Wicked Wish (The Royals: Warlock Court Book 2)

by Megan Montero

  “Look, I know that—”

  He waved his hand, cutting me off. “We are waiting.”

  “For what?”

  The door to the office swung open and I jumped in my seat and turned to see Damiel Edwards stroll through. With that cane tapping on the ground with each step he took. “For me.”

  He moved to stand beside Headmaster Ridge. “I hear there was a disruption in the hallway today.”

  “It literally happened ten minutes ago. How could you be here that quickly?” I slumped down in the seat.

  Beckett shook with the effort to sit up straight. “This isn’t any of your concern.”

  “I offered Mr. Edwards our hospitality at the school here so the council could have the personal touch when dealing with things of this nature.” Ridge steepled his fingers and pressed them to his lips. “Now to deal with the ground of your expulsion, let’s begin, shall we?”

  “Expulsion? You can’t be serious.” Sweat covered my palms.

  A wide smile broke out over Damiel’s face. “He’s deadly serious. You assaulted another student and used a potion on her to boot.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. “I didn’t use any potions on her.”

  “Then why is she outside kissing a water fountain?” He motioned to the window. “I saw her on my way over here.”

  Beckett grabbed a lock of hair and rubbed it down his cheek. “And what are you doing to Kitty for using a potion on me?”

  He signed and reached out to run the back of his fingers down my cheek. I swatted him away. “When I was in Professor Charles’ class, she said Warwick was survival of the fittest. Is there a precedent for other students being expelled for what I did?”

  They glanced at each other and Ridge cleared his throat. “If you are part of the council, you must be held to a higher standard.”

  “But I’m not part of any council as of right now.” I swatted Beckett’s hand away from my cheek again. “I’m just a regular student.”

  Damiel shook his head. “Nonetheless, Ms. Lockwood. You’re behavior—”

  “Warrants nothing.” Beckett cut him off as he took my hand in his and kissed the back of it. “She’s only a student.”

  “You don’t seem that affected by the potion.” Ridge sat back in his chair. “Perhaps you’re faking.”

  I pulled my hand from his. “Trust me, on a normal basis I drive him crazy. He can barely stand me.”

  Beckett jolted in his chair. “What? Astrid, that is not how I feel at all. I like you, so much. It pains me really.”

  I motioned to him. “I rest my case. Normally he’s snapping at me.”

  He took my hand in his and this time I let him. I tried to ignore the way my pulse quickened at his touch, and how much I liked it.

  This isn’t real, this isn’t real.

  “That had better be true. We do not condone fraternization between the house lines. Something like that would be catastrophic to your cause, I fear.” Ridge had the audacity to smile. I wanted to leap across the desk and smack him.

  Someday.

  “No matter, you and this Kitty girl will both be expelled,” Damiel said as if it was nothing. “And no one in the warlock world would accept an uneducated warlock as our leader. This position must be earned.”

  Beckett scoffed, “And yet our laws state it’s a position that the heirs are to have, not just any old, lying, backstabbing son of a bi—”

  “What I think Beckett is trying to say is that I will accept my punishment, but it should fit the crime. So you plan on expelling Kitty Kalarook along with myself? Then so be it.”

  Damiel opened his mouth to speak when Ridge shook his head, cutting him off. “Two-day suspension, for now.”

  “What?” Damiel’s bright yellow eyes flared with anger.

  Ridge sighed. “The Kalarook family contributes favorably to this school and to the council. These two young ladies have obviously learned their lesson. Two days, Ms. Lockwood.”

  Beckett jumped to his feet. “You can take your two days and—”

  I hopped up and grabbed his hand. “I will see you in two days.”

  I pulled him out the door before he could get us in more trouble and get me expelled for real. I tugged him down the hall and out the set of double doors leading to the path that would take us back to the house before this spell got worse.

  The cool air bore down on me and I shivered in my Lockwood jacket. Beckett threw his arm over my shoulders and pulled me against his body. “I’ll keep you warm, Astrid.”

