Chapter 15 _ Devon

Chapter Fifteen

Devon

I trailed out of the locker room after my classmates, filled with the same restless energy I’d lived with since my wolf caught her scent again. Asher. My mate. The one who rejected me in front of both of our packs. Technically, that meant she wasn’t my anything. But my wolf didn’t give a shit about technicalities. As far as he was concerned, Asher belonged to us. And her getting attacked at the club and nearly dying only intensified my wolf’s protective instincts.

It was a damned pain in my ass if I was being honest. Because me, the man, didn’t want anything to do with her. She humiliated me in the most public arena that existed for shifters. I’m the Alpha’s son, future Alpha of the Bassett pack. Only one other pack in North America matches us in size. The Callaway.

A union between our two Families would have been some real Romeo and Juliet shit, bringing together two rival packs to create the largest wolf pack seen in centuries. But she sent any talk of peace right up in flames with her outright dismissal of me. As if I was the one unworthy here. She couldn’t even find her damn wolf. What right did she have rejecting me?

Asher would be lucky to be my mate. Bitches have been sniffing around, practically begging me to mount and claim them since I was old enough to understand what it meant.

Except for her.

Just like always when it came to Asher, all the old insecurities and hurt came roaring to the surface. And right on their heels, the anger. Seeing her again, after all this time . . . I hadn’t been prepared for just how fucking angry I still was.

It was easier to pretend when I didn’t have to look at—or smell—her. Fuck, that scent. It haunted me. Worse, it went straight to my dick. Every. Fucking. Time.

Just the memory of it was enough to have me adjusting myself as I found a spot to wait outside the grove for Sanderson to let us in on whatever game she had planned for today. Usually wolves were social, but as a rule, we didn’t fraternize much outside of our home packs. As a result, I found myself sticking to the outskirts in mixed classes such as this one.

My eyes trailed over the other students milling around, my wolf snarling as my gaze landed on Jackson and his little red-haired skank. God, they deserved each other. If Asher and I were the shifter version of Romeo and Juliet, they were the vampires’ very own Ken and Barbie. Richer than God and blood bluer than the Atlantic. Pampered. Spoiled. Utterly insufferable. He probably had to consult her day planner when he wanted to schedule time to get his dick wet.

I laughed at the thought of Jackson pounding away while Callie snapped at him to hurry and finish while scrolling through her social media feeds. Personally, I wouldn’t trust my dick near the chick. I’m pretty sure she could make it shrivel up and die with a single look. Her voice alone made my skin crawl, and her scent was toxic. Like huffing nail polish and gasoline.

“She doesn’t actually expect us to go in there, does she? I mean . . . the sun’s out.” Callie’s high-pitched voice grated even from where I stood.

“Do you listen to a word anyone else says?” Jackson snapped. “This isn’t real. It’s an illusion.”

Callie pouted. “It feels real. It’s warm.”

I rolled my eyes at Callie’s whining, wishing the artificial rays pouring out of the grove were enough to turn the bloodsucker into a pillar of ash. It’d be one hell of an improvement.

The name was misleading. It wasn’t actually a grove, per se, but a magical antechamber that professors could modify as needed. Right now, Sanderson had it converted into a daytime woodland. But, just like the rest of the campus, there were all sorts of magical fail-safes in place to prevent any of its students from coming into contact with something that would cause them harm. Case in point, the sun. Most vampire classes took place in the evening hours for that reason, but there were some exceptions to the rule. And in those cases, Beastville was magically equipped to ensure their safety.

Furthermore, the grove was one of the few places on campus where said fail-safes—such as shifting—could be lifted. I doubted such a modification had been made for today; it was rare in mixed-species classes. But, it wasn’t unheard of during species-specific training.

My wolf let out a low rumble, secretly hoping for a chance to be let off his leash. He was dying to run. And if he happened to come across a certain vampire prince in the process, well . . . what was the harm in a little bite?

Asher and that Mirabella roommate of hers were the last to join the class. My wolf—and other parts of my anatomy—came jerking to attention at the sight of her. It was no wonder, what with her skintight black outfit and the long sable braid hanging down her back just begging to be wrapped around my fist and—

Down boy.

Sanderson noted their arrival and clapped her hands together to call everyone back to attention.

“All right! Y’all want to hear this before you go inside. See those little discs you’re wearing? Those are your beacons. They’re spelled to help you find your partners, which will be randomly selected once you’re inside. I’m going to have you go in one at a time so that you’ll be nice and spread out before the beacons are triggered. Your goal will be to hunt down your partner and get them to submit without drawing blood.”

My ears perked up at that. Sounded like they might be letting the training wheels off today after all.

“Without using your species’ gifts, of course. That means no biting. No shifting. No spell casting. You’ll have to overpower your opponent using brains and brawn only.”

I, along with everyone else, groaned. Well, almost everyone. The Novasgardian smirked, his arms crossed over his chest, muscles bulging obscenely. I almost felt sorry for the poor schmuck that got paired with him. They didn’t stand a chance.

“All right. In you go. Who’s first? Ah, yes, Mr. Hawke, very good.”

Jackson strode into the grove without a backward glance. Callie lasted all of five seconds before trotting in after him. The rest of us queued up, some more eager to get inside than others. I was somewhere in the middle, excited about the opportunity to do something physical, but not necessarily in a hurry. I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder, feeling Asher in line behind me.

Her lip was caught in her teeth, and her cheeks flushed with color when she realized she’d been caught staring. She dropped her gaze, and my eyes narrowed. Now, what was that all about? Was it possible the little wolf wasn’t as disinterested as she let on?

Before I could consider the question further, a warlock behind me gave me a little push.

