Page 72 of Sweethearts and Savages
“Thanks, E.”
We went back to watching the baking, but Enit didn’t move from my lap, happy to comfort me with touch. I kissed the top of her head, soaking in the warmth that didn’t belong to me.
After fifteen minutes of utter torture, I excused myself, pretending to go to the bathroom, but instead heading toward Bohdie’s laptop. They didn’t even worry about hiding it from me anymore, content that I meant them, and their little world, absolutely no harm. And if life was fair, I wouldn't. I would take what Enit offered and be happy.
But life wasn’t fair, especially not to those with less opportunity. People would crush you under their boot heel for one final glimpse of sun on their face, and if you wanted to make it up from the bottom, you would too.
I booted up the laptop and briefly thought about turning it over to Eden Academy’s founders. Those fuckers were scary, possibly scarier than what awaited me back in the States. But I knew deep down in my soul that if I became a bigger problem than I already was, they’d dispose of me like yesterday’s newspaper.
I missed Kell, but I knew that if I messaged his old phone number, I’d get nothing back. I’d set up those protocols, knew better than anyone his old phone was now nothing more than a brick. I wondered if he was even still alive, but I figured he must be, because Enit would know if he wasn’t, right?
I opened up the secure browser, putting in passcode after passcode until I got to the secure
chat server.
Frost:I’ll do it.
Those words werelike the call of the banshee. I now realized what it was it was like to be lonely and happy all at once. I wasn’t waiting for the other shoe to drop. No, I saw that fucker hurtling down toward me from space, and when it reached me, I knew I was dead. Either metaphorically or physically, no matter how you looked at it.
Out of habit, I checked the private chat server I’d shared with Kell. When I saw a message there, my heart nearly beat out of my chest.
Kell:Be there in three days.
That was it.That was all it said. But it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. Enit would never forgive me, but I had to forget about her, and now would be the time to start. Otherwise leaving would be impossible. Kell was my way out, and it didn’t matter that I was leaving something of myself behind. So I messaged him back.
Frost:I’ll be waiting.
37
Enit
The new school year started better than the last one had ended. Bohdie had been right about the mate bond centering me, holding me tightly, making sure I didn’t drift too far. It was as reassuring as it was frustrating, because there was another part of me that was always straining, trying to move toward my other bond.
The ground shook and Bohdie let out an exasperated rumble. I couldn’t help but grin though. The new school year had also heralded the arrival of thirteen immortal half-fae, half-shifter kids, and let’s just say, they were a handful. They were cheeky, devious and worst of all, super overpowered.
Honestly, the heads of the school had been putting out fires since they arrived. Some literal, but mostly figurative.
“Fucking kids,” Bohdie huffed and wrapped an arm around my waist, anchoring me to his side.
I tipped my head so my cheek ran over his shoulder. I was always subtly rubbing my scent on him, even though our scents were so intertwined now, it was hard to define between the two. Throw in Stacey, and a little bit of Frost, and we were a complex aroma that smelled like home to me.
“I like them,” I said, referring to the fae kids.
He shook his head, dipping to take my lips softly. “You would, you closet anarchist.”
I snorted, because what a lie. I just wanted everything to settle down so I could get back to my life.
Suddenly, there was a high-pitched whooping noise that could be heard all over the campus, so loud that it threatened to burst my eardrums. Bohdie stood in front of me, like the noise was an attacker rather than the fire alarm. “Fire drill?”
I shrugged. “We haven’t had one in awhile, but given the amount of elementals on campus now, there’s a chance it’s a real alarm.”
The senior Alphas of the Academy, and by extension me, all had a role during a fire drill. They’d each been allocated a zone to clear out, the Alphas corralling the younger children out to the safety zone. It helped that younger Alphas would submit to the authority of older Alphas.
My job was to keep everyone calm, especially the Alphas. In the case of a real emergency, their protective instincts could go haywire and they’d start attacking any threats, including other Alphas.
We were a powder keg of abilities here at Eden, but we had contingency plans. I stuck with Bohdie as we corralled the younger kids from our quadrant to the field. I held one of the tinier members of the school in my arms. “It’s probably just a drill. Nothing to worry about,” I said to the tiny shapeshifter girl, and she pressed her face against my neck, inhaling my Omega scent. I watched Christopher bring in his bunch, as well as Kingston. Carmen was nowhere to be seen, nor was her fire Djinn mate.
I looked at Christopher, and he came over to hug me. It was like relaxing back into a security blanket. “I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered, his body sagging with relief.