  I put my arm around his back and pushed him forward through the crowd of students watching us. As we passed Whitmore House Leo came jogging out the front door to catch me on the sidewalk. “So what happened?”

  “Two-day suspension. I think it’s a good thing, though. I have no idea how this is going to affect him.” Beckett pressed his lips to my cheek and heat rushed to my face. I loved the way his lips felt against my skin.

  Leo chuckled. “This is going to be interesting. The boy got exactly what he wanted.”

  “Oh come on, Leo. You and I both know I drive him nuts. I’m just hoping the potion isn’t that bad.”

  Beckett grabbed my chin and made me meet his eyes. “I would never do anything you didn’t want me to do.”

  Leo laughed. “Yeah, Astrid, just tell him what you want him to do to you.”

  “Shut up.” I pulled Beckett forward. “Come on.”

  “A bit of advice.” Leo stopped and called after me, “Give the man what he wants and it will be a lot easier on him . . . and you might like it.”

  Give him what he wants? “What does that even mean?”

  “I want you, Astrid.” He ran his hand down my arm and laced his fingers with mine. This far on the path and we’d passed all the houses except Lockwood and Beckett’s house. We were alone. The sound of my racing heart filled my ears, his ocean scent filled my senses, and his skin against mine sent heat flooding through my body.

  “I know you do, for now. Once the potion wears off we’ll be back to normal, don’t worry.”

  “Not for now . . . for always.” A mischievous smile spread across his lips and he glanced into the forbidden woods. “Come on, I have an idea.”

  Chapter 20

  Astrid

  Beckett tugged me through the woods into a small clearing. Twigs crunched under my feet and the rustle of leaves mixed in with the pounding pulse in my ears. His big hand swallowed mine completely. He spun on his heels and I almost collided with his chest. “Beck, what are you doing here? I think we really need to get back to the house. The others will be able to . . .”

  His lips pressed against mine, cutting my words off completely. They were firm and warm and just perfection. He threw his arms around my waist and walked me backward until my back pressed into the trunk of a tree. Fire ignited between us and I wanted him more. He groaned as his tongue dipped into my mouth and danced with mine. My stomach did little flip-flops and I wound my hands in the back of his jacket, pulling him closer to me. Our bodies melded together, and I was lost to everything that was Beckett Dustwick, his touch, his taste.

  I wanted his hands all over me and his mouth on mine. Our bodies melded together, and his every muscle rippled under my touch. When he cupped my face with his hands, I sighed at how right it felt. His hands ran down my neck, then my arms. He intertwined his fingers with mine and raised my arms over my head, pinning me to the tree trunk. His ocean blue eyes bore into mine. “I want you so bad.”

  “I-I . . .” I freed my hands from his. “Beckett, we can’t.”

  He leaned in and ran his tongue up the side of my neck and my mind went blank. I titled my head back, letting him rain kisses all over my skin. Heat bloomed in my belly and I wanted nothing more than to have this moment with him, for the two of us to forget the world, forget our problems and just be here, with each other.

  “Please, Astrid.” His lips pressed just below my ear. “Just let me be close to you.”

  I shook my head. T
his wasn’t real. This wasn’t him. He was under a spell and I couldn’t give into it, no matter how much I wanted to. “No.”

  I pushed him back and he let me. “We can’t.”

  He turned from me and paced back and forth. “Was it something I did? I’m sorry, Astrid. I’m sorry.”

  “No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” I moved away from the tree and grabbed his hand. “We just have to get back.”

  I couldn’t do this. It felt like taking advantage of him. Sure, we kissed twice, now three times, but still he was under the influence of a potion and I wasn’t. I had to take care of him the way he took care of me.

  Beckett shoved his hands into his hair and tugged at the strands. “Astrid, please.” He dropped to his knees in front of me. “I just need to love you.”

  Ugh, he needs to love me? If only . . . wait, no . . . we’re just friends. I grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feel. “Come on.”

