Page 334 of A University of Betrayal

Quentin

Take Me to Church

Vitamin String Quartet

I had never intended to come to this ball, but the bracelet in the pocket of my suit trousers weighed enough to remind me why I was here.

I would have loved to invite J to this ball, and just the thought of dancing with this lovely woman and losing track of time in such an atmosphere made my stomach churn with goddamnbutterflies.

The world around us could end, I would forget all my surroundings and only have eyes for my perfect Charis.

As if on the verge of an actual apocalypse, the atmosphere in the hall was screaming with every minute that passed, because unwanted guests, in the form of the DeLoughrey clan, who were ruining the evening for the Quatura, and especially the Senseque, had gained entry.

I had wasted no time looking for the Blair Witch, hoping to give her the bracelet without attracting attention, but I hadn’t been able to spot her anywhere.

Twice I had almost given it to her, but each time it had felt like I was not sticking to J’s agreement. And Julie hadn’t seemed like she knew anything about me and her friend either.

I had just picked up a champagne glass from a waitress’s tray to wash down that stupid nervousness in my chest, but stopped when I spotted the young woman in the tight gray and silver dress – studded with clear sparkling gemstones – on the stairs.

My hand clutched the glass because it was starting to slip through my fingers, the other hand in the pocket of my suit trousers.

Julie Blair walked down the stairs like a damn queen, commanding the attention of the entire ballroom.

Her hair was shorter, making her feminine features look sharper, her dress emphasized her subtle curves, hugging the roundness of her breasts and her... slight bump.

I couldn’t help staring.

It was just a small protrusion, but big enough to be unmistakably what I thought it was. A baby bump.

Julie Blair was pregnant.

Anger welled up inside me, and it took me a few seconds to find its source.

The Councils.

They probably taught their girls to have sex with strangers early enough so they could continue the elemental bloodlines.

I knew that female Quatura were forbidden to let their children grow up with their fathers or to involve fathers in their upbringingat all.All these girls had grown up without fathers and had never known any male caregivers in their lives. Everything about it felt wrong.

And the fact that this stubborn Quatura girlof all peoplewas expecting a child worried me.

I wanted to experiment on her, but if she was pregnant, I would have to be careful. And the last thing I wanted to do was to becarefulwithanyof these sick people.

Without even a sideways glance, Julie walked past the Ruisangors, whose arrival had caused quite a stir.

The Rolanows – the Copelands’ guests – and the Copelands’ Alpha had so far eyed them in shock, as ifDeath himselfhad entered the hall. Just as the Council members were now looking at Julie.

Confused, I eyed the many women who had been left speechless by Julie’s appearance.

Why did they look as if they wereafraidof Julie?

My focus lingered on the head of the Councils, as it had so many times that evening, and the hatred in my chest returned, clenching and threatening to burst out of me. It was a wonder I hadn’t stormed up to her and strangled her in front of all the ball guests.

However, as if possessed by her, my gaze slid back to Julie, who was striding with confidence toward the Councils.

“Why isn’t anyone dancing?”

The smirk that came to my lips was unintentional, and I tried to make it disappear from my face, angry at myself.

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