Page 14 of Hexmate (Widdershins Supernatural Academy #1)

Chapter 14

Atlas

I couldn’t sleep the entire night. Not after what we’d done. How could I with Caden’s scent seeping into my pores? His warm body was curled up against me, my arms wrapped around him like a protective cocoon, keeping out the cold. It didn’t matter that the blizzard raged all night, drifting us in to that tiny, abandoned cabin. All that mattered was having my mate pressed against my chest, right where he belonged. The rest of the world could wait while I had this moment with him.

However, that didn’t stop me from having to extricate myself from his grasp a few times during the night to feed the fire. Thankfully I’d gathered enough wood while I was still in my Alpha form to get us through most of the night. But by morning I was tossing in pieces of half-rotted furniture from the cabin to keep it going. Even with all the snow insulating us inside, it was still frigid. The fire was the only thing keeping us both from freezing to death.

As the first rays of dawn crept through the frost-covered windows, Caden stirred in my arms. His eyelashes fluttered against my chest, tickling my skin. I held my breath, not wanting to wake him fully. This moment was too precious, too fragile.

But then his blue eyes opened, clouded with sleep and confusion. He blinked a few times, taking in our surroundings, before his gaze settled on me. A blush crept across his freckled cheeks as realization dawned.

“Good morning,” I whispered, my voice hoarse from disuse.

Caden’s lips parted, but no sound came out. He ducked his head, burying his face against my neck. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin.

“Are you okay?” I asked, running my fingers through his tousled blonde hair.

He nodded against me, still not speaking. I understood his silence. Last night had changed everything between us, and the weight of that realization hung heavy in the air.

Slowly, hesitantly, Caden’s hand moved across my chest. His touch was feather light, barely there, as if he was trying to make sure I was real.

I caught his hand in mine, pressing it firmly against my heart. “I’m here,” I murmured. “It’s really me.”

Caden’s breath hitched. He lifted his head, those blue eyes searching mine. The vulnerability I saw there made my chest ache.

“Atlas,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “I’ve never... I mean, I didn’t think...”

“Shh,” I soothed, cupping his face. “You don’t have to say anything.”

But Caden shook his head, determination flashing in his eyes. “No, I want to. I need to.” He took a deep breath. “Last night was... it was amazing. But I’m scared. What if this changes things at the academy? What if your pack finds out?”

I pressed my forehead to his. “Let them find out. I don’t care who knows. You’re my mate, Caden. Nothing else matters.”

His lips parted in surprise. “Mate? But... how can you be so sure? What if it’s a mistake?”

Instead of answering, I kissed him. Soft at first, then with growing intensity as Caden melted against me. I poured everything I felt for him into that kiss - all the longing, the desire, the fierce protectiveness. When we finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, I could see the wonder in Caden’s eyes.

“Oh,” he breathed.

I smiled, tracing my thumb along his jaw. “Yeah. Oh.”

For a moment, we just lay there, basking in each other’s presence. But reality was creeping in around the edges. The fire was dying down, and the chill in the air was becoming more noticeable.

“We should probably start heading back,” I said reluctantly. “The storm’s passed, and people will be worried.”

Caden nodded but made no move to get up. Instead, he snuggled closer, burying his face in my chest. “Just... a few more minutes?”

I chuckled, tightening my arms around him. “Of course. As long as you want.”

We lay there in comfortable silence, listening to the crackling of the dying fire and the soft whisper of snow sliding off the roof. I could have stayed like that forever, but I knew we needed to face the world eventually.

Finally, Caden sighed and sat up, shivering as the half-rotted blanket I’d found fell away from his bare shoulders. I couldn’t help but admire the way the pale morning light played across his freckled skin.

“We really should go,” he said softly, though his eyes lingered on me.

I nodded, sitting up as well. “You’re right. But first...”

I leaned in, capturing his lips in a tender kiss. Caden melted against me, his fingers tangling in my hair. When we parted, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes sparkled.

“Just something to keep us warm on the journey back,” I murmured.

Caden’s shy smile made my heart skip. I let him take the blanket, wrapping it around his shoulders since his shirt and jacket were in pieces on the floor. Then I transformed into my wolf form, allowing Caden to bury his hands in my thick fur for warmth as we set out.

The forest was a winter wonderland, branches heavy with snow. Caden’s breath puffed out in little clouds as we made our way through the drifts. Every so often, he’d lean down to whisper something in my ear - observations about the beauty around us, or soft words of affection that made my heart sing. Being out there with him was like seeing the world for the first time.

