Emma
“We need to talk.” His voice was low, and the sound stirred things deep inside. “Now that your little protector is gone.”
I needed to remove my hand from his, but I couldn’t make myself. I spun around and lifted my chin. I could at least act defiant. “What? I thought we’d said everything we needed to.”
“Look, there’s a lot going on that you don’t understand.” Aidan’s voice cracked with emotion as his eyes dropped to my lips.
Our bond was charging us. We wanted to be closer to each other.
He gazed at my lips.
Okay … I hadn’t been expecting that, but I needed something from him before I could go back there with him. “You’re sounding like a broken record.” I needed to pull back, but I couldn’t. His lips were only millimeters from mine.
“You don’t understand. It’s imperative to distance yourself from your new friends.” His face softened. “I don’t want anything bad to happen.”
“They’re nice.” I got that his pack didn’t get along with witches, but that didn’t mean they were all bad. There were just as many bad wolf shifters as bad witches. The extremists on either side gave the races a bad name. “I can’t judge them based on the decisions of their ancestors.”
“It’s not about them being nice.” He nibbled on his bottom lip, and he threaded his fingers with mine. My chest brushed against his. “They aren’t safe.”
“How so?” He couldn’t throw down unjustified accusations.
“I can’t tell you.” He stomped his foot and his words held conviction. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
I wanted to close the distance between us so damn much. “Aidan, I can’t. Not until I know why you left me.”
His tone took on an edge. “Emma, we’ve gone over this.”
No. He was using our bond to his advantage to get what he wanted. “The only thing happening right now is you messing with my mind.” I found the strength to jerk my hand from his grasp. “You can’t just act nice to manipulate me into listening to you.”
“That’s what you think I’m doing?” His face sharpened. Any trace of warmth had vanished.
It hadn’t taken him long to lose the concerned-mate act. I guessed that’s what happened when you called him out on his shit. “Well, look how quickly your brooding and moody self fell back into place.”
“Why do I even bother trying to help you? Obviously, it can’t be because I care.” He laughed humorlessly.
“You’ve been an asshole to me since we ran into each other.” I was done being the pushover. The girl who did whatever because she was unhappy. “If you cared, our relationship wouldn’t have turned into this.”
“Don’t act like you’re innocent.” His voice grew louder. “You’re the one who had a boyfriend come to college with you. I mean, it put many things into perspective for me. Really.”
“Says the guy who left me without saying goodbye.” We were causing a scene, but I didn’t give a shit. There was a group of girls huddled together, watching us, and a few students standing at the nearby doorway, pretending not to listen. They could think what they wanted. “Was I supposed to pine for you for more than four years?”
Aidan’s jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. “It might’ve been nice to see you a little bothered by it still.”
We were finally having it out. “Sorry I tried to move forward. How the hell was I supposed to know you hadn’t moved on yourself?” The energy flowing between us was building. I wasn’t sure if it was hate, love, rage, or all three. But right now, I wanted to kiss him and punch him in the face. My wolf howled, wanting to get out to either kill him or claim him. Either option wasn’t viable at the moment.
“Okay.” Coral’s voice rang in my ears as she and Amethyst appeared right in front of us. Coral grabbed my arm, pulling me away from Aidan. “You need to calm down.”
“Don’t touch her.” Aidan’s voice was dark and tense.
“You both need to calm down.” Amethyst stood in front of Aidan, her back to me. “Things are getting out of hand.”
“Out of hand?” I asked, trying to comprehend what she meant.
“Your …” Coral glanced from side to side and lowered her voice. “… animal.”
Holy shit. I hadn’t realized how close my wolf was to the surface. I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping to hide the glow.
The people who’d stopped to watch moved on, realizing the show was over.
“Thank you,” I said. It made no sense that he had a problem with the very people who had helped us.
“No problem,” Coral said, glancing over her shoulder at Amethyst and Aidan. “I could see the sparks, and I’m no empath.”
That was just lovely.
“I’ve got to get to class.” At least, we weren’t right in front of the classroom. It was five feet away, but even if I’d wanted to pretend that no one in there had seen, I couldn’t. “I’ll see you after?”
“Yup, we’ll be here.” Coral nodded and patted Amethyst on her shoulder. “Let’s get going.”
Amethyst turned to check on me. “Okay, I think they’ll be fine on their own, for now.” She pulled me into a huge hug. “You’re both hurting. He cares more than he lets on.”
As the two of them walked down the hallway, I avoided Aidan’s eyes and went straight to our class. A few moments later, he followed behind me and took his usual seat next to me.
“I’m sorry,” he said so quietly I thought I’d imagined it.
I rushed out of Precalculus for two reasons. First, I didn’t want Aidan to catch up to me, and second, I didn’t want to run into Jacob like I normally did when he was heading to Composition II. Just as I was turning toward my dorm, thinking I was free and clear, Jacob stepped into my path several feet ahead of me.
“Emma!” Jacob hurried up to me. “I’ve been trying to call you and …” He stopped and pointed to his head.
Discretion was not one of his strong suits. He was pointing out the mental block I’d put between us. Without responding, I tried to walk past him.
“Please.” He took hold of my arm and tugged me toward him.
What was up with the two of them thinking it was okay to grab me? “I’m not interested in talking.”
“I’m sorry about yesterday. Things got out of hand.” Hurt filled his eyes. “I was being a dumbass.”
“No argument here.” I yanked my arm away and growled, “There’s nothing to talk about. I told you I need a break.”
His forehead lined with worry. “But we’re still together, right?”
“Jacob, I’m not right for you.” Didn’t he see that I didn’t care for him the way I should?
“Yes, you are.” He placed his hands on my shoulders. “I’ve known it since your fourteenth birthday party.”
Of course, the night I’d gotten my heart broken was when he’d felt it. “Then you’re not right for me.”