Cassian lets out a growl. “What happened to you?”
He notches his chin up, a challenge in his hazel eyes. “I fought my way to Junes. Same as you.”
“You’rehurt.”
“Yeah, a Soldier punched me in the face.”
Cassian’s growl deepens, dark and dangerous, as his scent spikes.
Simon shoots his alpha a level look. “I hexed the son of a bitch hard enough to put him in the hospital. Just like you taught me.”
“My mate,” Cassian breathes through gritted teeth, pride shining in his dark eyes. “Stay alert. Junes wants to help Doc in the infirmary.”
Simon loops an arm over my shoulder, taking care to avoid my burn, and ducks down to nuzzle my cheek. “Of course she does. That’s our girl.”
* * *
It’spure pandemonium in the infirmary, injured students doubled up on every single bed.
Alyssa drags Darika through the fray, finding Doc and sharing a questioning look with the young, harried healer. Doc casts a grateful look at Alyssa and then at me and gives us a shaky smile.
Alyssa is treating my burn, wrapping my arm in enchanted bandages so I don’t make my wound worse while tending to others, when the double doors slam open.
“Help! I need help!” Ellie cries out. “It’s Bitsy, please!”
“Oh saints,” Alyssa gasps.
The junior omega is unconscious in her honor guard’s arms, her face pale and shadowed with bruises.
Doc shoves her way through the chaos and guides Connor to the nearest bed, the students occupying it quickly scattering. Connor lies Bitsy down on the bed, and the usual fiery omega, who’s always seemed larger than life to me, looks so small and weak. Feeble. Ellie falls to her knees at the edge of the bed, sobbing into the sheets.
“Go,” I tell Simon. “Ellie needs you more than I do. Come see me when things have calmed down. I’ll treat your hexes and that shiner you got.”
He shoots me a lingering look and then finally nods, heading to his weeping sister. He kneels at her side, wrapping her in a tight hug.
I stare after him until Alyssa gives my arm a soft tug. “Come on, girlie. Our classmates need us. Doc will take care of Bitsy.”
But seeing Bitsy, so small in the hospital bed, is what finally breaks me.
Thoughts and emotions flood into me, overwhelming my affinity. And saints above, the love and terror coming from Ellie nearly drowns out everything else.
I shake, my knees shaking, as feelings pour into me. There’s so much fear, so much pain in the infirmary and it fills me up, turning my own thoughts to static.
Cassian catches me as my knees give out, lowering me to the edge of a bed. He takes my head in his hands, making me look up into his smoke-and-whiskey eyes.
“It’s too much,” I murmur.
“I know, Junes. I know. You’re overwhelmed, but you have the power to control this. Listen to my voice. Don’t think of anything else. Just my voice. You’re brilliant. My brilliant love. And people need your help right now. Focus your intention. Let everything else but my words fall away.”
I do as he says, quieting my mind until all I hear is his voice, strong and sure.
“Good,” he says. “Take a deep breath. You control what you hear.”
I force a nod, drawing in a shuddering breath and slowly, all the emotions that had bombarded me fade away until only my own fear remains.
And saints, Iamafraid. But in Cassian’s embrace, I find my courage. In the face of my fear, I act.
I shove to my feet, and he helps me stand, steadying me when I sway.
