by Cali Mann
She nibbled on her lip, and the blood smell thickened. “Can I see?”
I scowled. “What do you think you can find that I haven’t?”
“Two eyes are better than one.” She came around the table and stared down at the text I was perusing.
My breath caught in my throat when her hip bumped into my shoulder.
“See, it says here that the mate bond can be... broken?” Her eyes met mine. “You’re looking up a way to break the bonds?”
I shrugged, my gaze sliding away.
“No, this is good. What have you found?”
My eyes flicked back to her. “What?”
She pushed back a stray curl that had escaped her braid. “I don’t want to be mated.”
“You don’t care about Terrin and Adrian?”
“Of course I do,” she said, flipping the page and scanning the text. “But no one should have three mates. It’s crazy.”
I stood abruptly, knocking over my chair behind me. It clattered to the floor and several other people looked up from their work, shushing me. Goosebumps danced along my skin, and I hissed, “Three mates?”
“Yeah,” she said. “A mate mark appeared on Brenton today.”
Heat swirled in my stomach. “You fucked him?”
She shrugged. “I’m not bound to your friends.”
“You are mated!”
Hailey’s green eyes turned to me, flashing. Her words were sharp and measured.
“I am not. I have no mate tattoo. Nothing.”
I shook my head. “How can that be? Three mates and no mark on your skin?”
She flipped the next page of the book as if the answer was going to jump out and bite her. “I don’t know.”
Closing my eyes, I took a couple of breaths, trying to rein in my emotions. I tried to name them as we did in Professor Frank’s meditation classes. Anger. Fear. Confusion. Lust. Curiosity. Fury. Bewilderment. Terror.
There were so many ways this could go very wrong. She could never develop a mate mark, and not feel connected, leaving them lusting after something they could never have. I adjusted my pants. A feeling I knew too well. She could die, leaving both of my brothers devastated, and I guess Brenton too.
And worst of all, what if she was a spirit shifter? I glanced toward the door to Professor Ward’s empty office. What if that’s why she had more than one mate? Then I’d have to turn her in, and the Council would kill her. Then, my pack brothers would still be destroyed. It was even more vital that I find a way to break these bonds. They’d hate me for it but they’d be safe.
“Look at this,” Hailey said.
I opened my eyes, taking another breath, and looked down at the page. A shape was sketched out on the page, a symbolized tree with a spiral inscribed on the trunk. I frowned. “I’ve never seen that before.”
She leaned closer, reading aloud, “The ancient symbol of the tree is thought to symbolize the five elements in balance. A tree can only grow when it has water, earth, air, and fire. Rainwater to nourish it, earth to support it, air to breathe, and fire or warmth from the sun to help it grow. The spiral inscribed on its trunk represents the element of spirit.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” I asked.
“Spirit is supposed to balance the other elements.”
I snorted. “How can it when spirit users are so unbalanced themselves?”
Her finger tapped on the adjacent page, and I leaned in closer, reading, “Ancient shamans claimed to dissolve mate bonds by unwinding the spiral.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “There you go.”
I shook my head. “No. That’s not an answer. What does it even mean?”
“I don’t know, but it’s an answer.” She flipped a few more pages, scanning each one, but she shook her head. “Now you just have to research ‘unwinding the spiral’.”
“You really want this? To dissolve the mate bonds?”
“Yes,” she said, her eyes sorrowful. “I’ve been in a cage my whole life. All I want is to be free, and this just ties me down.”
She lay her hand on my arm, and I grimaced.
“I care about Terrin and Adrian and Brenton.” She smiled. “I wouldn’t have made love with them if I didn’t, but this desire, no, this need, it won’t go away.”
At least she was honest. I had to admire the sheer determination and strength it took to stand up for what she needed even in the face of a mate bond, of three mate bonds. “Can’t you be loved and free?”
Her lips smiled, but the despair in her eyes deepened. “I don’t think I can.”
