I knew it was hard for him to walk away. But I didn’t mind watching his ass as he went.
Wren cleared her throat, and my gaze snapped to her.
“Knox…” she whispered. “He treats you okay? His, uh, friends, too?”
Wren’s voice was barely audible, but I frowned.
“He treats me amazingly. They all do. Honestly, I’ve never had people who cared for me so much.”
All the tension went out of Wren on an exhale. “Good. That’s good.”
My frown deepened as I watched her, but her focus dropped to her textbook. “It’s not always like that.”