Page 15

Winter

Bev’s idea was amazing. Seriously, it was chef’s fucking kiss. She was so damn cute that I just wanted to gobble her up.

Absolutely in the dirty kind of way.

Even how she admitted she wanted to have a petty moment with the bitch who kept hassling her in the freshman class. She acted like we would judge her after helping her.

Naw, I thought it was great.

Which was why I was waiting in the morning off to the side watching for her moment like a weirdo. After a minute, I pulled out my phone to record it so Bev had it forever to relish in her victory.

I paid attention when Bev flinched and sort of put on her mental armor, standing up straighter and like she was bracing for impact. The woman looked familiar. Yeah, she’d given Bev shit at the first treat truck day and Tracey had banned her.

Was she really stupid enough to give Bev crap? What was her deal?

I needed to see if any of my friends were TAs in her classes. Probably not since there were only a couple of classes each year that were large, Derek’s being one of them. And that wasn’t something for TAs.

Still, worth checking.

“You know, I never learned your name,” Bevin said, going right for the woman. “All the times you’ve obsessed over me and jumped into my business and no one still has mentioned your name or—it’s weird right?” She smirked at the woman. “Anything you want to tell me?”

The woman pursed her lips as Bev talked but then opened her mouth. “I’m so jealous of you that it actually disgusts me. I love your hair and desperately want to know what products you use. And how do you keep your skin so clear? I get your body now from all your running, but I do not care enough to crazy run like that to—”

“Are you high?” her friend demanded and grabbed her arm.

“No, she’s thinking positively today,” Bev purred. “It’s Positive Thinking Day after all. I’m so glad you’re celebrating it too.” She reached over like she was going to pat the woman’s shoulder, but she moved out of the way, tickling Bev. “Hopefully, this is a new leaf for you. Maybe if you stick with it, I’ll leave the scalp mask I use at your door and that should help.”

“That’s really nice of you when she’s been so horrible to you and doesn’t deserve it,” one of her friends blurted, looking horrified.

“Did you give them drugs?” that first friend demanded. “Why are they acting like this?”

Bevin pointed to one of the huge hanging banners that we’d managed to pull out of our asses for this. “I told you. It’s Positive Thinking Day. They’re just celebrating it.”

“Let’s go,” she said when the others seemed to want to push. “This is her next Wicked Challenges prank and I don’t want to give her points. She’s got enough already and will be the first freshman Wicked Queen which is really cool and I hope she does.” She bared her teeth at Bevin. “You’ll regret this.”

“No, no, I won’t ,” Bevin said, her eyes sparkling as she started losing the battle with laughing.

My phone rang instead of a text. I immediately answered when I saw it was Danny. “What’s up?”

“Sooo unintended side effect. I just watched a guy gush to the woman he’s been banging that she’s the best sex ever.”

“As he should,” I chuckled, taking a step toward Bevin.

“Yeah, except she’s not who he’s engaged to and it was a huge alliance. It’s now a dumpster fire and shit is going down. People are recording it all over and it’s probably going to be on the news, they’re both such big names. So warn her security that the guy and family will probably be out for blood.”

“Or the asshole could not cheat,” I said with a sigh. “Yeah, okay, thanks for the heads-up.”

“Always. For the record, this is amazing. I hate that fucker, but sorry she’ll get shit.”

Me too. “Just remind everyone we were involved. We’re getting points for it after all.”

He sighed. Heavily.

“Do you want to start paying for those sessions she’s giving you?” I asked under my breath. “And access to where you harvest now or—”

“No, you’re right. Sorry. Just hard when you’re the TA for some of the people. I need my life not to blow up, Winter.”

“Fair. Fine, tell everyone those of us who aren’t TAs did it. Or fuck, just me. I got it.” I sighed, scrubbing my hand over my face. Yeah, I didn’t want to drag all my friends into it. “Tell everyone it was me. I’ll make that clear.”

“Gotcha. Thanks.”

I turned to tell Bevin’s security, but one of the guys just held up his phone to me to show a social media post. I swore under my breath before slapping on a smile to face Bevin.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, catching on.

“So there’s been some fallout,” I hedged.

“Yeah, like apparently no one on this campus doesn’t fucking cheat,” the female guard said. “And they’re all outing themselves by saying nice things to the ones they’re cheating with.”

“Oh shit,” Bevin giggled. “Nice.” She simply shrugged when they all looked at her like she was nuts. “It’s not the first time I’ll get yelled at or deal with hate. It won’t be the last time. I would think I’m going to get some love from the people who found out they were being cheated on .”

