#cam tauri

Garrick

Initially this man would be so grumpy. He’d have been dealing with a bunch of first years who thought they knew everything now they’d bonded dragons, and had to do a supply run the night before as well. So between both of those and the little sleep he’d gotten, he’d just be over it.

You’d see him storming off after barely eating any food at dinner. Something that was very unlike him. He’d eat nearly ten times the amount you did. But when he’d barely finished one plate of food, you knew something was wrong.

You’d go after him, heading to the gym where you knew he’d go to left off some steam from whatever was bothering him. But not before grabbing some extra food for him and water before heading there.

You walk in on him unleashing his anger on one of the punching bags. His punches echoing around the room from how hard he’s hitting it.

You wait off to the side, knowing he can tell you’re there. But you know better than to interfere with him. It’s better to leave him be till he wears himself out. Which doesn’t take long. After about 10 minutes he grasps the bag to stop it from swinging around before walking over to you.

As he walks over you undo the top of the water bottle you'd grabbed, and hold out the apple you'd grabbed for him. After draining the water and devouring the apple he picks you up and sits you down on a pile of mats, stepping between your legs as he rests his hands on your hips and leans his forehead against yours.

After a while you convince him to go take a shower before dragging him into bed, laying his head in your lap as your run your fingers through his curly hair, watching as his body slowly relaxes before he lightly starts snoring.

Xaden

You know instantly he’s had a bad day. Hard not to notice with how restless as the shadows are. He may not be nearby, but you’ve always noticed how the shadows in Basgiath react to his mood regardless of where he is.

You find him in his usual spot, leaning up against the exterior walls of Basgiath as he smokes churam. Something he only did when Sgaeyl and Tairn didn’t block him out, or when he’d had a bad day. But it was easy to tell this was from a bad day. Despite the way he leaned up against the wall, his body was tense and rigid.

He doesn’t look at you as you join him against the wall, but you know he knows you’re there. You know better than to try talk to him till he’s ready. It was better to let him start the conversation when he was in one of these moods, otherwise it just made it worse.

Eventually he finishes the Churam he’s smoking, turning his head to look down at you. “That obvious I was in a bad mood?” he asks. You nod up at him, trying to hide you’re smile. “Yeah, just a bit. Which is why I brought you this.”

You reach into your pack you’d brought with you to carry what you’d grabbed from the kitchen. Chocolate cake. His favourite. Instantly a relaxed smile forms on his lips at the sight of the little brown box in your hands. He knows instantly what it is, because you always do this for him.

And just like you always do, you sit down against the wall, chocolate cake on the ground between you two as you sit in a comfortable silence and eat it.

Bodhi

It wasn’t hard to see the way Xaden was getting to Bodhi. Everytime you saw them talking together, you could see how frustrated Bodhi was getting every single time. You had no clue what it was about as he hadn’t brought it up with you, and you didn’t want to bring it up and cause him more stress.

But one night when he isn’t at dinner or at his room, you know you need to find him and talk to him or do something to make him feel better. After searching the entire college, you finally head to the flight field. And sitting on the ground next to a Cuir is Bodhi.

Cuir lifts their head as you approach, watching you as you slowly approach Bodhi. You’d never approached Cuir, but when they lay their head back down on the ground, you know they don’t mind your presence. You sit next to Bodhi, reaching out and grasping his hand to stop him from picking at the grass.

It’s clear how annoyed he is as you take him in. He’d done a good job of hiding it up until now. His body was stiff and rigid and brow furrowed as he kept his eyes downcast to the ground in front of you. After a few minutes he finally relaxes, leaning his head against your shoulder as he grasps your hand in his.

Eventually he stands, pulling you up with him before leading you back to the college and dragging you to his room where he pulls you to his bed, and insisting he gets to be little spoon as you cuddle him to sleep.

Aaric

Since the appearance of Halden, you had noticed a change in Aaric. It was small at first. Just slight changes in behaviour on the day he was around the college. The days where Aaric had to be more careful of where he went so Halden didn’t see him.

But you noticed a big shift once Halden knew he was in the Rider’s Quadrant. Especially today when he’d been pulled from a class, summoned by his brother and father. Once he had returned he was notably pissed off. Everyone else avoiding being around him. You could almost see the anger rolling off him.

You’d decided to let him be after you’d tried talking to him and he’d just grunted in reply. Pushing it would have just made him worse. He would come to you when he was ready. Which he did. Storming into the gym after dinner and heading right for you. Everyone else immediately moves out of his way, not wanting to get in his way. And you couldn’t blame them with how pissed off he looked.

You open your mouth to say something to him, but it turns into a yelp as he literally scoops you up into his arms and turns around. Despite how he turns and storms from the room, you can feel the way he relaxed as soon as he had you in his arms.

He carries you the entire way back to his room, even after you tell him you can walk. He kicks the door closed behind him before sitting down on the bed, cradling you in his lap as he holds you against him, resting his head atop yours as you bury it in his neck.

Dain

You walk into his room to Dain pacing back and forth, nearly pulling his hair out as he grumbles to himself. Clearly something had him worked up today. Something you’d definitely not been there for.

“Do I want to know what happened?” You ask, Dain startling as if he didn’t realise you’d walked in.

He starts pacing and rambling about first years and how they aren’t training the way they should, and how they’re going to be under prepared if they don’t start strengthening their signets. But insists that after what he went through with Violet he would not be coddling first years any more.

Despite his comment about not wanting to coddle them, you can see as a Wingleader he wants to do something. But he’s just not sure as to what. Which for him is a first. But since everything got turned upside down at the start of our third year, he’s been more unsure of himself than usual.

You reach out and grab his hand, stopping him before he wears a hole in the floor from how how much he’s pacing back and forth. You swear you can already see wear marks from the path he’s been walking. You reach out and grab his towel and shower things, shoving them into his hands.

“Now is not the time for showering.” He goes to exclaim before you start pushing him towards the door.

“Trust me it is. Not only do you need a shower to clear your mind, you also stink from being at said training with first years who don’t need coddling. So unless you want me to start coddling you, go shower.”

Dain just stands there and looks at you in shock, clearly not expecting you to come back like that. “How about cuddling instead of coddling?” He finally asks.

“Shower first, then cuddling.”

Ridoc

Ridoc was always making jokes, or making light of a situation. But there was something different about his jokes this evening. A different edge to them that just didn’t seem quite like Ridoc. His jokes had a more self deprecating tone to them than normal

When the others went to get more food, you stayed behind. Something he noticed as he locked eyes with you across the table. He knew you had seen right through him. Knew you’d picked up on his slight change in behaviour the others hadn’t. All it takes is a raised eyebrow before he tells you.

“Aotrom saw right through my prank.” He admits with a huff of annoyance.

You knew he’d been so excited about this prank. Had been going on about it for weeks. Clearly he must have slipped with his shields and Aotrom had seen it coming and foiled his plans.

“Well I guess you’re just going to have come up with an even better prank then.” You say excitedly, hoping it will peak his interest.

Ridoc just sighs and hangs his head. “But this one took weeks to plan and it was amazing. I don’t know if I can top it.”

“Well good thing you have me to help you plan this one then isn’t it.” You tell him

Instantly Ridoc lights up with excitement. Usually you try to stay out of his pranks, even when he begged and pleaded for your input. So you knew you offering to help him would make his day instantly better. And it does. Ridoc practically jumps over the table to sit next to you and start formulating his next prank.