We made a small detour back to the ridge where I’d saved him from the other witches. Thanks to my excellent sense of smell, I was able to locate my school ID even though it was buried under the snow. I’d need it to get back through the barrier into Widdershins.

As we approached the academy’s barrier, Caden’s grip on my fur tightened. I could sense his anxiety rising. The reality of our situation was setting in - we’d have to face our classmates, our teachers, and all the questions that would inevitably come. Not to mention break a few rules in the process.

I slowed my pace as we neared, catching sight of a few people headed our direction. At first I expected it to be security coming to put me in chains and drag me off to the Elder Council to be punished. But as we neared the barrier, I realized it was a search party led by our roommates.

“Caden?!” Wild cried, catching sight of us. He burst through the barrier, running up and sweeping Caden up into his arms. “You’re alive! By the gods, I thought for sure I was going to find you dead in the snow somewhere!”

“I’m… okay…” Caden managed to gasp through Wild’s vice-like hug. “Atlas saved me.”

“I told him you’d be fine,” Silver added, stepping up behind Wild. He glanced down at me in my wolf form, giving me a wink. “Nobody dies when you’ve got an Alpha wolf protecting you.” He tossed a bag down in front of me. “I brought you some clothes. Figured yours might’ve gotten messed up with your shifting.”

With a thankful grunt, I grabbed the bag in my mouth and lolloped back into the trees. I shifted back into my human form, grateful for Silver’s forward thinking. As I pulled on pants and a shirt, I kept my eyes on Caden, watching for any signs of discomfort or regret. But he just gave me a small, secret smile as Wild fussed over him.

“We need to get you to the infirmary,” Wild was saying, wrapping his own cloak around Caden’s shoulders. “You must be half-frozen.”

“I’m fine, really,” Caden protested, but his teeth were chattering.

I stepped forward, unable to stop myself from placing a hand on the small of Caden’s back. “He’s right. We should get you checked out, just in case.”

Caden leaned into my touch ever so slightly, and I felt a surge of possessiveness. Mine, every instinct in me growled. My mate.

As we made our way back to the academy, Silver fell into step beside me. “So,” he said in a low voice. “Anything interesting happen out there in the blizzard?”

I shot him a warning look but couldn’t quite keep the smile from spreading over my lips. Silver gave me a knowing glance, but didn’t say anything.

“I know at least one interesting thing happened,” Wild said, throwing a dirty look at me. “Rowan came back here last night with his goons. His face looked like ground beef.” He turned back, pointing a finger in my face. “You shouldn’t have done that. The little dickhead deserved it, but I doubt his family is going to let something like that slide.”

My bravado quickly faded. Reality was sinking in fast. “Are they waiting to expel me?”

“No,” Wild replied, looking just as confused as I was. Surely disfiguring another student was cause enough for expulsion. “For some reason, he’s telling people he was attacked by a mountain lion. And all his friends are backing him up.”

I exchanged a quick glance with Caden, who looked just as bewildered as I felt. Why would Rowan lie about what happened? It didn’t make sense.

“That’s... strange,” I said carefully, trying to keep my voice neutral. “But I guess we should be grateful he’s not pressing charges.”

Wild nodded, but his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Yeah, well, don’t think this means you’re off the hook. Rowan’s family has a lot of influence. They’ll find a way to make you pay, even if it’s not through official channels. Witches of that caliber don’t care about getting their hands dirty.”

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the knot of anxiety forming in my stomach. He was right, of course. The Hargrove’s weren’t known for their forgiveness. But I couldn’t bring myself to regret what I’d done. Not when I looked at Caden, saw the bruises still fading on his pale skin.

As we approached the infirmary, Caden stumbled slightly. Without thinking, I reached out to steady him, my hand lingering on his arm longer than strictly necessary. Wild’s eyes darted between us, his brow furrowing.

“Atlas, I think you should wait outside,” Wild said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Caden needs to be checked over, and I’m sure the staff will have questions about what happened. And they don’t need you glaring them down while they work.”

I bristled at being dismissed, but Caden gave me a small nod. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “I’ll be fine.”

Reluctantly, I let go of his arm. “I’ll be right here if you need me,” I promised.

As Wild led Caden into the infirmary, Silver hung back with me. We watched the doors swing shut before he spoke.

“So, you and Caden, huh?” he said, a knowing smirk on his face.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Is it that obvious?”

Silver chuckled. “Only to someone who knows what to look for. Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” His expression grew serious. “But Atlas, you need to be careful. If Rowan finds out...”

“He already knows,” I cut him off. “That’s why I attacked him.”

Silver furrowed his brow. “What really happened out there?”

