BEYOND THE CAMPUS WALLS

Chapter 12: Claws and Instincts

LOGAN’S POV

The parking lot smelled of asphalt and rain, the fog curling thick around my car as I gripped Ariana’s wrist, her pulse racing under my fingers. Her green eyes blazed, her red hair spilling from her hoodie, catching the dim streetlight like fire. “You have to believe me and stay the hell away from Tobey Gregory for your own good,” I said, my voice a low growl.

Tobey was wrong—his quiet nerd act, his lingering at Ravenswood for five years, same as me, set my instincts on edge. I’d caught him staring, his dark eyes too sharp, a shadow clinging to him like smoke. He looked familiar, like a scent I couldn’t place, and every time we crossed paths, my wolf bristled, sensing something dark, something dangerous.

“Let me go, Logan!” Ariana yanked her wrist free, her voice sharp, slicing through the fog.

Her cheeks flushed, her freckles stark against her pale skin, and she stepped back, her bandaged ankle wobbling.

“I don’t need you telling me who I can talk to. I’m not your property!”

Her words hit like a punch, but her scent—wildflowers and steel—flooded me, stirring my wolf, my body reacting in ways it shouldn’t. Heat coiled low in my gut, my jeans tightening, and I cursed under my breath. She was yelling, fighting me, and here I was, aroused, my wolf whining mate like a damn siren. No girl had ever done this to me, not in ten years, not ever. Why her? Why now?

I tightened my grip, not letting her slip away, my boots scuffing the pavement. “You’re so f*****g stubborn,” I growled, my voice rough, my wolf clawing at my control. “I can’t deal with it, Ariana. That thing—the boogeyman—it’s after you. I’m not letting you walk into danger.”

She laughed, sharp and bitter, her eyes flashing. “Did I ask you to deal with me? Why’s my stubbornness your problem?” She shoved at my chest, her hands small but fierce, and I stumbled back, my wolf whining at the distance. “You’ve got Bella, remember? Your girlfriend’s already spreading her rumors about us. I can’t handle her drama on top of everything else!”

My jaw clenched, my fists balling. Bella wasn’t my girlfriend—never had been, despite her clinging, her jealousy a thorn I’d ignored for years. “Bella’s nothing,” I snapped, my voice low, my eyes locked on hers. “This isn’t about her. It’s about you, Ariana. That thing wants you dead, and I’m not letting it happen.”

She froze, her lips parting, her breath fogging in the cool air. “I have cheer practice,” she said, her voice quieter but still defiant, her eyes darting to the quad. “I’m the captain. I can’t just skip it because you’re trying to play the hero.”

She tugged at her hoodie, her fingers trembling, and my chest ached, the mate bond pulling me to her, urging me to protect, to claim.

“You’re not going alone,” I said, stepping closer, my voice firm, my wolf’s growl edging my words. “I’m coming with you to practice. I don’t care if it’s the gym, the quad, or a damn closet—that thing could strike anywhere.”

My mind flashed to the boogeyman’s yellow eyes, its claws, its relentless pursuit of her. I’d seen it chase her, seen her fear, and I’d be damned if I let it get close again.

Ariana’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping open. “Are you insane?” she hissed, her voice rising, her hands flailing. “You can’t come to cheer practice! Don’t you have hockey? You’re the captain, Logan! Go do that!” Her cheeks flushed deeper, her frustration palpable, and my wolf stirred, drawn to her fire, her defiance making me want her more.

I smirked, despite myself, my wolf relishing her spark. “Hockey can wait,” I said, stepping forward, closing the gap. “You’re more important.” The words slipped out, raw and honest, and her eyes softened for a split second before hardening again.

“Stop it,” she snapped, her voice trembling, her hands shoving at me again. “You can’t just ditch your team! People already think we’re… whatever. You being around me makes it worse. Just go!”

Her voice cracked, her eyes glistening, and I saw it—the shame, the weight of the rumors, the night in my car that had changed everything. She thought I’d used her, thought I was just another guy chasing a thrill, but she was my mate, my everything, and I couldn’t tell her, not yet.

I grabbed her shoulders, my grip gentle but firm, my eyes searching hers. “Ariana, listen,” I said, my voice low, urgent. “I know about the rumors. I didn’t start them, I swear. But that thing—it’s not done with you. I feel it.” My wolf growled, its instincts screaming danger, Tobey’s dark energy flashing in my mind.

She stared, her breath hitching, her eyes wide with confusion. “I can handle myself, you weirdo.”

“Really?” I snorted, my wolf’s hackles rising. “You don’t know what you’re up against, Ariana." My voice dropped, my mission weighing heavy.

Her lips trembled, her arms crossing tight over her chest. “I don’t need protecting,” she said, but her voice shook, her eyes darting to the fog, like she saw the boogeyman’s claws in every shadow. “I have practice. Let me go.”

I didn’t move, my hands still on her shoulders, my body buzzing with need. Her scent, her defiance, her closeness—it was driving me wild, my wolf clawing to pull her close, to claim her lips, her body, right here in the parking lot. I gritted my teeth, fighting it, my jeans uncomfortably tight.

“You’re not going alone,” I said, my voice a growl. “I’ll walk you to the gym, then I’ll go to hockey. But you call me if anything feels wrong. Anything.”

She stared, her eyes narrowing, her breath quickening. “You’re impossible,” she muttered, but her voice softened, her shoulders sagging. “Fine. Walk me to the gym. But that’s it.”

I nodded, releasing her, my hands tingling where they’d touched her. I stepped ahead, leading the way, my boots crunching on the gravel, my wolf’s senses sharp, scanning the fog for threats. She followed, her steps hesitant, her scent trailing me like a tether. The quad was quiet, students’ voices muffled, their eyes darting as we passed.

We reached the gym, its lights cutting through the fog, cheerleaders’ chatter spilling out. Ariana stopped, her eyes meeting mine, a mix of defiance and vulnerability. “I’m here,” she said, her voice firm. “Go play hockey. I’ll be fine.”

I pulled her phone from her hand, my fingers brushing hers, sending a jolt through me. I typed my number, called my phone, and handed it back, my eyes locked on hers. “Save it,” I said, my voice low, urgent. “It’ll save your life. Call me if anything—anything—feels off.”

She stared at the phone, then at me, her lips parting like she wanted to argue. But she nodded, tucking it into her pocket, her fingers trembling. “Okay,” she whispered, and turned, slipping into the gym, her red hair vanishing through the doors.

I stood there, my wolf howling, every instinct screaming to follow. But she was right—hockey was my cover, my reason for staying at Ravenswood. I had a game, a team counting on me, and I couldn’t fuel the rumors more. The boogeyman wanted her, its need was dark and deadly, while mine was love, the mate bond tying me to her in ways she didn’t understand. Tobey was a threat, his darkness a puzzle I hadn’t solved, but I’d be damned if I let either of them near her. I turned, my boots heavy, and headed to the rink, her scent lingering, my wolf vowing to protect her, no matter the cost.