by K. M. Raya
He didn't need any more prodding than that. With a growl, Cole ripped her leggings right off her legs and tossed the scraps of fabric aside. There was no foreplay needed, she was already soaking wet for him. She knew he could sense it because his nostrils flared, and his eyes lost their whites. Burning gold filled his eyes, reminding her of the feral beast that lived inside of him. His wolf was taking over and it made her pulse and ache for him to take her.
Cole didn’t waste any time, in one swift thrust, he was buried inside of her. They both cried out, him with a feral growl and her with long, mewling moan. His cock felt so good inside her as it stretched her wide open. He fit perfectly. He held still, to the point where she couldn’t help but swivel her hips, needing him to move. Cole growled low and she felt it down to her toes as they curled. Suddenly, he was moving.
She hadn’t had the chance to prepare, but she yelped as he began to thrust fast and hard. The slaps of their skin bounced off the walls as he drove himself into her over and over again. He fucked her into the mattress so hard that she had to grip his back with her nails and wrap her legs around his waist. She’d never had reason to imagine what it might be like to fuck a werewolf, but she also knew that her wildest fantasies couldn’t have captured just how erotic and wild it was in reality. He fucked her like his animal was in control. He grunted and growled, claws digging into the mattress by her head and tearing it to pieces.
Sweat coated their skin as he pounded. Scooping a hand under her ass, Cole lifted her hips as he sat back slightly. Her back was still laid out on the mattress as she sat in his lap, but he just kept fucking her. His hips pistoned up into her, grinding as he hit all the right spots that made stars dance in her vision. She was screaming, writhing against his sweat soaked skin. She could feel an orgasm building in her core, pulsing with the need to be set free. Suddenly, Cole lifted her off of him and spun her around until her knees were bent on the mattress. He thrusted into her from behind and pounded into her with reckless abandon. He rutted against her like a heathen and she loved every glorious second of it. Gripping the sheets, she pressed her face into the pillow and screamed as an orgasm crashed over her in hot waves of pure ecstasy. Her pussy clenched around his cock and she felt him growing even harder.
With a long, guttural, drawn out groan, Cole emptied himself inside of her as he kept thrusting. He kept going and going until he was spent. His fingernails were transforming back into human fingers; she could feel them on the sides of her hips as he began to caress her. He was still moving inside of her, drawing out the delicious aftershocks until the very last second.
When they were able to breathe a little easier, Cole bent over until his whole body covered her back. He kissed up her sweaty spine and ran his palms along her slick skin. His lips teased her ear before placing a kiss on her shoulder blade. “One day I’ll claim you right here—” he kissed the spot again. “And when I do, every Guardian in the world will know you’re my mate.”
Chapter Eighteen
The days following her return from the city were slow going. Harlow was recovering still, even though most of her wounds had now healed. Blue still didn’t know exactly what had happened to her down there in the sewers, but her sister seemed off… a little bit vacant.
For now, her sister was allowed to stay in an empty dorm room. It took some convincing on Blue’s part, but eventually the headmistress saw reason. Harlow had been a student at Arcane a decade ago, and so Blue reasoned that she’d earned a safe place to recover, especially after risking her life on the Conclave’s behalf. Blue was nervous, after finding out that the Conclave had become aware of Harlow’s little stunt, and the fact that Blue had gone after her. Not much was kept secret from the Conclave, and so now she had to deal with the fall out.
The school was in an uproar, after an announcement the previous day. The Trials would be starting the following week, and Guardians from around the country would be traveling to Arcane to participate and oversee the new recruits. Though the Trials had nothing to do with Slayers, the sporting event was more popular even than human football. Slayer teams from around the world tuned in to watch the games and watch new guardians get initiated.