Sawyer

Sawyer wasn’t the loudest of the group, but he certainly wasn’t the quietest. But since challenge’s halfway through the day you’d noticed him getting quieter and quieter. Watched has he’d zone out to the point you’d had to shove his shoulder when Kaori had asked him a question and had just stared blankly at the front of the classroom like he hadn’t heard him.

You’d wanted to grab him after class but Rhi had pulled you aside to talk about some training she wanted to do together the next day seeing as we were still unable to fly due to the colder weather. And when you’d turned around, he was gone. And then at dinner, his chair remained empty.

While the others were lost in their own conversation you left, heading up to his room. You could see the flicker of light under his door, knowing he was inside. You knocked on the door, only to be met with silence. Thirty seconds later you tried again, and yet again no response.

“I know you’re in there Sawyer. I’m not leaving till you open the door.” You call out as you rest your hand against the door.

Finally after a few moments the door swings open, revealing a very withdrawn Sawyer who turns and walks into his room before sitting on the edge of the bed and burying his head in his hands. You close the door behind you, walking over and sitting next to him as you place a hand on his back. You feel him tense up, but he quickly relaxes into your touch.

You didn’t need to ask what was wrong. Because you already knew. He’d lost his challenge. Watched him fumble over a manoeuvre he knew well. And it had cost him the win. And you knew he was kicking himself for it. Knew with the weight of what happened last year he didn’t feel like he was good enough to be here.

“I know what you’re thinking. And one mistake doesn’t mean you’re not good enough to be here, to be a rider. We all make mistakes.” You tell him. He lifts his head, lips parting to argue back. But you cut him off. “No. I’m not letting you do this. You are enough Sawyer. You bonded a dragon this year. Hell, you repeated a year when most people wouldn’t. You deserve your spot here. Don’t ever doubt that.”

After a few seconds he smiles softly at you, his usual spark back in his eyes. “Gods you’re too good for me. I love you.” He says as he takes your hands in his. “Love you to Sawyer.”

Liam

It’s late at night when someone knocks at your door. A first you freeze, not sure if you should answer the door. Who the hell would be knocking at your door this late at night. You’re tempted to pretend you’re asleep when they knock again, this time followed by a familiar voice.

“I know you’re in there reading Y/N. Open the door. Please.”

The way he says please has you throwing the book down on the bed, rushing across the room and pulling open the door to a very exhausted looking Liam. Liam who looks like he’s about two seconds away from dropping dead from exhaustion.

You grasp his hand, pulling him into your room before closing the door and pulling him over to your bed. You hadn’t expected to see him tonight. He was meant to be out on a supply run. Wasn’t due back till far later in the evening. But it’s clear he never made it on the supply run. The usual smell that came from riding a dragon was absent.

You knew from the look on his face what was up. He missed his sister. And he only got like this when an important date around his family came up. And clearly today was one of them. A day where he needed his sister, but couldn’t. Just a few more months and he’d have her back.

You start to push off his flight jacket, undoing the laces on his boots before he kicks them off and pulling down his pants and removing his shirt. Pushing back the covers, you usher him into your bed before sliding in next to him.

————

-Bound-

(Aaric POV)

“Cam,” she moans against the skin of his collarbone.

Aaric thrusts forward, bottoming out inside of her. He throws his head back in rapture. She’s tight, so tight. It feels incredible. He needs more.

“Hold on, love.”

He pulls out only to slam back into her. She gasps, clawing at his back.

“Please,” she cries out as he does it again. And again. And again.

Aaric bends forward, nipping at her ear as he whispers, “Please, what? Tell me what to do, Y/N. I’ll do anything you want.”

Her breath hitches, as he pumps faster and faster, feeling how soaked she’s getting with each thrust.

His fingers find her clit, circling and teasing as her breaths pick up speed. He feels her racing pulse against his lips as he kisses down her sweat-slicked skin.

“Keep doing that,” she pants, her voice hoarse. “Keep touching me.”

Aaric smirks against her neck. “Anything for you, love.”

When he syncs his fingers with his thrusts, he feels her pussy beginning to tighten around his cock. He closes his eyes at the glorious feel of her coming close to the edge. With the mounting pressure at the base of his spine, he can tell he’s almost there, reaching his peak.

“Cam,” she gasps and moans, her eyes fluttering to meet his. Something shines in her eyes as she stares up at him.

A flood of adoration fills him as he gazes down at her. She’s so beautiful. And right now, she’s all his.

“Cam, I love—“

A loud crash has Aaric shooting up from his bed, panting. The darkness of his room greets him as his pulse races loudly in his ears. He looks around in a panic before he sees he’s entirely alone.

Y/N isn’t here.

It was a dream.

“Fuck,” Aaric groans, throwing himself back onto the mattress. His pillows had fallen off the bed while he tossed and turned. One of them colliding with the clock next to his bedside, causing it to crash to the floor.

Frustration and guilt gnaw at him as the dream still clings to his thoughts. The way she moaned and sighed his name. Her cheeks flushed. Her skin as soft as he imagines it to be.

The straining of his cock in his briefs has him shifting, adjusting to make it less uncomfortable. But the dream won’t let him go so easily. He’s incredibly hard, almost to the point of pain. He knows this will be a problem later on if he doesn’t deal with it soon.

Glancing at the darkened windows, he knows he has plenty of time before he’s expected to get up.

The whisper of Y/N’s moans echoes in his mind like a siren call as he slides his hand into his briefs. Gripping himself, he focuses on the dream, trying to imagine it’s real. The way her back arched. How her mouth gaped and widened. Her pupils dilating as he circled her clit. Her nipples turning into sharp peaks in the soft lighting of his dream.

Aaric groans, his hand sliding up and down his shaft, remembering how real it felt to be inside of her. How she fluttered around him, tightening and releasing him just so.

It’s agonizing remembering the dream so vividly and not feeling her this very moment. Not being able to kiss the skin of her collarbone before finding his way to her breasts. Sucking, licking, biting. His imagination of her body and what he would do to please her has run wild for so long, his hunger for her has become ravenous.

Aaric’s movements become frantic, chasing that high as a bead of precum spills from his tip. Her name chants in his mind as he imagines the feel of her lips against his. Would she be soft, like her skin? Or rough and passionate from wanting him for so long? He knows he’d take his time. He’d memorize every curve, dip, and valley of her body. Every sound she makes when she—

Her name flows from his lips like a prayer as he spills onto the sheets. Moans fill his room as he finishes.

When his cock softens and the throbbing dissipates, an ache settles in his chest. The familiar taste of guilt floods him as he slowly comes back to the present.

This isn’t the first time this has happened. And deep in his bones, he knows it won’t be the last. His body and mind both yearn for her. Being close to her, staying friends, it’s not enough for him.

Frustration racks up his spine as he shifts to stand, tearing the sheets from his bed as he goes. He’s folding the linens when that familiar, deep rumbling presence enters his mind.

Oh fuck. Not now.

“Will this be a common occurrence that will wake me from my slumber?” Molvic grumbles, his voice full of obvious annoyance. “I would prefer not to be present during such private…mortal weaknesses.”

