I almost hoped for it. How much longer could I keep silent? I wished Adira was the type to actually help. But knowing her, once she found out, she’d try to blackmail me into appropriate succubus behavior in exchange for not telling Megan about what the druids and I had done. I’d rather tell Megan myself.
Only a few seats were occupied when I entered the classroom, including the one next to mine.
“I’m sorry, Fenris. I told her not to do this.”
I didn’t need to clarify who as there was only one person who liked messing with our lives to this level. He didn’t seem to mind the meddling, though, based on his easy grin and shrug.
“I don’t mind the time away from my schedule.”
I knew he meant his pack of females and sighed, doubting very much that they’d be as accepting of the change.
Fenris’s smile slipped, and he leaned toward me, sniffing.
“You smell different. More…”
While he struggled for the right word, heat scalded my cheeks, and I covered my mouth with my fingers. Piepen’s taste still coated my mouth and apparently lingered on my breath despite all the minty gargling.
“It’s not bad,” Fenris said, taking in my flush. “Only different. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Not with me.”
I snorted but kept my fingers in place as I spoke.
“You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew what happened.”
“I look forward to hearing the story.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
His grin widened.
“But you will because you’ll want my help to get rid of what I’m smelling.”
I wrinkled my nose at him and faced the front of the room where Belemina watched us from her seat. She winked at Fenris.
“Adira swapped out the human for you? I’m not sure if I should pout or cheer.”
“Cheer. That’s what Eliana’s doing.”
Her gaze flicked to me.
“Yeah, real cheerful there,” she said before focusing on the instructor.
I shot Fenris a dark look before lowering my hand from my lips. Though I tried, it was impossible to pay attention to a lecture on how humans like to congregate in parks, which made for easy feeding. Instead, my thoughts drifted to where I should start looking for the druids.
The class ended with me hearing very little.
Fenris stood and waited for me.
“Care to tell me a tale while we walk to Self-paced Science and Algebra?”
“Once, there was a werewolf who was too nosy. He died. The end.”
He chuckled and tucked his hands into his jean pockets, in that relaxed way he had about him, and followed me from the room. I, however, moved a bit more aggressively through my peers than normal, and a few stepped hastily out of my way after a glance at my expression.
“I think I might need to collect on my payment a little early today. Whatever happened this morning put you in a bad mood,” Fenris commented when we reached Ashlyn’s class.
“You’d be in a bad mood, too, if you had to endure the morning I had,” I grumbled, trying not to make eye contact with Eugene, Ashlyn’s hopefully temporary replacement.
“Do you think so?” Fenris asked.
His question gave me pause, and I looked at him as we sat next to each other. Did I think Fenris would be in a bad mood if Piepen had sprinkled on him? No. Fenris never seemed to be in a bad mood. In fact, he probably would have clapped the annoying little brownie on the shoulder and offered him more man-to-man advice.
Sex advice from Fenris.
My insides went hot and cold at the thought.
Instead of answering his question, I picked up my tablet. The equations danced in my vision and didn’t settle into any sensical meaning. My mind was too busy dwelling on the fact that Fenris was a better person than I was. What was wrong with me?
“Advanced Algebra? Nice. Are you hoping to be an engineer or architect?”
Setting the tablet down, I took a long-suffering breath.
“We both know that will never be an option for me.” I met his gaze. “Fenris, you need to complain to your father that Adira changed your schedule. She’s meddling with your future. I might never be able to leave here, but you will. You need to study.”
He leaned in with a grin.
“I’ve already passed everything. The only reason I don’t have my mark yet is that I’m not mated. I’m here to spend time with the ladies, whichever ones they see fit to throw in my path. You’re this week’s flavor, and I don’t mind the change.”
“You passed everything?”
“Yep. Don’t