Chapter 40 Forty
DANIKA
"This isn't supposed to glow unless the vessel is close by," Kaziel says, and I squint at him.
"You're telling me that's an ‘Eve’ detector right there on your wrist?" I ask, bewildered.
"Technically, yeah."
I turn towards the door. "You think she's hiding somewhere in your house?"
The thought of it sends chills down my spine. Kaziel's eyes grow dark with menace.
"That's impossible. If she was, I would smell her right away," he says, and I gulp.
"And right now, you can't smell her?"
He nods slowly. "What's even more unsettling is that we're the only ones in this house right now."
I gape at him, bewildered.
"Is there a chance that bracelet was messed with? What if it's malfunctioning now because it is toyed with? What if..." my voice trails off as a crazy theory fills my head.
Kaziel lowers his wrist, leaning forward with a serious expression on his face.
"Say it," he urges.
My throat goes tight, my gaze darting to the glowing tiny pearls around his wrist.
"What if Eve isn't the vessel? Maybe she did something to that bracelet that caused it to malfunction in her favor?" I ask.
He blinks slowly. His throat works silently, a muscle ticking in his jaw as if the idea itself unsettles him.
Then his gaze drops back to his wrist.
"That...makes a lot of sense," he breathes, taking off the bracelet. He opens his drawer and places it there. Then he looks up at me.
"What are you going to do if she really isn't the vessel? You said she's supposed to help break the pack's curse," I point out, worried.
"Then, I'll just have to find the real vessel," he breathes. He looks calm, but I have a feeling he's anything but.
If my theory is right, then Eve must have planned everything meticulously. Just how far is she willing to go to ruin Kaziel?
I watch my mate as he stares at his desk. He seems to be lost in thought, a slight crease forming between his brows.
To distract him, I move over to sit on his lap, curling against his body. His arm circles my waist, and he brushes a kiss atop my head.
"Has it always been like this?" I ask.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean...you seem to have a lot of enemies. And contrary to what I first believed, you don't actually go looking for trouble. It somehow manages to find you," I explain.
"Well...what can I say? I'm a sucker for trouble," he tells me. The words are somewhat casual, but I can hear the sadness buried under them.
"Is it because you're a tribrid and everyone assumes you're a threat?"
He entwines his fingers with mine. "People are always afraid of what they don't understand."
My chest tightens. The pain that bleeds through his voice is enough to bring tears to my eyes. When I turn to face him, he tries to smile, and that breaks my heart even more.
So, I hug him, holding him close and stroking his hair.
"Don't forget that you still have a pack that is loyal to you. And most especially, you have me, your Luna. You also deserve to be loved, Alpha," I whisper.
His body trembles against mine as he holds me, almost like there's a torrent of emotions offsetting his insides.
When I pull away to look into his eyes, they are bloodshot and glassy. He's trying so hard not to fall apart.
"You won't leave me, will you?" He croaks, and I shake my head, resting my head against the curve of his neck.
"Never."
....
Kaziel drives me to my next lecture the following morning. We ended up spending most of the time cuddling until I fell asleep last night. It is ridiculous how his presence even made the painful cramps go away.
“I won’t be home until late at night. There’s a meeting I must attend. Stay safe, okay?” Kaziel tells me, handing me the brand new phone he’d gotten me. I unbuckle my seatbelt, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.
“Thank you.”
“If you need anything feel free to call Kira or Aaron.”
“Have a good day, hotshot. Try not to miss me too much,” I say, and he grins.
“That’s going to be difficult, but I’ll try.”
His blue eyes are so hypnotizing, in a matter of seconds I’m drowning in them and losing touch with reality.
My lips stretch into a wide smile, and I push the door open, hurrying out of the car. If I don’t leave as soon as I can, I’ll be tempted to stay.
As I head into the lecture room, the skin on the back of my neck prickles. Someone is watching me. And that person isn’t Kaziel.
