Page 40 of Make Me

Late summer

Zack let out a sigh of relief when Cody and Bethany came through the portal into the Administrative building. He hadn’t been sure that their parents would let them come back to the Academy. He drank in the sight of them and cursed. Dark bruises littered their skin. Their parents might not have let them come willingly.

“What in the Realm happened?” Holly asked as Zack hurried towards them. Gwen was in with the headmaster, so her desk and the surrounding entry hall were empty.

“Well, the pack and pride didn’t take too kindly to our violation of the travel ban,” Cody joked with an easy grin, but Zack could see the strain around his eyes and the way he favored his left side. Bethany was moving better, but she had some gashes on her forearms.

“Your parents?” Holly asked sharply.

“The patrol guard,” Bethany said, wincing as Holly touched a bruise on her temple. “But I’m guessing our parents know now.”

“I never should have sent that message,” Holly said as she guided Bethany to a chair.

Zack worried his bottom lip between his teeth as he helped Cody do the same.

“Your message said we needed to come, so we came,” Bethany said simply. “We would never leave you or Claire to face this alone.” Still, she winced as she sat down.

“May I?” he asked Cody softly, tugging on his shirt lightly. Holly was already digging in her bag in the seat next to Bethany.

Cody leaned back in his chair and nodded, eyes closed. Zack wasn’t used to seeing the strong Alpha Heir so defeated. He gently tugged Cody’s shirt up, wincing at the bruises dotted over his ribs. He laid his hands on them gently, wincing at Cody’s hiss. Gentle blue healing magic glowed around his hands as he sent it into Cody. Cody’s hand gripped his wrist.

“Do Bethany first,” he ordered.

“Absolutely not,” Bethany snapped, sitting up tall. “Heal him first. Stupid idiot jumped in front of me and took the brunt of it.”

Holly tugged her back down. “Sit and let me clean those gashes while Zack heals Cody.” Holly produced some bandages and cleaning solution out of her spelled satchel.

Zack laid his hands back on Cody’s side, looking up at him when Cody hissed again. Pain had his face drawn tight, but Cody’s eyes were soft when he looked at Zack.

“I missed you,” Cody whispered softly.

Zack’s heart warmed. “I missed you, too. But I would prefer if you would be in one piece when you came back to me,” he teased.

Cody’s chuckle turned into a groan. Zack frowned and pushed more healing magic into him. Healing magic wasn’t his specialty, but Andy had spent some time teaching him the delicate magic this summer. She had a feeling he would need it, and she had been right.

Beneath Zack’s hands, the bruises slowly faded, and Cody’s breathing eased. When the bruises were a sickly yellow and green, he lifted his hands and cupped Cody’s face. He brushed a thumb under the shiner that was forming around Cody’s eyes. Cody’s breath hitched, and Zack’s breath quickened in response. By the Realm, Zack had missed them both. He looked over at Bethany. Her eyes were squeezed shut as Holly dabbed her already healing cuts with a damp cloth. His magic flared to life inside him as anger rose within him. They should have never been hurt.

Cody brought his hands up and squeezed Zack’s wrists. “I’m fine for now,” he whispered. “My wolf is already helping. Help her now.”

Zack nodded, his anger melting away at Cody’s touch. He leaned down and brushed a kiss against Cody’s forehead, and the wolf rumbled approvingly. He was tired of hiding their relationship, but he knew the risks. Here at the Academy, though, with no one around, he didn’t care to hide it.

He kneeled in front of Bethany, and Holly shuffled over so he could have some room. He touched Bethany’s knee, and her eyes opened.

“May I?” He gestured towards her arms, and Bethany nodded.

He gently lifted one of her hands, cradling it in his as he extended her arm. He hovered his other hand over the gash on her forearm and called on his magic, letting it seep out of him in a gentle blue glow. Bethany winced as the magic hit the cut and it started closing at the edges. She squeezed his hand when he faltered.

“I’m okay, it just stings,” she assured him softly.

He nodded and let his magic finish with that cut before moving on to the other one.

“What is going on?” the headmaster barked. With his focus on healing them, he hadn’t heard Headmaster Dorian and Gwen entering the room.

“Just a disagreement with our pack and pride,” Cody answered casually, although his body was stiff.

Headmaster Dorian eyed Cody’s bruises and the blood-stained cloth in Holly’s hand before looking at Zack and Bethany.

“Do you need sanctuary?” he asked grimly.

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