Bloodbound to the Witch Heir: Claimed By Four

Celeste’s POV

*****

Next morning, 11:00am, girls Dormitory.

Opening my eyes felt like I was trying to get literal logs off them. When I did, I groaned, feeling oddly relaxed but yet super exhausted.

Like that feeling when you have a long afternoon nap—

—Wait a minute.

I sat up, heart in my throat as I swung my head to the alarm clock beside my bed. Its alarm setting was blaring red, my ears finally catching on.

And there was the time that blinked back at me. Written in bold red numbers:

Eleven AM!

"Hell nah," I shook my head, clutching my chest. "W–What the fuck happened? It’s Friday and I need to be in class!"

Willow wasn’t in her bed—of course, she wasn’t. She’s the one who took her grades more seriously than a freaking Harvard student. While I’m fucking sleeping in!

Fuck my life!

As I get off the bed, I almost lose my balance when a heavy feeling pulls me back. I pull in deep breaths, placing a hand on my chest.

Last night...

Gods, that was a lot.

First, the discovery that Miss Benedicta’s body was missing. Then the Dean summoned me.

Oh! How could I forget? When I stepped out of the Dean’s residential building, I spotted Luther and Lysandra walking into the academy like they were auditioning for a cover on Vogue.

At one point, I thought Lysandra saw me from a distance and immediately quickened my pace. The last thing I needed last night was drama. So I went to the one place I thought I wouldn’t get drama.

Azrael’s suite.

Which—now that I think about it—wasn’t my best choice.

He was fortunately accommodating and we talked—until the kiss. Gods of sin, that kiss ignited something forbidden in me. And then his touches. His soft grunts. My silent moans—

"Shit, Celeste." I rubbed my forehead, deciding to sit down. My horny, emotionally constipated self was NOT ready for any sort of social interaction right now. "Alright, let’s think. After the kissing... Did we...?"

I could’ve sworn I fried a couple of brain cells trying to remember.

But I eventually did.

Hold up...

My brows furrowed into a deep frown, fingers rising to touch my neck. For a split second, I felt a sharp pain that made me wince.

Yet it was gone faster than it came, leaving behind nothing. No marks. No pain. No signs that I was...

Bitten.

"H–He... He bit me?" I mumbled, breath shuddering when I recalled my pained gasps. The feeling was pleasant at first. Until it wasn’t. "What in Transylvania is going on here...?"

I wasn’t imagining things. I know it.

Azrael bit me, and at that moment, I had been worrying about hickey marks.

Now I was here. On my bed. Still in the clothes I had on last night. With no knowledge of how I even got here in the first place.

Sudden pressure in my thighs makes me squeeze my legs. That’s when I felt something wet and warm down there. Heat pooled on my cheeks instantly.

Yep.

Horny as hell!

"Did... Did the biting turn me on?" I asked myself, lowering my head.

A fluffy bed cloth covered my legs. So I took it off slowly, slipping my right hand down there. A hitched breath left my mouth. My eyes closed slowly as my fingers slid down my pants...

"Gods, she better not still be asleep." Willow’s voice at the door made me jolt as if I got sprinkled with holy water. The door opened and she walked in, a bright smile stretching her lips. "Well, good morning, sunshine. Thank the goddess—I was beginning to wonder if I should call a witch for a resurrection spell."

She shut the door behind her, a hand on her hip as she strutted into the room. "I’m sorry I didn’t wake you up for classes by the way. I mean... I tried, but you seemed like you needed it, so I just left you."

I seemed like I needed it? The heck was that even supposed to mean?

Willow sat beside me when she got to the bed, arms stretched lazily and eyes locked on me. "What? The boogeyman got your tongue in your dreams?"

Hiding my sarcasm was impossible. "I’m just waking up, Mom."

"Oh, I can tell." She nodded, a mischievous grin curving her mouth. "I got here by ten pm last night. Yet there was no sign of you. No notes. Nothing. Quite unlike you... Even when you dated that wannabe Alpha asshole."

She sighed, flicking invisible dust off her white dress. "Wait a minute," She froze, raising a suspicious brow. "That’s unless it has nothing to do with Luther at all. Girl..."

A shove to my shoulder sent whatever form of relaxation I had running for the hills.

Gods above.

"Willow, please." I rubbed my shoulder but she persisted.

"Nuh-uh... I know my senses aren’t lying," she winked, scooting closer. "Tell me. Which of them did you..." The winking increased, making it seem like she got something in her eyes. "Was it Azrael? Silas? WAIT... Don’t tell me—"

"Willow!" I let out an exasperated gasp. "Enough with the interrogation, okay? Last night was... It was a lot. That’s it."

Willow wasn’t buying it. "Come on. When have we ever hidden our boy encounters? I mean, you never hid your stuff with Luther."

Ouch. But true.

"Still," I shook my head, voice lowering. "You’re the only one who knows about the mate bonds other than... Well, the Dean and Professor Amelia. I think. And the Dean said I couldn’t let anyone know yet."

She blinked at me for several seconds like I’d grown two heads.

Then—

"Well, that’s odd as fuck." She scratched her jaw. "Not even your parents? Or Caelum?"

When I shook my head in response her eyes widened.

Wait until I tell her there’s a chance I was a beacon to Vein beasts.

’Keeping up with Celeste’ was officially a horror show.

"Welp." Willow raised her hands in defeat, getting off the bed. "I’ll think about the Dean’s weirdness later. Right now I’ve gotta rush to Rage Discipline class."

She was about to rush to the door but then paused. "Oh, two more things, baby girl. I told the professors whose classes you missed that you’re sick—which was hard to believe because of your hybrid physiology. But they bought it eventually!"

At this point, even words couldn’t express how worn out I was. I groaned, placing both hands on my face. "The entire academy already sees me as weak. Now you—"

"I’m sorry." She apologised hastily. "I had to think quickly. And I couldn’t exactly say ’she appeared on her bed and slept like she’d been kissed by death’ now, could I?"

Sigh... Fair enough.

I managed a smile as she brought out her phone.

"The last thing is... The entire school is having a general meeting in preparation for the Blood Trials next week. It’s starting at one pm, so you’d better be there."

With that said, she blew me a kiss and rushed toward the door. "See you later, boo. Love you!"

"I think you’re rushing a little too much!" I shouted back to which she glanced back with a cocky wink.

As Willow shut the door, I sighed heavily.

On the bright side, all her talking woke me up completely.

Getting on my feet, I stretched before making my way to the balcony. I scratched my neck—the same spot I was sure Azrael bit last night.

The warm late morning sunlight kissed my skin, followed by a gentle breeze that made me hug myself. Made me yearn for a gentleness I got last night—

—Before everything blurred into something I couldn’t remember fully for the life of me.

"Azrael," I whispered as if my voice could travel the wind to him. "What did you do last night?"

Somewhere in the academy, I could sense him. Feel him.

The bond stirred with something just then—too sharp, too fast.

Not comfort. Not longing.

Fear.

And it wasn’t mine.