“You would think, but I find that’s not normally how it works,” I grumbled, moving my hand to her lower back and leading her towards the cafeteria. Someone came storming towards her before we reached the entrance and I was ready to handle it.

But Derek came in first and blocked the guy, shoving him back from Bevin. “You forget yourself, Professor.”

Oh shit. I hadn’t even known the guy was a teacher. He must have been hired to teach underclassman classes after I’d moved up.

He tried to push past Derek, but he kept his hand on the professor’s chest. Still, he focused on Bevin. “You’ve gone too far this time, Ms. Millen. There are rules about confession magic and—”

“That’s not what I did,” Bevin cut in firmly. “And the headmaster approved it.” She nodded when everyone froze. “He found it hilarious, so you might want to—”

Derek wisely cleared his throat. “It’s true.” He looked around at everyone since we had an audience gathered. “Ms. Millen has repeatedly said this crap of everyone going for easy targets and focusing on the freshmen was disgusting and definitely not in the spirit of the Wicked Challenges.

“They also aren’t supposed to always be negative . I suggest everyone read the banners and put their brains to use.” Derek pushed the professor back again. “It’s not a confession spell or you would have been telling everything, not praising someone. The wrong someone I would guess from how upset you are.”

Nailed it. The professor bared his teeth at Derek.

“It’s an old spell that moms used to use when kids fought,” Bevin elaborated. “Or one was bullying the other. The idea was for them to be grounded to the same room and they would start saying nice things to each other and hopefully find common ground. Stop being little shits.” She held her arms out wide and gestured around.

“Sounds a lot like this campus,” I chuckled darkly, crossing my arms over my wide chest. “And a lot of us are tired of it. A lot of the master’s students are over this trend of the seniors going for the freshmen. We were better than that. You all should be too.

“So yeah, it was Bevin’s idea, but I knew how to make it happen as a master’s student. I put in the magic too. This was our prank.” I winked at her when she looked at me, making it clear that I wasn’t trying to steal her credit or even points. “It’s clear that she’s going to be the Wicked Queen at the end of the semester, and I want to be the king standing next to her.”

I loved when she flushed all the way up to her ears. Damn, it was sexy.

I met the professor’s gaze, noting the change in him. “Funny how you’re not so gung ho to chew me out like you were her, huh?”

He bristled at that. “It was her explanation, and that is in the parameters of the challenges. I was valid to explode too if she used confession magic. That is against—”

“It’s actually not and has been used before,” Headmaster Kerwynn said from behind me. “It’s normally just quick and targeted.” He glanced all around the huge group we now had. “And this was approved. Millen and Green checked with me because it would get everyone given they did dozens of doorways. So take the prank in the spirit of it.”

He pointed to one of the banners as if his message wasn’t clear enough.

“ Freeze ,” Bevin yelled in Latin, her magic activating her intention. She darted away from us.

I didn’t understand what was going on until I followed the line of where she was heading… And saw a guy frozen with his hand raised to hit a woman.

Shit.

And Bevin was faster than all of us. She moved the woman away and asked her if she was okay.

“Thank you,” the woman said. “You’re so much nicer than people say. You’re the only one who has ever cared when they witness him hit me.” She hurried to cover her mouth, fear in her eyes.

“Why was he going to hit you?” she asked.

“You’re in enough trouble,” the guy warned the woman. “Shut your damn mouth. And you release me, Shaw.”

“Fuck off,” Bevin drawled, not even looking at the guy, focused on the woman. “It’s okay. You can tell me.”

“It’s your fault,” the guy yelled. “This stupid prank is over the top again. You’re going to really pay for—”

“I couldn’t come up with anything nice to say,” she whispered, shooting a worried glance at me as I approached. “Or the spell wasn’t making me say nice things. It was all the normal things I say to him and he caught on. When the spell was clarified and he figured out I had nothing nice to say about him, he got furious.”

“And you think you have the right to hit her?” Bevin snarled at the guy.

“She’s my fiancée,” he replied.

Bevin launched for him, but luckily I had quick reflexes, catching her around the waist and holding her against my chest. “He’s not worth it and you’re too pretty for jail, Bev.”

She struggled against me. “We’re not fucking property you can just treat however! You’re fucking pathetic and you deserve to get beat. You are the problem if she has nothing nice to say about you, not her . What would be good about you? You smack your fiancée? You’re controlling and—”

I turned her away from him when I heard her voice crack, understanding this was about more than what she’d witnessed.

