8- ENTIRELY PLATONIC

LYRA'S POV

Brown, angry eyes are staring into mine, and I resist the urge to whine and back away. Maybe learning how to kick ass isn't as easy as I expected.

Lawrence's claws reach to my face as he growls, mad with anger because I razored part of his wolf hair with my teeth. I duck, just by an inch. He doesn't stop trying to attack me.

" Heal Lawrence!" Caspian growls from where he's standing with the other wolves as he watches us.

Lawrence doesn't listen and somehow, I end up getting a claw on one of my legs. I stop struggling and crumble on my back to whine in pain.

Caspian growls a loud curse and super speeds towards Lawrence then pushes him away before he can attack me again.

Lawrence and I both shift back to our human form simultaneously, still lying on the ground. I look at the huge bruise on his neck and I wince on his behalf.

" What the fuck was that Lawrence?" Cas barks loud enough for Lawrence to flinch.

Lawrence sits up, gripping his bleeding neck as he glares at me.

I was scared out of my underwear when Cas said we should train together, not because Lawrence is very huge for his age but because since I caught him at the school's bathroom when he was making out with some dude, I impulsively screamed causing almost everyone around to run into the bathroom where they were both naked.

When Zade and I's break up came to light, he was very excited to ruin me and I know training with him is a very good opportunity for him to murder me.

Cas sucks a breath and grabs a medical kit from a bench, and then squats in front of me. His eyes are filled with something raw that I can't exactly comprehend.

" I'm sorry about him, he can get a little hyperactive sometimes," Cas says, stretching out his arm for my unaffected one.

I grimace as I lift my hand to meet him. He helps me up and then wraps an arm around my waist before taking me to sit on an empty bench.

He looks at Lawrence, and three of the wolves help him up. " Next time you try this shit again, I'll tie you up and let her use you as her punching bag."

Lawrence scowls at me and licks his blood-soaked teeth. His dark gaze doesn't peel from me till he's lost in the trees with the other wolves, just leaving Cas and me.

" I should have known that idiot would try something stupid," Cas says as he angrily tries to fish out something in the kit.

" He makes me reckon that I'm a good fighter," I chuckle lightly, and Cas shortly glances at me with a sneer. " Hey, I was kicking his ass till I accidentally touched his trigger spot."

He places a bandage on my lap alongside Wood Spirit, a ball of cotton wool, and a pack of pain-inducing capsules.

" A good fighter can take out anyone at any point in time." He gives me a tight-lipped smile and dabs a strand of hair from my face. " Plus, I've had thoughts of killing Lawrence. He fights with his emotions, not logic, and because of him, Kymon almost caught us in our last attack."

I squint my eyes when the sun becomes too harsh to look up at him.

"That's not a reason for you to kill him."

He shakes his head, his thick brown locks bouncing whilst he soaks the wood spirit into the cotton wool.

" Lawrence has an ego bigger than his size. If I kick him out, he'd probably threaten to expose me to Kymon and I'm definitely not going to go down on my knees begging any idiot." He gestures for my injured arm and I extend it to him. He grabs it and then looks at me. " He's been much trouble to you and I'll gladly kill him if it means giving you peace of mind."

My throat turns dense and I look away from his eyes that are still trained on me. I know Caspian would do anything for me, which kind of unnerves me because I've had people telling me he's in love with me, which I don't want to believe.

Yes, we both love each other but that's entirely platonic.

" Zade was such a fool," He's shaking his head and cleaning the wound around my arm. I suck in a whimper. " The moon goddess must have made a terrible mistake making him your mate."

There's something about the anger in his voice and the pain in his eyes that makes me uncomfortable.

Maybe the moon goddess didn't make a mistake, or maybe if I had given him the part of me he wanted, this wouldn't have happened. Bryn would be alive. Thousands of people wouldn't have to pause their education because of my mistake.

" You deserved way better Lyra." He is staring at me now and my wounded arm is all bandaged up. " It's unfair he has to blame you for what happened."

" It's fine Cas," I say, gripping the side of my skirt tight. My heart is overwhelmed by emotions and threatening to burst. I don't want to cry in front of him. I don't want to be weak anymore. I don't deserve to cry because of what I have done. " I'm okay."

" I know you aren't, Lee. I know the times you are fine and this is definitely not one of those times." He exhales. " You are still blaming yourself over everything, aren't you?"

I want to lie. I want to say no but I know Cas is not a fool. Sometimes I do wish I had never recovered from my accident. I wish I never got a chance to see the sun again. It's way better with everywhere dark and empty.

I hide my face in my palms and sulk. I feel Caspian's arms around my waist and the next moment, I'm on his lap.

I bury my face into his neck, and I hear his breath hitch, but he doesn't pull away. Instead, he tightens his grip around my waist. If not for the pain-inducing capsule, I'd probably be screaming now from the way he's holding me.

I don't care if anyone sees us because it's either this or I'd lose my sanity.

I stay there, in his arms, for a few minutes before I get myself together. I pull my face from his neck and wipe my tears.

I feel something hard against me and it takes me a second to see the huge boner in his pants. My eyes go wide, and I move to get off him, but he doesn't give me the chance to because his grip on my waist is too strong.

" I'm sorry, I tried to control it." He says, face coated with red as he stares at me with pursed lips.

I avoid his eye contact and blush like a fool, embarrassed by my action. I shouldn't have buried my face into his neck. I just gave my best friend a freaking boner!

" It's, Uh… fine." I stutter, feeling more uncomfortable every moment because I'm still on his lap and he doesn't stop staring at me.

Something screams at me that I should stand, that I should move away before he does something that we both regret.

" Lyra." He rasps, and goosebumps run through me.

Before he can say another word, someone peels me from his body, and another person drags him up and sends a fist to his face.

Someone releases a lazy sigh behind me. " No need to be dramatic, Henry."

Fear crushes me like a weight. Lyriq is behind me. The male, who he called Henry, kicks Cas by his knees and forces him to the ground while someone is holding me as I try to run. As panic molds every bit of my existence.

" Let go of me," I scream while struggling. " Don't you dare hurt him!"

Lyriq groans and walks in front of me, looking at me with his signature scowl. He is holding a rifle and pointing it to Cas.

" Scream again and I swear I will."