  His face crumpled in pain and a deep whimper escaped his lips. I didn’t know what brought me to do it, but I pulled him down to me and pressed a kiss on his cheek.

  “It’s going to be okay, I promise.”

  He threw his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close into his side. “I’m with you, always.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, okay, let’s go, Casanova.”

  Though Beckett had dragged me in here, I was going to stumble our way out. I guided him through the forest, over fallen trees, and under low-hanging branches. All the while he never let me go, his warm hands pressed into my sides, his scent surrounded me. By the time we returned to the path, he was back to sniffing my hair. Like nothing happened. So like every other day between us.

  I got him up the stairs and across the porch. As I reached for the door, it swung wide-open. Maze filled the doorway. He leaned up against the doorjamb, holding a bowl of ice cream and spoon most people would use for a huge pot of spaghetti.

  “Sup?”

  I shoved past him and stopped in the foyer. “Beckett’s been bespelled.”

  Maze snorted. “Oh, I know.”

  “You know?” I ducked out from under Beckett’s arm and stormed up to Maze. “What do you mean you know?”

  He tapped his finger against his temple. “Psychic.”

  I snapped my hand across his cheek. The spoon flew across the foyer and the bowl of ice cream clattered to the floor. Vanilla ice cream pooled on the hard wood floor at his feet.

  He shook his head. “Woooo, what the hell was that for?”

  “You’re the psychic. Did you see that one coming?” I put my hands on my hips. “A little warning next time.”

  He rubbed his hand over his jaw. “I might have deserved that.”

  “You think?”

  Logan walked down the stairs and stopped on the last step. “Did I miss something?”

  Where Maze was all dark, in his trench coat and black army pants, Logan was suave in his black dress pants and button-down burnt orange shirt. Even his blond hair was trimmed close to his head and laid perfectly. When Cross walked in through the front door, I was surrounded by all the heirs.

  I sighed. “Beckett has been bespelled with a love potion and you all need to help me cure him of it.”

  Cross took a step back. “Hold up a second, did you give him the potion?”

  “No!” I wanted to throat punch him, but Beckett was behind me, rubbing my shoulders. “Kitty gave it to him.”

  Logan took the last few steps down and cleared his throat. “Did he pick an object of his obsession? I just want to be prepared, you know, just in case.”

  “Yeah, he picked me.”

  A burst of laughter exploded from Cross. “This just gets better.”

  “Guys, this isn’t funny.” I swatted Beckett’s hands away. “He can’t be like this. We have to cure it or give him and anti-spell or something.”

  Maze picked his bowl up off the floor along with his spoon and continued eating whatever was left. “Anti-spell, how cute. There’s no such thing.”

  “Well, then what the hell am I going to do with him?” There had to be a way for Beckett to get back to normal.

  Beckett leaned down and whispered in my ear, “I can think of a few things you should do with me.”

  Even Logan had a stupid smirk across his face. “There’s only one thing to do. Well, if you agree to it.”

  For some reason I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. “What’s that?”

  Logan shrugged. “Just give into him, let him go as far as you want to let him until the potion wears off.”

  “You can’t be serious.” How would this even be okay? “He’s under a spell and I am not taking advantage of that.”

  Maze lifted the bowl to his face and licked it. “If you want, I can chain him up in the basement and keep him there until it wears off . . .”

  “Yes, good, finally someone who makes sense.”

  “But he’ll be in extreme pain if I do. I heard it’s a lot like what humans go through when they hit withdrawal. You know, shakes, sweating, stomach cramps. I even heard it could feel like your bones are being broken.” He sighed and looked down into his bowl. “I hate it when the ice cream is gone.”

  I snapped my fingers. “Maze, focus.”

  “Right, yeah. I mean, we can tie him to his bed. I’m sure it won’t be that bad.” His gaze flickered up to mine. “Unless . . .”

  “Unless what?”

  “Unless you want to be there to help him.” He arched his eyebrow at me.

  When I looked around, all of them were staring at me. I shifted from one foot to the other. “Oh, come on, guys. This isn’t right. He can’t even choose for himself. I say we tie him to the bed.”