It was that it was almost her life. It was about her parents handing her over to Gregg Haddock like property to do with whatever he wanted, and that wound would be open and a problem for a while.

Validly.

“Leave him,” Bevin said to the woman. “Don’t put up with this. Don’t let them—”

The woman ground her jaw and narrowed her eyes at her. “Not all of us have a trust and inheritance waiting for us when we leave our families like you did, Millen . I have nothing . I lose everything and will be a pariah. But thank you for making it sound so easy.” She turned to leave, but Bevin reached out and grabbed her arm, so I let Bevin go.

“I never said it would be easy. It’s been fucking exhausting and terrifying every minute of every day.” She gave a slight shove to the woman’s shoulder. “But don’t come at me if you haven’t even tried . I asked for help. I planned my escape. I didn’t just fall into it all, and there was no trust when I left. That was all mine that I built since young.

“ I had to or I was dead. And I’ve asked for help since. I’ve asked for help here and gotten it. There are people who are willing to help if you value yourself and are willing to work to have a life instead of letting yourself be property. You were good enough to get into Morrigan. Own that, not be owned by them.”

The woman lost some of her anger. “It wasn’t always like this. I knew he didn’t love me, but we used to be friends. An arranged marriage with a friend to keep your family and what you know is better than most can really have.” She let out a shaky breath. “He changed. He got violent and they didn’t care. They care about the alliance.”

“Then they’re not your family but just DNA and you owe them nothing ,” Bevin said firmly. “Why would you care about losing people who would let you be treated like this? Half of the alliances fall apart and are just for show. They’ll let you be abused by someone so horrible for show? ” She nodded when the woman looked stupefied.

“No, they said—”

“They don’t need your marriage for the alliance,” Bevin pushed. “It’s all bullshit and to keep us property. They have tons of contracts. My parents had other dealings with the Haddocks. They wanted a pretty Shaw in their gene pool and to brag I was docile and well-trained. They wanted to control who Gregg mated so he didn’t embarrass them again and again.”

“You are a hero to so many of us for getting free even if we all hate you for it and being stronger than us,” she whispered before turning away and leaving.

And I had to catch Bevin again when she went for the guy. “You fucking touch her again and I’ll—”

I thanked my reflexes again as I moved my hand over her mouth. “I’ll take whatever punishment for this, but you’re having a trauma response to this and not in your head, little sexy. I’m afraid of what you were about to say. Please, don’t let this do damage to you.”

She let out a slow breath and hugged my arm holding her and then kissed my hand, no longer fighting me. She mumbled against it, and I took it as a sign she was calm and moved it. “Thanks. I wasn’t going to say anything bad but thanks.”

“Okay, let’s just go get breakfast.”

“I just wanted people to be positive and not assholes for a day,” she whispered. “Was that really too much to ask?”

I kissed her hair. “Don’t make me lie to you, but I will say I’m just as disappointed. I was kinda ready for a day of funny polite confessions. Not this fucking bullshit.”

“Glad I’m not being oversensitive for once.”

“You’re normally not,” I defended as I set her on her feet and let her walk with me.

Oh, and took her magic off the guy. Headmaster Kerwynn had words for him since he’d seen that he’d been about to hit someone and the guards had too, so at least that would be something even if the woman didn’t leave him.

She was so despondent when we sat with our food that she just poked at it. I put my own disappointment aside and focused on her. She’d really needed this win… And I needed her happy. She did so much for everyone else that I needed her to have more joy in her life.

“Bev, when did you get so pretty?”

She blinked at her food a moment before glancing up at me. “What?”

“When did you get so pretty?” I repeated.

She instantly got flustered. She was a confident woman who knew she was attractive but didn’t put much stock in that. It was superficial to her, but apparently when it came from someone she liked… Her reaction was cute.

She cleared her throat and focused back on her food. “I haven’t changed anything.”

“So always. Got it.”

“That’s not what I said!” she exclaimed, clearing her throat again and glancing around. “That’s not what I said, Winter.”

“You’re right, you’ve gotten prettier since I first saw you,” I said firmly. “Much prettier.”

She gave me a look like she knew it was a line but then studied me. “Really?”

Oh shit, she really was so damn cute. I nodded. “Yeah, I think so. Much prettier.”

Her gaze changed and the look was sexy now. “Any part of me in particular?”

I moved my elbows to the table and made a show of licking my spoon. “All the ones I’ve seen. I’m very open to seeing more though and making sure those parts are pretty too.”