I sighed. I didn’t know whether to happy or sad. She wanted me to free my pack brothers. That was what I wanted to, for them to be free and safe, but something inside me longed to take Hailey in my arms and soothe away her pain, to show her that she could have both. I shook myself. That’s all we needed was a fourth mate bond to contend with. Stupid.
“Thanks, Sciro,” Hailey said, gesturing to the books. “For all of this.”
“Only thank me if it works,” I grumbled. “Now go, so I can get some work done.”
She nodded with a faint smile, then she headed back toward the door and I pretended not to watch her backside sway in her tight jeans.
14
Brenton
The next morning, I crossed the courtyard, almost whistling. Me, mated.
It had always felt like a pipe dream. I’d grown up watching how awful my dad treated my mother because she wasn’t his mate. It had made me determined not to have any false relationships. It wasn’t worth it. They hated each other, even though they had both agreed to the arrangement as consenting adults. At least, that was what she told me.
Bitterly, I remembered her face last time I’d gone home. She’d tried to hide the bruises with makeup but they were still there. I’d asked her to run away, to escape him, and she’d refused. She said the brute needed her. As if that could justify him taking out his anger on her. No matter how much I pleaded and begged that I couldn’t protect her from school. She’d decided to stay.
That’s why I hadn’t gone home over break, even more than keeping an eye on Hailey, I just couldn’t bear to see any more bruises on my mother. Her choice, her problem.
I grimaced. Well, I had been in a good mood. I stared at the muddy snow, trodden down by students’ feet. I couldn’t let them get to me. My parents weren’t here, and I needed to enjoy this moment. Me, mated.
A fist slammed into my cheek and I went skidding across the snow. I shook my head, trying to clear it. What the fuck?
I’d landed on my ass. The wet snow soaked through my jeans, and I groaned.
I started to stand, and a foot smacked into my shoulder, spinning me back into the snow. Now they were just pissing me off.
Blinking, I looked up into the face of one pissed off water shifter. I sighed. “Adrian.”
“Shithead,” he spat, pulling his fist back.
People think because I’m big, I’m not fast, but I was on my feet before the punch landed. I grabbed the front of Adrian’s shirt and plowed him across the courtyard into a tree. “Now, that’s better. What is wrong with you, man?”
“She’s my fucking mate!” His face was red as he twisted in my grip, but I didn’t let go. He reeked of alcohol.
I chucked, low in my throat. “I think you’re mistaken.”
His arm came around, and I ducked back thinking he was throwing another punch, but instead, he ripped the shirt off his shoulder. The sound of tearing fabric rent the air and I stared at what was revealed. The familiar vine and leaf pattern lay across his skin.
“No,” I said. “Must be some other girl. Hailey’s mine.” My dragon rumbled his agreement.
Adrian laughed, or at least I thought it was a laugh. The sound was strained and high pitched. “You fucked her, didn’t you?”
I nodded, uneasiness spilling through my gut. He was an idiot, and he was drunk. I didn’t have to listen to this, but I couldn’t seem to make my feet walk away.
“Let me guess, you’ve got a shiny new mate mark too.”
“Yes.”
His head rolled side to side, and I loosened my grip on him. He’d fucking lost it. Bonkers. And they said spirit shifters were the ones who went crazy.
Adrian sighed and met my eyes. “She’s mated to three of us, man. You, me, and Terrin.”
“No way.” I shook my head, backing away. No way I wanted to beat up on a crazy man. “You’re nuts.”
“It’s true,” said a voice behind me.
I swung around and stared at Terrin. Adrian was a shit and everyone knew he fucked anything with a pussy, but Terrin was steady. Even when I’d worried he hadn’t been meeting Hailey’s blood needs, I’d known it was because she hadn’t told him. He’d do anything for her and he was honest, to a fault. “No one has three mates.”
“Hailey does,” Terrin said.
My dragon cried out inside me, and I could feel his wings brushing my back. No. No. No. I’d claimed her. She was mine.
