Chapter 61

[ 1,191 words ]

“’You’re safe,’ the wolf promised p>

“He never said from whom p>

~ Rebel Beast

Aria had kissed a boy once before. Back then, she’d thought it was sweet and romantic, even. Then she learned the next day it had all been a bet to see who could kiss “Aria Freak p>

She’d hated herself for believing it had meant something. But this? There was nothing innocent about this kiss.

The instant Maverick’s lips claimed hers, every nerve ending in her body sprang to life. She knew she should push him away. She knew she should protest. Instead, something inside her surrendered before her mind ever had the chance.

Like someone who had wandered through a desert only to stumble upon water, Aria found herself drinking from him with a desperation that startled even her. Her eyes drifted shut as she lost herself in the warmth of his lips, the slow coaxing of his mouth against hers making every coherent thought slip further and further away.

Without realizing it, the hands she’d withdrawn moments ago found their way back to his face. Her fingers cradled his jaw almost reverently as countless tingles burst beneath her fingertips before racing through the rest of her body like wildfire.

Everything about him felt impossibly right.

The firmness of his lips, the warmth of his breath, and the unhurried way he kissed her as though he already knew she belonged there.

A soft, helpless sound escaped the back of her throat, only to be stolen away as another wave of pleasure washed over her, leaving her knees threatening to give out beneath her.

Aria completely lost track of time and never saw the utterly flabbergasted expressions on Brittney, Alek and Trisha’s faces. Even the frozen Charlotte.

Only moments ago, they’d been terrified Professor Nightshade was about to kill someone. Now, they were watching him kiss Aria with enough intensity to leave all four girls questioning whether they’d somehow stumbled into an entirely different scene.

Yet even their shock paled in comparison to Shannon’s. Still clutching the wound in her side, she stared at the pair in complete disbelief. She was bleeding out while the very man responsible held Aria as if nothing else in the world mattered.

Her chest tightened with something far uglier than pain. It wasn’t fair. She had accused Aria of seducing the professor moments ago, and now the two of them were kissing right in front of her as if proving every bitter word she’d spoken.

Yet none of that mattered anymore. Shannon didn’t want to be right anymore, she wanted to live. The terror finally eclipsed her pride and tears spilled freely down her face as she whispered through trembling lips,

“Please… I don’t want to die p>

She could already feel the strength leaving her body. No. This couldn’t be how her story ended.

Shannon imagined her parents receiving the news, only to be told their daughter had died because she’d let her mouth carry her too far. The thought was almost as unbearable as the pain.

Somehow, Shannon’s plea reached Aria through the haze clouding her mind and the sound shattered whatever spell she’d fallen under.

With a startled gasp, she pushed against Maverick’s chest and stumbled backward, breaking the kiss. Awareness crashed over her all at once.

Her breathing turned ragged as she looked around the common room, only to meet the stunned expressions staring back at her. Everyone looked utterly speechless, except Dimitri.

The Beta merely watched the pair with the resigned expression of someone who had expected this outcome all along.

Horror slowly spread across Aria’s face.

What had she just done?

Unbothered by the storm raging inside her, the wolf wearing Maverick’s face gently caught her chin and turned her back toward him. Dark satisfaction danced inside those gray eyes.

“Well?” Feral murmured, a wicked smile tugging at his lips. “Tell me, little prey, do you still think you can resist me after—” He never finished.

Aria drove the crown of her head straight into his face with enough force to make a sickening crack echo through the room.

Maverick staggered backward with a pained groan.

“You son of a biscuit!” Aria snapped, glaring at him with enough fury to set the room ablaze. Who in their right mind just kissed someone like that?

Even if p>

Her traitorous heart had shamelessly enjoyed every second of it.

Get out of my head. She practically screamed the words at herself.

However, that headbutt had done more than bloody Maverick’s nose. It had broken Feral’s hold over him.

“Fuck p>

Maverick instinctively reached for his nose, only for his fingertips to come away stained with blood.

He barely noticed, his eyes found Aria instead. She was glaring at him, her cheeks still flushed, her lips pressed into a thin line while anger and embarrassment battled openly across her face.

Then everything came back. Feral, Shannon, the attack, and finally, the kiss.

Every second replayed inside his mind with horrifying clarity.

“Goddess… no.” The color drained from his face.

He took a hesitant step toward Aria.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to p>

Aria instinctively stepped back. The movement was small but almost imperceptible. Yet it struck Maverick harder than any blow ever could.

Something inside him quietly broke. This wasn’t how he’d wanted their first kiss to happen. It wasn’t supposed to happen at all.

Once again, Feral had ruined everything.

At the same time, Dimitri finally managed to shatter the ice imprisoning his legs through sheer brute strength.

“Maverick.” There was understanding in his voice.

Maverick turned toward him, and Dimitri immediately recognized the familiar look in his nephew’s eyes. He’d already begun blaming himself.

“He didn’t hurt her,” Dimitri said gently, hoping to reach him before the guilt buried him completely.

But Maverick’s expression had already become strangely distant as if he’d accepted a punishment no one else had given him.

“Maverick—” Dimitri tried again but his nephew had already turned away.

Facing Aria once more, Maverick swallowed painfully before forcing the words out. “I’m so sorry, it will never happen again p>

His voice was barely above a whisper but the sheer self-loathing in his eyes made her chest ache.

For one impossible moment, Aria wanted nothing more than to walk over and wrap her arms around him. To tell him it wasn’t entirely his fault.

But none of that made any sense.

She remained rooted to the spot as Maverick turned on his heels and walked away without another word.

“Maverick!” Dimitri called after him. “It wasn’t your fault p>

He never looked back.

Meanwhile, Brittney, Alek and Trisha hurried over to Aria, concern written plainly across their faces.

“Are you okay p>

“Did he hurt you anywhere p>

“Do you need anything p>

Questions came at her from every direction.

“I’m fine,” Aria replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. She was still trying to process everything that had happened.

Unfortunately, her body seemed determined to remember the kiss far more vividly than her mind wanted to because the lingering warmth refused to disappear.

God, what had he done to her?

“So Brittney began cautiously. “Are we still going to Therion p>

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