I nod effusively, to the point of ridiculousness, until my eyes start to mist. "Of course."
"Trust is?—"
"It's everything. And I'll never keep something from you again. Promise. I'll make it up to you."
His mouth tips up on one side. "I think I'll enjoy watching you try."
"Oh, I know I'll enjoy watching you try," Kylian chimes in bombastically, a broad smile on his face.
He lifts the arm he had draped across the back of the couch, pointing toward the hallway.
I twist more.
Colter stands there, a full glass of water in his hand.
"Little mate, you can start making it up to me now. Because you just lost a bet.” Kylian smirks.
Unwinding my grip from Luka, I let Kylian reach for my arm and pull me up and onto his lap. His eyes practically twinkle with delight as he gazes up at me. One hand comes up to cup my cheek, and his rough palm skims down my face and then over the thudding pulse at my neck.
His brows shoot up. "Well?"
“You win,” I whisper.
Then I lean down and give my mate a kiss to destroy all others.
22
BRYLEE
Darling Academy loomsin front of me, turrets gleaming in the sunlight. Late-season roses surround the stone paths. Music drifts from the windows as omegas are forced to learn pretty songs to please their alphas.
A bluebird literally flutters down to perch on an arched windowsill, and I wonder if Madame Ellora has secretly scattered birdseed out to increase the "enchanted" factor of her castle. Part of me suspects she has.
Of course, after the attack and kidnapping at the ball, there is a bit of tarnish to this place and its reputation. Four armed guards patrol near the sculpted hedges. They weren't there before.
"They need some security cameras," Luka mentions from my side as he shoves his hands into the pockets of his tailored pants.
Colter gives a grunt of agreement from my other side.
Maybe both colleges need more security. Maybe the entire city does at this point. But I know what it’s like to have armed guards shadow you every second of the day. After my firstkidnapping, I couldn’t turn in a circle without smashing my nose into one. Teddie and I had to fight fiercely for our freedom.
And even given the danger, given the war worsening, I don’t think I’d change that.
I couldn’t breathe when those men hovered over me, machine guns always at the ready.
Freedom is better, even if it is folly.
Of course, my handsome mates don’t affect me nearly the same way. Luka and Colter are accompanying me to pack up my room, though only Colter's dressed for the task. He wears jeans. But Luka's more concerned about our final destination than the moving portion of our day, as evidenced by his freshly pressed, collared shirt. He's dressed to impress.
My mother, little though she seems to notice me, declared in a video phone call that she can't continue to let me "roam wild." The idea that Darling Academy is wild would be amusing if I didn't know the fate that awaits me, which is even worse than constant shadowing by armed guards.
I'm supposed to move back into the palace, just like Ted has. The queen wants to keep a closer eye on us now that the war is reaching new heights.
“Mother, we cannot survive under the same roof!” I’d argued on our call.
“Pfft. You’re always so dramatic,” she’d replied.
“I am not. And if I need protection, I should get to stay with the men who actually rescued me. My scent matches.”