Aaric winces, embarrassment flooding him. I didn’t mean to wake you—

“I know. That is obvious, Princeling.”

Aaric takes deep breaths as he throws the dirty sheets into a basket before grabbing new ones and making his bed.

As much as Aaric hopes he’ll sever their connection, Molvic stays.

“Your frustration with your mate is exhausting. If you wish to be with her, be with her. This is trivial.”

Aaric tenses. Like I’ve said before, she’s not my mate.

A pause. “Your emotions tell me otherwise.”

That doesn’t mean she’s my mate.

It’s as if he can feel the dragon roll his eyes while he quickly dresses into his loose training gear. There’s no way he’ll be able to sleep after that dream. Especially not after Molvic’s chastising.

If he can’t get any sleep, he’s going to take this time to burn off the excess energy in his body to forget everything that just happened.

If Molvic will even let him.

“Human mates are strange. You never communicate. It’s truly unnecessary.” A deep sigh rattles through his mind. “You make this more difficult for yourself.”

Irritation begins to bloom inside of Aaric as he bends to tie his boots. She is my friend, Molvic. Nothing more.

“Then move on.”

Aaric freezes, his laces gripped tightly in his fingers. A flash of her smile, her laughter, chokes him. He recalls the many times he watched her over the pages of a book while she thought he was busy reading. The way the sunlight would catch her skin, gilding her. How her eyes would sparkle as she absorbed whatever story she was consumed by. Her cheeks flushing as she bit her lip to stifle a laugh.

The ache in his chest is consuming now. An emptiness hollowing him at the thought of never being able to love her.

Because Aaric does. He loves her. He loves her with every breath of his lungs. Every fiber of his being, every beat of his heart, yearns for her to be his.

He’s never known when he fell for her, only that it was gradual and permanent. Something that settled in him like knowing the sky is blue and that she’s the epitome of love.

Aaric has always loved her and he always will.

With a sigh of defeat, he confesses, I can’t move on. I don’t think I ever will.

“Then stop denying yourself.” What sounds like a yawn fills his head as Molvic’s voice begins to slowly fade. “It only burdens you.”

Aaric stares at the wood of his door, his hand gripping the brass handle. This morning wasn’t the only time he’s thought of her in his bed, under his skin. The dreams have gotten worse since she forgave him for being overprotective months ago. Having her here, so close to him, makes it all the more painful to keep his feelings at bay.

So, he dreams. He hopes. He imagines what life would be like if they were together. If they weren’t thrown into the middle of a war. If they lived at the end of all this.

If she was mine.

It’s an intoxicating thought, but he can’t help himself. If she were his, he’d never let her go.

————

(Reader POV)

Where the hell is she?

My legs ache from pacing back and forth in the quadrant’s library. Violet is thirty minutes late, and I feel like I’m going to go crazy if she doesn’t show up any second.

Dim, morning light filters through the tall, arched windows, casting hazy shadows across the stone floor. The windows overlook the valley below Basgiath, where two weeks ago, I was fighting for my life to bond with a dragon. The branches are full of golden and red-hued leaves. This morning is beautiful, peaceful. Especially since a sudden frost settled over the valley during the night. It coats the windows, causing me to shiver, my skin prickling.

The beauty rivals my tempestuous emotions. It’s been over two weeks since Kesi and I bonded. The bond itself warms my being, but it’s the mating bond that has me pacing.

Two weeks ago, while everyone who bonded a dragon was celebrating after Threshing, I stole away to find Violet. Once I tracked her down, I found her talking with Rhiannon.

“Hey Vi,” I slipped into their conversation, not even caring I’d interrupted. “I need to talk to you.”

Concern etched itself across her features as she turned to me. “Is everything alright?” She lowered her voice, whispering, “Is it something to do with Aaric?”

“Yes and no,” I winced.

Understanding had lit her eyes as she turned to Rhiannon. “I promise I’ll find you later, okay?”

My squad leader nodded before disappearing down the hall.

Once she was out of sight, Violet stepped closer. “Did he find out how you feel about him? How you’re in lo—“

“No!” I rushed, terror striking me. “No, he doesn’t…” I breathed deeply as I tried to calm my racing heart. “It’s not about that.”

Violet’s brows furrowed as she shook her head. “I’m sorry for assuming. I just thought after all this time—“

“Our dragons are mates.”

Violet’s jaw dropped as silence encased our corner of the empty hall. Distantly, I could hear music and voices still celebrating.

”Holy shit,” Violet stared at me. “Mates?”

I nodded. “I need to know what to expect, Vi. I’ve heard it can be…difficult.”

Violet winced. “It can be, at least parts of it.” She sighed. “I can tell you what to expect, but I’m worried—“

Xaden Riorson appeared over her shoulder. As if sensing him, Violet turned around, her features softening.

“Excuse me,” Xaden spoke to me, but his eyes were on Violet. “But Violet, I need you to see this,” his face was grave as he quickly took Violet by the hand, guiding her down the hall.

She had turned back to me, an apology in her eyes as she followed. It wasn’t until later that she sent me a letter informing me she wanted to talk as soon as possible. Alone.

Well, the time finally came. It took weeks, but now, I’ll get my answers. If Violet ever shows up.

As if I summoned her with my thoughts, she appears, rounding the side of a bookcase.

“Y/N,” Violet rushes to hug me, slightly out of breath. “I’m sorry, life’s been so busy lately. I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible.”

Relief washes over me from the sight of her. I quickly motion for her to sit down at a table with me. “I get it, you’re a second year. You have better things to do than worry about a first-year problem.”

She shakes her head. “No, I’m happy to help. Especially when it comes to this.”

Violet throws her pack on the table, taking out a leather-bound tome that’s definitely from the archives.

“I grabbed this to help you with anything you don’t understand. It helped me a lot last year when I found out about Tairn and Sgaeyl.” She places the tome on the table before turning to me. “Have you talked to Kesi about it?”

A rumbling huff sounds in my mind, announcing Kesi’s presence.

“You need not worry about this.”

I clench my hands into fists. Nothing you’ve said has been reassuring.

“Molvic is my mate. This should not be a problem for you.”

Deflating, I soften my tone. It’s not a problem. I just want to understand how this affects me and Aaric. No one has told me what to expect.

“I have told you all I can.”

Ignoring her, I nod to Violet. “She’s not told me enough to reassure me.”

Violet grips my hand, her fingers soft and familiar. I smile at the gesture, missing having my friend around more often.

“I get it, trust me,” she huffs a laugh. Squeezing my hand, her hazel eyes meet mine. “First thing you need to know, the bond you have with Kesi? It now extends to Molvic and Aaric. You can communicate with them like you can communicate with Kesi. It’s…strange, at first,” a blush rises to her cheeks that has me raising a brow. “But you’ll adjust to it. You can easily shut them out the more you learn to shield.”

I nod, remembering all the lessons over the last two weeks on shielding. Picturing the library in the palace has helped me visualize my bond with Kesi. It’s the one place I’ve felt completely at home and comfortable, with Aaric at my side. The image of the marble pillars, towering white bookcases, the painted fresco of the gods and dragons decorating the ceiling, rows and rows of rare tomes— it settles the roaring thoughts of my racing mind.

