Page 25

POLARIS

A sher’s words linger in the air like the promise they are, somehow managing to make my temperature rise even more, despite the burning inferno that still clings to my skin after he just fucked me into the mattress.

I’ve finally been taken in an actual bed.

Unfortunately, the opportunity to bask in the afterglow is gone as another knock comes from the door, firmly breaking the moment as Asher sighs and rises to his feet. He slips his cock back beneath his boxer shorts as he heads for the door while I scramble to cover myself with the sheets.

I barely have the sheet covering my chest when he swings the door open to greet whoever waits on the other side.

“Fuck, finally. I’m jealous,” Wylder states, breezing past Asher, and his eyes immediately fall to me. “Definitely jealous,” he adds, adjusting his cock through his pants as his teeth sink into his bottom lip.

I’m absolutely spent, ready to sleep for a thousand years, but I still have to clench my thighs together as I watch him watch me.

“We’re late,” Lincoln grunts, following him inside. His eyes immediately dart to where I lay, but he doesn’t say a word.

“I think we all know the reason for that,” Tatum adds as he is the last to step inside, and Asher closes the door behind him.

“We’re just getting ready,” he offers, pushing a hand through his hair all casual, like we haven’t just gained an audience.

“Sure, it sounded like that’s what you were doing,” Wylder muses, and I feel my cheeks flush.

Lincoln clears his throat as he stands with his arms folded across his chest, staring at the object on my desk.

“Any luck with the chalice?” he asks, and I shake my head even though he’s not looking at me, but I can’t manage to find the ability to make my mouth work.

“No. We focused on her magic,” Asher offers, and Tatum offers me a half smile as he tucks his hands into his pockets.

“Progress?” he asks, and I nod, still unable to make words with my lips.

“Have you fucked the attitude out of her?” Lincoln asks, his question clearly aimed at Asher, but he glances over his shoulder to stare at me.

I think my face might actually be on fire.

“No, she’s just on that post-orgasm high.

I’ll be sure that she’s back to giving you hell before we leave,” Asher offers, earning a chuckle from Tatum and Wylder, while Lincoln rolls his eyes, grumbling what I think is ‘ asshole ’ under his breath.

“Now, politely, get the fuck out so she can get ready.”

“I don’t mind staying. It sounds like a view worth having,” Wylder says with a grin as my eyes widen, but he’s already heading to the door. Tatum follows after him while Lincoln lingers for a moment longer.

It’s almost as if there’s something he wants to say, but he either doesn’t know how or doesn’t want to. Either way, nothing parts his lips before he trudges toward the door and Asher kicks it shut again behind them.

“And then there were two,” he says with a soft smile ghosting his lips, and the corner of my mouth curls up too.

“The chalice?” I breathe, and he nods, running his fingers through his hair again as he glances at the golden object on my desk.

“I didn’t want to overwhelm you last night, but now that we have it, you might be able to help us figure it out.”

“I like the sound of that,” I admit, and he nods, reaching for his t-shirt, and I immediately miss the view of his ripped chest.

“Perfect, then that’s tonight’s plan, okay?

” he confirms, and I nod my agreement. “And Polaris,” he murmurs, his eyes darkening as his tone shifts, and I cock a brow at him as the silence stretches between us until he clears his throat.

“What happened here, me hurting you… that was never my intention. It won’t happen again, I swear it,” he promises, and I realize the darkness that lingers in his marbled eyes is pain, but not his, mine.

I dart from the bed, moving before I can even think. It’s only when I’m leaping off the bed and catapulting toward him that I panic, but he captures me mid-air and I cling to him like a spider monkey.

As much as I want to hide in the crook of his neck, I don’t. Leaning back, I level him with what I hope is a serious stare before I speak. “If nightmares like that come often, Asher, then you bet your ass it’s going to happen again because I’m always going to try and help you.”

With a pastry for breakfast, courtesy of Tatum, I made it to the first class of the day with them hot on my tail.

One class leads into another and another, and I manage to have an uneventful day, which is pure bliss as I make my way to my final class.

I avoided drama at lunch, which feels like a huge success, but as I sit in the final lesson, where we’re all together, everything quickly becomes a blur once the professor starts talking. I can feel eyes on me.

Wolf eyes.

Vampire eyes.

Gossiping eyes.

It’s impossible to acknowledge my own thoughts, never mind hear someone else speak.

My start to the morning definitely didn’t help.

