26. Adrianna

26

ADRIANNA

T he reflection in the mirror staring back at me looks…disheveled, and that's putting it nicely. My panties are tattered, and the pair of boxers that Cassian offered as an alternative rests on the vanity beside me. I'd have to turn the waistband on them at least five times, so it's not worth the effort.

Commando it is. It's not the most scandalous thing ever, but it's different. If anything, it feels quite fitting for what just happened out there. Not that I can find the words for what just happened in the confines of Cassian's room, but the longer I linger in his bathroom, the harder it is to leave.

I healed him. I fucking healed him. And then he fucked me like it was a goddamn omen, and I'm powerless to resist his hold.

His heated gaze, his soft touch, his fucking cloak. All of it. I succumbed to all of it, all while admitting there's a part of me that wants to understand more about my wolf, more about me.

Using my magic, I fix my hair, making myself a little more presentable as I hear the guys talking on the other side of the door. Cassian at least had the decency to let me slink away in here, but I know he answered his door in just his boxers, confirming what was going on.

It shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter. But the blush continues to bloom on my cheeks nonetheless.

Taking a deep breath, I straighten my gray cloak and head for the door. As soon as I open it, four sets of eyes look my way.

Kryll sinks his teeth into his bottom lip. Raiden scowls at me with a heated twist to his stare, while Cassian grins with amusement. Brody, however, takes a step toward me, humor dancing in his eyes as he taps a finger against his chin.

"It smells like sex in here," he declares, making the heat intensify on my cheeks, and Cassian scoffs.

"I wonder why?" he mumbles with a barely contained grin.

"I'm glad at least someone was having fun while we were fending off the professors," Raiden grumbles, wiping a hand down his face as my eyebrows pinch in confusion. One quick glance at Cassian and I see the same look reflecting my own on his face.

"Why?" he asks, folding his arms over his chest, still in just his boxers.

"Because you knocked a girl out," Raiden retorts with a pointed look.

My gut twists.

"I didn't want to," Cassian states with a shrug.

"We know that. Them? Not so much," Kryll explains, an apologetic smile on his lips as his gaze swoops over me.

"Well fuck them," Cassian grunts, waving his hand dismissively before slipping back into his clothes, unfazed as everyone watches him.

"I think you've done enough fucking," Brody adds, a snicker on his tongue as he winks at me. I just shake my head at his antics.

"For real, though, they're waiting to grill you," Kryll comments, scrubbing at the back of his neck with a hint of nerves that leaves me confused.

"Of course they are," Cassian snipes with a huff of irritation, but Raiden shakes his head, making everyone pause.

"No, not you, asshole…Addi."

My spine stiffens as irritation creeps through my bones, leaving me to gape at him in a mixture of confusion and horror. What the fuck?

"What the fuck?" Cassian barks, mirroring my own thoughts as he takes a protective step toward me.

"This really shouldn't shock me," I murmur, pressing my fingers into my temples in a failed attempt at calming the raging headache that threatens to take over.

"That's bullshit," Cassian snaps, refusing to let it drop, but there's no point. I have to assume this is Bozzelli's doing, and when it comes to her, nothing surprises me. All of my troubles lead back to her.

"It's life," I state with a sigh, rolling my shoulders back as I take a step toward the door, but I don't make it two strides before Cassian's arm whips out, halting me in place.

"Well, I'm going instead."

I shake my head at him, but before I can protest, Raiden speaks. "We thought you might say that."

"But—"

"No buts, where do I need to go?" Cassian interjects, cutting off my words as he glares down at me.

"Bozzelli," Brody offers, and I shake my head. Again. These Kryptos are going to give me goddamn whiplash.

"No." I go unheard. My hands clench at my sides, the desire to stomp my foot like a child taking hold of me as tension grapples inside of my chest.

"I'll slip Addi back to the fae building," Kryll offers, continuing to ignore my protest, and I reach my limit.

"Can you all stop talking over me!" I snap, eyes wide with unleashed irritation.

Raiden tuts, sighing down at me with a pointed look. "No, because if we give you a chance to speak, you're going to say some bullshit, and we're already handling the situation," he states, like that makes total sense.

" I can handle it," I grind out, certain I'm going to explode. But a hand cups my face, drawing my attention to its owner, Kryll.

"You can handle yourself and your shit all alone, Princess, we know, but give us a chance, yeah? We all know that you're not the one they should be calling on. They've never called on you when you have actually been in a duel on campus. This is some twisted bullshit, a trap, and we can't risk you walking in there if we can avoid it."

I blink up at him, lost for words, and somewhere deep inside, it's because there's a part of me that agrees with what he's saying.

Fuck.

"Besides," Brody hollers, shouldering his way through Cassian and Raiden to stand side by side with Kryll. "Do you really want to go to Bozzelli with eau de sex clinging to you?" he asks with a quirk of his brow, and my nose crinkles in distaste.

"It's only going to delay the inevitable." I meet each of their stares, seeing the same knowledge in their eyes, but Cassian still shakes his head.

"It won't. I'll make sure of it," he promises, leaning in to kiss the corner of my mouth with a delicate touch before he steps back, heading for the door.