I sit there, closing my eyes, and search my palace library, finding a solid door near Kesi’s. Hers is encased in light, warming me to the bone when I touch its surface. While this one is cold and burning, a blue haze covers the surface when I near it. This is definitely Molvic’s connection to me. I hope I never have to use it.

When I search my library again, I find another door. This one, unlike the dragon’s doors with obvious traces of imposing power, is simple, familiar. Its wooden frame is carved with images of a cabin and lake. It’s the one place Aaric and I would escape to during the winter to be away from court. This is definitely Aaric’s connection to me.

I open my eyes, finding Violet watching me with that scribe-like curiosity. “So, I can communicate with Aaric? Mind to mind?”

Violet nods. “It’s honestly more helpful than you think, but he won’t always be in your head.”

The thought of him even being there briefly has me slightly panicking. What if he sees or hears something he shouldn’t?

An even worse thought comes to me. What if he hears my unfiltered thoughts about my feelings for him? Would he hear every dirty thought I have when I watch him shirtless on the mat? How his straining, sweat-slicked muscles have me clenching my legs together, imagining him holding me down in his bed? Or how I wake most mornings, aching to be in his arms, wanting him inside of me?

A blush rises to my cheeks. Gods, this is awful.

“You’re being dramatic.”

I ignore Kesi, moving on. “Okay, so I can talk to him and Molvic. Got it. Is there anything else I should know or be aware of?”

Violet’s blush reaches up her neck, causing alarm to rise inside of me.

“Well, it can get…complicated,” she winces. “I mean, when Kesi and Molvic are together, it can lead you and Aaric to become…overwhelmed.”

I furrow my brows. “Overwhelmed?”

She slowly nods before scooting closer to whisper, “I know you care for him, but however you feel strongly for Cam, it’ll be incredibly heightened when Kesi and Molvic can’t shut you out during their own heightened emotions.”

I blanch. “You mean when they mate, I’ll want to jump Aaric’s bones?”

Violet squeezes my hand again, trying to reassure me. “I’ve known you for too long to lie to you. It’s going to be really hard to hide how you feel from him. I’m doing this to warn you of what will come.”

Truly, I appreciate what she’s doing. She went through it herself with Xaden, and now look at them, they’re inseparable and incredibly in love. I can picture them having a future together with how happy he makes her.

“Thanks, Vi,” I squeeze her hand. “You’d think after all these years, I’d let go of my feelings for him and move on,” I laugh bitterly.

Violet shakes her head. “Maybe this is a sign that you should tell him. Your dragons being mates feels like this was meant to be. Maybe it’ll work out.”

“And if I lose his friendship and he pushes me away? What then?” I stare out the frosted windows, an ache creeping up my limbs and burrowing in my chest. “I’d rather he be my friend than ruin anything between us.”

Burning fills my eyes as the overwhelming sense of loss fills me. If I can’t have Aaric for my own, I still want him in my life. No matter how much it hurts.

“Thanks for your help,” I try to smile, but the aching in my chest is hollowing me out. I’ll start crying if I don’t get out of here soon enough.

Violet stops me as I try to get up. “One more thing,” her face is gravely serious as she meets my eye. The soft encouragement from before is gone. “Did Kesi happen to tell you the consequences of a mating bond with two bonded riders?”

I slowly shake my head no.

She closes her eyes before breathing deeply. “I’m not going to sugarcoat this, but you and Aaric are bound now.”

“Bound?”

Her hazel eyes open, burning into mine. “If somehow, someway, he dies, then you die. If you die,” she swallows. “He dies, too.”

“Y/N!”

I shoot out of my chair, stumbling to my feet at the sound of Kesi’s ringing shout.

“Hey, you alright?” Violet reaches out, but my head is pounding hard, heart beating rapidly. I feel a surge of panic crash through me, and it’s startling.

What’s wrong?

“Get to the gymnasium. Now.”

The gym? What?

Did something—

“Your foolish prince is trying to get himself killed.”

————

I burst through the gym doors, breaths sawing through me from running down the many flights of stairs to get here. A crowd is gathered around the mats, sounds of yelling filling the cavernous hall. Violet sticks close behind me as I shove my way forward.

“If he dies, you die. If you die, he dies.”

Violet’s words vibrate through me as I move through the crowd.

Please be alive, please be alive, please—

When we finally reach the front, my stomach drops. Aaric is lying on the mat looking half dead. Blood drips down his face from a cut on his forehead. Sweat soaks his shirt as he stumbles to his feet.

Swaying, he stares down his opponent. I’ve never seen this guy before, but he’s huge. Larger than Aaric, and he looks incredibly pissed off. His knuckles are cracked and bleeding, his lip swollen as bruising lines his jaw.

But Aaric looks far worse. It’s this fact that has me panicking. Aaric’s losing this fight. He doesn’t lose unless he wants to.

“AARIC!”

My shout is lost in the commotion of the crowd as Aaric bounces on his toes, swinging at the other man. He easily evades it before punching Aaric in the stomach. The prince stumbles before spitting blood on the mat. His smile is all bloody teeth as he lunges forward.

Dain comes into view, his face pale as he watches with everyone else.

I run to him, panic lacing my voice as I shout, “Do something!”

Dain shakes his head. “I tried. I really did. He only tried to fight me, but I wouldn’t do it.” He turns his head and I can see slight bruising lining his cheekbone.

“Something’s very wrong,” I whisper, mostly to myself.

Dain nods. “He’s either drunk or super pissed off.”

I shake my head. No, Aaric isn’t like that. He’s logical, first and foremost. Everything he does is within reason. He’s calculated and cautious. He would never do this to bring attention to himself. He’s been trying to lay low for months.

So, what set him off?

My gaze returns to Aaric, who’s caught around his middle and thrown to the mat. His opponent straddles him and begins punching his face. Aaric doesn’t even protect himself. He just lays there…almost like he wants it to happen.

If he won’t end it, I will.

I clench my fists, grinding my teeth as I surge forward. Dain’s arm shoots out to grab me, but I step out of his reach.

Running onto the mat, I use all my strength as I collide with the brute on top of Aaric. The momentum throws him off of Aaric’s bruised and bleeding body, crashing to the mat with me on top of him. He looks up, stunned. When his eyes narrow, I roll off of him and stand with my feet apart and fists raised.

I hear Aaric cough my name, but I don’t turn around.

“He’s done,” I say, my voice lethal and cold. “You should be done, too.”

The guy hacks a wad of spit onto the mat inches from my boots. “He’s done when I say he’s done.”

Fury courses through my veins like a cold fire, an icy pull to kill, eliminate, and protect pulling me under. But I don’t give in. I can tell this is part of Kesi’s emotions bleeding into my own. But I tap into it, using it as a weapon.

“This is how this is going to go,” I growl. “You’re going to let me take him to a healer. And you’re going to stay the fuck away from him. Got it?”

His eyes furrow as he appraises me from head to toe. “I don’t need to take orders from his girlfriend.”

“I’m not asking.”

A strange surge of control comes over me. I’m highly aware of every part of my body, every movement of my chest as my breathing slows. I stare down at him, standing in front of Aaric.

It feels like lightning courses through my veins as I command, “Leave. Now.”

Without a second thought, he pulls himself to his feet, glancing at Aaric before turning around and forcing his way through the crowd.

