“So you keep reminding me,” I said tauntingly.
He gave me a taut frown in answer to that.
I raised my hands, knowing this was a crazy, stupid idea but I was sick of him having the upper hand on me all the time.
A flick of his wrist just sent you a hundred feet into the air!
I squashed that thought away. I was powerful; at the very least I could blast him across the valley through sheer force.
Orion backed up through the grass, raising his palms with a demonic glint in his eyes, the grass rustling around him in a building storm.
Oh shit.
“Ready?” he asked, flexing his fingers.
I brought magic to my palms, planting my feet then nodded firmly.
“Maybe this will wake up the beast.” He threw out an arm and water shot toward me in a swirling blast. I staggered to my right, throwing up a shield of air so the wave scored across the side of it and splashed over the ground.
I used the power of earth to my advantage and willed the grass to grow longer behind him, wrapping around his arms. It worked to an extent, but he yanked his arms out of it easily enough and I gritted my teeth in determination.
He flicked a hand and the power of air slammed into my shield. The force of a hurricane battered against it and I dug in my heels as the sheer pressure pushed me back, tearing up dirt beneath my boots. I held out for as long as I could but my shield finally crumbled and I gasped as I was left exposed. With the feeling of being punched in the chest, I was thrown backwards across the meadow and slammed onto my back in the grass, wheezing heavily.
Get up. Fight back.
I couldn't see him from where I'd landed, the long stalks reaching high up around me.
I kept entirely quiet and my tactic paid off as he called out, “Hey, are you alright?”
I rolled onto my knees, crawling deeper into the grass with a mischievous grin on my face.
I’ll be alright when I beat you.
“Darcy?” Orion demanded anxiously, the sound of his footsteps pounding this way. My heart jolted at the sound of my name and I wondered if he was genuinely worried he'd killed one of the Vega Twins. That would certainly make headlines.
“Shit,” he cursed the second he found the empty patch of grass. “Very clever, Miss Vega.”
I stilled, making sure I didn't shift the long stalks brushing my arms as he hunted for me.
“Shame about the rain though.” He cast a torrential downpour into existence and I winced as the ice-cold water soaked me through.
I heard him moving to my right, shivering as I waited for my moment to strike, peering between the long stems. Through the sheet of rain I spotted the back of his jacket and launched myself upright with my hands raised. In a heartbeat, I realised it was only his jacket, a gust of wind making it drift across the top of the grass in the shape of his body.
I lurched around in fear but I was already too late as he propelled me up into the air again on a ferocious breeze. I screamed as I was thrown around in a vortex, the world a tangled blur of sky and earth as I tried to figure out which way was up.
My head pounded, my gut lurched and frustration burrowed through to my core. I desperately tried to wrangle the wind around me, casting a gust of air and forcing it to spin in the opposite direction to Orion's tornado. The wind eased just enough for me to get my whereabouts and I spotted Orion ten feet below. I shot a propulsion of water at him, catching him in the arm and making him lose concentration.
The vortex abruptly died and I plummeted toward the ground with a gasp, colliding with him before I could get a handle on my power again. We slammed to the floor and my arm got trapped beneath him, snapping my wrist beneath his weight and making me cry out in pure agony.
He lurched upright and I fell onto my butt, cradling my arm to my chest and hissing through my teeth. Pain sliced across the bone and I bit into my lip to stop myself from screaming.
“Here, give it to me,” Orion commanded as he knelt before me in the dirt, reaching for my wrist and gently curling his fingers around it.
I winced as pain daggered down my arm but a warmth built beneath his fingers which sank into my skin, soothing it away. It felt like heated wax pouring all over the wound. I drew in a breath, gazing down at the green light which shone beneath his palm. The pain ebbed away and I felt the bone resetting, shifting into place and fusing back together.
“Thank you,” I whispered, swivelling my wrist to test it and marvelling at the magic he possessed.
“Well it was the least I could do seeing as I broke it,” he said, sitting back on his heels.
