new roommate’s boxer munching escapades as he rarely checked FaeBook himself. Nah. It’s funnier if he finds out himself.
As I tucked my Atlas away, my heart pulled in several directions and I had a sense I finally knew what was up with me lately. Elise's hand was locked in mine and I tugged her closer as my gaze found Dante in the class, then moved to Gabriel, then Ryder. I growled low in my throat as I was drawn to the three of them. So maybe I’d gotten attached to Elise’s other guys. Maybe I missed hanging out with them all. And maybe it was time I reunited us Avengers style. It was kinda exciting. Tummy flutters and all.
Mars was splitting everyone into pairs and as we drifted closer, he noticed us. "Callisto, pair with Galaxa today and Night, I want you with Draconis."
I squeezed Elise's hand before she shot off toward Cindy Lou with a challenging smirk on her face and I headed towards Ryder with my heart lifting. For some reason, despite the stars having bound me to Elise, I had retained my Lion instincts too. The ones that encouraged me to make a pride. And apparently, Ryder, Dante and Gabriel were just what I needed to fulfil that desire. I knew my little monster cared for them, but I didn't know quite what had changed for her since the stars had mated us. Or if anything had at all. Our night with Dante proved she still desired him, but did that mean she wanted him as much as me now? I didn't like the idea that there could be such an imbalance between us. Especially with Dante. He was my best friend. We'd chosen to share Elise from the start, and I knew it was cutting him up inside that she was marked as mine now. And it just felt all kinds of wrong.
"Hey," I said, smiling at Ryder and getting a predictable scowl in return. My instincts urged me to rush forward and hug him, but it probably wasn't worth the head injury he'd give me for it. Tempting though. Ryder was always so closed off with me, but I knew this macho bullshit was his way of guarding his big smooshy heart. He was just as hurt by losing Elise as Gabriel and Dante were. I only wished he'd admit it. And maybe there was one way I could make him...
"I want you to focus on footwork and technique today," Mars called, the sun beaming off of his shaved head. I swear the guy was legit the Rock’s bigger, beefier Fae cousin. And that was saying something. "No big attacks, no shows of power. Being smart and subtle can be just as effective if not more so against strong opponents. Never forget that. Begin."
Ryder raised his hands and the earth shuddered beneath me, making me stumble sideways.
"You must really wanna hurt me," I commented, toying with a few flames in my palms as I pranced away from the foot-sized holes he made beneath my shoes.
"Yeah, I wanna rip your intestines out and strangle you with them so you shut up," he growled, flicking his fingers so the earth started to rip apart beneath me.
I danced aside again, getting closer to him and he hissed, snaring my legs with vines to try and hold me back. I casually severed them with fire and even disintegrated the one he had poised to strangle me from behind.
"Naughty little viper. Is it my eyes you hate seeing the most, or is it just that you know I'm fucking the girl you want every night of the week?" I asked with a casual smirk, waiting for the moment he snapped. Come on, Rydikins, show me your heart.
"Fuck you," he hissed, a dangerous rattle sounding in his chest. That was a warning most Fae would heed immediately, but not me. I liked poking the snake. And I was definitely going to keep poking until I got him to admit the truth.
"Is it me that's the problem specifically or would you be this mad at anyone else who had been mated to her?" I asked, quickly blasting away two thick vines as they shot towards me.
"I don't give a shit that you're mated to her," he snarled in a way that said he definitely did give a shit. Probably several shits. "Maybe I'm just sick of you strutting around campus like the fucking king of Pride Rock when really the only kind