“Your turn, man.”

I jutted my chin in acknowledgment before sprinting off into the grove. I could feel the magic take hold as soon as I crossed the threshold. It ran down my back like a cool trickle of water, agitating my wolf with the foreign sensation, but not enough to send me into high alert. Just enough that my senses sharpened.

Just because I couldn’t shift didn’t mean I couldn’t draw on my wolf. That was the whole point of exercises such as this. Hone the strengths of your species, no matter your form. The vamps would definitely be using their super speed and strength. I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to make use of my superior tracking abilities. There was no way my partner would get the jump on me.

With that thought in mind, I worked my way through the magic-made forest, climbing over fallen logs and heading deeper into the dense vegetation. Maybe ten minutes after I entered, there was a low bugle, and then a tendril of warmth tickled my chest where the pendant rested. The last of the students were inside.

The hunt was on.

I let my wolf take over, directing my steps and leading us around and through, always working our way closer to my prey. The pendant was buzzing with warmth now, not enough to burn, but definitely letting me know I had to be getting close.

The snap of a branch to my left drew my attention. Someone else was closing in, but when I turned in their direction, my pendant went cold.

Not mine.

When I turned back the way I’d been heading, my pendant flared to life again. I lifted my nose to the air, inhaling deeply.

If they were nearby, I should be able to smell them. And if I could catch their scent, I should also be able to sort out what species they were, which would help me sneak up on them. A witch, for example, would require no subtlety. Out of all of us, they were the weakest without their gifts. A vampire or shifter, however, would require me to stay upwind so they couldn’t catch my scent.

I knew it was her the moment the breeze carried soft notes of lilac and honey to me. Picking up my pace, I zeroed in on the trail, focused on my target. My wolf howled as her scent exploded in my nose.

The need to possess my mate ran through me, hot and fierce.

I started running then. Silently moving through the woods like the creature whose nature I shared.

I found her not a minute later, peering around a tree into the empty clearing. She was right in front of me, and I was downwind enough the pretty little shifter didn’t have a clue. The pendant flared white-hot and then faded out. The warning that our target had been located.

Asher tensed, but I was on her before she could move.

Pouncing from behind her, I sent both of us flying out into the small clearing. I tackled her, knocking us to the moss and leaf-strewn ground, protecting her even as I pinned her. She squirmed in my arms, inadvertently grinding that perfect ass of hers right into my crotch.

She gasped, and the slight hitch in her breath told me she knew exactly what that did to me.

“Let me go,” she growled.

I gave just enough space for her to roll over onto her back before I caught her wrists in my hands and flattened my body over hers. “Submit,” I snarled, my voice more wolf than man.

She swallowed. “To you? Never.”

As an Alpha, the act of defiance should have pissed me off. But coming from her, all it did was turn me on. My dick was already thick and heavy between us. I couldn’t get much harder if I tried.

My beast’s instincts took hold, overriding my own as my wolf gave in to the need to get closer to his mate. I nuzzled into her neck, drawing her addictive scent deep into my lungs until I thought I may never get rid of it.

Fuck, she felt good splayed out beneath me like this. All those soft curves cradling my hardness. My hips rocked into hers without my conscious thought, and I let out a hiss. It was good. So fucking good. And nowhere near enough.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Taking what’s mine,” I growled, scraping my jaw along her neck, marking that soft skin with my scruff.

She whimpered, and the sound burrowed deep into me, setting my blood on fire. I wanted more.

I lowered my mouth, my lips hovering just over the place where her mate mark should be. My teeth ached with the need to claim her. As my lips grazed her skin, I growled, my intention clear. If given half the chance, I’d have her right here and now. I didn’t give a fuck who saw us. In fact, I wanted them to see the proof of my claim on her.

Instead of fighting me, Asher arched her body into mine, her chin shifting ever so slightly to the side. As if she wanted the same thing I did. As if she craved it.

And then her breath hitched, and she stuttered, “N-Jackson ?”

“It seems you’ve found something that belongs to me, dog.” Jackson ’s voice was calm and unaffected, but I sensed the rage boiling under the surface of the leech’s skin.

I rolled my hips one more time, smirking when Asher moaned softly as my cock ground into her, right where she needed me. “Doesn’t look like she’s yours.”

“Devon,” she gritted out. “Get off me.”

“You weren’t saying that just a minute ago.”

Her small hands pressed against my chest, nails digging into my skin through the fabric of my shirt. “I am now.”

A low growl of warning escaped the vampire’s chest, but I stayed focused on my mate. She belonged here, submitting to me. “Submit, Asher.”

“No.”

“Submit to your Alpha.” I stared into her eyes, searching for the connection I knew was there. Shock sent ice through my veins as I saw it. Her wolf. Just a shadow. A promise. “So, you aren’t broken after all.”

“Fuck you, Devon.”

“That’s the plan.”

She blinked and then smiled sweetly, her expression going sultry and hungry. I had her right where I wanted her. She’d see. Denying what was between us wouldn’t make her happy in the end. She wanted me. Maybe even as much as I wanted her.

Blinding pain shot through me, starting with my already aching balls, as her knee connected with my unprotected crotch. Nausea rolled through me as the pain radiated outward. She shoved me off her, and all I could do was curl up in the fetal position, coughing and fighting the urge to throw up.

“Well played, Flower. It seems you didn’t need a rescue after all.”

That fucker Jackson ’s voice grated on my every nerve. When I wasn’t focused on simply trying to breathe normally again, he’d pay for interrupting us. She would be mine. She wanted this. I could smell her desire even as she walked into his arms.

Asher glanced back at me and smirked. “Now be a good boy and stay.”