"I had it turned off for class."

"Are you still in your class?"

James set him on his feet, and Kevin almost wished he were still in his lover's arms so he couldn't answer.

"Um, no."

"Then I expect you to have your phone on any time you aren't in lecture."

Kevin could almost hear his temper snap. "And who 27 *

are you to think you can order me around?"

James looked down at his gorgeous lover and felt his heart skip a beat. He had to remember Kevin wasn't a wolf and didn't have to obey the will of his alpha. Shit.

He'd rather just announce to Kevin they were mates and the younger man needed to obey him. However, watching Thomas and Jay interact had taught him a few things. His brother never had more problems with his sweet wizard than when he tried to put his foot down. If Jay were a wolf, he would've bitten it off by now.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, but when I couldn't reach you, I got worried."

"Why were you worried? I go to school every day and have yet to be eaten by a goblin or beheaded by a rogue beserker."

James tilted his head in inquiry. "What's a beserker?"

"You've never heard of a berserker before?"

He shook his head.

"Beserkers are like the bogeymen of wizards; humans who have just enough wizard blood to recognize magic, but not enough to do any. They often go crazy and try to kill anyone they recognize from the magical world."

28.

"I didn't even think of that possibility. You'll take the limo from now on when you go to and from school."

James's protective streak made him want to wrap his mate in a plastic bubble and set his pack of wolves around Kevin to keep him safe from the world.

Kevin's brown eyes narrowed, annoyance crossing his pointed features. James admired his mate, certain that elf blood lurked in his lover's family tree. The smaller man's elongated face, pointed chin and suspicious edges at the tips of his ears bespoke of otherworld blood. Elves were some of the most respected of magic-kin because their powers usually involved healing and nature, unfortunately their dislike of fire and explosions made them weak fighters. Most of all, they were known for their stubbornness.

"I am not living here," Kevin began.

"Of course not," James hastily denied. He'd already figured out Kevin had a nervous twitch about commitment.

Although he had every intention of keeping the smaller man, he needed a bit of finesse to prevent his mate from panicking. "I just meant when you spend the night. I'm sure you're fine on campus."

Especially once he assigned a patrol to watch his lover.

"All right. I can take the limo. I don't particularly 29 *

care for the bus anyway. Have you seen Jay? I wanted to ask his advice on my homework."

"He's upstairs in the library. I'll show you where it is."

They found Jaynell in the library levitating in a ball of energy. Thomas was watching him float, primed to catch his magical mate at the first sign of wobbling.

Feeling impish, Kevin reached out a hand and disrupted Jay's energy field. The wizard still had a foot to fall when Thomas scooped him in his arms, a low growl rising in his chest when he looked at Kevin.

James put himself between the wizard and his brother while Jay laughed.

"I'm fine, darlin'. Kevin was just playing," Jay patted his lover's shoulder, then turned his brilliant gaze towards Kevin. "Are you ready to study?"

"If you don't mind." He needed something to distract him from the big alpha and give him some distance.

If he stayed any longer in James's presence, he'd end up begging to go back to bed. He knew they were supposed to talk tonight, but he wasn't ready yet.

After a searching look, James said goodbye and left 30 *

the room.

Thomas followed but not before giving Jay a kiss so heated Kevin checked the wallpaper for curling around the edges. An embrace that passionate should've left visible signs of steam.

Jay's hungry eyes followed his mate as he left the room.

"What's it like?" Kevin couldn't stop the words from escaping.

"What's what like?"

"Loving someone so much?"

"Terrifying." Jay gave him a faint smile, but worry shadowed his eyes. "It's a big responsibility to mate with the werekin. If anything happens to me, Thomas would never forgive himself, and if I died, there is a ninety percent chance he would either pine to death, or quickly follow me. Don't take this wrong; I wouldn't give up my wolf for anything, but a werekin relationship is definitely a commitment. When they say 'until death do you part', they really mean it."

Kevin didn't know what to say. If anyone had a handle on their bond it was Jaynell. Learning the person he thought knew it all fumbled along with the rest of them both reassured and unnerved him.

His conversation with Edward rushed back to him.

31.

"We might have a problem with the Senate."

Jay nodded, but no surprise crossed his face. "I suspected as much. You can't kill a member and not expect an inquiry. What have you heard?"

Kevin repeated his conversation with Edward.

"I.

don't know how many people knew Dragonspawn's true nature. If they think I killed him wrongly, they could demand a trial or at the least a review."

Jay didn't look particularly concerned.

"What happens if they find you guilty?" Kevin twitched at the thought of the kind of punishment a group of wizards could mete out. Jay didn't deserve to get into trouble for defending himself.

Jay shrugged. "It depends on what they find me guilty of. They could strip me of my magic if they think the crime was bad enough."

His friend's lack of concern surprised Kevin. "You don't think they'll find you guilty?"

"I don't think anything I do will change their mind if they're set on punishing me. Besides, they'll think twice before touching me if they don't want a shifter-wizard war.

Thomas and James won't take it well if they harm me."

"That's true." Kevin dropped his books on the couch. "I guess I panicked for nothing."

Jay patted him on the shoulder. "It wasn't for 32 *

nothing. You warned me the Senate might be after me. I appreciate it, and I'll keep a look out for anything unusual."

"James can assign you a guard."

"I don't need a guard."

"You don't know how they might come for you. If they bring a posse, you'll need the protection," Kevin argued. He respected Jay's strength, but against a group of experienced wizards, his friend would be at a disadvantage.

"Fine." Even Jay couldn't argue against that logic.

There were only so many people at a time even a powerful wizard could stand.

"Why don't we focus on our studies for now?"

"Good idea."

They spent the next hour discussing different potion recipes with Jay quizzing Kevin on what would happen when various chemicals were combined without actually mixing the ingredients. Jaynell thought theory was more important than practice and better for the smell of the pack house. Not to mention potion ingredients were expensive, which was why lab fees for the class were so astronomical.

"You just don't want your mate complaining about the scent of chemicals."

Jay smiled. "I don't want my mate to ever have anything to complain about if I can help it."

Kevin wondered if he would ever feel that way 33 *

about James and found it all too easy to take the alpha's opinion into consideration.

"Now about your avatar." Jay closed the potions manuals.

"What about it?" Kevin didn't want to discuss his avatar.

"Where is it?"

"I don't have one."

Jay stilled, dropping the book in his hand on the table. "What do you mean you don't have one?"

Kevin avoided his friend's eyes. "I don't have the power to create one."

"Sure you do."

"Maybe you do." Kevin glared at Jay, forcing himself to meet the other man's eyes. "But I don't have the same power."

"You don't need as much magic as I have to have an avatar. Yours might not be a giant three-headed dragon, but that's probably a good thing. As much as I appreciate Gideon, if given the opportunity, I would probably choose an easier avatar."

"Really?" Kevin thought Gideon was the coolest avatar he'd ever seen.

"Yeah. I always worry he's going to forget who's in charge and spray me with acid or set me on fire."

34.

Kevin laughed. For the first time, he felt a kindred connection with the powerful wizard. Jay faced problems like everyone else. Jay's lover was a werewolf, his magic was borderline out-of-control, and his avatar could kill them all.

"I'm glad you find me so funny."

"No. It's not that. I'm pleased that even you have issues."

Jay eyes glowed in the dim light, his face still and serious. "No matter the person, everyone has things they have to deal with. No one lives a perfectly enchanted life."

"Well, I still can't raise an avatar. I took avatar studies twice and failed it both times. I don't think I have one."