Laurant’s hand passes through his hair, his eyes shut tight as he lets out a long breath. And then, he’s beside me, arms wrapped around my body, pulling me into his chest where my nose buries into the exposed triangle of skin below his neck, taking his combination of ocean breeze and bluebell scent into my lungs and holding it there for as long as I can.
Tonight is the first time that I’ve touched either of my Alphas for more than an accidental instant. Part of me expected to be uncomfortable, or even angry that they’re choosing now to comfort me, but in Laurant’s arms, all that is washed away by comfort and something I’ve never felt before: Belonging.
Erich moves behind Laurant and takes the control boxes from my grasp, prompting me to reluctantly pull away from Laurant.
“Do you think these are still explosive?” He asks the question of Laurant.
He looks grim. “Possibly.” His frown deepens. “Perhaps I can contain it. I’ve never done this before, but it’s worth a try.”
Erich places the boxes in a pile on the tiled floor and steps back.
Laurant’s brows draw tight with concentration, his arms extend toward the boxes, palms facing them. It’s a moment before he nods. “Do it.”
Erich waves me backward, and I take a few steps as requested, before he takes a breath, holds it, waves one tattooed hand over the boxes, and closes his fist. Fire engulfs them, contained by an invisible dome.
My eyes flash to Laurant, his concentration unwavering, then to Erich, as a bead of sweat rolls down his temple, over his cheek, and drops off his jaw to his chest.
It doesn’t take long for the boxes to turn to ash on the ground without any explosions.
The three of us take a collective, relieved deep breath once Laurant releases the containment and Erich snuffs his flames.
“I suppose it’s easier for the GBE to handle the collars if they’re not explosive unless engaged.” Laurant’s hand slides to the back of his neck, rubbing as he rolls his head from side to side.
The itch in my fingers to massage his ache is so strong, my feet shuffle toward him before I stop myself.
He may have embraced me in a moment of weakness, and I may have helped my friends escape so they could be together, but we’re all still in danger here. And I won’t let my selfish desires put my Alphas’ lives at risk.
I’ve held back for almost half my life. I can keep it up.
“The guards will ping our locators soon enough,” Erich says on a disgruntled sigh. “I still have a lot of questions.” Those ice blue eyes focus on me. “But I know they’ll have to wait.”
“We can return here in a few days, once the dust has settled,” Laurant offers.
I nod absently in agreement.
But we would never get that chance.
Andrew
“I’ve been sacked?”
The world around me tilts dangerously to one side and stills, my brain halting nearly all function.
Councilman Damir Ivanov scoffs, throwing a look of disgust my way. “You were never anemployee,Laurant. You were an experiment. A failed one.” His arm waves about my office, his head shaking side to side. “It’s obvious putting one of you people in a position like this was a mistake. We’ve lost four Cursed with no way to track them. And one of them was purchased by my government.” His eyes narrow on me. “The Kingdom of Russia does not like to lose its investments.”
An overwhelming pressure drops onto my shoulders and chest, making it hard to move or even breathe.
I no longer have a position at the school. What does that mean?
“If your curse was worthwhile, I’d take you instead. But it’s not.” He scoffs. “Someone else will find use for you.”
My head shoots up. “What?”
His laughter is bitter. “Next quarter, you’ll become someone else’s property.” His hand waves in my direction. “I don’t expect you to fetch much revenue.”
The world begins to spin around me, my ears ringing.
“This is no longer your office. Leave.”
