I watch him mentally tick through every professor in the resistance. His jaw goes slack when he realizes it could only be Cadigan.
“No. It can’t be.”
I duck my head, my eyes burning. “It is. Professor Cadigan has been working with the Soldiers and Rad.”
“How does Miller know that?”
“He knows because I told him. Because I’ve been using my affinity on Cadigan all term.”
Ian sags back in his chair like the breath’s been knocked from his chest. When he looks up at me, his expression is stricken, wounded. “All term? Why didn’t you tell me?”
I wring my hands in my lap but forge onward. “Because, at first, it was just about his hatred of me. I thought he just hated me because you had feelings for me, and he didn’t think it was seemly. But the more I tried to read his thoughts, the more I realized it wasn’t just that. I caught other hints. I saw a Baphomet mask, and he was working on a spell, worried about a deadline. I think he helped Rad with the collars.”
Ian blows out a breath and sinks his head in his hands.
“And… and I didn’t know if you’d believe me. Do you?”
“Saints above, Juniper! Of course I believe you. Why wouldn’t I?”
I cower away from the irritation in his voice, but he softens immediately, reaching across his desk to take my hands in his.
“Why would you think I’d doubt you, my darling?”
“He’s like a father to you, Ian. Your mentor. I know how much he means to you.”
“Juniper, you are myeverything.I hate that you doubted that I’d believe you.” He lets out a curse and draws his hands back, raking his hands through his black hair. “It all makes perfect fucking sense, and I should have realized it sooner. He let Rad through the omega residence wards last year. He helped the Soldiers get on campus and he… Saints above, Juniper, did he know about this attack?”
My lower lip quivers, and a few tears slip down my cheeks. “Yes. He knew, and people were hurt because I was too cowardly to tell you,” I murmur. I barely get the words out around the knot of tears in my throat. “He only pretended to ward the door. He wanted the collared omega to make it into the classroom. He wanted me hurt. Or dead.”
His words echo in my ear, the finality of them chilling me.
It’ll finally be the end of the damnable girl.
Ian’s jaw clenches, and his eyes are wild behind his messy swoop of dark hair. He comes around the desk, scoops me from the chair and holds me tightly, sitting down on the couch in his office with me in his arms.
A low growl rumbles in his chest as he nuzzles his scent into my skin, and I know he’s close to frenzy, fighting his most dangerous instincts to protect me and end those who mean to harm me. Like the night of the Lunar Ball, he can’t let me go. His touch is obsessive, instinctual, as he holds and strokes me.
I touch him back, desperate to soothe him, to quiet the instincts raging inside him.
He noses my hair, dragging my scent into his lungs, his chest heaving with his ragged breath.
“No one is safe at Fairhaven, Ian,” I murmur.
“I don’t give a damn about anyone else,” he bites out.
I kiss his temple, running my hands through his hair, trying to calm him. He hasn’t stopped growling, but I’m not afraid of him, this powerful alpha barely being held together by my touch. I’m afraidforhim. For what he might do if he acts on his instincts.
But every touch soothes him, makes the tightness in his shoulders lessen. Minute by minute, I calm the raging alpha who holds me as though I might disappear like dissipating smoke if he dares to let me go.
We stay like that for nearly an hour until a knock sounds at his door. He slowly releases me, the feral glint gone from his eyes.
“I’ve recovered myself,” he murmurs, kissing my forehead. “With your help. Thank you, my darling.”
“Junes?” Cassian calls through the door.
“We’ve worried them,” he says quietly, but I don’t care.
I stare into his bright blue eyes, trying to find any trace of the fury that fueled his frenzy, but his eyes are clear. I kiss him, a lingering, seeking kiss, and he sighs against my lips.