  “Very well.” Cross made his way to Beckett. He stopped in front of me. “Just so you know, a person under the influence of a love spell who picks an object of obsession is giving consent. It means they trust you.”

  Like I was going to believe that. “Says who?”

  Logan grabbed onto one of Beckett’s arms. “Warlock bylaws, Astrid. He could be running around the school kissing trees and obsessing over every little thing. Instead he chose you.”

  Cross grabbed Beckett’s other arm. “So now it’s up to you.”

  He and Logan yanked Beckett away from me. Beckett instantly grew hostile. He kicked his legs out and reached for me, trying to fight them both off.

  Cross gritted his teeth as he shoved him toward the stairs. “Just think about it. We aren’t saying you should sleep with him. But if you’re near him, it could ease him.”

  Dark orange smoke seeped from Logan’s hands. “Sleep.”

  Beckett slumped in their hands and his head lulled to the side. I sighed. “There, we can just keep him asleep until it wears off.”

  Logan dragged him farther up the stairs. “He’s an heir, Astrid. It’s not going to last long. Hopefully long enough for us to get him restrained. But he’ll do best with you.”

  Maze whispered in my ear as he passed, “Decisions, decisions.”

  Chapter 21

  Astrid

  An hour later I sat on the floor in the hallway outside of Beckett’s room. I pulled my knees up and rested my arms across them. I leaned my head against the wall, softly banging it. Beckett had been screaming for the past hour and I wanted nothing more than to go in there.

  Through the door Cross snapped at Logan. “For shit’s sake, put him back to sleep.”

  “If I could, don’t you think I would?”

  I’d never heard Logan snap before, but his voice was low and cutting. “He’s too strong!”

  “Astriddddd!” Beckett screamed at the top of his lungs. The bed creaked and groaned like he was thrashing around on it.

  I pressed my hands to the sides of my head. One hour, three minutes, and thirty-five . . . thirty-six . . . thirty-seven seconds. “He’s going to be fine. One day, it’s only going to last one day.”

  “Maze! Hold his legs down.” Cross grunted and his voice squeaked out. “He kicke
d me in the balls.”

  “No way am I getting my balls next to his legs.” Maze gave one bark of laughter. “My future soul mate wouldn’t like it. I know. I’ve seen it.”

  “Shut up about your stupid visions. No one gives a shit about your soul mate!” Cross barked at him.

  “Jealous I’ll get mine and you won’t get yours?” Maze taunted him.

  “Shut up or I’m gonna throat punch you!”

  “Both of you are screwed. Because my—” Beckett’s words were cut off immediately.

  “Astrid! Help me, please! Astrid!” He pleaded, while all the wild the sounds of fighting and struggling came from the room.

  One hour, three minutes and forty-five . . . forty-six . . . forty-seven seconds . . . Screw this!

  I jumped to my feet and turned for the door. What am I doing? He bellowed again and I couldn’t stop myself. Something drew me to him, and I was tired of fighting it. I shoved the door open and walked into a war zone. Maze and Logan stood opposite each other by the head of the bed. Maze’s hair fell across his face. He’d thrown his trench coat into the corner of the room and stood there in only a black tank and his black cargo pants. For a guy who only ate junk, he was ripped, and by ripped I meant shockingly hot.

  He nodded. “I know, surprise. Right?”

  “Shut up.” I turned to Logan. “Why aren’t your powers working on him?”

  Logan stood there breathless and the front pocket of his button-down shirt was ripped clean off and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. “ The more I use my charm speak on him, the more immune he becomes.”

  Beckett thrashed on the bed and the sound of rustling chains filled the room. When my eyes met his, he smiled at me like I was his savior. “They want to keep me from you. But nothing will ever keep me from you.”

  “Yeah, that’s not creepy at all, dude.” Cross shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, pushing back only to let it fall right back in his face.

  Beckett’s eyes bugged out of his head. “They’re trying to kill me, I know it.”