CHAPTER THREE

Lydia dragged her hand away from his.

“Why do you care about her?” she spat and adjusted her jacket. “You must be new here. What’s your name?” she asked.  

Timothee stared but didn’t respond. No one ever dared ignore Lydia. All the boys would die to speak to her.

“Are you deaf?” she asked. 

Still, he didn’t respond. 

She exhaled in frustration. “Well, whoever you are, don’t butt into my personal business,” she spat. “Let’s go, Nicholas.” She marched past him. 

Nathaniel tried to follow, but Timothee grabbed his arm. Before I knew what was happening, Nicholas’s back was slamming hard against a locker.

I gaped in shock, and so did everybody else. No one dared hurt him when they knew who his father was. 

“Is that your girlfriend?” Timothee asked, pointing at Lydia.

Nathaniel’s eyes were now filled with rage. 

“I guess so. Well, tell her to stay away from my… from the little wolf, or else I’ll break her limbs. Do you understand?”

My stomach skipped a bit—the same way it used to when Nathaniel looked at me. Was I getting butterflies because of Timothee?

Nobody had ever protected me like that before.

Timothee turned away from Nathaniel. Without casting a single glance at me, he walked past and headed for class. 

Everybody turned to look at me in shock. 

Lydia walked to Nicholas. “Why didn’t you fight back?” 

Nathaniel stood from the floor and adjusted his jacket. He didn’t say a word. 

Throughout that day, the whole school talked about how Nathaniel was bested by the new boy. 

Timothee didn’t take a single glance in my direction. 

After school, the hockey team had tryouts. As always, the students walked towards the ice hockey rink. As I walked into the cold arena, I was shocked to see Timothee in a hockey uniform and helmet. He was trying out?

I walked up to him. 

“You’re trying out for hockey?” 

He looked at me with those cold eyes. “No, I’m dressed like this to go to a farm,” his voice was laced with sarcasm. 

I clenched the edge of my skirt tightly. “Sorry.”

His eyes scanned me. “Are you okay?”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Are you dumb?” he asked. 

“I’m sorry. Yes.”

“Yes, you are dumb?” he repeated.

“No, I mean yes, I’m okay.”

He walked closer. “Do you get bullied all the time, Mercy?” 

Why did him saying my name make me feel that way in my stomach?

“Why don’t you fight back?” he asked, his fingers clenched tightly against his hockey stick.

“They are powerful. I don’t even have a wolf yet.” 

He nodded and walked past me without another word. I turned to face him. How could he walk off just like that?

I sat on one of the benches and watched as the game started. 

Timothee was so good. I didn’t know demons could play hockey. Soon the game ended. The coach called the team together on the ice and began to speak to them. The students began to leave and I followed.  

I got back to my dorm and changed into a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants. I slid into my bed and picked up a romance novel. In the comfort of my bed, I felt a sudden sharp pain in my chest.  

But it stopped suddenly. 

I continued to read, but the pain came again. I quickly put my book down. A loud growl escaped my lips as I screamed in agonizing pain, eyes wide in terror. 

It stopped and I panted loudly. 

What could be going on?

“Argh!” I shouted as the pain continued again. I stepped out of bed and dropped to the ground. 

“Mercy,” my name echoed in my head. 

It was Timothee’s voice.

But he wasn’t here. How could I hear him?

“Mercy!” His voice grew louder, and suddenly it faded again, and so did the pain. I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew was I had to find Timothee. Maybe he would know what was going on. 

I rushed out of my dorm room and out of the school. I didn’t know how I knew where he was, but I could feel his presence. Maybe it was one of the effects of the mating bond. 

I rushed into the school and the place was now empty. I rushed towards the hockey arena. It was also empty. I panted. Why could I feel him so strongly here? 

I turned to leave, but a loud groan forced me to turn back. I stepped onto the ice and saw him curled up against the fence, his eyes glowing red.  

I quickly rushed to him. It was a surprise I didn’t slip and fall. “Timothee,” I placed my knee on the ice and my hands on his chest. “Are you okay?”

He grabbed my hand. “My heart… it hurts…” he choked out. 

I thought my presence was supposed to make it get better. “Is our bond not working?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled me against him and hugged me. My chest pressed against his. I felt a warmth flow through me, a sudden calmness. I parted my lips. Was this what a mating bond felt like for everyone?

I felt like I could lie on him forever. 

“Thank you… for coming,” he finally spoke.

I pulled away from him and he sat on the ice.

“Why is it getting worse when I’m here?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know.”

I felt a sudden wave of pity. He was that sick?

“I felt it… the pain in my heart. It was horrible,” I said and sat before him.  

He panted, sweat dripping down the sides of his face. His eyes read me closely as if he was studying a book. I watched his throat move as he swallowed. “Don’t pity me. I don’t like it,” his voice was firm.

I couldn’t help it. I reached for his hand and touched it with a look of sympathy in my eyes.

Immediately our hands touched, I felt a sharp pain all over my body, as if a thousand needles were running through me. His eyes glowed red. I quickly pushed myself back. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he quickly explained. “I just got excited.” 

“Excited? About what?” I asked.

He froze, unable to speak.