She’d asked Cole all about them, and he’d told her stories about his own trials and how he never doubted for a second that he’d come out on top. From what she’d heard, Cole had been top of his class the entire time he attended Arcane. He was a Beta, second only to his Alpha, a wolf named Gareth whom she’d seen around campus a few times. Gareth was an older Guardian, probably closer to forty years old, and for Cole to have been appointed as his Beta at the age of only twenty two, it spoke of how powerful her wolf really was and how respected and loved he was by his community.
Cole was gone a lot in the weeks that followed. His Guardian duties called him away at all hours of the night, and sometimes for days at a time. With the Trials right around the corner, it was the Beta’s job to make sure the visiting Guardians were being taken care of. Out in the forest that surrounded the school, there were various guest cabins set up amongst the Guardian community. There were around fifty or so expected in the following days and they’d already begun trickling in. There was a buzz in the atmosphere, and it seemed like all anyone could talk about were the Trials.
The week dragged on and classes had become monotonous. She missed the days of freedom before coming to Arcane, where she made her own rules and hunted on her own terms. Her muscles ached for action, and she hated that little part of herself that was almost hoping for another vamp attack. She was getting bored. With Cole gone so often, Team Building and Self Defense class was boring as hell. She sparred often with various classmates, however reluctantly on their parts, but they were never enough of a challenge. Every time she was forced to fight someone, she found herself spacing out and simply going through the motions. After ten full years of constant life or death situations and real fights with undead creatures, sword fighting and grappling with a young Slayer just seemed like child's play.
Mr. Orozco was slowly catching on. Her last few sparring partners lasted less than two minutes on the mats with her before she had them disarmed and pinned. Soon, her teacher began using Blue as a sparring partner much like he had with Cole in the beginning of the year. She was almost like a teacher’s aid at this point, but after twenty minutes of boring fighting and little to no real action, she constantly found her eyes straying to the clock on the wall.
She’d been spending a lot of her free time with Jasper over the last week. You could often times find the two of them chilling in the graveyard, talking about nothing in particular. She was growing attached to the snarky, incredibly charming Slayer with a strange sense of humor, and she found herself seeking out his company more often than she liked to admit. After all that had happened between her and Cole, she thought Jasper might pull away from her, but the exact opposite had happened. She made a promise to herself that whatever happened, she would be open and honest with all of them. She didn’t feel right keeping secrets from men she was beginning to seriously fall for. So, she told Jasper about her and Cole, and what happened in her room the other night.
His eyes had initially shuttered and darkened, but she could also tell that he wasn’t actually upset with her. In the end, he admitted that he was just jealous it hadn’t been him again. He kicked himself for not being the one to come after her first. Blue was relieved he wasn’t angry, or willing to walk away. She didn’t know if she could handle losing him at this point. He hadn’t tried to take things any further physically since the night she took off, save for their frequent make out sessions in the graveyard, but she could feel the tension building between them every day. She found herself dreaming of him at night, wondering if he was thinking of her too.
She hadn’t seen much of Dresden since they returned. After everything they went through, and the fact that he’d gone all the way to Portland just to make sure she was safe, she thought he’d actually been interested in her. The man was so full of mixed signals it
made her head spin. One minute he was fighting a werewolf in the kitchen over her honor, and the next he pretended she didn’t exist.
She’d visited the kitchens every night in the past week, hoping to accidentally run into him as he descended for his nightcap, but he’d been strangely absent. In her heart, she knew it was because of her. He was actively avoiding her, and when they passed in the halls, he didn’t even try to make eye contact. It hurt more that she wanted to admit.
When she first met Dresden, there wasn’t a single shred of her being that felt the need to get to know him. He was cold, rude and radiated impending heartbreak. He was perplexing at first, the way he treated her like garbage, and the way he glared at her like she was the cause of all the world’s problems. She hated the way he judged her. He told her who he was and why he felt the way he did, and she honestly couldn’t fault him for it. He’d lost someone close to him, and it was all her family’s fault. How could he not be bitter? Still though, she couldn't explain why there seemed to be a hole opening up in her chest that got just a little wider every time their eyes met by accident. Every time he looked right through her it cut a little deeper.