I quicken my pace, practically hurrying over to sit beside the twins. Jaz gives me a gentle smile, and Cora nudges me.
“You’re glowing, Dani! Mind sharing your skin routine?” She chirps, and I roll my eyes playfully.
“You’re exaggerating,” I say, and she groans.
“I swear I’m not! Tell her, Jaz. Isn’t she glowing?”
Jaz chuckles. “Her man gives her that glow. I mean, princess treatment is a thing. What are you doing with your life, Cora? You should find yourself a good man or a good lady, either works. I’m sure you’re sex deprived too.”
Cora scoffs. “Always trying to take a jab at me. Not cool, Jaz.”
The hair on my neck stands stiff, and I turn around to see some students staring at me.
Okay, that is concerning.
I focus in front of me, and several heads instantly turn in my direction, startling me.
Wait, is there something on my face?
“Now that is weird,” Cora murmurs as more heads turn towards me.
Suddenly, a brunette in the front row rises to her feet and sashays towards me. Murmurs fill the air, my stomach churning with tension.
“Is Sasha heading this way?” Jaz whispers. I glance at her, tightening my grip on my bag.
“Who’s Sasha?”
“You don’t know her? She’s like the queen bee in here, except…she’s meaner,” Jaz replies.
Sasha finally halts in front of our desk and slams a hand on it. I adjust my glasses, nervous. Sasha is gorgeous. She has the kind of beauty that makes me nervous.
“So, tell me, nerd. Is it true?” She asks, popping her bubblegum.
I stare at her, blinking.
“What are you talking about?”
She stares at me for a second. Then she laughs, chewing loudly. Gross.
“You really have no idea, do you?” She smiles.
My stomach tightens.
“They say you’ve been sleeping with Professor Kaziel.”
The instant she drops the bomb, heat rushes up my face. And every intimate session I’ve had with my mate replays itself in my head.
“Really, Sasha, are you really that bored?” Cora spits, her voice dripping with fury.
“Yes, I am that bored. Honestly, I find this ridiculous because it’s clearly far-fetched. I mean… Take a good look at you… There’s absolutely no way someone like you can seduce him,” Sasha drawls.
I shoot to my feet before I can stop myself. I’m sick of it. So sick of entitled brats like her thinking they can belittle me.
“Why? Are you jealous? Who says I can’t seduce him?” I snap, my blood boiling in my veins.
Gasps echo in the room, and my heart starts to race. This isn’t good. I can’t blow Kaziel’s cover just because I want to stand up for—
“So, it’s true. You’ve been whoring yourself to Professor Kaziel,” Sasha drawls.
I clench my fists, blood rushing to my cheeks as every head turns towards me.
Cora shoots to her fate, anger painted across her features.
“Leave her alone, Sasha! Grow up for goodness sake!” Cora growls.
“Why are you trying to defend her? Let’s hear what she has to say. Right, guys?”
I want to scream at the top of my lungs so bad. I want to scream that Kaziel is mine only and they can all go and fuck themselves.
But then, someone walks into the room.
“Good morning, class. We’ll be having an impromptu test.”
The attention instantly shifts, and I sink into my chair, relieved.
Once the class is over, I don’t bother waiting. I hurry out with my bag after quickly saying goodbye to Jaz and Cora. If I stay too long, Sasha will most likely return to finish what she’d started. I’d like to avoid that by all means.
Just as I leave the department, I run into a group of boys in bright flannel shirts and ripped jeans. At a first glance, they look harmless. But then, their eyes start to glow a bright red.
My heart plummets, and I shuffle backwards only for another group to join them.
“Don’t bother running, princess. You won’t get far,” one of them drawls.
But I refuse to listen.
So I take off running, fear sinking deep into my bones. They cackle, mocking me as I run with all my might. Tears are building in my eyes, and suddenly, I regret leaving Kaziel’s side. It’s my last thought before something crashes against the back of my head, causing me to fall to the ground, my vision going black.