Page 60 of Juliet & Her Romeos

Swan’s eyes widen, before he buries his hand in my hair and tugs me closer to capture my lips in a deep kiss.

I’m startled, before I melt into the plush press of his lips and the delicious sweep of his tongue.

When he pulls back, he’s grinning. “That’s awesome. I knew that there was something special about our Little Snake. He felt like ours.Fated.And two scent matches is….”

“Rare,” I whisper. “Really rare.”

“Since Amby is clearly back in America and he’s brought his rock god mate with him as a bonus, thenwe’rewinningthem.”

Swan’s eyes blaze with a determined fire. I’ve seen that competitive look on his face before. He never loses when he wears it. He’s a force of nature. It’s what’s made him rise to the top of the academy, despite his low status and Dimitri’s cruelty.

Excitement floods me. “How? Amby’s mom would never allow it. And they need to select us.”

“Alphas like to think that but they don’t hold all the power.” Swan moves into a pose with his arms high above him. His dancer’s body looks lean, athletic, and fucking perfect. Who could resist him? “When we dance for them, we’re going to entrance them. We’ll say everything — our love, the years that we’ve missed Amby, how much we want to be their bonded mates — through the dance. Everyone in the audience, smugly sitting there with their wealth and influence, will think that we’re the pretty dolls and they’re the ones with the power.But they’re not.We’ll be the ones in control.”

My shoulders straighten.

For the first time in a long time, I don’t feel helpless.

Strength and resolve course through me.

This is our plan.

We’ll make it work. We’ll break taboos and courtourAlphas.

“Let’s do this. Fuck Olivia.” My eyes gleam. Amby has my glass slipper. But I won’t wait like a damsel in distress for him to come and find me to fit it onto my foot. “One more day after this to make sure that our routine is perfect. Then we’ll have a pack to fall in love with us as well.”

Sadness worms through me at the thought that if we’re chosen in the Ballet Bonding Tradition, Friday may be the best performance of our lives.

But it may also be our last.

If we do things this way, however, that will also be our choice. I’ve had almost none of those in my life. It’s liberating to finally be able to make a decision of my own.

“Time to dance, my Queen.” Swan rests his hand on the practice room door.

But then, piano music bursts out from inside the studio.

Swan and I stare at each other.

No one comes here but us. And none of the Betas can play piano.

Adrenaline spikes through me.

“Who is it?” I whisper.

Swan shakes his head, as bewildered as I am. Normally, we play recordings on the music system to dance to, but that’s not hooked up to this side of the academy.

And this isn’t a recording.

It’s the haunting rich sound of an antique piano. It must be the mahogany piano that stands in the corner of the studio.

But no one’s played that as long as I’ve been here.

My heart beats faster. My throat is dry.

Swan pushes the door open a crack, and we both peer through at the abandoned practice room.

The room doesn’t look abandoned anymore.

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