My heart starts to race, but I’ve no intention of moving.
He takes my hand carefully, like the way he holds it matters. The contact is brief. His thumb braces mine gently as he eases the splinter free with his other hand, precise and unhurried, while I study his long eyelashes, the curve of his cheek, his lips. His scent wrapped around me like a cocoon.
When he holds the splinter in the air to examine it, our eyes lock.
"Thank you," I murmur. This is the grand movie moment where the leading characters lean in, lips parted, both wanting more from the connection.
Then the door opens, and Tyler pokes his head in, wearing a gray jacket over his usual comfortable layers.
"Thought I'd find you both here." He smiles, assessing the situation before entering. “I’m starting to think aliens dropped something magnetic through the roof while everyone was looking the other way.
I half-turn away from Calder and smile. “Aliens? That’s where you’re going with this?”
He steps inside, hands tucked into his pockets, and shrugs. "Fine. You got me. I miss it when I’m not here."
"I miss it too." I can still feel Calder’s hand on mine even though he isn’t touching me. “I miss this.”
“Must be my scintillating company,” Calder deadpans, breaking the tension.
“You sand wood. I like the smell.” Tyler shrugs. “I like the way Elowen tugs on her braid when she’s thinking. So, maybe I was a bit out of whack with the alien theory.”
“And I thought you were here to give Juniper treats when we’re not looking.” I smile.
Before Tyler can deny it, the door opens again and Julian is standing there, eyes roaming as if searching for a corner to hide in while observing me and the alphas at the same time.
“It’s growing,” he says. “I suggested different soil to Ms. Hartley, but you obviously don’t need it.” His pale eyes meet mine and look away again as if he said too much. “Unless you think the seeds would benefit from specialized soil. Your call. I was reading about it in the library. I thought…” His body moves even when he’s standing still, his thoughts bouncing about inside him.
“It’s fine.” I watch him until he stops fidgeting and looks at me. “But I’m always open to suggestions.”
“I’ll bring a book next time. Or would you rather I brought cuttings?”
I smile. “I’d rather you did whatever felt right.”
“We’re all just doing what we do best,” Tyler adds. “I feed the cat.”
“I dazzle them with witty conversation.” Calder shrugs.
“And I’m potentially an alien.” I stand aside and gesture to the propagating table. “An alien with green fingers.”
Frown lines form between Julian’s eyebrows, and I suppress the urge to smooth them away with my thumb the way Calder did to me.
“Maybe I should—” Julian turns to leave.
“Nah, come in,” Calder says, and it feels like hello.
Campus is quieter than usual.
Omegas move around in small groups as though they can contain their fear in numbers. I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but there appears to be more security around the building, as though they’re expecting Gideon Stockwell to appear from behind a wall at any moment and start accusing someone of attempted murder. Even Lila is unnaturally quiet whenever we meet in the corridor.
It is late afternoon, three days after I visited Olivia in the infirmary, when Seraphina finds me. She’s grinning, bouncing with energy. “Did you hear the good news? Olivia has been discharged fromthe medical unit. She’s fine.”
“She’s fine?” I blink at her, processing the information. “She’s fully recovered?”
“Yep. Turns out she had a virus, probably because her immune system was so low after her heat. She just needed to get it out of her system.”
She had a virus! Olivia isn’t going to die.
I’m beaming so widely, my cheeks are aching already.
