Chapter 34

“This is the girl’s locker room, Maximus,” I snapped.

“Oh I was unaware,” Maximus said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes. “It’s Saturday. Shouldn’t you be in the lawn with Loren or something?”

“Shouldn’t you?” I threw back.

He gestured to the cleaning cart next to him. “Clearly, not,” he snapped. “Thanks to you, I’m stuck on Saturday cleaning duties for poor behavior.”

I blinked at him. Had I really caused that? I shook my head. That didn’t matter. I was stark naked with only a flimsy towel to cover me in front of a man. Furthermore, a man who I had weird tension with and also wanted to punch in the face.

I wrapped my towel tighter around me. Maximus’s eyes widen as his pupils blew wide. I motioned towards the door.

“You can clean when I’m done,” I said. “I’m not in a position to run off now, am I?”

Maximus’s eyes were still fixed on me. He took a step towards where I was in the doorway of the showers. I felt the water trailing down my back from my hair. Maximus took another step towards me. Soon, we were merely inches apart. I was frozen as he reached forward. He wrapped a finger around a loose red curl, winding it up into a coil.

“You know,” his voice dropped low and sultry. “I think I prefer your hair this way. The straight at Mateball was nice but something about this is so—” He let the curl go and it sprung back into it’s natural form. His eyes pierced me.

“Tempting,”

“I don’t believe I asked for your opinion,” I threw back. I tried to fight the shake in my voice but it was hard. There was this electricity floating through the very small sliver of air between us.

Maximus’s eyes were still locked with mine. His hand was in the same spot where he’d let go of my hair. It inched slowly towards my face. I scanned his eyes, trying to figure out what his motive was. I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. The urge to press my lips to it made me shudder. I closed my eyes gently and bit my bottom lip.

Maximus’s hand made contact with my face. Electricity surged through me in the shape of his hand. I opened my mouth slightly, breath catching. My eyes flew open. His gold ones were locked on me still.

“I’ve never seen eyes like yours,” Maximus whispered. “No other Alphas look like you do. The way you look, it’s like you were made for me.”

I couldn’t help the whimper that escaped from my mouth. Maximus’s tongue darted out to wet his lips and I closed my eyes again. His thumb stroked over my cheek bone.

“At Mateball,” he whispered again, thumb still tracing my face. “I felt my mate. I felt you.”

I shook my head, eyes stil closed. “You couldn’t have,” I breathed. “Thorne was my mate.”

“Was,” Maximus repeated. I felt his breath ghost over my lips. I parted my lips more, arching my face towards his. “You’re still unmated, Zora.”

My name sounded like candy on his lips, in his voice. I tilted my chin up higher. My nose hit the side of his. A deep rumble exploded in his chest. Then, the thrumming returned.

Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub…

Was Maximus my fated mate as well?

Oh Gods, my inner wolf said. Do it. Kiss him. Show him how you feel.

I couldn’t argue with her anymore. The desire to wrap my arms around Maximus’s neck and slam his lips to mine was innate. I needed it like I needed water. I skimmed my nose along his again. Our breathes were melting into one in the centimeters between us. His hand was still pressed to my cheek. All I had to do was just … close… the gap…

“Mr. Wolfham,” a voice boomed.

I gasped and flew back from Maximus. My eyes snapped open. I was still in just a towel in the locker room. Maximus had flown back from me as well. His chest was heaving with his breath. His hand was white knuckling the cleaning cart. The other one was precariously covering the bulge in his pants. I ripped my gaze from him to the sound of the voice.

Valentin was standing in the doorway to the locker room from the gym. His mouth was set in a thin line. His white-gold eyes seemed to be glowing. His pupils were blown wide with anger. His fists were clenched at his side.

“This is highly inappropriate,” Valentin snapped.

“Sorry Professor,” Maximus mumbled. He gestured to me. “I didn’t realize there was anyone in here. I was just doing my assigned cleaning as you wished.”

I furrowed my eyebrow. As Valentin wished? Did Valentin punish Maximus for his actions towards me. I looked back at my Professor.

“As you should,” he snapped at Maximus. “But you should’ve knocked before entering. Miss Smith was training with me this morning. She has a right to privacy in her locker room.”

“Noted,” Maximus bit out before licking the front of his teeth. He placed his other hand on the cart and pushed it towards the door. He glanced sideways at me.

“I’ll leave until you’re finished,” he mumbled. I nodded once at him.

“Thanks,” my voice was barely a squeak.

Maximus continued to push the cart out of the locker room, past Valentin. The door slammed shut behind him. Then it was just Valentin and I, still in my towel and dripping onto the floor.

“I—” I started.

“It’s two thirty,” Valentin snapped. His eyes were still dark, fixated on me. His fist was so tight I could see his nails making marks in his skin. “You’re going to be late.”

I swallowed and nodded sharply then scurried off into the locker room. I got back to my clothes and pressed my back to the lockers with a sigh. The door to the room slammed as Valentin left.

What the fuck? I thought.

I told you, my wolf said, tail swishing again. Lots people to make you feel tingly inside.

I ran a hand over my face before sighing. I let the towel drop to the floor and quickly shrugged on my shirt and pants. My heart was still thundering in my chest. Partly from the situation with Maximus and partly from being caught by Valentin. I almost felt guilty for letting Valentin catch me about to kiss Maximus. I blushed at the thought.

I slunk down to the bench to put on my shoes. My heart and mind were still going a mile a minute. I’d just felt some type of way about Valentin then, mere moments later, Maximus.

How do I feel this way about multiple wolves? I questioned my wolf.

She started to clean her paws again. Seems someone needs to get laid,

Oh, fuck off, I scowled, feeling the blush begin on my cheeks. I thought I was only supposed to have one fated mate. There’s been electricity with Valentin, Thorne and Maximus. What is that about?

We don’t know nearly as much about fated mates as it would seem, my wolf mused. I paused. Something about the way she said it made it feel like I didn’t know as much as she knew.

You know something I don’t, don’t you? I pressed my wolf. Her tail swished in my mind.

I am you, she said. I only know what you know and what you feel. You’ve felt the electricity. The lust. I am only acknowledging them.

I bit my bottom lip as I finished lacing my sneakers. There was something weird going on. Something that was being kept from me. Luckily for me, I had a phone call with the Queen at the top of the hour.