Chapter 36: Near Death - Riven's POV

Watching Callista try to navigate our new normal with stares and whispers all day was torture.

Every time someone looked at her with curiosity or judgement or I heard another rumor about us being fully mated, my wolf snarled. What made him angrier was when they spoke of her parents kicking her out, which wasn’t even what happened.

I wanted to protect her. I wanted to make them back off.

And the demon? The demon wanted blood.

They’re talking about her mate, he whispered during history. In calculus, he couldn’t stop looking at them with disdain, because they were being disrespectful toward her. He wanted to teach them a lesson.

“Shut up,” I muttered under my breath, earning a concerned glance from Callista.

“Are you okay, Riven?” She asked, her voice soft.

“I’m fine,” I said, the words barely coming out between my gritted teeth.

The demon had been loud all day, feeding off my protective instincts and the constant proximity to Callista. Having her scent on me, having her hand in mine between and during classes, and knowing she’d be coming home with me was everything the bond wanted.

But I swore it was making him stronger, because he fed off all that energy.

She’s ours, he purred. She lives in our home, sleeping in the room next to ours, and so close we can hear her breathing through the wall at night.

I shoved him down, focusing on the calculus problems Mrs. Fitz was writing on the board, but concentration was nearly impossible with Callista sitting right next to me. Her familiar scent mixed in a way that made every wolf in the room take notice, but mine most of all.

He wanted her to smell fully mated.

Mine.

The possessive thought came from both my wolf and the demon, which was never a good sign.

By the time the final bell rang, I was wound so tight that I felt like I might snap. The demon was still pushing at my mental walls all day, wanting out and wanting to show everyone exactly who Callista belonged to.

“Are you ready to go home?” She asked as we walked to my walker, which was now a few down from hers.

Home. She had said it so naturally, as if Nightshade territory were already hers.

"Yeah," I managed, grabbing my things to put into the bag. "We should probably stop by the library first and grab some books for the history project."

"Good idea. I don't want Mr. Cross on our case about—"

"Nightshade."

The voice made every muscle in my body tense. I turned to find Marcus Stonecrest leaning against the lockers about ten down from mine. His face was still bruised from the fight at the ceremony. His pack mates flanked him, clearly there in case this got out of hand.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, keeping my voice level even as the demon stirred eagerly.

Finally, it whispered. Let us finish what we started.

"I just wanted to see how domestic life is treating you," Marcus said, his eyes sliding to Callista with barely concealed hatred. "Must be nice, playing house with the Seer. How long do you think it'll last before the Alpha King changes his mind? This is happening all too fast and younger than it should. Not every pack is going to let this go.”

Callista's hand found mine, squeezing tightly. "We're leaving. Come on, Riven."

But Marcus stepped into our path. "I'm not done talking to him yet.”

"Yes, you are." My voice came out rougher than intended, layered with something that made Marcus's pack mates take a step back.

“So protective,” he chided. “Something is wrong with you and I’m going to find out what it is. Everyone saw it at the ceremony and everyone knows there’s something wrong with you.” He looked at Callista, his gaze turning feral. “How does it feel, Monroe? Knowing that you’re tied to a freak? You really should end this before it’s fully sealed. You need a true alpha wolf to be mated to.”

I moved before I could think, slamming Marcus against the lockers with enough force to dent metal. My hand was wrapped around his throat as the demon surged under the surface, demanding I finish what was started at the ceremony.

I heard his voice, telling me to kill him. He was threatening our mate and what we wanted. Marcus deserved to die.

"Riven!" Callista's voice cut through the bloodlust. "Stop! You're hurting him!"

I was. Marcus's face was turning red, and his hands were clawing at my grip. His pack mates were frozen, clearly torn between helping and running.

"Riven, please," Callista said again, her hand on my arm. "Come back to me. He's not worth it."

The bond flared at her touch. It was the only thing that allowed the demon to pull back and let me regain control.

"Mr. Nightshade!" Principal Wolffe's voice boomed down the hallway. "Release him. Now."

The Alpha authority in his voice combined with Callista's pull was enough. I dropped Marcus, who slumped to the floor, gasping and grabbing his throat.

Principal Wolffe strode toward us, his expression thunderous. "My office. All of you. Now."

"But he started—" one of Marcus's pack mates began.

"I don't care who started it. Get in my office now.”

The walk to the principal’s office was silent except for Marcus’s labored breathing. Callista stayed glued to my side, her hand still in mine to ground me.

Principal Wolffe closed the door behind us once we were all inside. “Sit down, all of you.”

We sat with Marcus and his two friends on one side and Callista and I on the other.

“Does anyone want to explain what just happened?” Wolffe asked, settling behind his desk with his hands clasped in front of him.

“Nightshade attacked me unprovoked,” Marcus said immediately. “He’s out of control and dangerous. You saw what he did at the ceremony and—”

"I saw you provoke him," Wolffe interrupted. "I also saw you deliberately blocking their path in the hallway just now. What did you say to trigger this response?