Page 138 of Poet & Protector

After all the Burnout tension, Shay and Ren were giving each other a wide berth. A good call on both their parts. And Calla had to be relieved they’d established a sort of truce.

I’d kept her in the dark about Logan’s renewed attention, and I made Ansel promise he wouldn’t tell her I’d gone to his house. Calla had enough to deal with already and there was nothing she could do to change my situation. If after the union she and Ren, as my alphas, wanted to strategize about helping me with Logan, I would talk to them. Until then I needed to handle things on my own.

As last period came to an end, my pulse took off. I kept reminding myself that all I had to do was stick to the same strategy as my last ‘date’ with Logan. Slow burn. The slowest of slow burns. Like, ‘this spark is so tiny it might not ever become a flame’ kind of burn.

Unrealistic? Yes. But I was going to do everything I could to make it happen. Make it not happen. Whatever.

The bell rang and I went to my locker, gathering what I needed with the assumption I wasn’t going home tonight. I’d even remembered to throw an extra phone charger in my bag this morning. Ansel would be so proud.

As I was heading for the exit, I slowed my steps because Nev’s scent was suddenly close by. I felt a light touch on my elbow, and he was striding past me, casting a quick glance over his shoulder.

I pressed my lips together, conflicted about what to do. I hadn’t gone out of my way to avoid running into Nev before I left school. We didn’t usually see each other at this time of day, which I thought might be a good thing. It would be easier for both of us if we didn’t cross paths right before I went to Logan’s house.

Nev didn’t agree or he wouldn’t have tracked me down. It might have been smarter to turn right, toward the doors leading to the parking lot, but my feet steered me left, following Nev away from the exit.

Halfway down the hall, Nev stopped in front of a door. He looked around, and I realized he was checking to see if anyone else was watching him before he opened the door and ducked inside. I frowned. I didn’t think that was a classroom.

I walked up to the door. It was a supply closet. Huh.

The door opened a crack and Nev spoke quietly. “When no one is paying attention, come in.”

Okay, I could work with that, but it would be weird if I was just standing there doing nothing. I leaned against the row of lockers to one side of the closet and started scrolling through my phone. The Mountain School always cleared out quickly after last period and the hallway was already almost empty.

When I was sure no one would notice, I snuck into the room and was instantly crushed against the door.

“Nev?”

He answered with a kiss that set my blood on fire. His teeth tugged hard on my lower lip before he sucked the flare of pain away.

“I’m sorry,” Nev murmured as he kissed his way along my jaw, my throat. “I have to do this.”

He continued to gently bite and nuzzle me as his hands ran down my chest. His fingers flew, unbuttoning my vest, my shirt. Then he was unbuckling my belt, opening my jeans.

“Oh god,” I groaned as my pelvis bucked into his searching grasp. “Nev.”

“I’m sorry,” he said again.

It was insane that he was apologizing when he was making me feel this good, but I understood why. It was the same reason he’d dragged me into this closet. Nev couldn’t let me go to Logan without claiming me first. He wanted his scent all over me. I hadn’t dared to think it could happen, but now that I was here, I wanted it too. So much.

“Don’t be sorry,” I breathed against his lips when he kissed me. “But we don’t have much time.”

We had precisely no time, but I wasn’t going to leave until Nev got what he needed. What we both needed.

“I know,” Nev said.

He sank to his knees.

I brought my fist to my mouth, burying my teeth in my knuckles as I fought to stay quiet. His lips and tongue were sweet and ruthless. His fingers dug into my thighs as they began to quake in his grip.

Breath sawed out of my lungs and I moaned into my fist while Nev teased me with fluttering licks and feathered kisses then worked me over the edge in long, deep, relentless pulls. My body became molten liquid, erupting in ecstasy. I would have melted to the floor if not for the arm he used to brace me against the door.

When my breath began to ease, Nev slowly kissed his way up my body. He dragged my boxer briefs and jeans with him and began putting my clothes back in place. I wrapped one hand around the nape of his neck and pulled him into a hungry kiss, but when I moved my other hand beneath his shirt he grabbed my wrist.

Nev broke away from me and took several steps back, his gaze hot, but his mouth set in a hard line.

I tried to follow, aching from the loss of his touch. “Let me⁠—”

“No.” He shook his head. “There’s no time. Get dressed. He’s waiting for you.”