Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Jason, Let Go
"You don’t have to answer now. Just think about it...Please."
"Don’t waste your breath." A deep voice cuts in from behind them, before Nyra can even respond. "She’s not going anywhere with you."
---
Nyra sighs when she sees Jason already taking a fighting stance, and facepalms herself. They keep behaving like a bunch of preschoolers.
However when she turns to Adrian, he looks very calm, hands in his pocket. He doesn’t look ready to fight at all, unlike him.
"Jason, what the fuck do you keep going after someone who already has a mate?" He asks with a small frown, "just what the fuck are you expecting to happen at the end of everything?"
He responds with a scowl, "Because you treat her like a property. She deserves someone better, someone who wants her not because of any bond."
Adrian doesn’t respond to the insults to their surprise. He raised his keys, turning to Nyra,
"Let’s go, I’m taking you home."
"You can’t just-" Jason tries to argue,
"I said.." Adrian’s eyes flash red, as they lock on Nyra. "Cone with me I’m taking you home."
Jason’s eyes widens in shock when he realizes what Adrian has just done, especially when Nyra--though she looks like she wants to argue-- actually walks over to him with a tired sigh.
But this kind of thing only happens between marked mates, so how..?
His father had mentioned it sometime last week after a mysterious case-- Only marked mates could be compelled like that because the Omega is more susceptible to their Alpha after they collect their mark.
But Adrian has never marked Nyra. So how on hell did it work?
Adrian doesn’t even glance back as he leads Nyra out of the training ring, leaving Jason with the chilling realization that there is something awfully suspicious about their bond.
And whatever it is, Jason intends to find out.
---
In the Academy’s parking lot, Adrian’s black motorcycle stands beautiful in his reserved packing spot.
Nyra frowns. "Are we supposed to ride on this thing together?"
"What’s wrong with it?" Adrian questions, pulling out a spare helmet. Nyra stares suspiciously at the color-- purple.
He chuckles when he sees her expression. "I had it custom made for you yesterday." He says showing her the encryption on the side.
Nyra...designed in a beautiful font.
"I’ve always wanted to take you around Moon-Crest on my bike." He admits, coming closer, to help her fasten it.
His scent makes her knees go weak, as he gently brushes her hair back, and puts the helmet on. Knuckles brushing her face as he adjusts the buckle under her chin.
"Is this okay?" He meets her brown eyes, "is it too tight?"
The air between them is eccentric. "It’s fine..." Nyra responds, trying to steady her breathing, but it’s only worse. Everytime she inhales the scent of musk and dark coffee fills her nose, sending a wave of heat between her knees.
How is it possible to despise someone, and want them so much at the same time?
Adrian makes no attempt to move away. "Nyra... I’m sorry about earlier. In the changing room. I was just upset about failing, and I took it out on you."
Grabs her chin firmly, forcing her gaze back on him. "Instead of appreciating you for checking in on me, I just acted like a jerk."
"Damn right you did." Nyra grumbles, dragging her gaze away. "Let’s just go."
He grins at the attitude. "So will you accept my apology?"
She raises a brow. Adrian seems suspiciously calm ever since he came out of that dressing room.
"I don’t know. You’re annoying." She says it as an insult, but the jerk is still smiling brightly like she just complimented him.
Nyra bites her tongue to stop herself from asking what’s wrong with him, before he says she only cares because of the bond again.
She brushes past him to the motorcycle without responding. "Let’s just go. I’m hungry"
"Do you want to--"
"Absolutely not." She cuts him off before he can finish. There is no way she’s going out with him alone anywhere, especially not after what almost happened in that changing room.
Adrian exhales under his breath, like he expected that answer. He throws one leg over the bike, settling in, then he turns to her.
"Get on."
Nyra hesitates for a second before climbing onto the motorcycle, leaving an awkward gap between them.
Adrian glances over his shoulder. "You’re going to fall if you sit that far back."
"It’s not the first time I’m riding a--"
Before she can argue, the engine roars to life and the motorcycle shoots forward, on purpose.
"Adrian!" She gasps, hands flying around his waist, clutching the jacket tightly nose pressed into his back. He smells so good, she thinks.
"I know you did that on purpose!"
He smiles to himself, but doesn’t offer any defence as the motorcycle speeds away from the academy.
The air is cold on her skin as they ride through Moon-Crest, and without realizing it, she relaxes.
Her grip on him loosens just enough that she can feel his breathing beneath her palms. His heart is beating so fast.
She tries not to smile. Fails. Thank God he can’t see her.
For the first time in months, it is just peaceful. No arguments. No Anna drama. No Jason.
A few minutes later, Adrian’s motorcycle rolls to a stop outside the Ashford mansion without hiccup. She had expected some bit of drama on the way, but Adrian has been completely nice, even showing her a few sceneries on the way here.
She unbuckles the helmet and hands it over. He takes the helmet, but doesn’t let go of her hand, interlacing their fingers.
"What are you doing?" Nyra asks, looking down at their hands, then back at his face. His eyes aren’t red like earlier, but even these silver ones have that intense look in them.
Like he is trying to reach for her soul. It makes her knees weak.
"C-can you let me go?" She sputters, sounding a bit breathless.
"You look so damn beautiful." He whispers, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I’ve been trying not to kiss you again, since."
Then he releases her hand, turns on the ignition, and speeds off without another word.
Nyra stands there alone, red, panting, and absolutely confused-- what the fuck just happened?
