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Thestarindicated romantic interest.
Dusk’s eyebrows rose. “Show me your neck, Gem.” The look in his eyes promised retribution. And what kind was clear: break the rules, and he’d come into my nest.
My fists balled.
It wasmynest. More so, now.
I wouldn’t let him in.
Well, they could officially enter now, but they still weren’t allowed to touch me if they were in there and I was following their rules. I could,maybe,live with that.
With a clenched jaw, I lifted my chin, eyes meeting Umbra’s, who was watching us both with arms folded as he leaned against the door. He looked rather pleased at the sight, pupils dilating as Dusk clasped the star to the necklace.
So preoccupied with not looking at Dusk, I didn’t clock what he was up to until he settled to his knees before the bar stool.
“What are you doing?” I demanded, trying to pull away again, but he grabbed my leg and held it in place so he could slip my boot onto my foot.
“I can put my own shoes on.”
He ignored me. “First official day today. Be good. There’s a gift waiting for you tonight.”
Cheeks burning, I made a point of looking away from him as he tied my laces.
“Let me guess, I only get it if I fuck you.”
“Gem…” He snorted. Then he drew me closer so that my butt was right on the edge of the seat and I had to grab him to stay balanced. It had been a few days now, but I was still sore. “I’m going to use that sweet little body of yours whenever I please. And the gift…” I felt the tickle of his breath along my thigh beneath the skirt. He grinned as I squirmed. “...is yours, no matter how badly you behave.”
He didn’t readjust me, clearly happy to have my fingers gripping his hair as he did up the laces of my other boot.
“Idon’t want your gift,” I told him.
“Wrong,” he said absently, “since you’re rather attached to the nest, but that's irrelevant. It’s from Ransom.”
I paused as he stood, done with my boots. I’d asked Umbra about Ransom the other day, but he’d shrugged it off. I’d assumed he’d turn up by the first day of classes, though. “Where is he?”
“He’ll show up, eventually,” Dusk said. “Right. Ready to go?”
I nodded stiffly, hopping down from the bar stool.
Malicious compliance was my new best friend, I decided, as I walked along the colonnades beside Dusk and Umbra, feeling the gazes of passing students, omegas, alphas, and betas alike. I would sit with them when I had to. I would do what they asked, but I would do it with as much attitude as my foolish, needy nest-loving heart could get away with.
I would never admit it to Dusk, but the clothing he’d provided was nice. It matched the academy dress code, and it was really,reallyShatter-proof. It didn’t seem to matter what I matched with what, it all looked good together.
How long had he spent selecting it?
I supposed if he wanted me to look better for my mates, I’d let him.
UMBRA
In the Arkology lecture, Shatter was enraptured.
It was absolutely adorable how much she tried to hide it, too. Originally, we’d signed up for a bunch of random subjects, since the schooling wasn’t really the point of being here for us. But we’d booked our lectures together, without much concern for content, so long as some of the classes intersected with theLincoln Pack’s. Well, formeat least it didn’t matter; Duskwasinterested, even if he tried to hide it. Made sense, since he was smarter than he liked anyone to know—him and Shatter were the same like that.
When he’d noticed Shatter sneakily reading the Arkology books, though, Dusk had rescheduled a few of our other classes over to Lecture Hall Two, where the majority of Arkology studies were hosted.
I appreciated that. Now I got to see her all excited for classes. This morning she looked so studious it wasmesmerising. She wore a pleated black skirt that she kept trying, unsuccessfully, to tug down whenever she caught Dusk eyeing her (every few minutes). She paired it with black leather boots, and a satchel she’d slung over her shoulder and hugged to her chest like a firstborn. Her mane of honey hair was loose, and it tumbled to her tailbone in messy waves, almost obscuring the way her beige blouse was half untucked at the back. Buttons were misaligned too, I noted, but maybe it was a style thing.
Scrappy and smart. I was into it. Suited her, really.
