CHAPTER SIX: THE PROFESSOR'S WARNING

KAREAL

“What do you mean I can't bite her?" Kearen asks glaring at Holden with defiance. “She's our mate, isn't she?"

Holden completely ignores him. He's standing by one of the two bookshelves in his home office, searching for something, probably one of the books he spends his days reading.

Kaeren is not pleased by Holden's attitude. I can't tell from the way he curls his lip and paces about the room.

" You felt it too, didn't you professor?” Kirrian asks, nonchalantly biting into an apple. " If she's not our mate then who could she be? And if she is then why can't we bite her?”

“She might necessarily not be your mate,” Holden replies, returning to his seat with a book in his hand. He sets the book aside and awards us his full attention. " How old are you three?”

" Twenty four,” Kirrian replies.

“And how long have you had your wolves?"

“Since we were ten?"

“Good!" Holden says, leaning into his seat. “Your wolf has been starved of its mate for fourteen years. The magic Lysara used yesterday is strong and ancient, unlike everything I have ever seen. Your wolves may necessarily just be reacting to it."

There's more to him not wanting us to bite her, I can tell. My wolf didn't reach out to her just because it's been starved of a mate.

Ever since the short girl with dark hair and pink strands stepped foot through the gates of Arcadia Academy, my brothers and I have felt a dangerous pull towards her. The urge to always be around her and hover in her orbit.

However I didn't act on it like my brother's did. I did not be a dick and make her life miserable like Kae, nor did I endlessly tease her like Kir. I do what I always do.

Keep my fucking distance!

" Do not argue with me on this, Kaeren!” Holden warns, shooting my brother a glance. " Keep your fangs to yourselves and stay away from the girl.! That goes to all of you.”

" Noted!” I say. " You don't have to worry about anything. I'll make sure Kaeren doesn't bite her.”

" Like hell you will!” He snaps and Kirrian chuckles.

" There's one more thing I want you three to do for me," Holden continues. “Lysara isn't just an ordinary student. She's got power that can bring the world to it's knees if not handled properly. That makes her a target of many."

“Don't tell me we'll be babysitting the Pyromaniac," Kaeren says, eyes silently pleading. His hopes are shattered when Holden nods slowly. " For fuck’s sake! How do you expect us to be around her almost all of the time and still not bite her, do you?”

Holden shoots him a warning glare. " That is exactly what I expect you to do, Kaeren.”

Kaeren is about to argue, but Holden’s glare has him thinking twice and shutting his mouth. He throws his hands in the air and falls on the couch in resignation.

" Now that that's out of the way, we have important matters to discuss.” Holden pulls out a paper and hands it to me. "I spoke to your father. He informed me that he has spoken to the investigator and there's a new lead.

“What is that?" I'm asking , leaning back and giving him all my attention.

“Murray."

Kirrian bursts into laughter, his entire body shaking and tears springing to the corner of his eyes. “Of all people on earth, it can't be Murray."

Kaeren rolls his eyes. “Just because you used to fuck him doesn't mean he's a saint. I never liked the kid."

“But that's the issue,” Holden says. " Murray is not a boy. He's not even a human to begin with. I am not sure if he's actually what I suspect, that's why I want him brought here so I could run him through my lap.”

Kaeren scoffs and throws our brother a nasty look. " Way to go for bringing trouble to our doorstep.”

" Enough!” Holden ordered, stopping Kirrian from replying. " We don't have time to play the blame game. I need you all to be alert. Won't put it past him to come here to the Academy.”

" Understood!” We reply at once and gestures towards the door. Our sign to get the hell out of the room.

~~~

She's beautiful.

I observe Lysa from where I'm seated in the library. She's seated several seats from me with her green eyed friend who talks too much.

She's got a book before her but isn't reading it. She smiles at something her friend says and I find myself lost in just watching her.

I recall the first day she stepped out of the car with Jessica. Compared to Jessica, she was underdressed. But she caught my eye instantly. I felt the pull instantly and almost sank my fangs into her neck.

She's beautiful. Not in the attention seeking kind of beauty, but in the quiet, subtle way that draws you to her and keeps you glued.

I always knew she was my mate, but I confirmed it yesterday when I felt the mate bond call to me like a siren.

“So, you're saying the professor strictly warned y'all not to bite her?" Jethro asks for the fifth time in the last two. “How does he expect you to do that when you are mates?"

I don't answer. Whatever Holden's reason for not wanting us to bite her might be, I have no desire whatsoever to question him on it. As the oldest living member of our bloodline, he knows what he is doing.

“I called you here because I need a favor," I tell Jethro, and his mind diverts from my mate to me. “You're the best at sniffing out people. I'm going to hand you something of Murray and I want you to sniff him down for me."

“Your father won't be happy. You know how he gets about people meddling in his work."

I nod. That is why you won't be telling a soul. I need you to sniff out Murray and bring him here to Holden. If not, by the time Murray's caught, all the pack’s sniffer wolves will be dead.”