It’s not a declaration of love, or even a proposition to be my alpha, but it leaves me feeling safe for the first time in weeks.
* * *
I feel even betterwhen I ace his final. He tests me on every last spell we learned in Introduction of Casting, then has me demonstrate all the spells I learned during our private lessons. As the traces of my magic fade from his blackboard, he looks over his grade book and then up at me.
“You amaze me, Miss Rose. In every way imaginable.”
I hesitate as I pack up my bag, looking over my shoulder to find him scribbling away in his grade book, my presence all but forgotten.
At the infirmary, he swore we’d talk and, perhaps naively, I assumed that meant we’d talk aboutus, about the question between us that only seems to push us further and further apart.
When he makes no move to stop me as I leave, I wish him a nice summer, set my assistantship application and essay down on his desk, and let the door close on all my tender-hearted hopes.
* * *
I finally returnto my cottage at Alyssa’s insistence and find the wreckage utterly transformed. Saints, after the attention of the Omega Girl Gang, my cottage practically sparkles. They’ve mended or replaced everything Rad destroyed. Alyssa even got Darika to mend all of Marcus’ paperbacks, for which he thanks the alpha girl in a low voice, blushing a faint pink.
In my nest, every single one of my photos has been put back together with magic. They lie in a stack beside a box of pushpins, ready to go back on the cork board over my nest. I never thought I’d want another omega anywhere near my nest, but my friends have given me such a gift that it doesn’t even occur to me to feel territorial or upset.
Under Simon’s watchful eye and instruction, Cassian installs a new security system, and Doc applies even stronger wards, showing me and Marcus how to seal them with our essence. Our blood. Luca and Simon both prick their fingers, their blood sizzling on the wards, and at my insistence, Cassian completes the ritual as well.
“If you want to invite anyone else in,” Mai says pointedly, “they’ll need to complete the same ritual.”
I blush, wishing I could pretend I didn’t know exactly who she was referring to, but Mai is a clever omega—and one of Ian’s closest friends.
Luca slips up behind me and hugs me from behind. “Christen your new nest tonight, princess?”
I groan, mentally naming every transient sigil I know to keep myself from perfuming. He just chuckles in my ear and kisses my pulse point, a lingering kiss that nearly undoes all of my hard-won composure.
* * *
As summer burstsinto full bloom on campus, Fairhaven Academy’s departing senior class celebrates—a palpable buzz in the air as Headmaster Langford delivers the address at their graduation ceremony. The older alpha speaks of their bright futures, just as he did at the Lunar Ball on the Feast of Lunaria, but the words ring hollow to me.
Some of the graduating classdohave great futures ahead of them. They’ll leave our academy to change the world and do wonderful things.
But one particular senior, sitting in the last row of his class, a golden cord to designate the honor ofmagna cum laudehanging from his shoulders, will move on to a job in his father’s defense firm, working on secret, nefarious projects that could bring my entire designation to its knees.
My scent sours at the thought. Andrew Radcliffe is leaving Fairhaven and taking his unwanted attentions toward me with him. I should be happy. Relieved. Instead, my gut churns as, one by one, the graduating class walks across the auditorium stage in their navy blue robes to accept their diplomas.
Deep in my heart, I know I haven’t seen the last of the alpha who dogged my steps this past year, who captured my every move on camera. Who threatened and hurt the men I love.
He promised a bite on my neck before the next New Year and I’m not naive enough to hope that graduating will change his mind.
Marcus must pick up the change in my scent, because he sets a hand on my knee. “He’ll be all the way in Cambridge soon. Hours away. And even if he does come back, Iwillprotect you, Juniper. I swear it. We know the tech he’s using to enter the wards. We know how to keep you safer, now…”
We do know he’s using magic tech, but we know so little about his plans.
About Project Halcyon.
* * *
Luca stays latethat night and under the guise of making tea, he asks my honor guard if he can take me on one last date before summer break—and it’s just what I need to wash away the bad taste Rad’s graduation left in my mouth.
We take to the road on the back of his motorcycle, Marcus following dutifully behind us.
There’s something magical about motorcycling through the night, waves crashing on our left as we tear up the island’s western shore. With only the light of the moon overhead and the small circle of light the bike’s headlamp casts, it feels like we’re rocketing through space.
Moonlight glints off the waves, glittering across the water like stars, and wefly.
