Four

Four

Trisha POV

I bolted from the classroom, my lungs burning. I had to get out, had to breathe. The room had felt suffocating, the air thick and hot, and my own body was a traitor, a stranger to me. I was mortifyingly, achingly aware of the slick heat soaking my underwear, a slick, shameful wetness that coated my inner thighs. But why? What the hell was turning me on? All I could feel was Gavin’s stare, a physical weight on the back of my neck, burning into my skin. He was just another admirer, another predator I’d have to fend off.

My heart was a frantic, painful drum against my ribs. I tried to shake the image of him from my mind—that black vest stretching across broad shoulders, the crisp red shirt, the shaggy hair falling into his eyes. He was handsome. Infuriatingly so. I shook my head. It didn’t matter. I’d sworn off dating. Not until after college.

Men were immature, their drama a minefield I had no intention of crossing again. I’d already endured enough emotional trauma to last a lifetime. Unwanted touch was my biggest trigger. I didn’t mind hugs from Erik and Daisy; they were family. But a stranger invading my space, my *sexual* space… it was a line that, once crossed, unleashed a part of me I hated. I could still taste the vile, chemical tang of Preston’s mouth, a memory that made me want to gag and scrub my tongue raw. But I couldn’t. I had to get to next class.

“There’s my girl!” I jumped, my entire body tensing for a fight, only to melt when I realized it was Erik’s voice and Daisy’s arms wrapping around me from behind. I turned and hugged her back, then pulled Erik into a warm embrace.

“So, what did you get this time? Detention? ISS?” Daisy pressed with a laugh.

It was only then I realized… there was nothing. No punishment. No summons to the office. Not even a stern look from a teacher. For the first time since I’d started fighting back, there was… nothing. Had I gotten away with it? Or were they in some office right now, deciding on my expulsion?

“Well?” Daisy prompted as we walked toward our lockers. “Yeah, Trish, spill. Maybe we can sneak you out if it’s just detention,” Erik added, nudging my shoulder.

I forced a laugh. “None. At least, not yet.” I swapped my books for my gym clothes. “Although, first period had me a little distracted…”

Erik’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh? Distracted how? Wait, that’s Physical Anatomy, right? Were you studying the male reproductive system?” he teased with a wink.

“What!? No! Just this new student. He likes to drag his feet or something and he static-shocked me. In front of the whole class…”

My friends went silent. Perturbed, I shut my locker. Erik was staring at someone behind me with an expression I couldn’t read, while Daisy was frozen, her head bowed, her face a mask of shock. Great. A Faction Leader. I took a deep breath and steeled myself, ready for a fight. I turned. And recoiled. It was Gavin. I hadn’t been expecting *him*. Anger, sharp and hot, flared in my chest. Of course. Wasn’t embarrassing me in class enough?

“Are you following me?” I accused.

He held up his hands, the picture of innocence. “No, no. My locker is just next to yours, and you’re currently blocking it. May I…?”

Shame washed over me, my cheeks flaming. “Oh. Uh, sorry, I…”

He chuckled, and the sound was a velvet caress that sent another wave of those tingles straight to my core. What was *wrong* with me? This wasn’t sickness. “No worries, beautiful. I’m sure I just caught you off guard. You’re still tense from this morning. I saw what happened with Preston. You deserve more respect than that.”

Daisy made a small, choking sound, and Erik’s expression darkened. My own eyes widened. I didn’t know what to say. I shut my locker and stepped back. The same suffocating heat from the classroom washed over me, a pressure building low in my abdomen as pure, undeniable desire flooded me. I felt a fresh gush of wetness, a warm trickle of slick moisture escaping my folds and making my panties stick to me uncomfortably.

Gavin began to open the only other free locker. His locker was right next to mine, with Erik’s on the other side. I swallowed, my hand shooting out to grab Erik’s. I didn’t think; I just ran, dragging him with me, scurrying away toward the gym.

As I fled, I was sure I heard a low, guttural growl, like an angry animal. I risked a glance back. Daisy was on her knees, her head bowed, exposing her neck in that strange, vulnerable gesture. Gavin stood over her, a pair of gym shorts in his hand, before slamming his locker shut with a sound that echoed down the hall. He wasn’t hurting her, but… what was that? Concern warred with my confusion. I hurried on without another look.

“Is that the new student you were talking about?” Erik asked, winded, as we reached the locker room entrance.

“Yeah, and I just made a complete fool of myself…” I mumbled.

“Hey,” Erik said softly, tilting my chin up to look at him. His eyes glinted with affectionate mischief. “It was an honest mistake. Don’t think too hard, K? If you do, I’ll have to show Daisy your secret tickle spot.” I laughed, the tension breaking. “That’s my girl. See you in gym!” He disappeared into the boys’ locker room.

Inside the girls’ locker room, the atmosphere was different. Instead of the usual gossip and taunts about me, they were all giggling and gushing over some new transfer with a “royal background.” I couldn’t help but listen.

“Did you see him when he walked in? The whole hallway went quiet. He’s… wow.”

“Right? That confidence? Ugh, lethal.”

“I heard he’s in our P.E. class. Imagine getting partnered with him. I’d probably forget how to breathe.”

My thoughts drifted back to Gavin. Could they be talking about him? The way they described him… it fit. But no, I was being paranoid. I changed quickly, tuning out the rest of their chatter, and headed out into the gym.

