Page 42 of Juliet & Her Romeos

I glance out of the corner of my eye at Katerina.

She’s a powerfully built Alpha in her fifties with ice white hair like her son’s, which is cut into a severe bob. Her pale blue eyes are constantly assessing, as if she’s judging everything about you and finding it wanting.

She’s dressed in an ivory blouse, which is tucked into a long black skirt that swishes across the floor as she glides toward us. She’s gripping a thick cane.

I can’t help the way that my stomach lurches at the sight of the cane.

Katerina uses it to beat out the rhythm.

But she also uses it tobeatus, when we make mistakes.

“Good morning,” Katerina snaps, briskly.

“Good morning, Miss Katerina,” we chorus in response.

“Begin.” Katerina raps her cane on the floor.

In unison, we start to run through our exercises at the barre. Every student is in sync, reflected back in the mirrors.

I concentrate on my balance and coordination, trying to ensure that I’m in time with everyone else.

I’m hyperfocused on the tapping of Katerina’s cane and her footfalls, as she walks up the line.

“Relax your ankles,” Katerina barks at someone behind me. “You still haven’t improved.” She tuts, moving on. I hear her poke someone hard with the cane, pointing out their bad form. “You’re a waste of feet. Unacceptable. You’re making me homesick for a home that I hated.”

Katerina pulls off an acerbic black humor that weirdly has half the class worshipfully believing that she truly is their fairy godmother.

When she’s not being a hardass in class, she rewards the best dancers. She can be all hugs and smiles like we’re her family.

But it’s a trick. I figured that out early on.

Who tells people that talking to them like this is only toimprovethem?

The hairs rise on the back of my neck, as Katerina draws closer.

Anxiety floods through me.

I don’t stop rising my leg up and down, along with the other dancers, following the routine.

When Katerina stops at Mary who is behind me, I hold my breath. “How are you pulling off looking like Bambi after he’s got into my son’s secret stash of vodka?”

When I hear the crack of the cane followed by Mary’s hiss of pain, I glance over my shoulder.

Katerina has hit Mary’s calf to make her adjust her leg into a better position.

The Alphahole.

When Katerina sweeps past me, I stiffen.

Katerina merely smiles, however, with a nod. “Perfect, as I’d expect.” Then she glances dismissively at Ariana. “Are you satisfied with that?”

Ariana looks devastated. “I’m sorry, Miss Katerina.”

Katerina prowls to stand in front of us. “When do I ever ask you to apologize? Apologies are worthless to me. Just meet my expectations. I’m not here to be a glorified babysitter, replacement mother, or to hand out participation medals. I won’t pat you on your heads, telling you that you’reall winners. You’re not. This is a competition.Life is. You will show me hundred percent dedication.”

“Yes, Miss Katerina,” we chorus.

Katerina’s lips pinch. “You think that you’ve had it hard in this academy. You haven’t. I fled from a ballet company, where I was trained to be the choreographer. The dancers there were worked a thousand times harder than you, they were disciplined and… You have no idea how much harsher it was for them.”

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