Page 11 of The First Year Continued (Marked Blood Academy #2)

Sol

“What is that?” Odin asked while I was putting some things in a small duffle. It was my turn to watch over Roxy. We had two reasons to watch over her. Make sure she didn’t attack anyone else and make sure the shadowy person from the other night didn’t come back.

Plus, I wanted to be with her. For no reason at all. Get to know her better without talking about school or vampires or threats. Get to know the person I was sure was my mate.

The other night sealed it all for me. Seeing her so vulnerable. Feeling that she was in danger. All of it answered the question my wolf already had an answer for.

Roxy was my mate.

“It’s a game of checkers.”

He snorted. “Sleepover with the most beautiful, sexy woman, and you’re bringing checkers. I thought you were some heartthrob prince.”

“Fuck off,” I said, stuffing the game into my bag. “I stole it from the library. It’s the best I’ve got with no TV and no other entertainment.”

“The rebellion,” he scoffed.

Evander hadn’t said a lot since the other night. He had the first turn with Roxy and probably wanted to be with her every night. We all wanted to spend time with her, but the constraints of the school and our limited time, these nights were our best bet. Plus, it ensured we kept her safe.

“I’m off. Good night.”

I slipped out of our dorm room and made the walk to Roxy’s room. She protested with great dramatics when we told her our plan of staying with her at night. We were breaking the rules. We were going to get caught and kicked out. We were going to lose sleep. The woman did protest a lot.

Still, we won.

While I was stealing the checker game in question, I stopped dead in my tracks, thinking of the trajectory we were on with Roxy.

One of us were going to get hurt. Two of us, actually.

We hadn’t said the words out loud, none of us would admit it yet, but Roxy was my mate.

And I was pretty sure Evander and Odin felt the same.

That would be a problem.

We were friends. Best friends. But this was my mate. I didn’t want to lose any of them.

We really needed to have a talk about it.

No idea how to start that conversation.

I raised my fist to knock at the door. My heart dropped to my stomach when Roxy didn’t immediately answer. I almost knocked again when the door swung open. There she was. The woman of my dreams. Dressed in some black pajamas with her black hair twisted into a braid.

“Ah, my protector for the night. Come on in.”

At least I didn’t have to argue with her this time. I walked in and was immediately assaulted by her scent. My wolf went ballistic. He threw all the shifter mating terms at me at once. Claim. Mark. Mate. All of them.

“I brought snacks and a game,” I said. I was a bit proud of myself. No resources and I’d brought the date to my girl. I wished things were more normal. I wished I was normal and we weren’t being held here in this school.

I would take Roxy on a date. Court her. Bring her breakfast and send her flowers. Spoil my mate rotten.

“Are you serious? How did you manage that?”

“If I tell you, you might be an accessory.” I pulled out the game and some chips and salsa from the dining hall.

She put her palms out. “Nope. I’m in enough trouble as it is. Hell, I am trouble all on my own.”

“You are not trouble. You are a person, a good person, who has been dealt one hell of a hand. You’re not trouble for me.”

Roxy bit down on her bottom lip. Such a shame to do that to those perfect plump lips.

“I feel like I’ve come into your lives and wrecked everything.

I know it’s not entirely my fault, but you guys were good before I came along and now look at you.

You’re stealing and sneaking around all night.

Not to mention the decrease in morality of the female population. ”

“What?” I laughed, taking a seat on her desk chair. “First of all, I was a delinquent way before you. You’re giving yourself too much credit, beautiful.”

If she was surprised, she didn’t give it away. I hadn’t called her that before but it fit. “You were not, Sol.”

“Yes. I was. I actually pride myself in causing chaos. A little bit of trouble is the spice of life.”

“I must be every spice imaginable, then.”

“You are. And what was that comment about the female population?”

She shrugged and came to stand near me. She leaned against her desk, resting her ass on the edge. Those little things made her three times more attractive. Had no idea why but they did. Too much more, and I was going to break the mating rule.

“The comments I get in the hallway. The whispers. The nasty looks. They all think that I’m seeing you or Odin or Evander. They can’t make up their minds, but they are not pleased with me or the situation.”

“Who cares? Even if you weren’t here, I wouldn’t be with any of them. What matters is what you want.” I paused. We were treading into new territory. “What do you want, Roxy?”

“In general?”

“In general. Specifically. Broadly. Obtusely. Tell me all of it.”

She nodded but a yawn took over. She stretched her arms over her head. “Can I get in bed first? I’m sorry. I know you brought a game but I really just want to get in bed.”

“No problem. Whatever you want.”

She cocked a brunette eyebrow. “Whatever I want?” She bit that lip again. Dangerous woman. “Can you sleep with me? Just sleep.”

“Of course. Give me a minute.”

I ducked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth. I was already in a hoodie and some shorts and they would stay put. The last thing I needed was her skin touching mine any more than it already would.

Then again, holding her all night sounded perfect.

“Lights off?” I asked, stepping out. Roxy lay down on her side and had moved over to make room for me.

“Yes, please.”

I walked over and got in bed with her—my chest to hers. It was a single bed, so there was no stopping our bodies from being pressed together. I heard the click of the lock to the dorm room. Sure, I could bypass it if I wanted, but I didn’t want to.

There was nowhere else I wanted to be.

We lay there for a few minutes not speaking. I laid my arm over her waist and she hooked one of her ankles over mine. “You wanted to know what I want.”

“I do.”

I could almost hear her thinking. Hear the cogs turning in her head. “I want a normal life. As stupid as that sounds. I want to go to Urban Academy. Finish school. Find a career-driven purpose for my life. Find my mate or mates.”

“Mates?” I asked. “Are you destined for more than one mate, Roxy?”

For some reason, the thought didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. As long as I was one of them.

“I think so. There was a girl at my old school, Valentina. She had a reverse harem. She was happy and they all worked like a pack. It stirred something in my wolf.” I felt her shrug. “I don’t know.”

“What else? Give me the details.”

“I want a cabin. In the woods. With a greenhouse. A hobby that makes money on the side, but I don’t care if it does because it makes me so happy.”

“Sounds like a great life.”

She nodded. Even in the dark, my shifter sight let me see her as though it was day.

“You think so?” she asked. Her hand moved to touch my face. I sunk completely into the sensation.

“I do.”

Another pause hung between us. I could feel her getting tired beside me. Her scent matched the same feeling.

“What do you want?” she whispered. Her eyes were closing and she wiggled deeper into my embrace.

“A mate. A beautiful mate with long silver-streaked black hair. A strong female. Build a house for her. Treat her like a queen.”

She leaned over and kissed me. “Sorry.”

I closed the distance and pressed my lips to hers. “Don’t be. I want that. I want you.”

“I’m scared. I’m scared of hurting you or the others. What I did to Odin…”

“He’s okay. We’re all okay and we are going to figure this out together. Tonight, let’s just rest, okay? You’re safe with me.”

“I know. Thank you, Sol.”

“One second. I have to use the bathroom.” I got up and went to the restroom. Of all the times I need to pee. While washing my hands, my wolf’s hackles rose. Something was wrong.

I opened the door, thinking Roxy was scared or was having a nightmare. She’d been on the cusp of sleep as I slipped out of the bed.

But instead, I found her bed empty. The sheets torn from the bed ripped away and strewn across the floor. Comforter missing. The door to her room was open.

Roxy was gone.