“That was sort of my fault,” I teased and he grinned, making my heart squeeze hopefully.
We were in a little cocoon, the grass beneath us flattened and the stalks around us tall enough that no one would see unless they were flying overhead – which was an actual possibility in this place.
“So I won right?” I beamed and he lifted a brow.
“No chance. It's got to be a five second hold down or the game is still on.”
Oh really?
I threw out my hands, not giving him any warning as I cast a forceful gust of air to try and knock him onto his back. He was so fast to react that he blocked it before it even got close to holding him down. I cursed as he launched himself at me, trying to scramble away but I wasn’t fast enough. I didn’t even really try to fight him off as he threw his weight down, pinning me to the ground with his entire body.
“You're supposed to use magic,” I said breathlessly, his throat bobbing as his mouth hovered an inch from mine. The scent of cinnamon rolled over me and fire reached deep into my belly, making me consider leaning in for a kiss. We’d made a solid decision to stay away from each other and look where we’d ended up already? Great effort.
“Maybe brute force is just as efficient sometimes,” he said in a rumbling tone which delved into my chest and sent a hungry shudder through me.
“You said no physical contact,” I whispered as his muscles hardened, keeping me caged beneath him. I was losing my mind. I should have tried to fight him off, but I didn't want him to go anywhere. And from the intense look he was giving me, I could tell how close he was to crossing this line again himself.
“What if I’m having second thoughts?” he growled.
“You're fickle,” I pointed out. “And confusing.”
“I don't mean to be.” He dipped his head so his mouth was by my ear and goosebumps rose to meet the heat of his breath. “I can't think straight around you,” he said heavily, his hand clawing into the earth beside my head. “I could have lost you in that battle, or I could have died without ever knowing how this might have played out…”
My throat thickened and I almost gave in to the craving rising in me. But there was too much at stake for the sake of lust. It was stupid. He could lose his job and be 'power-shamed' and I could lose my place at the Academy.
“I owe you my life,” he breathed and my heart nearly detonated as he pressed his lips to my cheek. “Thank you.”
“The rest of Solaria aren’t feeling so grateful,” I said as he drew away, leaving a burning mark on my skin. “Not after that Vulpecula guy printed that article.”
“Fuck what he said,” Orion growled then he frowned as he realised he shouldn’t have said it.
“You should be glad he’s spreading lies about us. You’re firmly Team Heirs.” I jerked my chin up as I held his gaze.
“You’re right,” he muttered. “I am.”
My heart sank at hearing him confirm it. On top of him being my teacher, we were on opposing sides of a feud which was never going to be bridged. With a sigh, I pressed my hands to his shoulders, pushing him back. He moved as easily as if I'd shoved him, standing up and pulling me after him. Our hands parted and the wall grew thicker.
“I need a new Liaison,” I said through the gnawing lump in my throat.
He nodded stiffly, looking boyish and broken for a moment as he hung his head.
; A magnetic energy hung in the air, trying to force me toward him. It was so powerful I had to consciously take another step back to try and shake it away.
“This has to stop,” I said firmly then turned away and marched off through the meadow, not daring to look back even though my heart pounded painfully in my chest.
As I made it into the woods I started running, racing in the direction of Aer House, needing to hide away until I smothered this desperate longing in my heart.
I was panting by the time I reached my room, hurrying inside and twisting the lock. I sank down against the door, knocking my head back against the wood as my pounding heart started to slow.
My Atlas pinged and I took it out of my bag, my gut fraying as I found a private message waiting for me from Orion.
Lance:
What if I don't want it to stop?
I stripped off my clothes in the male locker room in Lunar Leisure, stuffing them into my sports bag. A splinter drove into my heart as I thought of Ashanti. Losing a pack member was like cutting out a piece of our hearts simultaneously. We all shared this pain and it was my responsibility to make sure we all pulled through it.
“Capella, Castro, Cray – you're up!” Professor Prestos called beyond the door.
