"I know."
His hands come up like he's going to touch me but he stops himself inches away. I can see them shaking. "Chase suspects. That means he'll be watching you. Waiting for confirmation. And if he gets it..."
"I know."
"You can't shift again. Not where anyone can see. Not until we figure out how to protect you."
"How do you protect someone from the Council?" The question comes out more desperate than I intended.
"I don't know yet. But I will find a way." His hands finally make contact, cupping my face. "I won't let them take you."
"You can't promise that."
"I just did."
The air between us is charged with tension that's shifted from Council threats to something much more immediate. His hands are so close to my face I can feel the heat of them. We're standing too close and I can smell cedar and something underneath that's just him and my body is responding in ways I'm trying hard to ignore.
"You should probably step back," I manage to say.
"I know." But he doesn't move. A low sound starts in his chest, not quite a growl, quickly swallowed. "I should step back and put distance between us and maintain the boundaries I'm supposed to maintain."
"But you're not going to."
"No." His hands finally make contact, cupping my face with a gentleness that makes me want to lean into his touch. "I'm not."
His thumbs brush against my cheekbones and I can feel him trembling. Not from fear this time. From restraint. From holding himself back from something we both want.
"This is dangerous," I whisper.
"Everything about you is dangerous." His voice has gone rough. "You're a silver wolf that shouldn't exist. You're eighteen years old and I'm your professor. You could get me executed just by existing. And I don't care."
"You should care."
"I know." We're so close that our breath mingles. "Walking away right now would be the smart choice. But I can't make myself do it when you're looking at me like that and my wolf is recognizing yours even though we haven't bonded."
"Why haven't you?"
"Because I'm not that strong." His hands slide from my face into my hair, fingers tangling in the strands. "Because every time I see you, the pull gets stronger. Because I felt you shift last night and it nearly drove me insane not knowing if you were safe."
I can feel his breath against my lips. We're so close that if either of us moved even slightly we'd be kissing. The tension between us is wound so tight I can barely breathe through it.
"Julian..." His name comes out barely above a whisper.
"Say it again." His voice is rough, almost desperate. "Say my name like that again."
"Julian."
He makes a sound low in his throat that's almost a growl. His control is cracking right in front of me and his hands tighten in my hair, grip gone rigid where it was careful.
"I need you to leave." The words sound like they're being torn out of him. "Right now. Before I do something we can't take back."
"What if I don't want to leave?"
His eyes close like the words are painful. When he opens them again his pupils are blown so wide there's almost nothing else. "Nova. You don't understand what you're asking."
"Then tell me."
"I'm trying hard not to cross a line that will get us both killed. But you're standing here in my office smelling like you do and looking at me like that and I'm losing the fight." His hands are still in my hair, still holding me close even though he's telling me to leave. "If you don't leave right now, I'm going to kiss you. And if I kiss you, I won't be able to stop there."
