Page 15 of Hexmate

Atlas’s expression darkened. “Not anymore. Not with you.”

His words sent a thrill through me, but I pushed it down. I couldn’t let myself hope for something that could never be.

“Atlas, you can’t... we can’t...” I struggled to find the right words. “You know witches and werewolves don’t mix. It’s too dangerous.”

He stepped closer, his scent enveloping me - pine, earth, and something wild that made my heart race. “I don’t care about the rules, Caden. We’re…”

“We’re what?” I asked, leaning closer.

“We’re friends,” he said at last, shaking his head. “And friends watch out for one another. Right?”

I swallowed hard, unable to look away from his intense gaze. I felt something as his eyes searched mine. The pull towards him was undeniable, like gravity. But I knew the consequences of giving in to that pull could be catastrophic.

“Right,” I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. “Friends.”

Atlas held my gaze for a moment longer, something unspoken passing between us. Then he cleared his throat and took a step back, breaking the spell.

“Come on,” he said, gesturing towards his table. “You can sit with us. No one will bother you there.”

I hesitated, glancing at the group of wrestlers watching us curiously. “Are you sure? I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

Atlas’s lips quirked into a smile. “Trust me, Caden. You’re not the one causing trouble here.”

With a deep breath, I nodded and followed him to the table. Atlas’s teammates made room for us, some eyeing me warily, others with open curiosity. I could feel their eyes on me as I sat down, hyperaware of Atlas’s solid presence beside me.

“Guys, this is Caden,” Atlas introduced me, his tone leaving no room for argument. “He’s with us now.”

There was a moment of silence, and I braced myself for rejection. But then one of the wrestlers - a burly purple skinned dark elf - reached out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Caden. I’m Silver.”

I shook his hand, relief washing over me. “Thanks, nice to meet you too.”

The ice broken, the other wrestlers introduced themselves as well. Though some still seemed wary, they were polite enough. I could feel Atlas relaxing beside me as the conversation resumed, though he stayed close, his thigh pressed against mine under the table.

As I picked at my food and tried to follow the discussion about upcoming matches, I couldn’t help but marvel at how surreal this felt. Me, a witch, sitting at a table full of shifters. And not just any shifters- these were some of the strongest guys in the school, and the most popular.

Atlas leaned in close, his breath tickling my ear. “You okay?” he murmured.

I nodded, suppressing a shiver at his proximity. “Yeah, just... processing.”

He chuckled softly. “I know it’s a lot. But you’re doing great.”

I smiled nervously, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach at Atlas’s praise. As I glanced around the table, Inoticed a few curious glances from his teammates. One of them, a stocky redhead with freckles, leaned forward with a mischievous grin.

“So, Caden,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of challenge. “What’s a witch like you doing hanging out with us monsters?”

I felt Atlas tense beside me, but before he could intervene, I straightened my shoulders and met the redhead’s gaze. “Just broadening my horizons,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “Unless that’s a problem?”

The redhead’s grin widened. “Not at all. In fact, I think it’s about time we had some new blood around here. Might keep things interesting.”

Atlas relaxed slightly, but I could still feel the protective energy radiating off him. “Caden’s not here for your entertainment, Ryder,” he growled, a warning in his tone.

Ryder held up his hands in mock surrender. “Easy there, Alpha. I’m just making conversation.”

The tension at the table eased as Ryder backed down, but I could still feel Atlas’s protective energy radiating beside me. I appreciated his defense, but I also knew I needed to hold my own if I was going to survive in this new social circle.

“So, Ryder,” I said, leaning forward slightly, “since you’re so interested in keeping things entertaining, why don’t you tell me about the most interesting match you’ve had? I hear the wrestling team here is pretty intense. Or at least, I know their smell is in the locker rooms.”

The others laughed, but Ryder’s eyes lit up at the question, and he launched into a story about a particularly grueling match against a rival school’s team. As he spoke, I could feel Atlas relax beside me, his thigh still pressed warmly against mine under the table. I knew I should pull away, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. The contact felt too good between us, like little fireworks radiating through my body.

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