"Oh, are those on offer?" Brody asks, swooping in for a kiss too. His lips are gone just as quickly as they plant against mine, leaving me to gape at him in surprise.

With my lips parted, Raiden takes his chance, leaning in to rake his teeth over my bottom lip. "Delicious," he breathes, his hooded eyes peering into my soul as he takes a step back, swiping his tongue along his lips as he goes.

And just like that, they're gone.

The sound of the door closing solidifies it, leaving me with Kryll. I stare up at him, my jaw moving, but no words come out as I stare around the room in disbelief.

"What the fuck just happened?"

"I missed out, apparently," he murmurs, looking down at me with need burning bright in his eyes. Turning to face him properly, I shake my head, still in a state of confusion.

"Why would I leave you out?"

His grin spreads across his face as he leans in close so we're nose to nose. "Oh, thanks," he mutters before clinching the moment and pressing his lips to mine.

Fuck.

Gasping, my fingers fist his t-shirt as I get lost in his touch.

"Fuck, Princess," he rasps, taking a sudden step back as he swipes a hand down his face. "Let's get you out of here before they come looking," he adds, pointing at the door behind him.

I press at my temples again, willing myself to focus, but it seems futile surrounded by these men.

"If you know they're going to come looking for me, why am I not just going to Bozzelli now to cut the bullshit?" I ask, following him out of Cassian's room on wobbly legs.

"I know this may come as a shock to you, Princess, but we fucking care about what happens to you, especially where Bozzelli is concerned."

My chest aches at his words, the feeling foreign in my limbs as I stare at him. Is this what Nora always feels like when I railroad her into doing what I say so I can protect her? Damn. I don't think I like it, but I understand the motive behind it.

As we step outside, the surrounding areas are still quiet since everyone else remains in class, and I sigh. "If they're going to come looking for me, they're going to head to my room first, right?"

My gut twists, feeling as though I'm running from a situation no matter how much I tell myself I'm not. If Cassian wants his moment to shine, he can have it. It will only prove me right in the long run, and then we won't end up in this situation again. Today is a lesson, this moment is proving to me that handing the reins over to someone else doesn't deflect attention away from me. All it will show them is that they can't step in whenever they think they're needed and magically fix everything.

My discomfort eases at my thoughts as Kryll purses his lips. "Possibly, but they could also be watching for you in class," he offers, and I nod in agreement.

"Maybe we could just go for a walk?"

He nods, and we take the pathway that leads down toward the forest. We walk in step with one another, and the farther away from the main buildings we get, the more I let the current situation sit on the back burner as I rake my eyes over the tatted hunk of a man beside me. His hair almost looks brown without the sun kissing his strands, which somehow has the ability to make him look darker, more dangerous, and more reckless.

Raking my teeth over my bottom lip, I wonder what the ink looks like beneath his clothes. The curls and thick lines leave me itching to be distracted.

"Don't give me that look, Princess. You're tempting, and as much as I would love to get lost in you, I don't want my first time to?—"

I wave a hand, pulling my thoughts from the pits of desire as I focus on him. "You don't have to explain yourself to me."

His gaze meets mine as we continue walking. He is searching for something, but what? I'm not entirely sure, but he nods a moment later before turning to face forward again.

"What else can we talk about?" I offer, completely aware that if I can't be distracted by his body, I'm going to need his words to keep me out of my head.

"Your family?" he offers, peering out of the corner of his eye at me, and I immediately shake my head.

"No."

"But—"

"No, Kryll," I bite, no longer looking for a distraction as worry settles in my veins at the mention of those I love more than anything else in the world.

"I could make some plans for you to go and see them," he pushes, ignoring the irritation in my tone.

"They've checked in. I know they're okay. That's all I need," I mutter tersely, folding my arms over my chest as I stare straight ahead. I'd rather be dealing with Bozzelli than this conversation right now.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," I snap, effectively stopping his pushing as silence descends over us, or so I think. As the silence stretches out between us, I know he's waiting with bated breath with something else to say. Glaring up at him, I give him a pointed look as we come out of the forest and continue along the pathway heading the long way back to the fountain. "What?"

He purses his lips, looking down at me like he's unsure he wants to say whatever is on his tongue, and I would leave it there until the end of time at this point, but he finally speaks. "It's just…I get the vibe that they're the most important thing in the world to you."

I rear back. "They are."

"Then why wouldn't you want to see them?" he asks, his brows furrowing with so much confusion that it worms under my skin too.

"Because it's complicated," I grumble, nostrils flaring as I fight to keep my emotions at bay. It used to be so easy, yet now, it's a daily struggle.

"Says who?" he asks, refusing to relent when he doesn't understand, and I shake my head in frustration. I need some space from him, from this topic, and it's not something I can handle right now.

Rounding the corner, the fountain comes into view. It's on the tip of my tongue to part ways when Raiden and Brody appear.

"Bozzelli has called a gathering," Brody states, making Raiden glare at the fact that he beat him to it.

I sigh, my irritation transferring from one subject to another. I hold back my ‘I told you so.' It will be worth saving for when they're all here.

There goes the calm we were looking for. It doesn't exist, no matter what we do.

"Do you think Cassian managed to talk with her?" Kryll asks, concern etched near his eyes as he looks down at me, and I shrug.

"We're about to find out."