Micah
It was hard to keep awake after staying up until the early hours playing a video game. Once I started, I’d quickly become addicted. Though, I was sure it also had to do with the company.
Honestly, it had been an amazing night.
The warmth from Hyde’s wolf and talking with Zeke had my belly still doing somersaults, just like it had been when I’d sat beside both of them. Not only that, but Cade had been less aggressive, which was a big improvement, adding to my courage to stay in the living room with them all. When he’d gone to bed, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, but I reminded myself that at least he hadn’t disappeared as soon as I’d arrived after work.
“What are you smiling about?” Tanika asked. “Does it have anything to do with why you skipped out on breakfast?” The last few days, she’d stopped meeting me at my door; instead, we met at the cafeteria, which was closer to her dorm room. I’d texted her as soon as I woke, knowing I wouldn’t make it to eat.
Shrugging, I took a bite of the hamburger in front of me. “It’s nothing.” There definitely wasn’t a chance I could speak to her about waking with an erection after a steamy dream starring all of my roommates. Even now my dick throbbed at the reminder of it. I had to get it under control. Being hard around people was more embarrassing than anything.
She glared. “Don’t you lie to me, Micah Grey. Does it have something to do with Abet? He asked me about you, said he wanted to get to know you. Did he approach you?”
I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten all about Abet. He’d been wiped away from my mind and replaced with my three roommates.
“He did see me before work yesterday.”
She grinned. “And? Don’t leave me hanging.”
“And it was interrupted before I could reply to his offer.”
“Damn.” She groaned. “Doesn’t matter. I’m sure he’ll see you again. He’s cute, right?”
Cute? Maybe. Well, I’d thought so at the time, but compared to three other men who’d captured my attention, he didn’t appeal to me.
“Sure.” I shrugged.
Tanika snorted. “Sure, he says.” She shook her head. “Anyway, your combat classes start this week. Are you looking forward to them?”
Sebastian had given me two weeks to settle in before I worked on combat—yet another something new for me. I had appreciated the extra time before I got my butt handed to me, but as I thought about it, my stomach twisted sharply, and I pushed my plate away.
“I’ll take that as a no.” She gave me a tight smile. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up, but I know you’ll be fine.”
Doubt clutched at my chest. “Probably.”
“Tanika” was called, and a woman bounced over to claim the seat next to a surprisingly blushing Tanika. “Hey.” The woman leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“Hey,” Tanika replied with a sweet smile. “Micah, this is Lucia. Lucia, Micah.”
Lucia turned to me and grinned just as brightly. “Hi, it’s so nice to meet you. Tanika talks about you all the time, and I can promise it’s all good.”
The woman certainly was a bubbly one. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
Tanika kissed Lucia’s cheek. “Lucia and I have been seeing each other the last few nights. It’s still new.”
“New but awesome.”
Glancing back to Lucia, I watched as she giggled and wrapped both her arms around Tanika’s arm before she rested her head on her shoulder and stared at her with soft eyes. It was then I remembered I’d seen her before. It was on my first day when Tanika and I were walking to Sebastian’s office. She’d called out Tanika’s name and waved wildly. I also recalled how Tanika said Lucia was a player.
Tanika pointed at me. “Don’t forget we didn’t finish discussing why you were smiling as you were.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” It was getting easier and easier to speak with Tanika without stumbling over my words or getting nervous, and I was glad to see the added person didn’t have me clamming up either.
Lucia cackled. “He does. Did you see how he looked away?”
Tanika grinned. “I did.”
The room quieted around us, and I watched as Tanika looked toward the doors off behind my back. Her lips thinned, and I froze. Was something wrong?
“Why would they—” Lucia snapped her mouth closed just before a seat on each of my sides was taken, causing me to jump a little.
“Morning.” Zeke grinned, stealing a fry off my plate.
Hyde’s knee brushed my leg on the other side. When I looked to him through my fringe, he nodded at me. It was his way of greeting.
“Um, hi.” My heart and belly started their own dance. It was the first time they’d sat with me, except for when Hyde had done it on his own that first day.
“I’m getting food” was barked from behind me.
Jolting, I spun around to see Cade had already headed for the line. “Cade?” I hadn’t meant to utter his name in disbelief, but I did, not taking into account his shifter hearing.
Cade paused, looked over his shoulder, and met my wide gaze. His brows dipped before he lifted his chin my way in greeting. He stalked over to the cafeteria line, and I saw many people swarm toward him. An unpleasant sensation rolled through my stomach. But I had to remember from what I’d read that shifters in a pack were close and mostly social. They also loved touch. It explained why a few brushed their hands over Cade in some way. I’d overheard that Cade was in charge of the shifters at the college who were from his home pack.