That’s the excuse I’m going with, at least. It definitely doesn’t help that I shuffled into class with four broody wolves a step behind me, because Bianca clocked it straight away and she’s spent the entire class whispering with her friends.

As the end of the lesson draws near, I’m eager to get the hell out of here so I don’t have to deal with her shit and inevitably do something stupid like hit her again. As if sensing my prayers, the bell rings, and I rise from my seat, darting for the door.

I don’t make it two steps before I’m stumbling over my own feet, nearly face-planting on the floor like a true spectacle, when a pair of arms wrap around my middle, stopping the inevitable from happening.

With my heart thundering in my chest, I peer over my shoulder to see who my hero is and freeze.

“Amica Mea.” My breath hitches at the two words that are barely more than a whisper, and before I can genuinely register what the hell just happened, Blaze releases me from his hold. “Watch where you’re going,” he grunts, harsher and louder, as he takes a backward step, clearing the path for me.

His words sting, yet his actions somehow soothe the interaction.

“Asshole,” Minnie grunts from a step behind me, and she quickly links her arm through mine and hauls me toward the door.

Embarrassment threatens to claim me once again, but I cling to my friend instead.

“Are you okay, Polaris?” Tatum asks, appearing by the door as we step over the threshold, and I nod.

“I’m fine,” I insist, and he nods, but I don’t miss the glare he aims over my shoulder.

I know who the recipient of that look is. But even more than that, I know he won’t care.

Heading down the hallway, I don’t bother to look back, still overwhelmed with embarrassment when shouting echoes through the corridor. Minnie frowns, glancing at me, but I shrug, just as confused as she is.

I’m happy to walk on by and head back to my room, ready to get my hands on the chalice like Asher mentioned, but it seems Minnie has other ideas as she tugs me to the left, toward the drama.

I stumble to a stop when we reach the manicured lawns to find a witch and a vampire standing toe to toe with one another.

Sian and Foster.

“What’s going on?” Bryony asks, appearing on the other side of Minnie, and I shrug. There’s no point in answering when Sian is yelling at the top of her lungs.

“You promised me it would work. It didn’t. You better fucking fix it,” she snarls, jabbing the tip of her finger against his chest with every word.

His hands ball into fists at his sides as he glowers back at her.

“I’m not going to tell you again. It’s. Not. My. Fucking. Problem.” He steps back, but she follows after him, seemingly unaware of the growing audience that surrounds them.

“It sure as fuck is your problem. You told me it would help me find him. Does it look like I’ve found him?

Terence is missing, and I fucking paid you to help me.

” Her face is red with anger, but my attention snaps to my right, where Blaze stands.

He’s a step or two away from everyone else.

I have no idea how it’s so easy for me to find him among the crowd, but he’s right where I anticipate him to be.

At the mention of Terence, I wonder whether he’s going to step in, but he does nothing.

I consider interrupting, offering up his location to diffuse the situation, but I quickly remember that neither of them has been remotely nice to me. Sian dropped me so fast the moment we got here I’m still dealing with the whiplash, while Foster was cruel the only time I spoke with him.

I’ve got enough issues to deal with; I don’t need to add this one to my plate as well.

“If you don’t back the fuck up, I’ll show you what else my magic can do,” Foster warns, and even I gulp at his tone, but Sian doesn’t seem to notice as she sneers at him.

“Woah,” Minnie blurts, quickly untucking her arm from mine as she shifts to her left, and as I follow her line of sight, panic kicks in when I notice Bryony leaning against her, struggling to stand.

“Bryony,” I gasp, the scene between the two assholes no longer my concern. “What’s wrong?” I ask, shuffling around Minnie so I can help her with Bryony.

“I don’t…” Her words trail off with a groan as she slumps even more.

“Is she going to faint?” I murmur, glancing at Minnie in concern, and she shrugs, eyes wide with fear.

“I don’t know.”

Glancing over her shoulder, I find the wolf I’m seeking, but before I can wave him closer, I’m ushered aside as Foster appears, taking Bryony into his arms. “She needs the medical center.”

That sounds like a good idea. Good enough to warrant the slight manhandling so I let it slide.

“You’re not taking her anywhere without me,” Minnie snaps, a determined glare on her face as she stares him down, and he rolls his eyes.

“Whatever. Let’s go.”

“I’m coming too,” I add, and his narrowed eyes snap to mine.

“Like fuck you are.”