They stared at me. It was too much, especially with the rest of the class already staring. I took a step back. I had zero desire to know what they were thinking.
“Do you know what’s up with him?” Chris asked.
I studied the mats. “Not a clue.” My voice was a little too high pitched.
The door slammed and Dastien walked back to us with a mop. “Everyone out.” Power rolled through the gym, giving me goose bumps. “You four can stay,” he said to me, Chris, Adrian and Meredith.
Yikes. Shannon wasn’t going to be happy about that, but I was kind of glad. If we were going to talk about what happened, I didn’t need her negativity around.
Some of my classmates grumbled as they cleared out. Dastien finished mopping while we waited for the last of the eavesdroppers to go. I bit my lip as he cleaned. I wanted to ask Dastien what happened with Imogene, but he didn’t look like he was in the mood to talk.
When everyone was gone, Meredith broke the silence. She sauntered up to him. “Glad you didn’t forget cleanup duty, Daz.” She rubbed her hand down his back.
Did she have to be so touchy-feely? My blood heated but I kept it under control, trying to remember that she was my friend. I concentrated on even breathing.
He cocked his head. “It’s been a while, but I think I remember how it goes.”
“Aren’t you the cutest?” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the lips.
Red. All I saw was red.
I’m not quite sure how it happened. I don’t remember even moving. One second I stood next to Chris. The next, Meredith was flat on her back, and I had her pinned to the ground. A bright red splotch spread across her left cheek.
I was growling when Dastien reached both arms around my stomach and lifted me off her.
“Shhh. I got you,” he whispered in my ear.
My stomach bottomed out at the sound. The smell of him filled me—the scent of outdoors spread peace through my blood. He was like a drug.
And then came the shame. My face heated and I pushed Dastien’s arms off of me. I hung my head and stepped toward her. “I’m so unbelievably sorry. I don’t know what happened…I don’t even remember hitting you, but that was totally inexcusable—”
Adrian laughed.
“It’s not funny—” I started but Adrian cut me off.
“¡Joder! It can’t be. That doesn’t happen anymore.” He helped Meredith up and ran his fingers over the mark on her face. “You’ve got cajones to try that. She hit you hard. It’ll get worse before it gets better.”
“It was worth it.” Meredith straightened her clothes. “For the record, I called it.”
She was ignoring my apology and I didn’t blame her for it. I had to just keep going until she accepted. “I’m so sorry. I don’t even remember moving. I swear I didn’t—”
“Honey, please.” She held up a hand to stop my babbling. “I made you do it.”
What? I stepped away from her, my gaze darting between the four of them. “I don’t understand.”
“You’d only attack me like that if he was your mate. As in an actual mated pair. As in the other half of your soul.”
It felt like I was floating.
Chris crossed his arms. “I never had a shot.” He closed his eyes.
Crap. I’d hurt him.
Dastien stepped toward me but this was all too much. I dropped heavily to the ground and hugged my knees to my chest. I knew what they said was true, but the whole processing it thing was too much. I closed my eyes to think. Was he really my mate?
I’d been fighting my feelings for him. But why? I knew I wanted him. I knew it since I touched that paper in my father’s office. But he kept pushing me away, and I kept pushing him away.
It had to end. I couldn’t deny it. Especially not if I was going to slug Meredith over it.