Turning back to the table, I felt Hyde move a little closer and glanced his way. He held out a french fry toward me. My body quickly supplied me with that pleasant sensation low in my belly. I could hear Zeke speaking with Tanika and Lucia, so I knew I didn’t have their attention, but if I did, I couldn’t seem to care, because Hyde stared at me with a look in his eyes I hadn’t seen before. I liked it a lot. It amped up the thrill zipping inside me.
Slowly, I leaned forward and opened my mouth. He placed the tip of the fry on my bottom lip, and I dipped in a little closer to grip it between my teeth before shifting back slightly to watch the fry fall from his fingers.
Did roommates offer to feed their friends? I had nothing to go off; however, I didn’t think it was the same. I wasn’t sure, but the way Hyde still watched my mouth as I chewed told me it meant a lot more.
More than I was ready to think about. I couldn’t comprehend the thought of Hyde liking someone like me.
“Micah, what’re your last classes?” Zeke asked as Cade joined the table and sat on Zeke’s other side. He wasn’t alone. Three women joined him. One was beside him, and two moved around to his other side.
Scrunching up my nose, I noted that unpleasant twist inside me as I took in the women trying to gain Cade’s attention. They didn’t care they were talking over one another or glaring. They wanted him.
“Micah?”
Blushing, I flicked my eyes to Zeke. “Sorry, um, I have history and then my first class in combat.”
Zeke blinked. “Sebastian put you in combat?”
Hyde made a noise in the back of his throat.
“I’m sure it’s more for self-defense than anything,” Tanika said, and Lucia nodded beside her. “You’ve been keeping up your strength by—”
“Yes!” I shouted. My face burned from my outburst. My roommates didn’t know how I exercised. Only Tanika did since she came with me in the afternoons neither of us worked.
Tanika’s eyes widened, and she glanced around as everyone else was silent. Even the women who wanted my blond roommate. Tanika cleared her throat. “Right, as I was saying, you’re strong, so I’m sure it won’t be too bad.”
“What strength training are you doing?” I was surprised the question came from Cade.
One of the ladies giggled. “It doesn’t look like much. He’s so tiny. I’m sure even I could snap him in half with a punch.”
“Candice,” Cade clipped.
She shook her head. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine.” His light brown gaze fell back to me as the woman shrugged and went back to eating. “What training?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it. I couldn’t tell him, not in front of everyone. My “training” wasn’t the norm for a guy. There were men who did it in the real world, but as far as I knew, I hadn’t seen anyone else near the studio room.
“Lucia, we should get going.” Tanika stood and grabbed Lucia’s hand.
“But lunch hasn’t even finished yet.”
Tanika leaned into her and whispered something that had Lucia giggling. “Bye.” She waved and dragged Tanika out of the room.
Why couldn’t they have taken me with them?
“Dweeb, spill it.” Cade’s rough tone had me shaking my head. I could feel their gazes on me, all of them, even the women.
“Is there something wrong with him?” one of them asked, and my eyes closed as a stab of hurt gripped my chest.
A growl sounded from Hyde, but then I heard Zeke speak, “Ladies, please excuse us for a moment, and Cade will find you later.”
Opening my eyes, I stood quickly. “It’s fine. I, ah, should go anyway.” I grabbed my tray and my bag from the floor. “Bye.” I made a mad dash to dump my dirty tray, then headed out of the cafeteria.
Gripping my bag tightly to my chest, I walked with my gaze lowered to the history classroom. I knew I would be early, but at least I could get some studying done. On the way, I prayed Cade didn’t question my training again. There wasn’t a chance in hell I would let them know I pole danced to strengthen my body.
Tanika was there when Sebastian had asked me if I had any previous experience in some type of sport, and all I could think of were the times Mrs. Dibbs allowed me to sneak into her studio when I was hiding from Lax. I used to watch her classes and enjoyed seeing the way the people moved around the pole. I couldn’t help but think how strong they had to be to hold themselves up and do the tricks they did.
Of course, when I mentioned this to Sebastian, my face reddened to a point heat raced down my neck. I’d thought he would mock me, tell me it wasn’t a sport. Instead, he informed me there was an old dance studio off the south gym that was hardly used, and then, the next day, he’d installed a couple of poles for me to use.
The first few times I went with Tanika, as she wanted to see what the fuss was about. I’d felt uneasy, shy, and stupid. Bile had been a close friend that afternoon, my stomach threatening to revolt as my nerves rode me.
Eventually, Tanika had put on some music, and I’d closed my eyes, letting the sounds move my body. It didn’t take me long to remember Mrs. Dibbs’s instructions. Now, Tanika loved it so much she’d joined me to learn, and together we were slowly teaching one another moves we’d googled.
It would take a lot of time to get to where we wanted to be, along with a few bruises, but it would be worth it to keep our bodies strong.