I scratched a raging itch behind my ear as I headed out of the room followed closely by the other two wolves. They weren't part of my pack. I was the highest ranking Alpha in the school, but I wasn't the only one. We tended to build packs in our Houses out of convenience. Though occasionally a Beta would catch my eye from another group and I'd have to challenge an Alpha for them. I always won.
I headed along the corridor of white walls, the scent of something minty rising under my nose. As the smell thickened around me, I was slammed back into my childhood in an instant. Werewolves emerged in their Order forms younger than any other Order and I hadn’t been flea dipped since I was eight. It was damn humiliating to have to do it now. For a moment I was just a white cub looking at my siblings as we splashed in a bath full of that minty potion which tingled my nose and made my eyes water. A child with no responsibilities and no reputation to uphold.
I stuffed the memory away as I pushed through the doors into the huge pool room, the shining glass roof towering overhead. Heated air wafted around me and that peppermint scent became even more powerful. The pool water was gone, replaced with the cool, creamy potion instead.
The Physical Enhancement teacher, Professor Prestos, strode over to me with her Atlas in hand. I couldn't help but check out her tanned legs beneath her tight shorts. Her dark hair was tied in a fishtail down one side of her neck. Prestos didn't take any shit, but I didn't plan on giving her any today.
“Shift and get in the pool for fifteen minutes, Capella,” she instructed, ticking me off on her Atlas.
A group of wolves were climbing out of the dip in their Order forms and my heart lurched as I spotted Frank amongst them. His huge black form seemed smaller with his hair coated to his sides by the flea treatment.
My pack hadn't slept in my room since I'd somehow picked up these damn fleas. The night Darcy had come to see me. Now that I was down a member of my pack, my instincts were burning even more fiercely, telling me to initiate her. She wasn't even a Werewolf. It was ridiculous. But I didn't know any other way to stop these wild emotions apart from ensuring she was made an official member of my pack.
Maybe I'll ask Professor Canis. My Order Enhancement teacher was pretty knowledgeable when it came to our kind. If there was a way to break this bond I had to Darcy Vega, I had to know what it was. Since I’d made her my Omega, the thought of hurting her was unbearable. I hadn't even thought I meant it. I'd just gone to her room that day to remind of her place. But I was hardwired to protect my own. And now I'd claimed her for my pack, the longer I put off initiating her, the more I’d be driven to insanity.
I cut off her hair. I broke her fucking heart. I can't bear it.
I shifted into my Werewolf form, my paws meeting the pale blue tiles beneath me. I stepped up to the edge of the pool and waded into the shallow end, followed closely by the two other male wolves. A handful of girls appeared too and I spotted Alice amongst them. She'd been close with Ashanti and I'd been desperate to comfort her and the rest of the pack, but they still wouldn't spend any time with me. It was understandable; Werewolf fleas were a plague. Their bites set off a searing itch that dug deep under the skin. So after this treatment, I hoped things could go back to normal. Because being alone at night was starting to break me.
I sank up to my neck in the pool and had to stand there in the thick substance as it tingled against my skin.
Alice shifted into her mottled grey form and waded into the dip. I lifted my nose to beckon her over but she turned away, grouping together with the other girls as they entered the pool.
My heart thumped out of tune. Why were they still ignoring me? It was only fleas, and they'd be gone after this. Were they angry that I was putting them through this? It wasn't that bad; just a mild inconvenience. Not worth shunning me over. Especially as I was their fucking Alpha.
I barked sharply and the sound echoed back to me off of the glass roof. Alice turned my way, baring her teeth in a clear warning for me to stay back. The other two males swam away and I was left in a corner of the pool with fear threatening to swallow me up.
Why are they doing this?!
I was jerked into the past again, this time reliving the worst week of my life. I could almost feel the snowflakes melting against my tiny wet nose, the cold inching into every part of me as it delved under my fur.
A whimper escaped me as I blinked away that memory, forcing it down deep where it couldn't resurface any time soon.
