“Look, as much as I appreciate not having to run laps in the rain, I feel I ought to point out the fact you’re my teacher and I’m a student, so…”
The male huffed in annoyance. When he stepped back and I could finally breathe without combusting, his eyes had cleared and he seemed calmer.
“I’m sorry, I…” He half smiled and raked his fingers through his messy hair. “My bear’s been going crazy ever since they stole you from him.”
I still didn’t understand what was going on here, but I nodded anyway. The male seemed volatile, so it was best to keep him happy. I didn’t need an angry bear to contend with.
“Um, why?” I blinked as he loomed over me. Stars, how tall was he anyway? Seven feet? I knew bear shifters were big, but he seemed bigger than most. My mind drifted down a cursed pathway to the demon realm when I remembered seeing him naked after he shifted back from a bear at the market.
He grabbed my hand just as a small fire burst into life at my feet. Holy smoke, I needed to get a grip. This was insanity. If I carried on, I’d burn down the whole freaking school!
“You’re my soul-bonded mate. Until my bear properly claims you, we’ll both have issues keeping ourselves under control. How that affects your magic, I don’t know, as cross-species soul-bonds are rare.” He smiled at me apologetically while I had a mini-meltdown.
My mind skipped right over soul-bonds and went straight to the being claimed by a bear shifter bit.
Sign me up!
A crack of thunder rattled the building as rain slammed against the window. When I peered through the streaky glass, students continued to slog around the track. I couldn’t hear anything over the storm nowraging, but I imagined more than a few were cursing me to the demon realm and back. No doubt my popularity rating had slumped to an all-time low thanks to our coach’s cruel punishment.
Oh well. I could hardly blame him. Laughing at me had been a dick move. They all deserved it.
“So how does this claiming bit work?” I asked in a husky voice.
My bear gifted me a feral smile, and I shivered.
10
Maverick
When Boon called to say the job was mine, I’d jumped straight into my truck and put my foot to the floor. It had taken me nearly a day to drive here. I’d only stopped briefly for fuel and food, eager to get here before anything happened to my mate.
Under different circumstances, I’d have never accepted a teaching job at Starfall Academy. Teaching wasn’t for me. I didn’t have the patience to deal with entitled assholes who thought they were better than ninety-nine percent of other magicals.
A quick glance around the gymnasium this morning told me most of these little shits would rue the day they met me. I’d taken careful note of the students who laughed the loudest when my witch’s magic reacted to my presence.
My bear planned to make their lives miserable.
I hoped they enjoyed having their bodies pummeled into mush on the mats.
We’d enjoy showing the assholes how pathetic they were when they couldn’t rely on their magic.
The minute my witch asked me about claiming her, I tensed. Now was not the time, and this was not the place. She needed all the facts before we claimed her.
“Raven,” I growled, my bear front and center thanks to the delicious scent coming off my mate in heady waves and also her innocent question. “You need to get out of these wet clothes.” Her damp skin smelled like smoke and chocolate, and I desperately wanted to taste every inch of her. But she wasn’t ready for that.
She peeked up at me through strands of pretty silver-streaked hair. The amulet resting in the hollow between her breasts caught my attention. An unusual design, not human from the looks of it. The stone wasn’t anything I recognized either. Possibly a black diamond, but the red striations made it look more like polished satanite from the demon realm.
“Your heat is drying me off,” she replied, snuggling into my chest like a bedraggled kitten. Then she frowned. “Although I guess I should go so you can finish the class.” Her lack of enthusiasm about leaving us caused my bear to rumble in satisfaction.
He showed me images of us stripping her damp clothes from her body and then claiming her.
Not now!
He chuffed, annoyed at having to wait for the female he’d spent the last twenty-four hours pining over.
“The class ended the moment you lost control of your magic,” I told her.
“I’m sorry about that.” Her gorgeous violet eyes stared up at me. “Seeing you again caught me by surprise.” She frowned. “How come you’re here anyway? Are you really a teacher? You didn’t seem like one when we met after the… um… fire.”
