Page 28 of Taste of Thorns

“Beaufort and Dray believe they are behind everything. After all, they were responsible for Odessa and her gang attacking me in the woods.”

“Hmmm,” I say, stroking my fingers through my beard. The Hardies may be powerful, with powerful backgrounds, but theyhave very few brain cells between them. I doubt this theory is correct.

“Beaufort and Dray say I shouldn’t trust you. That I should stay away.”

“And yet you’re here …”

“I’m not very good at doing what I’m told,” she says with a hint of a smile.

“You know Beaufort and Dray are wrong.” My face sours with disgust. “I’m notworkingwith Veronica. There’s no longer anything between me and her. There hasn’t been for a long time. And you know I will rip her limb from limb if she ever hurts you again.”

“Yes,” she says, finally stepping closer, gaze locked with mine, and relief floods through my body. She believes me. I can see it. “I am aware you will rip her from limb to limb blah blah blah.” She rolls her eyes. “You are all so damn dramatic.”

“It tends to be the way when fated mates are involved. It makes us males unhinged.”

“Well, I’m not interested in ripping her apart. Iaminterested in finding out the truth. I want to know what’s really going on here at the academy. And I want you to help me.”

“I will, Miss Storm. I’ll do anything for you.”

We stand only inches apart, looking at each other.

It’s so bitterly cold down here in the dungeons, the perfectly formed crystals caught in the locks of her hair remain preserved as they are, and her nose and cheeks are pink.

Her scent is thick, drowning me. Except, tonight, there’s something a little different about it. Not lizard this time. Wolf.

“You’ve been messing around with the shifter again,” I say with obvious disgust.

“I like him,” she says, raising her chin as if drawing me to challenge her. “He makes me feel …” she pauses, searching for the word, “treasured.”

“He’s a maniac.”

“Well, that can be fun.”

“And what kind of fun did you have with the maniac?”

“You know,” she says, with a smile, “he asked me the exact same question the last time you and I fooled around together.”

“And did you tell him?”

She nods, then her gaze connects with mine, her pupils dilating. “It was kinda hot.”

“Then,” I say, my fangs tingling in my mouth, “do you want to tell me what your maniac did to you today, Miss Storm?”

“Do you want to hear, Professor?”

I give this a moment’s thought. “No, I’d rather just do those things to you myself.”

Veronica’s words from the day before clang around my head like a warning bell.

But I’m in so deep now, there’s no turning back.

I want what the wolf has had. I want what is mine. I want her.

I’m not lying. I am unhinged.

“The question is,” I say, “do you want those things too, Miss Storm?”

I’m hard just contemplating it, my cock aching for her.