Curling my hands into fists, I stared at the other guys. Anger roared through me, hot and molten. My throat dried. I swung out, and Terrin ducked my punch. I aimed for Adrian but I was slow with pain and out of control. He tossed me off. What was I doing?
I hated them for mating my girl.
I hated myself for being taken in by her.
I hated her.
My dragon roared, and I knew I needed to get out of here. The change was coming, and I needed to be away from the students. Grabbing my head with both hands, I tried to force the beast back but strengthened by agony, he screamed.
I turned around and ran away, back through the building and out into the back yard. I’d never run from anything in my life, but I ran from this. My mate was already mated, to not one but two other shifters. Was she even really my mate? I didn’t know what to think, what to do.
My dragon screamed and pushed against my skin. I hit the forest at full speed, darting through the trees. The leaves were gone, and except for the pines and spruces, I ran through a sea of brown. Small creatures darted out of my way, rabbits, foxes, and squirrels, sensing a predator afoot.
The pain seared my heart. I’d told her that I didn’t share. I told her that she was mine, and she’d let me fuck her, anyway. She knew she had two mates. She’d known she was taken. She was despicable.
Why had I trusted her? I should have known better. Fire burned along my limbs, and I was shifting, whether I wanted to or not. He burst through my skin and dragged us into the sky. The pale blue dome was empty of any life, and I rose higher and higher toward the thinner air where birds wouldn’t venture. I didn’t want to breathe. I didn’t want to think. I just wanted to fly.
The icy morning the only balm for my scorched soul.
15
Hailey
I rubbed my eyes as I walked into Professor Frank’s class. Sleep had been elusive last night. My dreams were full of body parts and blood. I hadn’t fed in a few days. If it went on much longer, I was going to have to raid the blood bag supply.
Brenton hadn’t been in any of my classes. We’d had sex, and he’d seemingly disappeared from the earth. I didn’t know what was going on. You’d think he’d want to spend more time with me now that he’s mated, not less.
“Grab a mat,” Professor Frank said.
I headed for the stacks along the wall and picked up one of the red and blue yoga mats. Whoever had picked those garish colors for relaxation was an idiot.
“Hailey,” Terrin said, reaching for my arm.
With a sigh, I ducked his touch. I was wondering when he’d notice that I’d become cold and pale or catch sight of my fangs. At this point, considering what they’d kept from me, I didn’t know if I cared. “Go away.”
“You have to let me explain.”
I scowled at him. “I don’t have to do anything.”
“Hailey—”
Ignoring him, I grabbed my mat and went to the far end of the room. I laid it down and dropped into a cross-legged position on it. Closing my eyes, I tried to push all of my worries away, but they only came back twice as bad.
Professor Frank shooed the stragglers to their mats and then said, “Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.”
With a shake, I forced myself to follow the professor’s instructions. I could feel several sets of eyes on me, and I figured Adrian and Terrin were watching. I sighed. There wasn’t anything I could do for them until we figured out how to ‘unwind the spiral,’ whatever that meant.
“Starting at the top of your body, scan to see if there are any places where you are holding tension,” she said. “Don’t try to fix them, just notice.”
Of course, I’m tense. I snorted mentally. I’ve got three guys breathing down my neck and no way out. Even though there were no physical bars, I was caged all the same. I snarled.
“Hailey,” whispered a voice in my ear and my eyes popped open. I swung my head side to side, looking for the source. The rest of the class was meditating peacefully, even Terrin and Adrian had their eyes closed. I glanced at Professor Frank, and she shook her head at me sternly.
I sighed and closed my eyes again.
“Scan down through your chest,” the professor continued.
A fiery pain stabbed through my breastbone and I gasped. It felt like a knife had gone through me. As quickly as it had come, it was gone. I stared down at myself, but there was nothing there. My heartbeat pounded in my ears.
“Are you okay, Hailey?” a voice said next to me and I jumped to my feet.
Red eyes gazed at me out of a white face, mouth opened in a scream.
