I licked my lips and nodded, peering up at Julian discreetly. Our eyes locked. Julian had already been watching me, his hands moving papers around on his desk at the same time. His eyes seemed to ask me a question.
Am I alright?
I nodded.
Whether or not that was true would remain to be seen. I settled in for his lecture, planning on keeping my attention on what he was saying the whole time. If I didn’t, I’d spend it wondering where Kyren was and what he was doing. Why he hadn’t shown himself at the school since my announcement. All things that would send me spiraling.
The rest of the class filed into the room. A few of the students glanced my way, whispering amongst themselves, but no one else came up to me the way Tabby had.
The witch in question was a diligent student. While the rest of the class couldn’t seem to settle, she was quiet and ready to learn.
“Alright, settle down.” Julian lifted his hands, mimicking lowering the volume. “I know it’s Monday and you’re still reeling from the weekend. But now we’re here to learn. So... turn to page thirty-six in your—”
The classroom door slammed open and in strode Tate. His large frame took up the entire doorway.
“Sorry, I’m late.” He held up his book and grinned. “Couldn’t find my textbook.” Closing the door behind him, he scanned the room before his eyes landed on me.
Julian cleared his throat. “I don’t believe you’re in this class, Mister...”
“Lovett, and I just transferred in. Had a disagreement with the chemistry professor.” Tate clasped his book in both hands, walking up the stairs to the row behind me. “Apparently, you set one too many fires and they kick you out. Who knew?”
The class laughed at his joke, while Julian stared daggers into the werewolf.
A hand touched my arm, and I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“You okay?” Tabby asked me just as Tate found a seat directly behind me. How that was possible was beyond me.
I swallowed and nodded quickly. Turning forward in my seat, I tried to ignore his presence behind me, the scent of gun oil and freshly brewed coffee drifting forward with each inhale.
Julian’s gaze lingered on the wolf and then back to me before turning back to the class. “Today, we’re going to discussthe logistics of what happens when you are deemed a threat to society and the hunters are called to take care of you.”
His eyes glowered over my head, and I knew exactly who he was referring to.
If Julian was trying to hide his disdain for Tate then he wasn’t doing a very good job. Every single person in the room watched with bated breath as Julian basically tossed half-veiled threats at Tate with every other word.
Sure, he never called Tate out specifically, but you’d have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to feel the tension between the two of them.
“I don’t think your buddy likes me,” Tate’s voice rumbled in my ear. His body was so close I could feel his body heat against the back of my neck.
Forcing myself not to turn around and acknowledge him, I ignored his obvious plea for attention.
Of course, that didn’t stop him.
“Since Kyren hasn’t stopped pouting, I figured there was space for me to keep an eye on you.” His fingers twisted a strand of my hair hanging down my back.
Half turning my head, I whispered out of the corner of my mouth. “I don’t need you keep an eye on me.”
Tate chuckled. “Baby, half this room would love to see you dead or bleeding out. They might pretend to mourn you in public, but if there’s anything a supernatural loves, it’s a tragedy. And you have it written all over you.”
“Mister Lovett,” Julian barked out, causing Tate to straighten in his seat and letting me breath again. “While I appreciate your attempt to not disrupt the class, it is lost on a room full of supernaturals who can hear the very blood flowing through our veins.”
“My apologies,” Tate quipped, and I just knew he was grinning his ass off by his tone. “Won’t happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t.” Julian turned his attention back to his slide show.
Class went on without much disruption, though that didn’t keep Julian from shooting glowers in Tate’s direction every few minutes. And Tate spent more time leaning on the back of my chair than taking notes, like everyone else was trying to do.
Everyone else but me.