The moment I stepped through the doors, the same suffocating heat engulfed me, followed by another mortifying gush between my legs. What was going on? I blinked, trying to clear my head. Then, the most amazing fragrance wafted into my lungs. Pumpkin spice, cinnamon, damp sandalwood, and a hint of vanilla and honey. It was intoxicating. My heart started racing, and I couldn’t stop inhaling it, as if I could drink it in. I felt dazed, my body moving on its own, drawn toward the scent.

The next thing I knew, I was slamming into a tall, solid wall of muscle. The scent was overwhelming now, and strong arms steadied me, sending pleasurable sparks skittering across my skin wherever he touched me. A flash, sharp and unwelcome, cut through my daze: his hands on my waist, lifting me, my legs wrapping around his hips as his mouth claimed mine. I gasped, stumbling back, the phantom image of being pressed against him so intimately making my face burn.

“You okay there, Trisha?” I blinked, shaking the daze away, and looked up. It took a second for my vision to focus. When it did, I gasped. Those piercing green eyes. They weren’t contacts. It was Gavin. Up close, they were breathtaking. His eyelashes were long and dark, and… *Ugh!* No. Don’t think that. Something was definitely wrong with me. Was this what a crush felt like? No, no, no!

His breath was warm on my face, and I shivered, forcing myself to step back, out of his touch. “I’m f-fine. J-just distracted today. Sorry,” I managed, my jaw clenched. He smiled down at me, and I looked at the floor, my mouth dry, my mind a blank slate. My heart was already betraying me, and P.E. hadn’t even started. Before he could say more, Erik was at my side, and the coach blew his whistle, calling us all to attention.

Gavin POV

She was so close I could feel the warmth of her breath on my lips. I reveled in the way she was responding to the mate bond, amplified by the aura I couldn’t seem to fully retract. When it washed over her, she had kept inhaling deeply, drawn by my scent like a moth to a flame, until she walked right into me. The pleasure sparks that rippled through me where I steadied her were exquisite.

‘Mate is ready! Ditch this class. Our mate needs us!’ Eon howled in my head.

*You know why we can’t do that yet,* I snarled back.

I watched her from the moment she entered the gym. Her gym shorts were a gift from the gods, exposing long, toned legs that were muscular yet undeniably feminine. All I could imagine was them wrapped around my waist as I finally claimed those sweet, parted lips. My cock, already half-hard from our encounter in the hall, swelled to full, aching attention, pressing insistently against the confines of my shorts. It was a constant, throbbing reminder of what I couldn’t yet have.

Even now, Eon lingered close to the surface, making it impossible to rein in my aura completely. It continuously washed over her, making her body respond, making her *desire* me. My own nostrils flared as I tried not to get drunk on the scent of her arousal.

‘Mate desires us… we should just take her!’

*No! Quit being a perverted fool, Eon!*

It took her a moment to shake off the daze. When she did, her beautiful eyes met mine. Up close, I realized they weren’t gray, but a dark, stormy silver, laced with threads of blue and green. The gasp that left her lips made my own darken with lust. I fought the primal urge to kiss her, to claim her right there on the gym floor. Then she shivered and stepped back, mumbling an apology. The loss of her touch was a sharp, sudden disappointment. I smiled down at her, subtly adjusting the waistband of my shorts. They were becoming uncomfortably tight, a testament to the effect this one small human had on a millennium of self-control.

The vampire, Erik, eyed me with open suspicion. I knew my behavior was strange. This wouldn’t stay a secret for long. How would I ease her into this? I couldn’t just claim her. I needed to accelerate things.

As the coach droned on, I mind-linked Jim. ‘Are there any known clans in this school with negative associations to the crown?’

‘None that we are aware of, Alpha Prince. Why?’

‘Just checking. Nevermind.’

‘This has to do with the Rogue Human, doesn’t it?’ he pressed.

I stiffened, glancing at Trisha, whose eyes were still cast down. *‘No,’* I lied, my tone gruff.

There was a pause. ‘I can tell you’re lying. I saw what happened in class. She’s your mate, isn’t she?’

Damn it! Was I that obvious? A murderer was targeting nobility, and I was at the top of that list. The moment they caught a whiff of who she was to me, she’d become a target. I couldn’t risk her life.

‘Yes. She’s my mate. But do not tell the brigade. Orders remain unchanged for now. I need you to screen every supernatural and their families in this school. She will become a target. Oh, and get me her address.’

I heard Jim’s triumphant laugh through the link. ‘Yes, Alpha.’

The connection closed. I sighed. Trisha and Erik had moved to the sidelines, choosing to sit out. I wanted to eavesdrop, but something told me to hold back. What was he to her, anyway? He seemed awfully close for a supernatural to be with the Rogue Human. I hated that name for her.

The coach blew his whistle. The class began running the mile. I held back, keeping myself in the top five, not wanting to draw attention. My eyes, however, were solely on her. I would not allow my mate to think I had eyes for anyone else. A slow, wicked smile spread across my face. I knew the coach wouldn’t dare discipline me.

As I ran, I grabbed the hem of my shirt, pulling it up and over my head in one smooth motion, tucking it into the waistband of my shorts. I heard Trisha’s sharp gasp, a sound sweeter than music, as other girls giggled and gawked.

‘If you’re going to strip tease her, you better be willing to go all the way and mate her swiftly!’ Eon taunted.

*Oh, shut it,* I shot back, ignoring him.

The scent of Trisha’s arousal hit me then, stronger than ever, a thick, intoxicating cloud that made my mouth water. I passed the finish line with the second-fastest time, my eyes locked on my blushing, flustered mate. This was going to be so much fun.