47. Pandora

47

PANDORA

“ H ow is he doing?” Jenni whispered to me, her blue-green eyes filled with worry after I’d told her about Reed’s mom.

“Not good, but he’s coping.” My chest swelled with concern for my mate. I reached out to his bond to find him sad but content. He wasn’t drowning in his grief anymore, and I was thankful for that. I knew he would still have his moments, and he was fully entitled to those. He needed to feel to move on from it.

“Coping is good,” Bram mumbled, his gaze downcast at his tablet as Ironwood droned on and on about the final assignment.

“If he’s coping right.” Skel blew out smoke that swirled in the air. “Which knowing him, he must be.”

“He is,” I assured them.

Term two was almost over, and I honestly couldn’t believe how fast it had gone by. I couldn’t wait for Hunter to come back. His vengeance case should’ve been finished today.

“No! It’s stupid that I have to shut my mouth because of her daddy!” Dreadful sobbed, her voice raising as she stared at Voidfire. “She got me fucking kicked from nobility! What good is living without the title?” She stood up and swooped her blonde hair out of her face with her hand and glowered at me with tear-filled eyes. “Just because you think you’re fucking special because your daddy kicked my family from nobility means nothing. I hate seeing you strut around like you own this academy!”

I reeled back like I’d been slapped.

What the Fates? Where did that come from?

I’d thought Dreadful had backed off—for the most part. I knew she still talked about me, but she hadn’t really caused a huge scene with me since she lost her nobility status and her hand.

“Fuck off, Dreadful,” Skel drawled, blowing smoke her direction. “At least she has people around her that actually like her.”

Dreadful swung her glare to him. “Oh, right, the fucking lower-class dick she’s jumped on. I’m surprised someone like you would like a demon with a weird voice, who ate her mother’s soul, but whatever.”

Skel’s black and white spiraled horns extended from his head, and his tail flicked behind him in warning. “Shut your fucking mouth about my mate.”

Ironwood sighed, rubbing his temples before sitting at his desk. “Nobody cares about their education, anyway.”

Wow.

Great job, professor.

“Pandora’s literally better than you in every way.” Bram sneered at her. “Besides, she has two hands.”

“You didn’t seem to mind that I only had one hand left at the end of last term,” she purred to him, her pheromones thickening the air.

They felt sticky on my skin, and I cringed before the weight of her words sunk in.

Wait.

What did she say?

Hurt exploded in my chest as I turned to look at Bram.

Surely, he wouldn’t have slept with her.

His red eyes were wide with shock, but disgust plastered on his expression quickly. “Ew. What the fuck? I’d never touch any noble aside from Pandora, not that I have yet. And I never fucking breathed in your direction except for when we helped Dex cut off your hand and feed it to you.”

“You just don’t remember because you were so fucking drunk under that weird arch thing on campus. My pheromones sent you into a raging beast for me, though.” She smirked viciously. “You were a lousy fuck.”

“I might’ve been drunk a lot, but I’ve never lost time. I’ve never not remembered something, and that shit never happened,” he spat, chaos magic rippling the air around him before Chaos jumped out and snarled at her. He snapped his teeth. “I’d never fuck you consensually, and my wolf would bite your other fucking hand off if you touched me.” “But?—”

My hand connected with her cheek, and the pain spread through my palm as her head flung to the side.

I didn’t know when I got out of my seat, but it was like I was moved by my absolute possessiveness over Bram.

“Shut up!” I shouted, my hand stinging as I shook it to the side. “ If you did sleep with him while he was drunk by using your pheromones, that would be rape. Are you a rapist, Dreadful?”

Fury crossed her expression, and she balled her fist up before swinging at me.

The scent of blood settled over me as Dex stepped out of the shadows between us and caught her punch with his hand. “You didn’t learn your lesson. Did you?”

He squeezed her hand, and she fell to her knees in front of him. Fear clouded her eyes. “I—I?—”

“She’s terrified.” Skel puffed on his pipe.

She tried to say she had sex with my mate, then she didn’t even deny attempting to do so without his consent.

Anger welled up inside me before escaping in the form of my power. Inky smoke entered her nostrils and swallowed almost half of her soul before bottoming out in my gut.

“Oh, fuck! Go, Pandora!” Jenni hollered. “Show that bitch who she’s messing with!”

Her soul filled my reserves, and I stumbled back into strong arms with hawks on one and a wolf etched into the other. Spicy bourbon filled my nose, and my muscles relaxed as I let him hold me for a moment.

A glimpse into our bond told me he wanted the comfort of me as much as I did him. Our matebond was screaming for retribution due to Dreadful.

“I never touched her, Pandora,” he promised, inhaling my scent. “She didn’t do anything to me, either.”

A glimpse into our bond showed his sincerity, but…I didn’t even need that. “I believe you.”

“Can I get back to my instructions for the final assignment, now?” Ironwood drawled lazily. “And Nightwind, take Dreadful to the?—”

The ground beneath us shuddered violently, and I turned in Bram’s arms and fisted my hands into his shirt.

Books toppled from desks, and the rock walls started to crack. Hot magic sizzled over us, and I yelped at the zap of pain down my spine, along with most of the other students.

“It’s Cryptic Altar!” Ironwood shouted over the groaning building. “Something’s wrong!”

Black lightning struck a nearby student, and they fell to the ground.

“Everyone, run!” Ironwood bolted from the room, leaving the door open. Several students followed, but even more were left in the room.

Bram held onto me tightly, and I held onto him while looking for Dex, Skel, and Jenni. Before I could lay my eyes on them, the floor erupted with a squelching sound as black tar-like goo seeped through the rock and pooled into dark magic portals all over the room.

Another crack of lightning struck a student closer to us, and a rasped, quiet scream tore from my throat.

“I’ve got you, Pandora. I’ve got you,” Bram whispered softly, and tears pricked my eyes.

“What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” he replied like he was in pain.

Gasps and screams filled the room as the portals started to bubble and hiss. From them, emerged more infected demons. Their gray skin was marred by black veins that thrummed with dark magic.

I locked eyes with one, and her eyes were empty voids. Her lips twisted into a smile and rows of rotten teeth were revealed.

“Pretty, dark Bones.” She pointed to me, and then every single infected demon turned my way.

Oh, Fates.

As my magic buzzed beneath my skin, a loud crack sounded through the room, and Bram was struck by the dark lightning. His arms fell from around me as he dropped to the ground unconscious.

“Bram!” I cried out as the infected demons advanced toward me. Their movements were jerky and unnatural, even for a supernatural.

“Pandora!” Skel shouted, rushing toward me before an infected demon placed a hand on his head, and he dropped to the ground.

“Skel!” A sob wrenched from me, and my magic buzzed in my gut. I couldn’t see Jenni anywhere.

Just before I could unleash my magic, a forceful shove sent me to the ground. A solid weight pressed on top of me as a comforting scent of coppery blood choked me. Dex landed on top of me, shielding me from the incoming infected demons before they could touch me.

“I won’t let them take you from me,” he promised.

“Dex…” I could feel the rapid thud of his heartbeat against my back, but then, everything went black.