There was heat in her eyes, but then it dimmed. “That sounds interesting, but I can’t right now.”

I instantly knew what she meant. “Doesn’t bother me.” I nodded when she opened her mouth to explain. “I know what you’re talking about, Bev. I know how calendars work. Doesn’t bother me.”

The shock in her eyes almost hurt my heart. This bullshit with women having to be embarrassed with something completely normal, completely natural was just that—bullshit. We were magical beings who were supposed to be in tune with nature— harvested magic from nature.

And we treated women like they were disgusting during their menstruation? We were the disgusting ones.

Especially the ones who wanted them for breeding and then acted like their periods were vile and to be hidden.

I winked at her. “Everything good in life is a bit messy. So whatever your comfort level is, I’m good with it.”

She looked a bit worried. “It’s not like a kink or—”

I threw back my head and laughed. Gods, I so needed this woman in my life. “Nope, no kink. I promise.” I nodded. “I won’t go down on you, but there’s lots we can still do, and even when we’re having sex—you just put a towel down, Bev. It’s not a big deal unless you’re sore or too tender there.”

“I never thought that would be an option,” she muttered quietly.

“It’s not for everyone. Some guys I know aren’t comfortable with it.” I let her see how serious I was in my eyes. “But if any guy treats you badly or like you’re a problem because you’re menstruating, they’re not the guy for you. It’s just a damn period and they need to grow up. If they don’t want to be intimate during it, that’s their choice, but you’re not gross nor a baby.”

“Thanks, Sir Winter,” she whispered, clearly having had someone in her family treat her that way. “I’m not sure where my comfort is.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to decide, and things can just happen naturally.” I shrugged. As I focused back on my food. “I will say it’s not everyone that I would be comfortable with it either. And when I was younger, I was terrified I would do the wrong thing and hurt someone, so—it’s all about maturing and knowledge.”

She seemed to accept that and went to eat, but I wanted to go back to her being cute.

“So seriously, when did you get so pretty?”

She laughed. She laughed hard and it echoed in the cafeteria.

Perfect.

“When did you become so handsome?” she threw right back when she calmed back down.

I pretended to seriously consider it. “I think right when I came out of my mom and a nurse slapped my butt. The moment I learned women would spank me and life would be fun, I became handsome.”

Her eyes flashed uncertainty. That was fair since my mom died right after my birth, so most wouldn’t think to joke about that situation, and of course she’d be leery to laugh.

I gave her a wink that it was okay, hoping to convey that I was long since settled with being an orphan and what had happened. “Or maybe it was when I got my first real muscle?” I held up my arm and flexed so she saw some… And liked them. “I don’t think the lanky kid I was could be—”

“Do you have pictures?” she asked with a squee. “I want to see little Winter! I bet you were an adorable baby! So cute.”

My mouth almost fell open, but I nodded. “Yeah, I mean not a lot because of my circumstances, but there was one really nice lady at the orphanage who made sure each kid had an album and kept them all safe.”

“Oh wow, that’s—what a gem of a woman in such a jaded setting,” she whispered. “Do you keep in touch with her? I bet she used her own money for that. We should make sure she can keep getting the supplies she needs to do it. I’ve talked with—we’ve talked about donating toys to kids in those circumstances, but they’d get stolen. The treats could be different.”

She quietly rambled for the next few minutes about how it could be organized and set up so no one stole the valuable treats for familiars from the kids and even maybe working with the orphanages for comfort blankets. But mostly she wanted to make sure that woman had the supplies to keep making albums for each kid so they had something like I did.

That was the moment I knew for sure I was in love with Bevin Millen.

I’d never dated or been with someone who made me feel so seen and never embarrassed about my history. She didn’t pity me even if she wished I’d had better. She didn’t linger or try to unpack me.

It was just my history like any other part of me—like having blue eyes and a bullet point in my bio. She didn’t get stuck on it like everyone else fucking did.

She really was amazing.

And I was in love with her.

Fuck.

Yeah, she deserved to be loved—her more than maybe anyone else after all she’d been through—but… Her life was never going to be easy. And one of five to be with her was something I was going to struggle with.

But as she changed topics to how she wanted to carve out some time Friday to include Teddy in our new “spa night” because she had an idea for a fur treatment for him, I knew it would be worth it. She would always make each of us a priority and be good to me.

Probably better than a woman who would only date me.

And I wanted to spoil her just as much.

Time to get on that.