I blinked at the ghost or apparition or whatever it was in front of me.
It smiled an oily grin that spread across pale pink lips.
“Go away!” I screamed at it. “Leave me alone.”
The apparition moved closer, its bloody eyes glowing until we were nose to nose. It clammy skin chilled me to the bone.
Lifting my hands, I wrapped them around its neck. I guess it wasn’t a ghost, because I was able to grip and squeeze.
A choking, gurgling sound filled my ears, and I smiled.
Two people grabbed my arms, one on each side, and dragged me back. Terrin’s voice came low and soothing near my ear, “Hailey, it’s okay. Breathe.”
“I am fucking breathing,” I said, glaring back at the thing. “Don’t you see it?”
“See what?” he asked.
“That thing!” I pointed toward the ghost. Only it wasn’t a ghost. The pale skin and the red eyes disappeared, and I stared in horror at Professor Frank. Her mouth gaping as she tried to catch her breath. I’d been choking her. My mouth flapped but no words came out.
“It’s Professor Frank,” Adrian said from my other side.
“I can see that,” I said, swaying. I would never hurt Professor Frank. What had come over me?
Dizziness swept through me and I must have passed out, because the next thing I knew, I opened my eyes to bleached-white sheets and a small narrow cot. My first thought was to jump up and flee, thinking I was back at Hastings House.
“You’re okay,” a man in white said as he dug in a tote bag on a table. The side was decorated with palm trees and coconuts.
I frowned. “Where am I?”
“The infirmary. You were here before when your friend broke his nose.”
“When his nose was broken by someone else’s fist,” I corrected. Glancing around, it did indeed look the same. Sterile and white, with simple cots and windows covered with blinds. Next to each bed were a table and a lamp. It seemed empty though. None of the beds were occupied and mine was the only light on.
“Just so,” the nurse said, a smile stretching across his face. His black hair was cropped close to his head and his skin the same rich brown as Professor Frank.
The memory came rushing back. I’d hurt Professor Frank. I blinked. Was this the first sign of a spirit shifter going crazy? Or did it have to do with my lack of blood?
From his
tote, he pulled out a blood bag and he offered it to me.
I lifted my head from the pillow. Want filled me, and my hands trembled against the sheet. I swallowed. They mustn’t know I was in vampire form. It wasn’t safe. I lay back down.
“No, thank you,” I said, wishing I could close my other senses as easily as I closed my eyes. “I’m an earth shifter.”
He snorted, leaning closer. “I know what you are, Hailey.”
My eyes flipped open and I stared at him. Stupid. If he’d been bluffing, my alarm would have given me away.
“Here,” he said. “Take it.”
“Is it poisoned?”
He laughed. “No, it’s a gift from your father.”
“My father?” I squeaked.
The nurse pulled over a chair and sank into it. He glanced toward the dark blinds. “Take it and I’ll explain as much as I’m able.”
Even though my stomach rolled uneasily, I took it and placed the end in my mouth. The blood surged over my tongue. I swallowed. As the blood filled my system, my tiredness faded away and I stared at the man.
“Damn you spirit shifters recover fast,” he muttered.
“Tell me.”
“I’m an emissary. I don’t know everything but he wanted you to know that he was looking out for you.”
“Brian Cooper?” I whispered.
He chuckled. “No, not the one who raised and lost you. Your real father.”
“What?” My brow furrowed. “I have another dad?”
“He’s a spirit shifter, like you.”
I licked my lips. “Is he crazy?”
The nurse shook his head. “No, he’s learned how to avoid the madness.”
“There’s a way to escape it?”
“Yes.” He leaned forward, his brown eyes glowing amber in the lamplight. “You need to keep your mates close.”
A banging door echoed through the room, and the nurse yanked the blood bag from my hands. He shoved it in his tote bag and then pushed the bag behind him. He picked up a book from the table and opened it in his hands.
Headmaster Larkin strolled between the beds, her heels clicking on the tile floor.
