Violets and Ash
Chapter 10

A feminine gasp to my left threatened to pull my attention away from him...away from my mate.Just hearing the words in my head, seeing them unravel in the way he smiled—it was all so surreal,so idyllic.

I should've listened to the girl, maybe then I would've been better prepared. The fact that I tunedinto their hushed conversations seconds too late would forever weigh on my mind.

“Hael's back early?”

“Something must've happened between him and Mykelle...”

“Can you believe it?"

“Does that mean he’s finally single?”

Voices both male and female overlapped one another, growing steadily with excitement while myown seemed to falter and plummet.

Cold realization took its place.

I'd already caught his scent in the lunchroom, when his friend heckled me for eating a cupcake. Itreminded me of salty waves, of the earth after a long, harsh rain.

Before I could question why our bond hadn't snapped into place back in the lunchroom, the guy Ihad eyes on moved to the side to let my worst nightmare through.

No, this can't be happening. Not him, not here of all places.

His eyes were two shards of blackened coal, even darker than the unruly mop of tousled black hairthat hung over his forehead. Every single person in the hall grew quiet, talking in hushed tones thatwere all too easy to pick apart. Tall, dark, and most certainly not handsome didn't seem to noticethem. No, he was scanning the crowd, running his eyes over the tops of their heads as he searchedfor something...for someone.

Even as I clung to my disbelief, to the lie that sang itself into oblivion in my head, widening my eyesuntil the attraction that curled my toes faded into nothingness—I knew it was me he was searchingfor.

As the bottomless pits that sufficed as his eyes fell on my face, I was battered with the scent of sageand pine, laced with something spicy and purely male. There was no cologne clinging to theexpensive fibers of his midnight Henley and torn jeans.

The mouthwatering scent belonged to him, and him alone.

Hael.

Upon whispering his name in the deepest depths of my thoughts, his head tilted, and eyesnarrowed. The sandy haired guy beside him, whose face was morphed into a supercilious smile, wasoblivious to the exchange between his friend and me.

What felt like hours lasted only seconds, and as his attention slid down the curve of my cheek to thevisible scar slashed across my neck, a look of absolute murder caressed his face.

Just like that the spell was broken, shattered as I felt the rage he directed towards me.

I couldn't tell if it were the bond between us trembling or my legs, nor could I tell if the sheen on hisleather jacket were from the fluorescent lights or the tears stinging the backs of my eyes.

Only when he turned away to murmur something to his sprightly friend was I able to free myself.Everything I learned about the University vanished as I turned on my heel and stumbled over theclunky platform of the ridiculous Mary Jane's Sylvia forced onto my feet, hearing the vindictivelaughter of students trickle from behind.

Five heartbeats later I found myself sitting—or rather hiding, inside of a stall within one of the manywomen's bathrooms. The breathing exercises Dr. Maslin taught me, which felt ridiculous at the time,were the only thing keeping me under control.

Sylvia's driver was most likely outside waiting for me, but there was no chance in hell I'd leave thisstall anytime soon. These four walls were the only thing protecting me from the asshole I now hadas a mate.

As if things here weren't stressful enough...

Why did it have to be the asshole and not the boy I locked eyes within the dining hall?

I was thankful for the surplus of space within each stall and the illusion of privacy the doors gave.There was no gap between the bottom and the floor, yet I could hear the she-wolves that enteredwith painstaking clarity.

"...can't believe Luna Sylvia had that beast for a son.” One tittered, her voice nasal and preening. Thesound of rummaging could be heard, along with the “pop’ of a cap as it was pried off a tube oflipstick. “It's just a shame he’s never here. Bet you he'll still graduate with honors though.”

When the second girl replied I noticed a twinge of nervousness in her voice. “I'm sure he's crazybusy with Alpha's new marriage and learning how to take over the pack.”

"Oh, please. We all know this vacation the untouchables are on is just a ruse. They're out onbusiness, and none of us are important enough to know what that business is.” A third sniffedindignantly, clearly unhappy with being in the dark.

“They call him the scarred prince for a reason...who knows what he’s out there doing.” The secondgirl whispered, and I swore I heard the sound of her teeth clattering together. “Goddess...I hope hegets back tomorrow.”

I chose that moment to open the stall door, wincing when the toilet flushed loudly behind me.