Opening the class door, I entered and took a seat near the windows. Professor Timmons loved to drone on and on about things anyone could learn if they read the textbook a few times like I had, so I enjoyed looking out the window and watching the students walking around. Some even practiced close by. I loved watching people use their magic or power or when they shifted in front of me. Seeing their abilities had me quickly referencing what I’d learned already, and if I didn’t know something, I would rush to learn it from the textbooks I’d borrowed.
The only situation outside the window that had me flustered and quickly looking away was when I caught people making out. I didn’t feel comfortable watching because it brought up images of me embracing certain roommates, and I wouldn’t let myself think of that.
Though, the way Hyde had looked at me—
No. Again I had to stop that train of thought before I allowed myself to hope there was something there. What was funny was how I’d started to wonder if I was asexual until attending college. Until I met those three.
Groaning, I pulled my workbook out and flipped it open. I had to busy my mind to take away all my thoughts. Especially since I had combat class after this one, and just the thought of it had my hands sweating. I could only hope I didn’t end up with any broken bones by the end.
By the time history ended, my lunch was tickling my throat at the apprehension of fighting someone.
However, when I walked into the gym, I’d been expecting a lot more people, all of whom would have intimidated me. Except there was only one.
“Sir? I mean, Dean. Am I in the wrong gym for combat?”
“Micah, please call me Sebastian, and no, you’re not in the wrong gym.” He smiled, and a tingle of wariness ran down my spine. “I’ll be teaching you.”
“You?”
“Me.”
“But… you’re the dean.”
He smirked. “I realize this. It doesn’t mean I have to sit behind a desk all day and dictate orders. I thought it would be in the best interest of everyone that it should be me teaching you.”
That didn’t make sense. Why would he think that?
“Am I not strong enough to be in a regular class?”
Sebastian shook his head. “That’s not it at all. Run along, please, and get changed. I’ll set up the mats.” He waved a hand to the corner that held practice mats. Soft padded ones that would help my falls, because no doubt I would be on my back since I had an ancient vampire teaching me self-defense. There was a high chance Sebastian could kill me with one finger.
At the thought, I gulped. I wasn’t sure if having one-on-one tuition was the better option.
“Are you sure you have the time for this?”
“I am. But I won’t if you keep dawdling.” He waved me off, and I quickly scooted into the bathroom to change into a new tee with tracksuit pants. I wondered if there were body pads around to protect my bones. I couldn’t see any, but it didn’t stop me from looking all the way back to the doors into the gym.
That was when I heard voices.
“It’s why I’m here. I knew it wouldn’t be acceptable to have Micah in with others in case you lot interrupted the class.”
“If anything—”
“Micah, are you ready?” Sebastian called, interrupting Zeke.
Opening the door, I stepped out to see that Hyde and Cade had accompanied Zeke. I waved lamely. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Yes, shouldn’t you all be in class?” Sebastian added.
“We’re heading there now.” Zeke smiled with his gaze on me.
“What’s his strength training?” Cade suddenly asked, facing Sebastian.
My face shot straight to red, which Sebastian caught. “Just something I’ve worked out for him. Go to class, boys. I have this under control.” It was strange hearing Sebastian call them boys when all of them were larger and taller than him or me.
Hyde spun and started for the door. He nodded my way with a small tilt to the corner of his lips. Zeke skipped up to me. “Don’t hold back with Sebastian. Remember, he can take anything you deliver. All right?”
“Okay,” I whispered as if conspiring with him. Though I was sure all of them could hear me anyway.
Zeke tapped a finger under my chin. “I like it when you look me in the eyes.”
Hearing those words made me want to look away, but I fought with the reaction. “Okay,” I whispered, but for a whole new reason; he had to have heard my heart hammering in my chest.
“No doubt you’ll need to rest after this. We’ll grab dinner for you and bring it to the room.”
Straightening, I gripped the bottom of my tee. “Can we play that game?”
Zeke chuckled. “Yeah, I knew you’d get addicted.” He glanced over his shoulder, and I noted then that Sebastian and Cade exchanged heated words. “Cade,” Zeke called.
Cade stopped and turned, stalking our way. I shifted around to see Hyde waiting at the door, his eyes already on me. It had me smiling, which he returned.
“Be careful, dweeb,” Cade said as he passed.
My pulse raced at his kindness, even when he tacked on his nickname for me. “I will.”
Zeke grinned. “See you later.”
I nodded and watched them all leave. I wanted to go with them. Not because I wasn’t looking forward to learning self-defense, which I was now since it was only Sebastian, but because I’d started enjoying their company, even after our one night together. I hoped it wouldn’t end.
“Micah, let’s get started.”
Facing Sebastian, I swallowed my sudden fear and walked over to him, praying I would come out of this alive.