Anger flared in my chest as I recalled the previous night’s events. “Rowan’s been picking on Caden for years. Yesterday he slipped a fake note into his book, tricking him out onto the mountain in the middle of the night. He cast a glamor on himself to look like me to draw Caden in.” I looked up at Silver, a low growl echoing through my chest. “They were going to… they tried to…”

Realization flashed over his face. “Oh my god… they didn’t, did they?”

“No,” I said, forcing myself to blow out a long shaky breath. “They beat him up and tore his clothes, but I got there before they did any real damage.”

“Holy fuck… that’s… I don’t even know what to call it.”

“Revolting,” I said for him. “Disgusting. Diabolical. Take your pick.” I shook my head, leaning back against the wall. “That’s why I attacked him. I knew exactly what I was doing when I shifted into my Alpha form and slashed him. I wanted him to bleed, to live with pain after what he tried to do to my mate.”

“Mate?!” Silver gasped, his white hair flying as he whipped his head around. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “More than sure.”

Silver let out a low whistle. “Wow. That’s... intense. But it explains a lot.” He paused, his expression turning serious. “Atlas, you know this is going to be complicated, right? A werewolf and a witch... it’s not exactly a common pairing. And it’s forbidden for you to bond here at school.”

I nodded grimly. “I know. But I don’t care. Caden is my mate, and nothing’s going to change that.”

“And what about your pack? Your father? He’s not exactly known for his tolerance of witches.”

The thought made my stomach churn. My father, the Alpha of our pack, had always been clear about his disdain for witches. The idea of his son, his heir, mating with one… and a man at that… it was unthinkable.

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Right now, I just want to make sure Caden’s okay.”

As if on cue, the infirmary doors swung open. Wild emerged, looking troubled. “They want to talk to you,” he said, jerking his head towards the door.

I straightened up, my heart racing. “Is Caden okay?”

Wild nodded. “He’s fine, just a bit dehydrated and cold. But the nurse wants to speak with you about what happened.”

I swallowed hard, exchanging a glance with Silver before following Wild into the infirmary. The antiseptic smell hit me immediately, making my sensitive nose twitch. I spotted Caden sitting on one of the beds, wrapped in a thick blanket. His blue eyes met mine, and I felt a surge of relief at seeing him safe.

The nurse, a stern-looking woman with graying hair, approached me. “Mr. Faolan, I understand you were with Mr. Cromwell during the blizzard?”

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. “Yes, ma’am. I found him out on the mountain and brought him to shelter.”

She eyed me suspiciously. “And how exactly did you end up out there yourself?”

I had prepared for this question on the walk back. “I was out for a run when the storm hit. I shifted to my wolf form to stay warm and caught Caden’s scent.”

The nurse’s eyes narrowed, but she seemed to accept my explanation. “Very well. Mr. Cromwell has some... concerning injuries. Care to explain those?”

I glanced at Caden, who was looking down at his hands. “He fell while trying to find shelter,” I lied smoothly. “The terrain was treacherous in the storm.”

The nurse made a noncommittal noise, scribbling something on her clipboard. “And the torn clothing?”

“Branches,” I said quickly. “We had to push through some dense forest to find the cabin.”

She looked between us, clearly not entirely convinced. But without evidence to the contrary, she couldn’t dispute our story. “Alright. Mr. Cromwell, you’re free to go. But I want you to come back if you experience any lingering effects from the cold.”

Caden nodded, sliding off the bed. I moved to his side instinctively, resisting the urge to wrap an arm around him.

At the door the nurse called after us. “Mr. Faolan, do you know anything about Rowan Hargrove? He came in last night with some strange injuries.”

I glanced back at her, my heart pounding. “No ma’am,” I replied, still managing to keep my voice in check. “But I thought I smelled a mountain lion while we were out there. That’s why we rushed to the cabin.” I paused, hoping I hadn’t overstepped. “Is Rowan okay?”

Her eyes narrowed again. “He’ll live. But he’s blind in one eye. For some reason, the wound is resisting our healing magic.”

“I’m sorry to hear it,” I lied. “I wish I could help, but I don’t know anything about magic, healing or otherwise.”

She nodded, turning away from us. “You’re dismissed.”

As we left the infirmary, Wild and Silver fell into step beside us. “So, what now?” Wild asked.

“Now,” I said, “we get some real food and rest. After that, we try to act like everything is normal. Hopefully no one will find out about Caden and I.”

Caden seemed surprised to hear me say it out loud, but Wild wasn’t.

“And Rowan?” Wild asked. “What about him?”

I let out a low growl, baring my teeth. “If that little fucker knows what’s good for him, he’ll keep his mouth shut.”