Chapter Nineteen
The sky was bright blue, a rarity for that time of year. Students were all outdoors, training even on the weekend. She’d spent most of the morning talking with Harlow, but after a few hours alone in her room, she figured some fresh air was in order.
After jogging around campus for forty-five minutes, she was about ready to head inside to do some weight training, when she pulled up short. With her hands on her knees, pulling in a few steadying breaths, she had to stare for a moment, in case her eyes were playing tricks.
Next to the running track, several of their new arrivals were running drills. The wolves were getting ready for the Trials. There must have been at least sixty new wolves on campus, but there were only two that caught her eye. Cole stood off to the side of the running track with his shirt off, sweat glistening in the sun. She ran her eyes over his tanned torso, appreciating every angle of his delicious body, shivering as she remembered the feel of his hands on her. What she didn't appreciate though, was the female wolf next to him, fucking him with her eyes as she pretended to stretch. Blue narrowed her eyes on the bitch with muddy brown hair and narrow brown eyes. She wasn't ugly by any means, but a sick feeling churned in Blue’s gut. Cole was letting the girl stand too close, not even looking remotely uncomfortable. In fact, he threw his head back and laughed heartily at something she said, his canines flashing in the sun.
Blue wasn't usually the jealous type... and technically they hadn't even established their relationship... but it seemed only logical that she might be a little possessive after allowing him into her bed, indulging his wild ideas of her being his fated mate. Watching the two of them laughing and joking around like old friends was awakening something ugly inside of her. She hated the girl on sight.
They were a good distance away, so Cole didn't see her standing there watching them like an idiot, but she saw them perfectly. She saw the girl move in closer, reaching out to grab Cole’s bicep as she steadied herself. Fury ripped through Blue’s veins like fire. She wanted to tear that hand from her scrawny little arm. The worst part was... Cole just let her do it. He just stood there while that bitch touched his skin. The touch was familiar, and the way she looked at him was intimate.
She didn’t know how long she stood there watching the two of them, but she couldn’t believe he hadn’t sensed her there yet. For a man claiming she was his chosen mate, he sure had eyes only for this unfamiliar woman. Grinding her teeth, Blue turned away from them, wanting to get out of their way before Cole could spot her. She didn’t need that sort of drama, and she didn’t want to be that girl. She told herself this wasn’t what she was at Arcane for. She wasn’t there to make friends…
A flash of blonde hair caught her eye as she turned. Standing at the corner of a building that led into the back entrance of Arcane, was Dresden. His arms were crossed in front of his bare chest, glimmering under the sun like he’d been sweating. Her mouth dried up as flashes of his body hovering over hers flooded her brain. He was watching her with shrewd black eyes, his hair tied yet again up behind his head. A towel draped over his shoulder and he pulled it down before using it to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Blue frowned as his stare continued to penetrate her skin, making her feel warm all over, and not from the unseasonably warm weather.
Dresden frustrated her like nobody she’d ever met. She couldn’t understand why her stupid, traitorous body craved him the way it did. Realistically, she knew pining over a man like Dresden was just asking for heartbreak. It was written all over his pretty face. Men like him chewed up sensible women and spat them back out never to be repaired again. He was the type of man your heart never really let go of, and she hated that he’d latched onto hers. There was just something so all-consuming about him, and it was evident in the way he watched her even now.
She stared back, frowning at him as his eyes moved from her to where Cole stood with that werewolf girl. His eyes narrowed, and his jaw ticked. She wondered what the hell was wrong with him, and why he was glaring at the Guardian like he’d personally slighted him somehow. As far as she knew, Cole and Dresden had never interacted personally before Blue, aside from their little display in the kitchens. It was perplexing even now. Why had he fought Cole? It made no sense and it hurt her brain trying to puzzle him out.