“Time's up!” Prestos finally called and I waded back out of the pool, following the rest of the group through to the huge shower room. My instincts burned through me. I didn't follow, I led.
I snapped at Alice’s heels, trying to get her in line as I bounded to the front of the pack. She fell back but didn't look at me as I passed.
What the shitting hell is going on?
The hot water flooded over me from the showers above, washing away the milky liquid into drains around my paws. When my coat was clean, I shifted back into my Fae form and snatched a towel at the far end of the chamber.
The others shifted too and the second Alice drew close to get a towel, I caught her arm and bared my teeth at her. “What's up with you?” I growled and she snarled back at me.
She yanked her arm free, grabbing one of the fluffy white towels and wrapping it around her body. She tucked a long ebony lock behind her ear, giving me a firm look. “The pack and I have been talking.”
“And?” I demanded, practically barking at her as the other wolves scurried out of the room.
“And Frank says you've made Darcy Vega an Omega,” she hissed, her dark blue eyes narrowing on me with rage. “She's not even a wolf.”
“You don't know that, she hasn't emerged,” I snapped, but I'd seen that hellfire she'd cast at the Pitball pitch. She wasn't a wolf and everyone knew it. Hell, it was all the school could talk about. And initiating some other Order into the pack was an insult to our way of life.
Alice yanked her hand free from my grip. “We love you, Alpha. But you need to get rid of her. We won't follow you again until you do.” She stalked out of the changing room and I was left alone, my shoulders trembling as the space seemed to grow too wide. Too empty.
“Alice!” I called after her, my voice pitchy.
It wasn't that simple to get rid of Darcy. I'd already claimed her as one of my own. That meant I had to protect her. And banishment only happened when an Alpha was challenged. If she fought me and I won, I could dismiss her from the pack. But the challenge had to come from her; I couldn't control that part. And a quiet, resilient piece of my heart didn’t want her to either. I liked the idea of being her Alpha a little too much.
Shit, I am so screwed.
I hurried back to the changing room, drying off and
pulling on my jeans and a shirt, throwing my sports bag over my shoulder. I tied my damp hair up into a bun then checked my Atlas, revelling in the way my skin had finally stopped itching.
The message waiting for me soothed my rampant heart.
Max:
We're staying at King's Hollow tonight. Get there before curfew – Orion's gunning for House Points this evening.
Thank the stars for my brothers. If it wasn't for them, I really would be alone.
I hurried out of Lunar Leisure, heading for The Wailing Wood as the icy wind brushed against me. At least I was myself again; no more fleas. No more scratching like a stray mutt. But my wolf needs were not being met at all and I was growing desperate for affection.
I ran the last mile to King's Hollow, pushing through the wards surrounding the huge oak tree and heading up to the door. I was admitted into the hollow tree trunk and hurried up the winding stairway into the wide lounge filled with wooden furniture and fur throws.
A fire was burning to one side of the room and Darius was stretched out on the sheepskin rug beside it, shirtless as he toyed with the fire in his palms. My eyes lingered on his abs for a moment and I blinked sharply, turning away.
Max was on his Atlas, splayed across the large couch and Caleb was nowhere in sight.
“You smell like mint.” Max looked up from his Atlas with a grin.
“Flea dip,” I said, mirroring his smile. “No more scratching. How's your rash?” I couldn't see any sign of it now but as Max lifted up his shirt, a faint raised line of flesh was revealed across his stomach.
“Nurse says this should go in a couple more days, but the rest of it's gone. She said it was the worst case of Griffin rash she'd ever seen.”
“Well you do have sensitive skin,” Darius said with a frown, sitting upright so the firelight danced over the broad muscles of his shoulders. He looked like a demi-god, his skin so inked and-
I bit down on my tongue. Man I needed to get laid.
“Where's Caleb?” I asked.
“Where do you think?” Darius said, dropping back down on the rug again as he pointed to the door across the room.
Zodiac Academy 3: The Reckoning: An Academy Bully Romance (Supernatural Bullies and Beasts) Page 7