Page 28 of Clawless

“Xavier, what is wrong with you? Chin up! Your partner is in your arms, not under your feet!”

He jerked to a stop, snatching his hands back and shoving them in his pockets. “It’s her, Ms. Vine. I can’t be near her!”

The piano kept pounding on, but the teacher waded through the dancers, her dark eyes snapping. “What are you talking about?”

“She’s… off-limits.”

“I’ve never heard such nonsense…”

“It’s true.” I sent him an apologetic glance. “I’m actually contagious. I think I should go to the medical bay with Chloe.”

“That won’t be necessary, Ms. Vine.” As Jasper appeared behind Xavier, the other boy reared away from me, defensive words bubbling up. But Jasper just murmured, “Well done, wolf,” and gave him a little shove. When Xavier had fled to a safe distance, Jasper clasped my hand, pulling me to his side. “I’d love to partner Ms. Marrow.”

I glared at him, hating the way my stomach flipped and my heart rate accelerated. This wasn’t the Jasper I’d fallen for, but a harder, colder version. A gold statue, in place of the sunshine boy. And even though his hand was warm in mine, his gaze was cool and calculating as he looked me over. When he gave my collar an approving smirk, I instantly pulled away. “I don’t want to dance with you.” I turned to the teacher, who was watching us with pursed lips. “Ms. Vine, I really don’t feel well. Can I go to the medical bay?”

“Not until we have our dance,” Jasper murmured. “Ms. Vine, could you play Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz? It’s my favorite.”

Of course, he had a favorite waltz. The other students kept their distance, but as he swept me into the dance, I was back to being the klutz who couldn’t make a step to save her life. “Don’t fight me,” he murmured. “You just have to follow my lead.”

“Like a good little dog?” I felt my insides twist as the gold flared in his eyes. “Why are you doing this?”

“Dancing? Seems like every time we step on a dance floor, something happens to fuck it up. I just want to feel you like this. In my arms.” He gave me another smirk. “Or at least I would if you’d relax a little.”

“Relax?” I was pretty sure I was frothing at the mouth. “How am I meant to relax when you have me on a leash? You told me this is just jewelry, but it’s a containment collar. It’s punishment, right? You want me to feel small and helpless? Like I’m the weakest runt in the pack? Well, I’m not going to let you. I’m going to fight you every step of the way. And Reed’s going to help me!”

“Reed will keep his goddamn distance.”

“Why? He’s doing what you said. Protecting me for real, by teaching me to fight off assholes like you!”

Jasper stopped so suddenly, I tripped over my own feet and would have fallen on my ass if he wasn’t crushing my hand. Which pulled me hard against his chest right as his alpha power blasted out of him. Black spots exploded on my vision at the force of his power, the mirrored walls bending and flexing as I struggled to stay upright. Deep inside me, something twisted tight, and for a moment I had an image of a black wolf caught in a trap. Not her neck, but her paws, raw and bleeding inside a pair of manacles. But the vision shattered as Jasper ground out, “Ms. Vine, clear the room. Now!”

The walls were still sliding around like putty, but I didn’t miss the stampede for the door, or the dark look Ms. Vine shot my way. Nadia was the last out, and she called back, “Vail didn’t do anything wrong, Alpha!”

I couldn’t see the look he threw her, but the next moment the door slammed shut and we were alone. Cocky Jasper was gone, the transformation to Scary Alpha complete. I expected him to hit me with another wave of his power, but instead he pushed me away. His scent flooded the room, sharp as singed hair, and I had to lock my knees to stay on my feet. While I hugged myself through a full-body shudder, he paced in front of me, his hands raking through his hair. “You think I like it like this? I told you it’s for your safety. Do I like the fact other males can’t look at you without tasting my scent? Of course, I fucking do. But I’m not the asshole here.”

“Then prove it!” I grabbed the collar, squeezing the pendant so tight it bit into my skin. “Take it off!”

“I can’t!” He spun back to me, and I was retreating before I could stop myself. “If you stopped and thought about it for one goddamn minute, you’d see I’m doing this for you. And I gave you exactly what you wanted! To take it all away.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “You mean the omega speech thing? I just wanted some space… I didn’t ask to be made radioactive!”

But he wasn’t listening to me, and I was still back-pedaling until I felt the cold wall at my back. He followed, slamming me into the mirror, his body pushing against mine until I could feel his growl rumbling up from his chest. “You’re untouchable. Protected. A Marrow wolf in an enemy’s den. Don’t you get what that means?”

“Reed said everything is political. Is that what this is? A way of getting at my grandfather?”

He went still for a moment, lifting his head to stare at himself in the mirror. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but then he growled, “Fuck Reed and his paranoid ass.” He pulled his elbows tight, caging me in. I felt the hard thud of his heart, but his lips were gentle as they skimmed the edge of my ear, sending tingles shooting through my fuddled brain. “Show me what he taught you, sweet thing.”

The old nickname hurt worse than a slap and I tried to heave him off me. “No!”

“Show me, Vail.” He ground his chest against mine. “You’ve got an asshole right on top of you. What are you going to do?”

I brought my knee up in a savage thrust, but he was too quick, blocking me with his thigh. And then he laughed, the sound burrowing into my chest. “Reed didn’t teach you that move.” He ran his nose along my neck. “You smell so fucking good. Do you know what my wolf is doing right now? If you could see inside my head, you’d be blushing, sweet thing.”

“Jasper…” Where the hell had that needy little voice come from? I tried to hold on to my anger, but his lips were dropping kisses from my neck to the edge of my mouth, and then they were sliding over mine.

I breathed him in. I wanted it to taste different – for the thing between us to be a watered-down version of what we’d had – but it was as perfect as ever. His big hands held my head against the glass as I fell into his kiss, heat pooling in my belly. I chased every suck and nip and stroke, my mouth growing warm and soft under his caresses. Somehow I got his shirt half undone, but he was careful to keep his hips back, so that even while I ached for more of his warm, golden flesh, all I could focus on was the kiss. And then a rumbling came from deep inside me, a sound both eager and irate. My ribs shook with the force of it, the kiss ending on a gasp. As the sound spiraled out of me again, it vibrated against his bare chest. With a groan, he eased back and cupped my face in his hands.

“There she is,” he whispered. “That’s one beautiful purr, sweet thing.”

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