These Feral Bonds

CHAPTER FOUR

CALEB'S POV

The moment I entered the room, I knew exactly where Hazel was. It baffled me, how I was always so attuned to her presence, her scent. Even now I could feel my wolf clawing at my insides wanting to be near her. Fate was a cruel thing but it was even crueler to me. Of all people…Hazel. A weak human. I considered not coming but my father pressured me to, saying that a mate would distract people from what I really was. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't stay back. The pull on this night was too strong. It would be potentially deadly to resist it.

All eyes turned to me when I entered, hushed voices filling the room. I couldn't hear all that they were saying but I got the gist. Why would he come here? Who would want to be mated with a cursed wolf? Well, the joke was on everybody because my mate was the only human girl in this school.

I could see Talia walking up to me, pushing people out of the way. I considered leaving before she got to me but I knew she would only just follow.

“Caleb!”she squealed, giving me a hug that I didn't return. “I've missed you. Did you miss me?”

I shrugged her off, trying to look for Brooklyn in the crowd. There was a hurt look on her face that I ignored. “Have you seen Brooklyn?”

“No but who cares? He's not the one you'll be marking tonight.”

I finally looked at her, giving her a blank stare. “And pray tell, who might that be?”

“Me! Who else? No one else will accept you. I'm the only one. Cursed wolves like you can never have true mates. You'll mark me and you'll claim me as yours. Are you willing to bring more shame and disgrace to your family?”

I sneered at her, grabbing her arm and pulling her closer. “Listen to me, I don't know where you got it twisted in that sick head of yours but I will not lie to the entire school that you're my mate. We just f**k, nothing more and after tonight, we won't be doing that anymore so get lost.”

I released her and just then, a teacher got on the stage to speak. She turned to listen and I used the opportunity to slink away. Time to fulfil the reason I came here in the first place.

HAZEL'S POV

Caleb looked more ragged than I had ever seen him. He was always so put together but even from this distance I could tell something was very wrong. His hair looked like he had raked his fingers through it many times, clothes rumpled like he couldn't even be bothered to iron them out and his eyes…his eyes didn't just flicker their unnatural golden colour, they positively glowed with it. And right now, those eyes were trained on me.

Everyone turned to him the moment he entered, their voices hushed. No one expected him to come of course. Cursed Lycans didn't have mates. Another punishment from the moon goddess. So what was he doing here?

My heart began to beat faster. I remembered the nest in his room, the things he had stolen from me and all my fears from earlier came rushing back. What if…no no it wasn't possible. It couldn't be. Talia, one of the highest ranking wolves in the school, walked up to him and hugged him looking oh so happy. I watched their interaction sourly.

One of our teachers, Miss Avery, took the stage. “Students of Holloway preparatory, I officially welcome you all to the Venatus Ball. For some of you it's your first, for others, it's your second but nevertheless this night means the same for all of us. It's a night when we officially claim our fated mates. Some of you already have an idea of who that might be but tonight you will be certain as this is the night our great mother deemed fit to reveal our soul-bonded to us and to the world. If you don't get a mate tonight, that's fine. Feel free to mingle and let your instincts guide you. You can always try again next year. I wish you all the best.”

The lights dimmed then and the music slowed giving the atmosphere a sensual feel. I was so distracted by Miss Avery's speech that I didn't even register that Caleb had come up to me and was standing beside me. He stared straight ahead, the heat emanating off him was so much that I broke out in a sweat.

“What are you doing here?” I asked. “I thought your kind has no business in these events.”

“I could say the same for you.”

“I'm a student here. It's mandatory that I attend.”

He scoffed. “You're an imposter but anything that helps you sleep at night is fine. Follow me.” Caleb said and began walking away.

Follow him? Follow him where? I looked around to ensure no one was watching before going after him. He passed one of the secondary exits of the Great Hall, walking so fast that I had to half–jog just to keep up with him. I totally lost him when I reached a turning in one of the corridors.

“Where the…” I was dragged into an empty classroom. Caleb slammed the door and pushed me against the wall.

