“I hate it,” I admit. “But I love him, and he’s worth whatever it takes.”
“And so are you, sweet girl,” Mai says with a smile. “So are you.”
* * *
I meetDr. Sienna Spencer-Langford at the headmaster’s mansion, where we can safely pour over her private collection in the library. My official assistantship is helping her evaluate historical texts to further her research, but in truth, we’re looking into affinities.
“I unearthed one of Saint Guinnette’s old diaries,” she says, practically dancing with excitement as she guides me over to an old, tattered leather-bound sheaf of papers. “I’m certain parts of it are missing, but I thought we could start our affinity research here. My hope is that we can start cataloging affinities to get a sense of what special powers affinitied omegas have had historically—and if we’re very lucky, it’ll give us insight into what affinities may be arising today. It won’t be easy, and I suspect we’ll find frustratingly little information, but anything we can find will help.”
“Especially since Radcliffe Industries is looking for ways to use affinitied omegas,” I tell her softly as I don the pair of gloves she hands me. “If we can find any record of historical affinities, perhaps we can find out what affinities those omegas could have. It may give me a starting point in using my affinity to find out more from Andrew Radcliffe, too.”
The older woman gives me a stricken look and shakes her head. “I fume every time I think about that wretched alpha courting you. But it gladdens me to know you’re using him like you are. Radcliffe alphas have always been proud and arrogant. They deserve to be put in their place, and it’s poetic that it will be done by someone like you.”
“Someone like me?”
“The thing they most despise: an omega with a spine of her own.”
I smile to myself and set to working my way through Guinnette’s diary carefully. It becomes clear almost immediately that her pack was incredibly close. A pack full of powerful mages, all dedicated to the same end: finding freedom in the New World. I’m so swept up in it that I miss my ringing phone until Sienna mentions it to me.
I check my burner phone but see only a few texts from Simon and Luca. Dread curdles in my stomach when I realize it must have been the phone only my family ever calls.
I take it out of my bag to find two missed calls from my father’s cell, and I quickly excuse myself, duck into the hallway, and call him back.
He picks up on the second ring, his voice tight with anger. “There you are! You don’t have classes on Fridays this term. Where were you?”
“I have my assistantship with Dr. Spencer. My apologies. We were working through some historical materials, and I didn’t hear my phone ring. I’m so sorry.” My voice cracks, weak and simpering, and I hate what my father reduces me to, the fearful creature he turns me into. Saints, my voice doesn’t even shake like this when I talk to Rad.
“That’s right. Don’t let that woman fill you withliberalideas,” he warns, an alpha growl in his voice.
“No, of course not, Father.”
“Good. I’m calling to discuss the upcoming feast day. I do hope you aren’t planning on attending any parties.”
“No, sir. It wouldn’t be appropriate.”
Thank the saints he doesn’t know about last year’s Feast of Marmora party, where Luca and I kissed for the first time.
“Radcliffe will be coming to see you.”
My heart sinks like a stone. “Is he not too busy with his work? I know he’s incredibly dedicated to it and I would hate to pull him away.” The lies taste like ash on my tongue, but they’re what my father expects. It’s the script I’m supposed to recite if I don’t want to invoke his anger.
“His hard work has not gone unnoticed,” my father says.
Then he’s shown results. My blood ices in my veins.
“He was adamant that he continue to court you, despite the long hours he’s been putting in, and I appreciate his priorities. You’re to be his mate, after all. He’ll be arriving Friday for the homecoming lacrosse game, and I expect you to attend with him.”
“Of course, Father,” I say automatically.
“Your sister Willow will arrive on Saturday morning to escort you on your courting date with him.”
“Surely Willow is far too busy to?—”
“You’re being disagreeable, daughter,” he warns, danger in the clipped words.
“Sorry, Father. I look forward to seeing Andrew and Willow,” I lie.
“Good. And Juniper?”
