Chapter 14 Fourteen
DANIKA
Kaziel's beautiful eyes are clouded by a variation of emotions. But the most prominent one is anger. Mostly driven by fear. Unless he has a past he's hiding, there's no reason he should react this way. Still, I reach for his hand, entwining my fingers with his.
"Take a deep breath, Kaziel," I urge softly. Instantly, the crease between his brows fades.
He sighs, lowering his gaze. "Sorry," he mumbles, and I grin. He's like an overgrown puppy sometimes.
"It's okay," I tell him. "I happened to come across the photo by chance. You had much shorter hair, and you were wearing a lab coat. Were you...really a doctor?"
His entire body tenses.
"I was. But not for long." He refuses to look me in the eye. I have a feeling something terrible happened. Whatever it is, it still hurts him to this day.
"How old are you, Kaziel?" I ask, and he arches a brow.
"Why? Are you worried that I'm too old for you? Old is gold, you know?" He teases me, and I grin.
"I'm just curious. I'm not worried," I say, and he leans in, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"What's your best guess?" he asks.
I am not sure. He looks incredibly fit. Young, too. Plus, he's the most beautiful man I've ever seen. But if he went to med school...and became an actual doctor...he has to be at least 32.
"32?" I ask, and he nuzzles against my neck. I close my eyes, inhaling his dark chocolate scent.
"I'll save you the stress. I'll be 30 by next year," he tells me, and my eyes go wide. "What do you think? Too old for you?"
I turn to face him, kissing him on the lips. "Never," I grin. He presses a kiss to my cheek.
"You don't have to worry about Eve. I'll handle her. I can't wait to introduce you to my pack members," he says, and warmth swells in my chest.
...
The morning light feels too bright for how heavy my head is. That’s what I get for choosing orgasms over my sleep. Not that I regret it, though. Thinking about the way his elegant fingers had pleasured me makes my cheeks heat up.
Now I'm halfway through my second cup of coffee, pretending I'm fine, pretending I'm not already missing Kaziel's presence.
He had left a little past four a.m. And now, as I make my way across campus, my phone buzzes.
TYLER: Can we meet?
I stop mid-step. My heart gives this traitorous little lurch, one it shouldn't still be capable of after everything. I stare at the text until it blurs, then I lock my phone and keep walking.
Two minutes later, it buzzes again.
TYLER: Please.
That one hits harder. I exhale heavily, shoving the phone deep into my bag.
"Nope," I mutter under my breath. He doesn't get to show up again just because he's suddenly curious about me. Especially not when he's my stepbrother now. The universe really does have a sick sense of humor.
By the time I slide into my seat, I'm late. The girl next to me flashes me a bright smile. She reminds me of Eve, making me instantly wary of her.
"Rough morning?" she whispers.
"Something like that," I mumble, forcing out a smile.
"I'm Cora," she offers, tucking a strand of white-blonde hair behind her ear. It's not dyed...at least, I don't think it is. Her eyes are a striking grey. Really pretty.
"Danika," I reply, shaking her hand. Her skin is very cool.
The thought creeps in before I can stop it. What if she's not human either?
The classroom suddenly feels too small, too loud, and too bright. My pulse quickens.
Ever since Kaziel came into my life, the lines between reality and impossible have blurred so much that I can't tell what's real anymore.
It's like the supernatural cracked something open in my brain, and now, even when I'm surrounded by humans, I can't stop seeing monsters.
Halfway through class, the door opens, and a tall guy steps in. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He’s probably late because of traffic or life or both. He's handsome in that effortless way, the kind that makes everyone pause for a second.
He scans the room, spots the empty seat beside me, and smiles as he walks over.
"Hey, sorry," he whispers, sliding into the chair. "Got an extra pen?"
"Yeah," I say, rummaging through my bag. When our fingers brush as I hand it to him, my stomach knots.
Just that tiny touch sends a weird heat through my arm. It’s not attraction. It’s not even awareness.
More like my body overreacting to being touched at all.
I freeze for a second too long before pretending to focus on my notebook.
"Thanks," he says, grinning at me. “Name’s Nathan.”
I nod, trying my best to ignore him.
A few minutes later, he leans closer again, pointing at my note. "Mind if I copy that? I missed the start."
"Sure." I literally croak the words out.
Our fingers graze again when I slide the notebook over. Another rush of unpleasant heat. I pull my hand back fast, curling it into a fist under the table. My chest feels too tight.
The rest of the class drags on in slow motion. The professor's voice fades in and out, and all I can think about is how my body won't calm down. It's not about him. It’s me.
Ever since Kaziel, my skin has felt like it belongs to someone else. Every sound, every touch, every heartbeat feels too much. It's like the world turned its volume all the way up, and I can't turn it back down.
Nathan is actually nice. Normal, too. He smells like soap. But I can't even look at him without this ache in my chest.
Because what I really want is to crawl back into Kaziel's arms.
To breathe him in until the noise fades. To feel his heartbeat against my ear until the world stops spinning.
It's pathetic. I know that. But the more time I spend away from him, the more I feel like I'm not in my own body anymore.
When class finally ends, I pack up fast, mumbling a quick goodbye when Nathan thanks me again. My legs carry me out of the room before my brain can catch up.
Outside, the air feels too cold against my skin. I take a shaky breath, pressing a hand to my chest.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" I whisper.
Just then, my phone vibrates. I unlock it to see a message from Kaziel.
KAZIEL: Busy?
My heart skips a beat.
ME: No. You?
The typing bubbles pop up, and I bite my lower lip, hoping he wants to see me just as much as I do.
KAZIEL: I’m waiting for you in the parking lot.
My heart flips in my chest, a big grin exploding on my face.
This is absolutely not normal. God help me.
Biting my lower lip, I quickly send him a reply.
ME: On my way.
I barely make it two steps out of the building before someone grabs my arm.
A sharp sting explodes across my cheek in an instant.
For a second, I just stand there, stunned, because I can't process the fact that someone just slapped me in broad daylight.
"What the—"
"Stay away from my boyfriend, you disgusting bitch!" a girl screams at me, shoving me hard. My bag slips off my shoulder, pens scattering across the pavement.
My palm scrapes against the asphalt, the cut from yesterday reopening. Warm blood stains my skin.
"Jazmine, stop!" another voice yells.
I look up, and my stomach twists. It's Cora. Or at least... it looks like Cora.
Except Cora’s standing a few feet away, wide-eyed, while the girl who hit me—Jazmine, apparently—looks almost identical to her. Same face, same hair, same everything, except Jazmine's expression is twisted with fury.
"You think you can just flirt with my boyfriend because you're playing some helpless little victim act?" Jazmine snaps.
"I…what?" My voice shakes. "I don't even know your boyfriend."
She jabs a finger towards the guy from class. The one with the blue eyes. He's hovering awkwardly behind her, looking mortified.
"Are you serious?" I blink, trying to catch up. "I literally lent him a pen. I have a boyfriend."
Jazmine lets out a loud, mocking laugh. "Oh please. Who would want someone like you?"
Her words hit me harder than the slap. I flinch before I can stop myself. My face burns, not just from the sting, but from the stares starting to form around us.
I open my mouth to speak, but another voice slices through the chaos.
It’s deep and familiar.
"Me."
Time stops.
I turn, my eyes widening.
Tyler stands a few feet away with his hands in his pockets, his jaw clenched tight.
"I'm her boyfriend," he deadpans.
The crowd goes quiet. Jazmine's mouth drops open. My heart lurches into my throat.
And for a second, I forget how to breathe.