As I thought about all the shifters and how much we needed each form in our world, I somehow fell asleep. I’d found a hollow further up in the tree. The coziness and safety had been enough for my racoon to shut down and nap.
“Casey!”
I woke up with a start. Riddick was calling out a greeting for Casey, who was approaching him. I blinked my eyes into focus, knowing I was definitely spying on them, but I didn’t care. Casey was my friend and I would do anything in my power to protect him.
“Hi, Riddick,” Casey greeted, a friendly grin on his face.
I fucking hated Riddick.
“You still up for a flight?” he asked Casey, looking so eager. It was horrible to watch, honestly.Like, have some gods damned pride, man.
“Sure,” Casey shrugged, looking a little nervous. “Where do you want us to fly?”
“I was thinking of the cliffs. When the sun sets it should be amazing from up there.”
There were literally hours until the sun would set and I could tell Casey was confused by this as well. Just how long had this Riddick dude planned on flying around with Casey?
“Maybe just a quick fly around?” Casey suggested.
“Oh,” Riddick sounded disappointed by that. My racoon was all smiles though.
“It’s just that I have plans with Jamie after this,” Casey said, sounding sincere. We didn’t have plans. I never forgot my plans with Casey and never would, so I paid closer attention to this Riddick. If Casey felt the need to lie to him, then he likely wasn’t really into spending time with him.
Riddick scoffed. “Jamie? He isn’t too busy dating everything with a pulse?”
Okay, rude.
“What?” Casey said, sounding just as surprised as I felt from Riddick’s ire. I had no idea we had issues. Then again, I hadn’t known he existed before he’d asked Casey out for a flight.
Riddick rolled his eyes. “You aren’t fooling anyone, Casey. It’s clear that you like Jamie, but he doesn’t see you as anything other than a friend.”
Wait, Casey liked me? No, Riddick must’ve been mistaken. I would’ve known if he was into me. Then why did my heart flutter with excitement at the idea of Casey liking me?
Riddick continued, stepping closer to Casey. “You should give me a chance to prove I could be your mate, don’t you think? Instead of waiting around for Jamie to date the entire student population.”
He made me sound like a whore, even if that had been my plan. It wasn’t as though I kissed or slept with all of them. I’d only kissed one of the students here and that hadn’t been my doing. Riddick had seemed shy when he’d asked Casey to fly with him, but that had to have been an act for him to act so brazen and forward now.
I was halfway out of my little hole in the tree, trying to see everything as Riddick closed the distance between them. “Just one kiss, Casey, that’s all I ask.”
Casey’s hands were fisted to his sides, fear evident in his eyes as Riddick grabbed his chin, closing in on him.
Instinct had me moving forward, wanting to stop them. I’d forgotten in my haste that I couldn’t speak in my racoon form, and instead I screamed out some barking noises. I’d also forgotten I was high up in the air and soon found myself falling down, the air cutting into my fur before Casey’s startled voice called out.
“Jamie!”
Then I hit the ground.
“He’ll be fine, luv,” a raspy female voice spoke next to me. “Just a broken arm.”
“He fell from a great height.” That was Casey’s voice. I felt calmer instantly knowing he was near. “Are you certain there isn’t more he needs healing for?”
Right, I’d fallen. That had to be the reason why I felt like death. And why I’d yet to open my eyes.
“He’ll need time to rest. His entire body will be bruised, but I have a salve you can rub on his bruises before he goes to bedeach night. Or have his roommate do it for him. It’ll make them heal faster,” the healer said. Or at least I hoped she was a healer.
“Thank you, Janine. Do you mind if I stay here? I don’t want him waking up alone,” Casey asked.
“Of course not, luv. You just need to sign the paper on my desk. If non-patients sleep here, we need to document it. I’ll grab a mattress for you to sleep on.”
