Page 90 of Poet & Protector

“What now?” I asked, urgency wrapping around my question. Did we pretend everything was fine? Did we tell our packmates? Did we leave the club altogether?

“Now…” I watched his jaw clench and unclench. “It’s time to be ridiculous.”

“What?”

“We’re having a dance-off,” Nev growled and pulled me along the corridor.

“A what?”

“You really need to stop saying ‘what.’”

We’d reached the point where the scaffolding would no longer hide us. He glanced at our joined hands, gave my fingers a quick squeeze, then pulled away.

He led the way back to the dance floor where all our packmates, with the exception of Calla, were dancing. Unlike before, when they’d been split off into smaller groups, all the young wolves were dancing together in a semi-circle. Ren’s invitation had been smart. Before my eyes, I witnessed the change happening. Two rival packs into one unified front.

The sight of the Nightshades and the Banes together, laughing, baring teeth at each other in friendly wolfish grins, gave me renewed hope. Instead of four packmates, I had nine. Nine wolves to hunt and fight beside me. Maybe there was a chance our doubled strength would keep Logan from approaching me again.

I couldn’t believe Nev was serious about the dance-off, but when we found our friends he walked to the center of the group and spun to face me. He took off his cap, threw it at my feet like a gauntlet, then crossed his arms over his chest and arched his eyebrow. The other wolves whooped at the clear challenge.

Grinning, I scooped up his hat and put it on my head.

If he wants a dance-off, he’ll get a dance-off.

I started with a spin, completing three flawless whirlwind revolutions before I stopped on a dime, stared him down, then continued to dance. Nev watched, pretending to be unimpressed. There was no way he wasn’t impressed. I was killing it.

After a couple of minutes, I pulled off the perfect finishing move, stared him down again, then took off his hat and threw it back to him. Our packmates clapped, whistled, and hooted their approval. Nev gave a slow, exaggerated shake of his head and carefully put his cap back on.

Then he danced.

We went back and forth, my mood lightening more and more to the point where Logan’s threats were only a glimmer at the back of my mind. This dance-off was a gift; Nev’s best effort to turn the tables on that awful scene we’d endured in the dark. And it was working. I was so, so grateful and I was having an absolute blast.

Nev was doing an incredible job of acting like the dance-off was the most serious endeavor he’d ever undertaken, despite the increasingly outlandish dance styles he incorporated into his moves. Currently it was the robot…which he was remarkably good at. He caught my gaze and rolled his eyes.

He absolutely hates this. God, I love him. I love him so much.

Nev would do anything, even make himself the fool, to chase my nightmares away.

Sixteen

The Mountain School

Monday

MASON

“Do you think Calla will bite Bryn’s ear off?” Ansel bounced on his feet next to me as I pulled books from my locker. “Bryn seemed to think it was a real possibility. But Calla wouldn’t, would she?”

“Ansel,” I said, smiling to myself, “you know she won’t. You threw your sister a curveball, but she loves you and Bryn. It’s going to be fine. Like I already told you. Many, many times.”

He’d been chattering nonstop like he’d mainlined a gallon of espresso since he tracked me down before first period. And that was on top of the barrage of messages he’d sent from the moment Bryn left his house last night.

I didn’t mind at all, and I didn’t blame him for being deliriously happy. I wasn’t surprised by this development. Bryn and Ansel were perfect for each other, but that didn’t lessen the bubbly joy of witnessing my best friend’s dream come true.

Plus, it meant I had a bet to collect on. I hadn’t messaged Nev about it yet. This news needed to be delivered in person so I could see the look on his face when I told him he’d lost.

Ansel was still talking. “And I know the mates thing is a big deal; I wasn’t trying to make light of it, but with Calla and Ren giving Logan advice, why wouldn’t he put us together? I mean, the Keepers want us to be happy…I think. If we’re happy, we do better at everything in our lives, including patrolling and fighting.”

“What did you say?” I had to force the question out because my lungs had seized up.