The burning in my body fades just as soon as it arrives. My energy is draining as a pounding headache replaces that surge of calculated fury. I try to shake it off, turning to Aaric. He’s coughing and wheezing as I fall to my knees.

“Cam?” I whisper, my hand lightly touching his bruising cheek.

He turns into the touch, eyes closed as a groan escapes him. “Y/N?” His skin feels feverish and sticky as he moans into my hand, “I missed you.”

He’s delirious, that’s for certain, but his words set off butterflies in my stomach, warmth spreading through me. My eyes burn as I survey his swollen, bleeding face.

Violet is there, kneeling beside me. “We need to get him to a healer.”

I nod as Dain begins shouting to get everyone else to leave. He’s suddenly beside us, kneeling to pick up Aaric.

“Can you walk?” He asks.

Aaric’s head rolls as he looks up at him, blood dripping from his mouth onto the mat. “Oh hi, Dain.”

Dain swears under his breath before standing with Aaric. “I think he has a bad concussion.”

Aaric’s head swerves and finds me, a smile breaking out across his face. “Hey there, gorgeous.”

I would’ve laughed if his eyes didn’t immediately close after speaking. Dain slaps him across the face. It jolts him awake, his swollen eyes wide with alarm.

“What the fuck?!”

Dain huffs as he carries him from the gym. “You need to stay awake, you bastard, or I’m dropping you down the stairs. Gods, you’re heavy.”

Aaric glares at him before his eyes meet mine over Dain’s shoulder. Blood drips down the side of his head as he stares at me. I reach out and smooth back his hair before it gets more blood in it.

“You fucking idiot,” I whisper as tears threaten to fall. “We’re taking you to the healers. If you didn’t break anything, I’m breaking your jaw later for this.”

Aaric coughs a laugh before groaning as his body shifts in Dain’s arms once we’re in the hall.

“Don’t let my father find out,” he hisses to Dain.

He scoffs. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Cam.”

————

(Aaric POV)

When Aaric wakes, he finds Y/N sitting next to his bed, biting her lip as she grips his hand. Sheets tuck him into the bed as the sun sets, streaming fractures of light across the room through the arched windows.

A headache pounds against his head as he slowly shifts. On instinct, he tightens his fingers around hers, causing her to jump in her seat.

Her eyes whip to his, wide and tear-stained. “You’re awake.”

It must’ve been hours since Dain dragged Aaric into the healer’s room. Halfway up the stairs, he practically threw the prince to the stone before making him walk. Sienna had yelled at Dain for being a prick and at Aaric for being a moron for getting himself into this mess. They both hooked themselves beneath his shoulders and helped carry him the rest of the way up the stairs.

He barely remembers any of it. Only the feel of stiff sheets beneath him and the smell of something acidic and medicinal before blacking out.

“Hi,” he rasps, voice scratchy from disuse. Sharp pain lingers around his ribs, making him wince. “How long was I out?”

Y/N tightens her grip on his hand. “Almost ten hours, give or take?”

He huffs a laugh before immediately coughing. She’s there with water in her hands, helping him drink. The cool liquid wakes him further, clearing his mind.

“Fuck,” he winces as he tries to shift in bed to sit up. “Everything hurts.”

She rolls her eyes. “I wonder why.”

He scowls at the ceiling before attempting to raise himself again, breathing heavily from the movement.

“Stop that or you’ll make everything worse,” she scolds him, moving to stand.

Aaric rolls his eyes. “I’m fine. There’s enough drugs in my system to keep the pain at bay,” he hisses as sharp pain hits him again in the ribs. “Or at least I think so.”

She glowers down at him. “You’re such an idiot. What were you thinking earlier? Were you trying to get yourself killed?”

He tenses. That morning, after he tried to run off all the pent-up energy and desire he felt upon waking earlier, guilt still gnawed at him. He couldn’t believe how horrible of a friend he was for imagining her like that. She didn’t want that. She deserved better than that from such a close friend.

His head was so caught up in this that while he was swinging at a punching bag, he felt someone approach him from behind. They tried to taunt him, test him, get him riled up. Without thinking, with frustration rising inside of him, he turned and threw a punch at the guy. It quickly turned out to be a mistake, but when he got caught up in a fight with the brutish cadet, it felt liberating. Something he could control. And as each punch landed on his body, he knew he deserved it. He allowed it to happen.

Jaw clenched, Aaric doesn’t say anything as his best friend continues to fume. What can he say to her? “Hey, I’m sick and tired of being your friend and it’s slowly eating me alive?”

No. He couldn’t say that.

“Look,” Y/N sighs. “I know you. I know how you fight and what happened earlier was you punishing yourself for something.”

His fists clench, eyes trying not to meet hers as he feels her sympathetic gaze.

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing.”

“What happened earlier is not nothing. You had broken ribs and a shattered cheekbone. Not even to mention your concussion! It took hours for them to heal you, and I never left, so don’t you get to say it’s nothing when it obviously wasn’t.”

Her voice breaks as she speaks, and Aaric finally looks at her. Tears brim her eyes. Fear and worry lining her features. His heart softens and aches at the sight.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “You’re right. It wasn’t nothing.” He sighs. “I…I was frustrated and angry. He just happened to be there. I needed to blow off some steam. That’s all.”

She doesn’t buy it, he can tell, but her shoulders loosen. “I’m getting real sick of these suicidal heroic tendencies of yours.”

He snorts. “Yeah, me too.”

This cracks her. She smiles gently. Aaric smiles back, only for his head to sting, causing him to wince.

She surges forward. “Shit, your stitches.”

She picks up a cloth lying on the bedside table before moving towards him. Her fingers are gentle, careful, as she smooths the cloth over his forehead. She’s close enough to breathe in the scent of her. Aaric can’t resist. He closes his eyes, breathing deeply. Lilac and citrus.

Memories of home rise to the forefront of his mind. Laughter ringing out over a pan of burned muffins. Shared smiles as his older brother, Halden, stomps off to sulk. Fingers tangled together as both Y/N and himself ready to jump into a pond brimming with water lilies and cattails.

Nostalgia grips him by the throat, and he tries to swallow it down. Everything about her, all that she is, is home for him.

Looking up at her, watching as she concentrates on her task, he feels a wave of affection crash over him.

Later, he’ll blame the drugs flowing through his system, numbing his usual restraint. But for now, he allows his hands to slide across her waist, pulling her closer.

Her breath catches, hand freezing on his forehead as her eyes meet his. He sees a question in her gaze, and something lighter. Something that must be reflected in his own as his fingers slowly pull up the material of her shirt. Just enough for his fingers to settle upon her skin, thumbs caressing her waist in slow circles.

Her pupils dilate as she holds his stare, breath increasing. He can feel her pulse through her skin, racing as fast as his own as he stares up at her through his lashes.

“Is this okay?” His voice is husky, full of need.

She swallows, his eyes tracking the movement, suddenly enraptured by the exposed skin of her neck.

“Y-yes,” she stammers. “It’s okay.”

He leans closer, her lips inches from his as he breathes her in. His fingers move to wrap around her back, caressing the base of her spine as he continues to draw slow, methodical circles into her skin.

“Is this?”

