“Can we visit Ellie and Bitsy tomorrow?” Simon asks around another yawn, leaning on his alpha for support.
“If campus is cleared,” Cassian hedges, and Simon nods his understanding.
We make our way up the stairs and Cassian pauses at the door to the room he and Simon share. He looks lost, almost. Unsure. He wants our beta beside him, and I would never begrudge him that.
“You could both come up to my nest, if you want?” It’s not like Cassian and I haven’t cuddled Simon between us before. We did so in the hospital’s nest while Simon was recovering after Rad’s torment.
Peace replaces uncertainty, and Cassian sends me a grateful smile.
We pile into my nest, and I find myself between Luca and Simon as we stare up at the soft twinkle lights on the ceiling.
It feels right to have Cassian here with us. His scent in my nose and in my nest is so welcome and calming.
He feels like he belongs. Like he’s pack.
I don’t fear the thought the way I used to.
I wouldn’t have gotten through today without Cassian by my side, without him calming me when my affinity overwhelmed me. It was his voice that led me out of the dark, his presence at my side that let me overcome my fears.
More and more, I don’t know what I’d do without him.
Cassian, the first boy I ever gave my heart to, the alpha he grew into, who I’m falling more and more in love with every day.
* * *
Campus is declaredsafe the next day, though our classes don’t resume. I insist on returning to see Ian. I have to talk to him, to tell him about Cadigan. Campus may not be under lockdown anymore, but it won’t be safe until Cadigan is gone.
Arriving on campus isn’t like emerging from the omega residences after the Night of the Fallen attack. Smoke doesn’t rise off the quad as we walk across it, and the ground bears no scorch marks; there’s no evidence that a gruesome attack happened only yesterday. Aside from the cordoned-off buildings and police presence, you’d never know the tragedy that befell Fairhaven Academy.
Until we step into Saint Guinnette’s library.
Frazzled librarians, helped by other staff and students, work to right overturned tables and chairs, return what books don’t need repairing or replacing to the shelves and catalog those that do.
We make our somber way to the basement, and Cassian, Simon and Marcus leave me at Ian’s office door. I take a deep breath before knocking, nervousness skittering through me.
He answers the door and pulls me into his office, locking the door behind us before wrapping me in a tight embrace. His hands rove over every inch of my body, checking for injuries. His scent spikes when he finds the enchanted bandages on my arms, but I kiss him until his scent turns bright, sweet, and spicy once more.
“I promise, I’m okay. It was a small hex.”
He growls and nuzzles his nose into my neck. “You werehexed.”
“So were you!”
“It’s my duty to protect my students.” He sighs and drops his forehead to mine. “And I’ve never resented it more. All I wanted was to come to you. To take you in my arms. And I couldn’t.”
I tilt my head up and press my lips to his. “Fairhaven needs you, Ian.”
“I know. ButIneedyou.”
I wrap my arms around him, breathing in cedar and bergamot, and for a moment, we’re still. For a moment, I can forget why I’m here. What I have to tell him.
“You wanted to talk, my darling? What is it? Is it Rad?”
I slowly extricate myself from his arms with a sigh, shake my head and draw him over to his desk, taking the seat across from him.
Saints, I barely know how to begin.
“Graeme Miller suspects a mole from the Soldiers of Saint Aldous has infiltrated the resistance.” I take a deep breath. “But it’s worse than that. Ian, it’s a Fairhaven professor.”
