Marcus sits beside me, and I lean into him, dragging his winter-wind scent into my lungs. I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t let myself get this close to my honor guard, shouldn’t be so comforted by his scent and presence.
But where Luca lied to me, with Marcus, I lie to myself. In these moments when he pulls me close, I pretend heisn’timmune to my scent, that we could ever be more than we are now.
“Thanks for sticking up for me with Mattis,” I say quietly.
“He’s cruel,” Marcus sighs. “The worst kind of alpha. I can’t stand people like him. If I didn’t think it would have gotten me fired, I would have socked him straight in the jaw for how he treated you.”
Warmth flushes through me and, saints, why must I always fall for the wrong alphas? The alphas who don’t truly want me—orcan’twant me. The ones who will never be drawn to me. Who will never love me or mate me. “I like that side of you,” I admit. “The takes-no-bullshit side.”
Color rises in his cheeks, and he looks toward the quad. “Think you’re up for lunch and your afternoon class?”
I stare down at my hands. “No to the former, yes to the latter. I’m not ready to face everyone just yet.”
My honor guard stands, brushes off his jeans, then offers me a hand up. “Come on, then, sweet-tart. We can head back to the cottage for lunch, and I’ll make you a spicy cup ramen.”
I know it’s his job—to keep me safe and well—but I don’t know if any other alpha will ever care for me like Marcus Haley does.
And that breaks my already broken heart.
* * *
It’s easierto face my enemies than it is to face my friends.
Alyssa and I don’t share our Tuesday-Thursday classes like we do our other classes, and it’s a relief. My best friend saw Luca being dragged away, saw how it knocked the air from my lungs. She noticed Luca and I didn’t show up for movie night on Sunday.
She’ll ask questions. She’ll want to know if Luca’s okay, ask me why he was taken away in handcuffs. She’ll want to know if I’m okay, what she can do to help me get through this. And I have no answers for her.
But while I don’t share my Tuesday-Thursday classes with Alyssa, I do share them with Kelvin Montrose.
He leans up against my desk before Dr. Spencer arrives to our History of Magic class, staring down at me, his face flicking between his strong alpha features and the gruesome visage of Baphomet, captured in black leather.
“Do you know what happens to alphas who try to rise above their station, witch? The ones that fuckouromegas?”
Marcus slowly rises and looms over the alpha freshman.
Kel cowers. It’s barely perceptible, and he straightens quickly, glaring up at my honor guard. “Watch yourself, Haley. You’re just the help. I could get you fired in an instant.”
I make a show of rolling my eyes. “Then I’ll say what he can’t. Fuck off, Kel. I’m not afraid of you.”
“You were when we had you trapped—”
He means when Rad tried to rape me. When Rad ordered him to hold me down.
Vile, vile creature. Loathsome alpha bully. Rage pounds through me and my magic sings through my veins. I don’t call it, don’t put any intention behind it, but the power is so strong it’s euphoric, flushing out all my rage.
Kel lets out a howl of pain and drops to his knees, clutching his head. “Wh-what did you do to me, witch?”
Dr. Spencer sets down her briefcase, assesses the situation coolly, then nods to an alpha in the front row. “Mr. Glenmore, it appears your classmate is unwell. Would you please escort Mr. Montrose to the infirmary?”
As the other alpha helps Kel to his feet, Dr. Spencer fixes me with a considering stare. “Mr. Haley, if you’d take your seat, please. Your charge is safe now.”
As Dr. Spencer starts into her lecture, all my euphoria drains from me, leaving me hollowed out. Numb and raw once more. I know now that I just used some kind of magic against Kel, just like I once used it against Rad, against Cassian. It rises within me when my emotions do, hot and volatile.
And strong. So very strong.
I’ve never read about magic like this, magic cast without spell or scribe.
I sink a bit lower in my seat. Saints, in the tempest of my emotions, I barely registered what Kel said about alphas who try to rise about their station. He can only be talking about Luca, I’m sure of it. Did Rad and his ilk do something to Luca? Is he being punished for being with me?
