Page 21 of Hexmate

I tensed, anger and embarrassment warring inside me. Before I could respond, Atlas stood up, positioning himself between me and Rowan. Even though Rowan was tall for a witch, Atlas still towered over him.

“Walk away,” Atlas growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Now.”

Rowan’s smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. “Or what, Faolan? You’ll huff and puff and blow me down?” He laughed, glancing at his friends. “I’m not afraid of you.”

Atlas’s eyes flashed golden, a low rumble emanating from his chest. “You should be.”

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. I could feel the magic crackling in the air as Rowan and his friends tensed, their hands twitching as if ready to cast spells. Atlas stood his ground, his muscular frame coiled like a spring ready to unleash.

“Guys, come on,” I said, standing up and placing a hand on Atlas’s arm. “This isn’t worth it.”

Atlas didn’t budge, his gaze still locked on Rowan. “No, Caden. I’m tired of these assholes thinking they can push you around.”

Rowan sneered, his eyes darting between Atlas and me. “Aww, how sweet. The big bad wolf is protecting his little witchboyfriend. Careful, Faolan. You wouldn’t want daddy to find out you’re fucking boys now, would you?”

Atlas started forward but I grabbed his arm, surprised he stopped with the slightest touch.

“Don’t,” I urged. “After the dean’s announcement… this’ll just make things worse. He just wants you to attack him to make non-witches look worse.”

Atlas stopped, glancing down at me, realization spreading over his features. In a flash I felt all the tension and anger seep out of his body. He backed down, stepping closer to me once more.

Rowan looked up at me, his grin widening. “You’re not as stupid as you look, Cromwell.” He waved all his cronies down, the magic in the air dissipating. “But you should watch yourself. When we split off from all these mongrels, you’re gonna get left behind.”

With that, he and his friends walked past me, but not before he shoulder-checked me, knocking my backpack off my shoulder. It fell to the ground, my books going everywhere. He looked back, laughing as he kicked his way through my things, papers flying in all directions. Atlas started to move again, but I held tight to his arm.

“It’s fine,” I said quietly, watching my peers cross the student center and leave through the opposite doorway. “It’s just paper.”

“I really fucking hate that guy,” Atlas growled, dropping down to his knees to gather up my belongings. “He’s such a fucking prick. I wish I could knock all his fucking teeth out.”

I knelt down beside Atlas, helping him gather my scattered papers and books. His hands were shaking slightly as he picked up my herbology textbook, his jaw clenched tight.

“Hey,” I said softly, placing my hand on his. “It’s okay. Really.”

Atlas looked up at me, his golden eyes blazing with barely contained fury. “No, it’s not okay, Caden. The way they treat you... it’s not right.”

I sighed, sitting back on my heels. “I know. But getting into fights isn’t going to solve anything. Especially not now, with all the tension between witches and other supernaturals.”

Atlas ran a hand through his dark hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. “I just... I hate seeing you treated like that. You don’t deserve it.”

My heart swelled at his words, warmth spreading through my chest. “Thank you,” I said quietly. “And remind me never to let you meet my father. Because if you think that was bad… well… let’s just say I’ve had worse.”

We finished gathering my things in silence, the air between us charged with unspoken emotions. As Atlas handed me the last of my papers, our fingers brushed. A jolt of electricity shot through me at the contact, and I jerked my hand back, my cheeks flushing.

Atlas’s eyes widened slightly, his nostrils flaring. For a moment, I feared he had sensed my reaction. But then his expression softened, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“Sorry,” he murmured, his voice low and husky. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

I swallowed hard, trying to calm my racing heart. “It’s fine,” I managed to squeak out.

We stood up, an awkward silence falling between us. I busied myself with shoving my books back into my bag, avoiding Atlas’s intense gaze.

“Listen,” Atlas said after a moment. “I know you said you don’t want to make things worse, but... I can’t just stand by and let them treat you like that.”

I looked up at him, surprised by the determination in his voice. “Atlas, I appreciate it, but?—”

“No buts,” he interrupted, stepping closer. “You’re my friend, Caden. And I protect my friends.”

The word ‘friend’ sent a pang through my chest, but I pushed it aside. “I don’t need protection.”

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