She nods, her eyes fluttering as his fingers softly trace the curves of her skin. Cloth forgotten, she allows it to fall to the bed, her hands tangling in his waves. The way she softly pulls on his hair has a moan rising from his mouth. The movement causes their lower lips to brush, lightning coursing through his veins at the sensation. A gasp falls from her mouth at the contact, her fingers pulling him closer.

“Cam,” she breathes, her voice full of want.

Flashes to this morning, to how he woke without her in his bed, makes him ache to take her there now. To show her exactly what he’s wanted to do to her for years.

Fuck, I want to kiss you so badly.

Y/N freezes. Her eyes widening before she pulls back from him. He starts to tug her back to him, not wanting to let her go, when she stops him with a hand on his bare chest.

“I heard you.”

Aaric furrows his brows, his entire being focused on the shape of her lips. “What?”

“Aaric,” she insists. She forces him to look at her, and her eyes soften for a moment. She sighs before closing her eyes, as if she’s concentrating.

“I want to kiss you, too.”

Her voice suddenly rings loud and clear in his head, startling him. His jaw hangs open as he stares.

Holy shit.

She smirks. “Violet told me about how the mating bond connects us. And I think because of your…lowered inhibitions,” her eyes sparkle as she leans closer. “Your shields let me in, allowing me to hear your thoughts just now.”

Well, fuck.

Y/N laughs, the sound lighting every nerve in his body. “It’s freaky, right?”

Aaric shakes his head. “What if I like hearing your voice in my head?”

She bites her lip, a flush rising to her cheeks. Gods, he wants her. He wants to kiss the hell out of that mouth, taste every bit of her. He wants to take his time before he moves his lips down her neck, taunting her, as he opens the buttons on her shirt, exposing her skin—

“Graycastle,” a voice startles them both, forcing Y/N to spring away from him. They both turn to find an aged healer standing there with a firm expression. “This is not the time or place for such fraternizing. Please refrain yourselves as you are not the only ones in the room.”

Aaric’s pulse races in his ears as he turns back to his best friend, whose face is bright red, eyes bulging as she stares at the floor, her mouth pinched to keep herself from smiling. He can’t help his own from spreading across his face. A strange giddiness fills him as her eyes slowly meet his.

She wants to kiss me.

The thought emboldens him, even as the healer shoos Y/N away from his cot. He catches her stare as she leaves.

Will you be back?

She tucks a piece of hair behind her ears before giving him a small smile at the doorway. “Is this a stupid question, or are you still concussed?”

Aaric’s smile is still wide even after Y/N disappears. Long after the healer checks his bandages and leaves. When the lights go out for curfew, he notices the lingering scent of her, clinging to the air around him. Lilac and citrus.

Just as he succumbs to sleep, he swears he overhears Molvic grumble in his mind. One word. “Finally.”

Part Six

————

"You're doing that thing again," she bit out, voice uneven. Behind her, she felt more than saw his smirk. "What thing?" "You know exactly what thing," she gritted, trying to shift back against him, wordlessly demanding more. A low chuckle against her skin. "Patience, sweetheart." She cursed under her breath. He was doing it on purpose. That slow, infuriating control.

Aaric was a strategist. On and off the battlefield. He knew exactly how to play her, how to keep her on edge, how to make her fall apart. And he enjoyed it—far too much. Y/N hated and loved him for it all at once. But two could play that game. Pushing back against him just enough to throw him off balance, she turned, gripping his jaw and dragging his mouth to hers.

Aaric let out a low groan, his hands instantly tightening on her waist. She knew that sound. Knew what it meant. She was getting to him. "Problem?" she murmured against his lips, smirking. He growled, flipping their positions in one smooth movement, pressing her back against the wall. His green, piercing eyes locked onto hers, amusement flickering in them.

"You want it your way? Fine, I’ll give you what you want." he said, voice smooth and sharp, like a blade waiting to press against skin. Y/N’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, a moan left her lips. "Please." His smirk was slow, lethal. "Good girl." he murmured, before making her regret every bit of her smugness.

Later, as she lay sprawled on his bed, the room still heavy with warmth, Aaric stretched beside her, one arm lazily draped over his stomach. He was too smug, and she had half a mind to smack him for it. Instead, she rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow. "You looked very pleased with yourself back there." "Shouldn't I be?" He turned his head slightly to smirk at her, hair a tousled mess. Unfairly good-looking even in exhaustion. "You challenged me, and I won."

"You cheated," she muttered, shoving at his shoulder. His chest shook with laughter. "You call that cheating? I call that strategy." She narrowed her eyes. "I call it a massive ego." Aaric simply grinned. "You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have one." She had no retort for that. Because it was true. There was something about the way he carried himself, about that mix of confidence and careful restraint, about how he never let anyone get too close, except for her.

But only like this. Only in the dark, in stolen moments, in an agreement that wasn’t supposed to mean anything. Y/N forced herself to shove the thought away before it could dig in too deep. Aaric let out a long breath, stretching again before rolling onto his side to face her. "You hungry?" She blinked. "What?"

He nodded toward his door. "The kitchen should still be open. We could grab something before the upper-years steal everything." Y/N stared at him, thrown off by the casualness of it. Because this wasn’t part of their deal. They trained together. Slept together. But they didn’t do things like—this.

She studied his expression, looking for some kind of hidden motive. But Aaric just stared back, bored, unbothered, like he wasn’t aware he’d just thrown the entire foundation of their arrangement off-balance. "You coming or not?" She should say no. But instead, she found herself following him out the door.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

Aaric led her through the winding rows of ancient tomes and dust-covered archives like he had done this a hundred times before. His stride was easy, unhurried, his fingers trailing over old bindings as if this place was as familiar to him as the battlefield. "How do you even know your way around here?" Y/N whispered, half-expecting a scribe to shush them despite the emptiness.

Aaric didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he stopped in front of a hidden alcove, shielded behind one of the grander bookshelves, where a narrow wooden table sat tucked against the wall, illuminated by the soft glow of a single enchanted lamp. It was perfect. Private. Isolated. Like something out of a dream-a place she would love to read her favourite book in silence in. Y/N turned to him, eyes narrowed. "You’ve been keeping this a secret, haven’t you?"

Aaric smirked, leaning against the bookshelf with an infuriatingly casual air. "Maybe." "You ass," she muttered, stepping inside anyway. "You let me suffer at those overcrowded tables for weeks, and you had this the whole time?" His smirk deepened. "I was waiting for the right moment." "To what? Taunt me?" His gaze flickered over her, amused. Something else, something unreadable, lingered beneath it. "To bring you here."

That shut her up. She swallowed, suddenly too aware of how intimate this space was. The alcove was small—too small. When he followed her in, his body brushed against hers, his warmth seeping through his shirt. He acted like he didn’t notice. But she did. Y/N cleared her throat, dropping into the chair and pulling out her notes. Focus. They were here to study.

Aaric, however, had other plans. At first, it was subtle. Sitting too close. Passing her books without looking, their fingers brushing for too long. Then, there was the way he watched her. Y/N could feel his gaze on her every time she got frustrated, could hear the quiet amusement in his exaggerated sighs whenever she muttered a curse under her breath.

When she finally looked up, exasperated, Aaric had the nerve to smirk. "Something wrong, sweetheart?" "You’re staring." "Am I?" He leaned back, utterly unapologetic. "Maybe you’re just distracted." "By what?" she shot back, crossing her arms. Aaric tilted his head, eyes flickering over her, slow and assessing. "Wouldn’t you like to know?" She hated him. And she hated even more that he was right.

