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“Plus, we’ve proven leaving the school is too dangerous,” I added.
The guys dropped their eyes. I wanted to stay with her as much as any of them, but we had to be smart. If someone got to us once, it could easily happen again.
“I swear, I will take every precaution possible, but my parents have thoroughly vetted security and more charms and spells protecting their house than the school does.”
That was suspicious enough on its own, but that must be the way the old, rich families lived. I couldn’t imagine my aunt’s home having more than a couple of spells ensuring no threats got close, but it was more likely for humans and their safety than hers.
“We should go.” I didn’t want to leave Saige, but we shouldn’t be here when her grandparents arrived. It would raise too many questions we didn’t want to have to answer.
“I’m not leaving her,” Theo barked.
“He’s right,” Masie frowned. “They’ll be here any minute, and we don’t need to draw attention to this right now.” She waved her hands at all of us. “I’ll have Saige’s phone if you need to contact me, but I’ll give you my number too. Just in case.”
I added it to my phone, then headed to the door. “Come on, then.”
Sai slunk over to his backpack and threw it over his shoulder. Kaden looked back at Saige one more time before leaving. Theo dropped his head and thanked Mrs. Hedgings and Masie for us before following us out.
We took the stairs and slipped through the door to the tunnels without seeing anyone.
“This sucks. We shouldn’t leave her,” Sai said once it was safe.
“It feels like I’m leaving a piece of myself behind,” Kaden complained.
“No shit.” I stopped, and they all turned to face me. “We’re all feeling the same way. We’re all bonded to her. Complaining about it helps nothing. We need to do what we were told. Go to classes, practices, games, what have you. Do not draw attention, and pray the Stones know what they’re doing.”
“How?” Theo challenged. “How can we pretend like things are fine?”
“We do it for Saige.” I ground out. “We do it because that’s what she needs from us right now. We can’t create an even worse environment for her to return to. We need to make sure Headmaster Goldstein forgets about us, and that starts by going back to being completely normal. Uninteresting. Return to our routines.”
Sai crossed his arms. “I don’t think I can. I can’t sit in class and pretend to pay attention.”
“You have to.” Kaden backed me up. I didn’t expect that, but it was appreciated. “You can do it for Saige.”
Sai and Theo shared a look before nodding.
“I’ll be in the library researching as much as I can,” I told them before heading through the tunnels.
“Shouldn’t you go to class?” Theo called.
“No, that’s not where I need to be.” My teachers were used to me missing. The only ones I attended regularly were the ones I shared with Saige. Even before I knew who she was to me, I was drawn in. Curious about her naiveté. Charmed by her determination.
That didn’t include the physical attraction. She was stunning. Gorgeous. Her red hair and blue eyes captivated me from the first second I spotted her in the auditorium. I would have noticed her, watched her, without her guidance counselor stepping in and asking me to help her find a seat.
The immediate pull to her was exactly the reason I stayed away.
I couldn’t understand it. I never felt that way before. No girl had ever drawn my attention without trying. Not even close.
And she wasn’t scared of me. She didn’t shy away like the others did. I knew Hannah warned her about me, but she didn’t seem to care. She felt it too. She knew as well as I there was something between us.
I should have known sooner. I should have put the pieces together, but it wasn’t until I saw her bond mark that I knew.
She was mine. I was hers.
We were meant for each other from the beginning.
But now she was gone. Two days of officially being together, and I lost her. It was unacceptable.
If I thought about it too much, I would crumble. I’d lose my mind.