All three she-wolves, each one painfully beautiful—a masterpiece in plaid skirts and luxury makeup,watched in silence.

I washed my hands, which was more for show than anything else, when the one with the nasal voiceleaned forward and demolished any semblance of personal space.

The bleached strands of her hair grazed my shoulder, pale in comparison to her dark eyebrows."Doesn't matter what they call him...” She sneered; her cinnamon-colored eyes narrowed on myface. “...he's an untouchable and he knows it.”

The three of them left shortly after, swishing their hips in tandem while the hidden meaning in theblonde’s words swam in my head. I listened to the delicate tap of their heels, like a chisel andhammer against stone, gripping the porcelain sink with both hands.

I opened my eyes once the sound of their chatter faded and stared at the pale-faced girl until shebegan to look familiar again.

“I can't do this, Lacey.’ Even in my head, my voice was quiet.

Her refusal was instant, along with the red-hot flash of anger that lit my brain like a bundle offireworks. “You're really going to let that arrogant asshole chase us out of this pack?” When Iremained silent, staring into the pale eyes that plagued many of my nightmares as a child, she hadno choice but to continue. "...and where will we go, Violet? What will we do? Who will we be?"

They were all good questions, ones I didn't have an answer for.

I slipped from the bathroom, instantly registering the eerie silence that had taken over the corridor.Even with sunlight streaming through the lancet windows, painting the gothic architecture in shadesof muted gold, there was an unsettling chill that hung in the air.

My feet made no sound as I padded down the length of the hall, stifling my breathing so that eventhe faintest of exhales was untraceable. I'd done this a thousand times, and not once had I beencaught—not until now, anyway.

He slammed into me with enough force to make me open my mouth, a cry of outrage on the tip ofmy tongue. Before the venomous words could split and burn his skin like acid, a large hand wasclamped over my mouth.

“Who the hell does this asshole think he is?’ Lacey snarled; hackles raised even though neither of uscould follow through on the threat.

Instinctively I shoved against his hold, snarling beneath his hand as I glared into those uncaringsoulless eyes. He puffed his chest and began to force me back, staring down at me the entire time. Istumbled over my two feet but managed to keep from falling over.

Only when my back hit the cold metal lockers did he raise a single finger to his lips and hold itthere.

The messy strands of his hair hung precariously low, only inches from my face. A light shampooscent clung to them but did nothing to overpower the aura of dominance and ferocity that flowedfrom his pores. With his finger against his lips, he tilted his head in question.

Not a chance in hell would I lose myself to the sparks lapping against my lips, pouring down myneck and shoulders in what could easily be described as pure bliss. His face was expressionless, hiseyes void of the alluring sensations I knew we both felt.

I nodded ever so slightly, answering the silent question he posed.

Slowly, he lowered his hand from my mouth—and boy did I plan on making him regret it...just nottoday, it seemed.

“You—you have no clue who you're messing with.” I stammered, my throat constricting as his pupilswidened, swallowing his iris whole.

Before I could force out the remainder of my threat, a muscle deep in his jaw twitched and he asked,“Is that so?"

I swallowed heavily as he leaned in, towering over me with the height of a giant. The stubble thatcoated his jaw was thick and dark, nearly identical to the booming voice that emerged past hisplush lips. “And who exactly am I messing with?”

The nonchalance in which he asked made me feel as though I were a bunny rabbit threatening abig, bad wolf.

“I'm staying with Luna Sylvia, and she will hear about this if you don't let me go.” I choked out, myresolve slipping when the barest amount of interest flashed within the sultry depths of those eyes.It didn’t matter that my body was engulfed in sparks, that within the deepest parts of my twistedand tangled soul I knew this stranger wouldn't hurt me.

None of it mattered because I knew who he was. I'd met countless men just like him.

Bullies.

That's what they all were. Hovering over anyone weaker than them, using their height and mass tointimidate and demean.

“From what I've heard, she won't be Luna for much longer.” He divulged, using the same hand thathad been clasped over my mouth to snare one of my pale curls. With a soft but menacing voice heasked, “Who will protect you then? *

Fear tried it's best to sink into my skin, searching frantically for something—anything to latch onto."Just reject me and get it over with.” I breathed, my eyes falling shut as the instinct to shield myselftore through my nervous system.

“Run little rabbit,” was all he said.

When I finally gained the courage to open my eyes, he was gone.