Because now she was distracted—especially when he stretched, casually draping an arm over the back of her chair, fingers nearly brushing her shoulder. Y/N forced herself to focus. She wasn’t going to let him win. But Aaric wasn’t done playing. A moment later, his lips were on her neck. It wasn’t much—just a graze, a whisper of warmth, but it was enough.

Her breath hitched. "Aaric—" "Mm?" His voice was pure sin, his mouth still hovering near her skin, so close, too close. "We’re supposed to be studying," she said, though it came out weaker than intended. "Are we?" His hand slid up, fingers ghosting over her thigh. "Because I distinctly remember you calling me a distraction just now."

Y/N clenched her jaw, willing herself not to react. But when his teeth scraped just barely along the curve of her throat—deliberate, teasing, testing—her resolve shattered. She turned in her chair, grabbed the front of his shirt, and yanked him down to kiss him. Aaric let out a quiet, pleased sound, his hands immediately finding her waist. His lips curled into a smirk against hers, like he had won. And maybe he had. Again.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

The training grounds were mostly empty this late in the afternoon—perfect for a fight. Y/N had purposefully avoided sparring with Aaric for the last few days. She told herself it was because she needed a break from his cocky smirks and infuriatingly smooth voice. The truth? She was still thinking about that damned study session. The way he had kissed her neck, the way he had looked at her, the way he had smirked against her lips like he knew exactly what he was doing to her.

It had taken everything in her not to drag him straight to bed afterward. And now? Now she was going to beat the shit out of him for it. Aaric was already waiting for her when she arrived at the training mats, rolling his shoulders in a way that made his too-fitted shirt stretch over his arms. Smug as ever. "Thought you’d run off," he teased, spinning a practice blade between his fingers. "Can’t say I’d blame you."

Y/N raised a brow, pulling her own dagger from its sheath. "Big words for someone who got his ass handed to him last time." His grin sharpened. "Is that how you remember it?" "That’s how it happened." He hummed, stepping into the circle, casual but coiled with tension. "Then prove it." Oh, she would. They circled each other, slow and deliberate, watching, waiting. Aaric always fought lazy, like it was a game, like he already knew he would win. And that only made Y/N more determined.

She moved first. A quick lunge, aiming for his ribs—but Aaric was faster. He dodged with ease, just barely, the air shifting as her dagger sliced past him. Instead of countering, he stepped into her space, too close, forcing her to adjust. "Sloppy," he murmured, voice dripping with amusement. "Eat shit," she muttered, shoving him back and twisting into another strike. This time, he blocked her, their arms locking together. His body pressed against hers for a second too long, heat radiating through their clothes.

Y/N refused to let it distract her. She shifted, trying to hook his leg and knock him off balance—but he saw it coming. Before she could blink, Aaric flipped her, twisting their bodies mid-air so that when they hit the ground, he landed on top, pinning her with his full weight. Gods. His knees trapped her thighs, his hands braced on either side of her head, and his chest—broad, solid, annoyingly warm—pressed into hers.

Y/N hated how good it felt. Aaric smirked down at her, breathing only slightly uneven. "That was rude." Y/N scowled. "You’re rude." He laughed, the sound low, easy, too damn attractive. "And yet, here you are. Flat on your back beneath me." Bastard. She tried to buck him off, but he only pressed his weight down harder, making very clear that she wasn’t going anywhere. "Give up?" he asked, lips hovering far too close to hers.

Y/N swallowed. Her heart was racing—not just from the fight, but from him. The way he was looking at her, lingering, waiting. Like he wanted something. And she almost—almost—let him have it. But then she remembered his smirk. That damned, arrogant smirk. So instead of surrendering, she feigned a sigh, went slack beneath him—and then drove her knee straight into his gut.

Aaric let out a strangled oof, rolling off her just long enough for her to scramble back up and press her blade to his throat. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, to her absolute horror, Aaric grinned. A full, delighted, almost proud grin. "That," he murmured, "was dirty." Y/N, still breathless, narrowed her eyes. "You fight dirty all the time." "Exactly." His grin turned downright wicked. "Means you’re finally learning."

She huffed, stepping back and sheathing her dagger. "You’re impossible." Aaric pushed himself up with ease, brushing dust from his shirt. His gaze never left hers, dark with something she couldn’t quite name. "So, you wanna go back to my room?" he murmured, voice almost too soft. Y/N didn’t respond. Because the truth? She did-all the freaking time and never wanted to leave. And that was becoming a very, very big problem.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

The music was loud, the air thick with heat and laughter. The kind of night that should have felt easy, effortless, fun. And for a while, it did. Y/N had walked in with her friends, feeling good. Dressed in something that made her feel confident, smiling at the familiar buzz of voices, the golden glow of lanterns casting shadows across the walls. Sloane shoved a drink into her hand, and she let herself relax.

She deserved this. After an exhausting week of training and avoiding the very obvious problem that was Aaric Graycastle, she deserved a night where she wasn’t thinking about him. And then—She saw him. Across the room, leaning against the bar, posture too casual, too familiar. That stupid lazy smirk curving his mouth.

The same smirk he gave her when he whispered dirty things in her ear, when he pinned her against the training mat, when he pulled her into dark corners between squad meetings just to press his lips to her neck, to murmur how badly he wanted her. Only now—now, he wasn’t looking at her. He was looking at someone else.

Some girl she didn’t recognize, tall, pretty, laughing at something he said. Y/N froze, drink half-raised to her lips. The air in the room shifted, her chest tightening, stomach lurching like she’d been punched. He was so close to her. Leaning in, tilting his head like he was listening so intently, like he actually gave a damn about whatever vapid thing she was saying. Y/N’s grip tightened around her glass.

She should look away. She should leave before she did something reckless, something she couldn’t take back. But she couldn’t. Not when the girl reached out and touched his arm, fingers brushing against his skin. Not when Aaric let her. A sound built in Y/N’s throat—something raw, unfamiliar. Rage. Jealousy. But worse than all of that—hurt. Because for the first time, she wondered—Had she imagined it? All of it?

The way he lingered, the way he touched her even when they weren’t in bed, the way he showed her parts of himself he never showed anyone else. The smirk in the library, the smirk in the sparring ring, the smirk that made her feel like she was something different, something special. Had she been stupid enough to believe she was actually more than just the convenient, no-strings-attached arrangement they had?

The memory of his voice, low, teasing, full of promise, slid through her mind: "You still like sparring with me." Like it was a game. Like he already knew he had won. Maybe he had. Maybe she had always been the one who was going to lose. She downed the rest of her drink and left. Didn’t tell her friends, didn’t look back. Because if she had—if she had let herself keep watching—she didn’t know what she would have done.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

It started subtly. Skipping the gym when she knew he’d be there. Arriving to squad meetings just on time instead of early—no more lingering, no more playful back-and-forth as they walked out together. Then it became deliberate. The first time Aaric walked into a room and she walked out, his brows had knitted together in mild confusion. The second time, his smirk slipped. The third time, when he had caught her wrist in passing and she shook him off without even looking at him—He knew.