“Please tell me you didn't ask me to follow you for another one of your incessant bullying sessions.” I said, already getting fed up.

“No. I didn't.”

He leaned in slowly, his head in the crook of my neck and sniffed. The hairs on my skin stood on end.

“What are you…”

“Shh. Just be quiet.” His voice was soft and lulling. Caleb had never spoken to me in that manner before.

He moved my head to the side, exposing more of my neck to him. “You look really beautiful tonight.”

“Are you drunk?” I asked.

He chuckled his nose making contact with my skin. “I think so.”

He didn't smell of alcohol but whatever this was,it was good. He was more liable to talk now. “Tell me why you have a nest of me in your room.” I said.

His hand came up to my hip, caressing. “Because…I can't stop thinking about you.”

“Why can't you stop thinking about me?” I asked, dreading the answer I might receive.

The hand on my hip tightened and he stilled. “Stop talking.”

“No. Answer me Caleb.”

He pulled back, giving me an annoyed look. “Will you just cooperate? This is already hard for me.”

“Oh and you think it's not hard for me? Why did you bring me here? What do you want, Hawthorne?”

His eyes flashed, the use of his family name seemed to rile him up even further.

“I brought you here to mark you. You're not stupid, you know what that means.”

“Mark, as in…mate?”

“Yes.”

My brows shot up. “How is that even possible? I'm human and you're…”

“I don't f*****g know, okay? It just happened. You're human so you can't feel the bond but I know I'm not mistaken.”

This was the most bizarre thing ever. Mates were assigned by the Divine mother and I know for a fact that she loathed humans if her children’s attitude towards my species was anything to go by. But I couldn't even bring myself to be too surprised. Maybe this was another one of the sick games she liked to play.

“Are you lying to me? Is there something you want?”

“Please. You think I want to be bonded to someone like you? You're human for f***s sake.”

“Fair point.” I muttered.

He moved my head to the side once more. “Stay still,” he said. I swallowed in anticipation. Caleb pressed a kiss to a spot close to the hollow of my throat, his breath hot against my skin. I felt the sharpness of his teeth graze my skin and I flinched.

“Easy,” he murmured.

I didn't have time to protest. The graze of his teeth turned into a sharp sudden puncture. I gasped, my fingers digging into his rumpled shirt as a strange warmth spread from the wound to the rest of my body. Caleb groaned against my neck, a sound that was half human, half beast. A whimper escaped me and instead of pulling back, Caleb's hand moved to the back of my head, forcing me to endure the claim. It felt like being branded.

When he finally released me, I slumped against the wall,my neck on fire, breath coming in ragged hitches. He swiped a thumb over his bloodied lip, licking it. His irises were like molten fire and momentarily he looked at me like I was the best thing in his world before his expression hardened back into the Caleb I knew.

CALEB'S POV

The moment my fangs pierced Hazel's skin, the screaming chaos in my head simply… stopped. The raging noise of the curse, that restless static that usually clawed at my brain, went dead silent. For the first time in years, my wolf didn't want to kill; he was practically purring, a low, rumbling vibration of pure satisfaction.

I felt something snap in place like a tether being pulled taut, anchoring my soul to hers. I now realized just how f*****g starved I’d been. The scraps I’d scavenged, the scent I’d hoarded in my room just to stay sane, they were nothing compared to the real thing. They were ghosts; she was the sun.

She whimpered, a small, broken sound that should have made me stop, but I only sank my teeth deeper. I needed more. Her blood tasted like a fever dream, a dark, heavy sweetness that set my veins on fire. Every sense I had exploded into high-definition. I could hear the frantic, fluttering rhythm of her pulse.

She tapped my arm and reluctantly, I pulled back.

“You can't tell anyone about this,”I said. “No one can know you're my mate or anything of the sort.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? I can't be seen with you, Hazel. You're bad for my image.”

She scowled, her hands clenching into fists. It looked like she was going to curse at me but she didn't get that far because the door burst open and Talia entered, phone in hand and directed at us.

“Well well well. Who would've f*****g believed it?”