Page 22 of Juliet & Her Romeos

Swan staggers into the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

“Feathers.” I scramble off the bed and across the rough floorboards to grab Swan by the elbow and steady him.

There are deep circles underneath Swan’s eyes. His sweaty hair hangs across his face, and he’s slumped in exhaustion.

He’s limping and trying to hide it.

My lips pinch.

I support Swan across the room and then up onto his bed.

He can’t hold back the groan as he lies on his back. It looks like it’s a struggle for him to keep his eyes open.

“It’s okay,” Swan rasps. “It doesn’t hurt.”

Liar.

“Would you like a massage?” I offer.

“And that’s why you’re my Queen.” Swan flops his arms out like a starfish. “I’m all yours.”

Warmth fills me.

He is —mine.

Whoever thinks that Omegas can’t be possessive has never met me.

When I grasp Swan’s hand, however, I’m shocked that his fingers are like ice. I rub his hand between mine to warm him up, before beginning to massage up his arm.

He sighs in pleasure. “Perfect, thanks. You’re amazing at this.”

I purr at his praise. What Omega doesn’t love it?

“What was the punishment?” I don’t want to know but I have to.

“Nothing much.” Swan avoids my eye. “Just stress positions and repetitions. The usual.”

The usual.

Only, I know the type of things that means.

I remember the terror of having to watch as Swan was stretched backward over the barre, forced between both Katerina and Dimitri on either side. He was stretched so far that I thought his spine was going to snap.

It was one of the few times that Swan cried, as I held him, trying to shield him from the class.

Katerina laughed, calling himweak.

Dimitri — for once — looked ashamed.

When I move onto rubbing and massaging his bare legs, however, Swan attempts to roll away.

“Hey, enough. I’m ticklish.” He snatches the edge of the blanket to pull it over himself, but not before I see what he’s trying to hide from me: the scald burns on the back of his thighs.

I hiss out a shocked breath. “Dimitri fuckingburnedyou?”

Swan shrugs. “Didn’t you get the memo that corrections are only for our benefit? Being able to endure pain and push yourself past your limits makes you a better dancer. Wait, that could be bullshit. Anyway, the Alphahole balanced his coffee on my extended leg and told me that I’d be burned, if I broke the pose. I may be awesome but I’m not a statue.”

Rage sweeps through me. “I’m going to rip his knot off.”

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