Arrow Inferno
Chapter 44: Jeremy Stanton vs. Ryan Hicks ~ Feral attraction in the midst of hatred… First bout!

***

Ryan heard the door to the washroom open just as he opened the tap to wash his hands. He turned his head to see which other lecturer was free like he was at that time of day and smiled in surprise when he saw a pretty curvy blonde in "You've got the wrong washroom, Miss," Ryan said with a chuckle.

sportswear.

"Wanna bet?" Sporty lady purred as she turned around to face the door. She recited some words and then turned around to fix a predatory gaze on Ryan. "Professor Ryan Hicks." She purred, slowly advancing towards Ryan as if she had all the time in the world.

"Do I know you?" Ryan asked with a curious frown. Something was off about the lady.

"I haven't had the displeasure." She drawled. "So you're the so-called mate huh? I can smell him all over you." She smirked.

Oh, God! Ryan felt his stomach quiver and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Although he couldn't smell her, he would have bet his last cent she was a werewolf. And from the disdain in her eyes, one of Jeremy's lovers. Shit! 'Jeremy?' He quickly called his mate on their mind-link but couldn't get any response. Why wasn't Jeremy answering, Ryan wondered.

"Don't bother, little wolf." The lady said, accurately reading Ryan. "Jeremy can't hear you." She turned to give the door behind her a cursory glance. "You see... I've warded the door shut. He can't come in here and your thoughts can't reach him, thanks to the barrier. And Vincent..." She chuckled. "Let's just say the silly warrior saw every other person but me."

What did she mean by that, Ryan thought confused. "Listen, Lady, whatever you're planning on doing, please don't," Ryan said quietly even as he felt the beast inside him crouch in readiness to attack.

"Ow come on don't be a pussy." Her short laughter didn't reach her eyes. "It's very unattractive to beg. Name's Camille by the way. And I'm here to fight you."

With that short announcement, Camille opened her palms and pointed all ten fingers towards the ground, releasing very nasty-looking claws.

"Oh my god..." Ryan breathed.

***

"What the..." Jeremy gasped when he felt a sudden crackle of power in the air. He threw the magazine he was reading on the table and jumped to his feet. Someone was wielding so much power around, which was rather strange. 'Ryan?' He called to his mate through their link but there was no response. Shit! 'Vincent?' He called to Ryan's assigned bodyguard as he rushed out of Ryan's office.

'Alpha, I'm out here.' Vincent started towards Jeremy when he saw his alpha emerge from Ryan's office with a worried look on his face. "Is everything alright, Alpha?"

"Magic." Jeremy breathed. "Did you see Ryan?"

"He went to the washroom." Vincent turned to follow Jeremy when the alpha started towards the washroom.

"Sure you didn't see anyone come this way apart from Ryan?"

"No. My eyes were on him the whole time. He was alone." Vincent said as he tried the washroom door. But it wouldn't open. "Why did he lock it?"

"He didn't." Jeremy rasped. "Camille is here." He growled.

"But I didn't see..."

"You wouldn't. She cloaked herself." Jeremy rasped.

Beings such as warlocks and witches could cast cloaking spells to mask their presence, preventing others from seeing them and learning of their activities. Camille was his only lover with that power. She'd obviously made herself invisible to Vincent. Camille was half werewolf, half warlock. Her mother, who was responsible for her warlock side, was one of the eight council members of the pack. She was a very powerful warlock who was over a century old. And like her mother, Camille was powerful and smart. But Jeremy hadn't thought Camille would attack Ryan too as she'd always been a very reasonable person. Apart from the fact that they hadn't even fucked in over three months, Jeremy thought she would rather use her powers to curb that thirst for a battle with his mate. He'd obviously thought wrong.

"The bitch!" Vincent muttered. Then remembering who she was to the alpha, he added; "Sorry Alpha." But it was obvious he didn't mean it. With an angry grunt, he gave the door a hard kick.

"Don't bother," Jeremy muttered, looking furious. "It's warded." He said as he climbed up the wall to see what was happening inside the washroom through the sealed mini windows. What he saw broke his heart.

***

"Please stop." Ryan gasped as he tried to shield his face. His shirt was torn to shreds and there was blood all over. His blood.

"Shouldn't you be fighting back?" Camille taunted. "How disappointing. And you call yourself an alpha's mate?" She brought her already bloody claws down forcefully to slash at Ryan's back. Blood gushed out. "I honestly thought we were going to fight. But I guess this is going to be a kill. Works for me just fine." She sneered but surprisingly, never went for the kill.

Ryan went down on his knees. He wanted to fight back so bad. His wolf was going crazy inside but for some reason, he just couldn't get his body to obey his command to attack. Ryan had never been more confused since the night his life changed. Why couldn't he fight? Hell, even if he were human, he would have instinctively fought back to defend himself. So Ryan didn't understand why he seemed to be frozen. He felt exactly as he'd felt when Jeremy ordered him in that voice of his to stay put whilst he violated him. He felt so helpless.

Maybe it was due to whatever magic Camille was using. But even she, seemed shocked at his behaviour. Ryan had a feeling Blondie would have taken him out already if she really wanted to kill him. The only positive thing was that although he'd lost so much blood and as a result, felt weak, the numerous slashes on his body seemed to be healing. But Ryan knew that unless he got out of the mess he was in right then, he would probably bleed to death. Where was Jeremy when he needed him, he wondered desperately.

Behind the door, the alpha took a deep breath. "Stand back, Vincent." He said quietly...too quietly.

Jeremy didn't know why his mate wasn't fighting back. Ryan was a smart guy. What his mother had taught him alone should equip him to take on someone like Camille physically. He knew Camille had only warded the door because she wanted no distraction as she challenged his mate. She sure as hell wouldn't immobilize Ryan with a spell and just beat him up. That was not the style of a werewolf. Fighting and defeating an opponent fair and square in a clean fight was what they saw as a sweet victory. They craved that. So he didn't understand why Ryan was not fighting back. And Jeremy knew that if he didn't get in there and stop the madness, his mate would bleed out. But Camille had used a magical shield to keep that door shut. And the only way he could get in there was to turn on his own magic...his Ojah powers. Much as he knew the madness that could follow if he turned his humanity off, the Alpha knew he didn't have a choice.