Something was wrong. But Y/N told herself it was fine. This was what they agreed on. Just sex. Just convenience. No promises, no strings, no expectations. So why did it feel like she was carving out a part of herself every time she turned her back on him? Why did it feel like she was losing something that had never even been hers to begin with?

She kept her head high, kept moving, ignored the way her stomach knotted when she felt his eyes on her. Because if she stopped—if she let herself falter, if she let herself look at him—She didn’t know if she’d be able to walk away again.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

At first, Aaric told himself it was nothing. She was just busy. She had other things going on. But then—Then he realized it was only him. She still trained with the squad, still laughed with their friends, still lingered in all the same places—She just wouldn’t look at him. And that drove him fucking insane. 

The first time it happened, he brushed it off. The second time, a flicker of irritation. The third time? That was when he started watching. She still laughed when Bodhi teased her, still rolled her eyes at Ridoc’s nonsense, still shared those knowing looks with Violet. But when Aaric stepped into the room? 

She closed off. Her shoulders stiffened. Her expression shut down. And she walked away. Every. Single. Time. Aaric didn’t consider himself the obsessive type. He didn’t chase. Didn’t need to. But this? This was different. This was her slipping through his fingers, and the worst part? He didn’t know why. So he started pressing. He cornered Bodhi first—leaned against a table, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

“What did I do?” Bodhi just shrugged. “You tell me.” Unhelpful. He tried Ridoc next. No luck. Even Violet, who normally saw too much, just gave him a knowing look and said, “Figure it out yourself.” And that was the moment Aaric realized—They all knew. And they weren’t telling him. The frustration boiled. Turned into something sharp. Something obsessive.

And the moment he saw her at training, saw the way she caught sight of him and immediately moved to leave—Something inside him snapped. No. No. She did not get to do this. She did not get to pull away, to pretend he didn’t exist, to act like he was just some passing thing she could erase from her life. If she wanted to leave—if she wanted to end whatever this was—Then she was going to have to look him in the fucking eyes and say it.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

Aaric had been patient. Or at least, he’d told himself he had. He let her ignore him for days. Let her pretend he didn’t exist. Let her walk out of rooms the second he stepped into them. But patience wasn’t his virtue, and restraint had never been his strong suit—especially when it came to her. So when he saw her after class, lingering behind while everyone else filtered out, he didn’t think. He moved.

The door slammed behind them as he pulled her into an old, abandoned classroom, pressing her back against the wall before she had a chance to escape. His hands braced on either side of her head, caging her in. Her eyes flashed with fury. "What the hell—" "Tell me why you're avoiding me," he cut her off, voice low and demanding. She glared. Crossed her arms. "I don’t owe you an explanation."

Aaric exhaled sharply through his nose, his patience hanging by a thread. "You’re going to ignore me forever, then?" He leaned in, forcing her to either meet his gaze or look away in cowardice. "That’s the plan?" She stayed silent. That pissed him off even more. He tilted his head, eyes dark and sharp as he studied her. "You don’t get to do this," he murmured, voice quieter now, but no less intense. "You don’t get to act like we’re nothing."

That was what broke her. Her chin lifted, eyes blazing. "You broke our agreement first." Aaric scoffed, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "This is about that girl from the party, isn’t it?" His lip curled. "I only entertained her because I saw you with Bodhi." He stepped closer, the heat between them almost unbearable. "Because I was jealous." Another step. His breath fanned against her lips, soft but heavy with intent. "Because I want you to be mine."

She swallowed hard, her resolve wavering for a brief moment before she caught herself. "You don’t get to say that. Not after—" But she never got to finish. Aaric’s mouth crashed onto hers, hard, desperate. As if he’d been starving for her, as if the dam holding him back had finally shattered. She gasped against his lips, and he seized the opportunity, his tongue sweeping in to claim her.

Her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt, nails scraping against his skin, and, fuck, he needed her closer. He lifted her with ease, placing her on the desk behind them without breaking the kiss. His hands slid under her shirt, finding the hot, bare skin of her waist, and she shivered at the contact. "You drive me fucking insane," he muttered against her lips, his fingers pressing into her hips. She let out a breathless laugh, eyes dazed and pupils blown wide. "Right back at you."

That was all the permission he needed. Their clothes came off in a flurry, discarded onto the dusty floor in haste. His mouth found the curve of her neck, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses that made her head fall back, a soft moan escaping her lips. "Still mad at me?" he murmured, nipping at the tender spot beneath her jaw. She barely managed to shake her head. Aaric grinned, wicked and triumphant, before slipping inside her, making her moan loud enough to echo through the room. "Aaric—oh gods," she gasped, her body pressed up against his as her arms instinctively wrapped around his shoulders for support.

His thrusts were hard, relentless, hitting that sweet spot inside her. Aaric’s hand found the soft skin of her neck, wrapping around it possessively, squeezing just enough to send a jolt of sensation through her. Her hands gripped his, her eyes wide and lost in the heat of the moment as she met his gaze. With a swift motion, he pushed her back onto the desk, changing their angle so deep, so perfect, that she could hardly breathe.

Her moans grew louder, and he tightened his hold, restricting her airflow just enough to heighten the sensation even more. She bit her lip, her teeth sinking into it as she gasped, “Fuck, Aaric. Feels so good.” He smirked, sweat building on his forehead and abs, his thrusts growing deeper, harder. "I love seeing you like this," he groaned. "You’re so fucking sexy, sweetheart." Her walls fluttered around him, and he knew she was close. But just as she was on the edge, he stopped, holding himself inside her, perfectly still.

“What are you doing?” she groaned, trying to shift her hips, desperate for more friction. He clicked his tongue in disapproval. "I want you to say it. Tell me I’m the only one for you." His gaze was intense as his fingers tightened around her neck again, waiting. Her eyes fluttered shut, a whimper escaping her as she let out a breathless plea, “Please, Aaric, I need to come.”

He murmured softly, “Wrong answer, baby.” But despite his words, his hips shifted again, and his other hand moved to lift her leg over his shoulder, deepening their connection, making her moan even louder. “Oh, yes,” she moaned, her hands cupping his face, trying to pull him into a kiss, but he refused, his eyes locked onto hers as he thrust faster, harder.

The pressure built once again, and she thought she was finally going to fall over the edge. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, drawing blood as she neared her release. But then, just like before, he pulled out of her, stopping everything. “No, no, no, no, please Aaric. Please,” she begged, her body arching toward him, desperate to pull him back in.

He raised an eyebrow, unmoved. "It’s you. It’s always been you," she gasped, grabbing his hands, pulling him against her. She pressed her forehead to his, her breath fast, ragged. But he didn’t move, didn’t respond. Her heart pounded, and then, in a whisper, she admitted it: “I love you.”

And with that, all his restraint shattered. With one swift motion, he was inside her again, railing into her, driving her into the old desk. The force of his thrusts had her seeing stars. "Fuck, sweetheart," Aaric groaned, the intensity of their pleasure growing with each passing second, both of them on the verge of breaking. And then they came together, a tidal wave of sensation crashing over them, moaning each other’s names as their bodies shuddered in sync.

When they finally collapsed together, skin slick and hearts still racing, he cupped her face, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to look at him. His forehead rested against hers, their breaths mingling in the space between them. "So..." His voice was softer now, vulnerable in a way she hadn’t expected. "Can I be yours?"