Page 14 of Hexmate

“Well, well, well,” Rowan drawled, his eyes glinting with malice. “If it isn’t the little witch who thinks he can play with the big bad wolves.”

I tried to sidestep him, but his cronies moved to block my path. My heart raced, but I kept my face neutral. “I don’t want any trouble, Rowan.”

“Oh, but trouble wants you,” he sneered, leaning in close. The acrid scent of his magic made my nose wrinkle. “You made a big mistake getting in my way, Cromwell. And now you’re going to pay for it.”

I felt the first tendrils of his magic reaching out, probing for weaknesses in my defenses. But before I could react, a low growl reverberated through the cafeteria. The sound sent shivers down my spine, and not entirely from fear.

“Is there a problem here?” Atlas’s deep voice came from behind me, and I felt the heat of his body as he stepped close, almost protectively.

Rowan’s eyes widened slightly, but he quickly masked his surprise with a sneer. “Nothing that concerns you, dog. This is witch business. Go back to your cage.”

Atlas’s growl deepened, rumbling through his chest. I could feel the vibration against my back, and it sent a thrill through me despite the tense situation.

“Caden is my friend,” Atlas said, his voice low and dangerous. “That makes it my business.”

I felt a warmth spread through me at his words, but I tried to keep my face impassive. Rowan’s eyes narrowed as he looked between Atlas and me, a calculating gleam in his gaze.

“Oh, I see,” Rowan said, his lips curling into a cruel smile. “The little witch has found himself a guard dog. How... quaint.”

Atlas took a step forward, his massive frame towering over Rowan. The air around us seemed to crackle with tension, and I could sense other students watching the confrontation unfold.

“Walk away, Rowan,” Atlas warned. “Before I make you regret ever laying eyes on Caden.”

For a moment, I thought Rowan might actually back down. But then his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist. I felt a jolt of his electric magic, sharp and painful, lance through me.

I gasped, my knees buckling as Rowan’s magic seared through me. But before I could fall, Atlas’s arm wrapped around my waist, steadying me. His touch sent a different kind of jolt through my body, a warm current that seemed to push back against Rowan’s malevolent magic. How was that possible?

“Big mistake,” Atlas growled, his voice deeper and more guttural than I’d ever heard it.

In a blur of motion, Atlas’s free hand shot out, gripping Rowan’s wrist and twisting it away from me. Rowan cried outin pain and surprise, his magic dissipating as his concentration broke. The cafeteria fell silent, all eyes on us.

“You dare touch me, you filthy mongrel?” Rowan spat, trying to wrench his arm free. But Atlas’s grip was like iron.

“I dare a lot more than that,” Atlas snarled, his golden eyes flashing dangerously. I could feel the tension in his body, the barely contained rage. He was holding back, I realized, fighting against his instinct to shift and tear Rowan apart.

“Atlas,” I murmured, placing a hand on his arm. “It’s okay. Let him go.”

Atlas’s grip tightened for a moment, and I could see the internal struggle playing out across his face. His jaw clenched, muscles rippling beneath his skin as he fought to control his anger. For a heart-stopping second, I thought he might actually attack Rowan right there in the cafeteria.

But then, slowly, he released Rowan’s wrist. The witch stumbled back, rubbing his arm and glaring daggers at us both.

“This isn’t over,” Rowan hissed, his eyes darting between Atlas and me. “You can’t protect him forever, wolf. And you,” he turned his venomous gaze on me, “you’ll regret crossing me, Cromwell. Your daddy isn’t here to save you now.”

With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the cafeteria, his cronies scurrying after him like rats abandoning a sinking ship. The tension in the air slowly dissipated as conversations resumed, though I could still feel curious eyes on us.

Atlas’s arm was still around my waist, his touch both comforting and electrifying. “Are you okay?” he asked, those golden Alpha eyes sweeping over me.

“I’m fine,” I nodded, shaking off the last of the tingling sensation Rowan’s magic left in my body.

“Sorry I got you into this…”

“You didn’t,” I sighed. “I’m the one that stepped between you two, remember? Besides, Rowan has had it out for me since the day I stepped foot on this canvas. Apparently, our families have an unspoken rivalry I know nothing about.”

Atlas’s arm tightened around me for a moment before he reluctantly let go. I immediately missed his warmth.

“That doesn’t make it okay,” he growled, his eyes still flickering with anger. “He had no right to touch you like that.”

I shrugged, trying to downplay the incident. “It’s just how things are here. Witches like to throw their weight around.”

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