She took a step towards him, but before she could make it three paces closer, Jasper appeared over Dresden’s shoulder, tapping it and breaking her connection with Dresden’s eyes. She stopped short and watched in utter bafflement as the guys knocked knuckles. Jasper said something to Dresden that had the surly man quirking up a lip and following him inside. Blue stood there, watching the empty space they’d just stood in and mentally scratched her brain.
*
It was just after dinner and Blue decided a trip to the graveyard was in order before heading to bed. The Trials were starting the next day, and she’d probably be losing a lot of sleep in the near future as most of the games took place after classes let out in the evenings. This would probably be her last chance to visit her ancestors for a few days.
Luckily, the sky was still clear, and the wind was warmer than usual. It hadn’t rained in a few days, so the air was somewhat stuffy, but it also meant that a vampire sighting was highly unlikely. She took the same path through the dense woods, enjoying the canopy of stars that dotted the night sky through the trees. She soaked in the silence around her, listening to crickets chirp and the soft pads of her feet falling along the cobblestone.
Out in the forest, it was like time stood still sometimes. It wasn’t like the city, where humans felt the need to stick their noses in everyone else’s business. The air wasn’t coated in grime and smog, and the ground was never littered in… well, litter. It was fresh and real, and she’d missed it down to her bones. She grew up in these woods, and never thought she’d have the opportunity to visit them again.
Through the trees were hazy shapes, translucent and ethereal as they swayed through the woods. Though they made no sound, she almost imagined she could hear a low humming through the silence. It was always fascinating to sit and watch the spirits frolicking through the trees. Sometimes, on a clear night such a this, they’d leave the confines of the graveyard and have a little fun. Blue thought it was sort of sweet, that even though they couldn’t actually interact with each other, they still enjoyed one another’s company.
To her left, three little boys wove through the trees, jumping over stumps and pretending to shoot each other as if playing a war game. They were dressed in old style clothing that looked more at home in the civil war era, and their smiles were wide while their eyes were mischievous. She could almost imagine their laughter… almost.
Cutting through the silence was the low howl of a wolf. The shrill song raised the hairs on her arms. She knew the woods were filled with Guardians around the Trials. Soon,
the howl was answered by several others, creating a cacophony of noise. She could see the gates of the graveyard in the distance and hoped Jasper would be waiting for her. She wanted to ask him about Dresden, and why the two of them suddenly seemed so chummy. As far as she knew, Dresden wasn’t very sociable, and Jasper saw him as a threat.
Her back slammed into the trunk of a tree, but the hand over her mouth stifled a yelp. She struggled, wriggling out of the tight grasp on her arms, but the stranger just pushed her harder into the bark. Hot breath wafted over her ear as she felt lips graze her skin. “I saw you watching us,” whispered a low, gravely voice that she didn’t recognize.
Blue tried to speak, but the hand was still clamped over her mouth. She reared her head back and then snapped it forward, headbutting them hard. She must have caught the person off guard, because they cursed and faltered slightly. “Who the fuck are you?” Blue managed to spit.
Suddenly, she could see through the shafts of moonlight that filtered through the dense trees that it was a woman—a woman with familiar brown eyes and bland hair to match. The werewolf who’d been chatting up Cole had her pinned, unable to wriggle her way free. Claws dug into her forearm and those sharp canines were awfully close to her face.
“Are you afraid of me, Blue Graves?” The woman sniffed, seeming to scent the air around Blue’s head.
“I said who are you, and how the hell do you know me?”
The wolf chuckled. Her voice was throaty and deep, telling Blue that she was at least partially shifted. Her wolf was close to the surface. “Oh, I know all about you, little Slayer… I know all about the last descendants of the family that turned on their own kind, slaughtering over twenty of the Conclave’s finest.” Her eyes were filled with malice, glossing over until a small ring of amber lined her dark iris. “I’m surprised they allowed your filth back into society,” she spit. “Personally, I’d have killed you just for sport.”
