Page 20 of Defiant Princess

Layla really is my friend. So is Diana.

And maybe Alexander and Catherine, too.

I guess there’s one way to find out.

I look up at Alexander as he and Ford move to walk on either side of us. “I need to get my implant out. Fast. And the doctors here won’t do it.”

“Juliet,” Ford murmurs, a warning in his tone.

But Alexander has proven he’s on our side, at least enough for me to trust him with this question.

“Ford was going to help me with it in the woods tonight,” I continue, “but that’s obviously not as good a plan as we thought. Since the woods seem like a good place for Variants to get assaulted or worse. Any advice?”

Alexander glances at Ford. “Help her how?”

“I was going to pretend to attack her in front of the other wolves and cut out the implant,” Ford says, clearly not happy about sharing the plan, but following my lead anyway. “It would prove to the assholes that I’m on their side and get rid of the implant at the same time.”

Alexander grunts. “So, you’re going in undercover, huh? That could work. But I think we can get rid of the implant without risking real damage. Or the other wolves piling on once they smell blood.”

“I would have been careful and kept her safe after. Obviously,” Ford snaps. “The last thing I want to do is hurt her.”

“Relax,” Alexander says. “I believe you, man. I got the family vibe from you two right away.”

“That’s not the vibe I got,” Layla mutters, but I elbow her in the side, and she presses her lips together.

Thankfully, the guys keep talking over our heads like they didn’t hear her.

“But I know someone with access to tools and surgical skill,” Alexander adds. “And I’m pretty sure she won’t mind helping us out.” He grins. “Since she’s my sister and one of Juliet’s counselors in Variant house, it shouldn’t be hard to arrange a meeting.”

“And how do we explain Juliet taking her surgery into her own hands to the powers that be?” Ford challenges. “Since she isn’t supposed to know it’s been forbidden yet?”

Alexander shrugs. “Do we have to? I’ve known Juliet all of…ten minutes and it’s pretty clear to me she’s going to do what she damned well pleases.”

“Same,” Layla agrees.

“So,” Alexander continues, “If I learned, after just one afternoon as a helpless non-shifting shifter among a school full of students with two forms, she decided it pleased her to get her implant out immediately instead of waiting for the doctor’s appointment, I wouldn’t be surprised.” He arches a pointed brow at Ford. “Would you?”

The muscle in Ford’s jaw clenches into a tight little ball that twitches for a second before he grunts, “No.”

Alexander has the grace to hide his smile behind his hand as he tucks his shaggy red hair behind one ear. “Then that’s settled. We’ll call off the behind the museum meeting for now, and I’ll ask Catherine to pull Juliet aside during the after-party. In the meantime, you and I should go over a few things, Ford. If you’re going undercover, you need to know what you’re getting into.” The last of his grin vanishes as he adds, “It might change your mind. They’re even more fucked up than they seem at first glance.”

“I have experience with fucked up,” Ford says. “I’m pretty sure nothing they can do will surprise me. Disgust me, but not surprise me.” He glances my way. “I’ll make sure Juliet and Layla get home safe and meet you behind Lupine dorm.”

“We’re almost to the quad,” I say as we circle around the pond at the edge of the smaller lawn with no sign of pursuit. “We’ll be fine. You guys should go. Find a place where you won’t be seen before those two get back.”

“She’s right,” Alexander says, glancing up at the sun. “And I have a counselor meeting in half an hour. They’re training us on how to talk to you guys about safe sex.” He cringes. “It’s going to be awful. I’m pretty sure no one on staff has fucked anything but their hand since the 90s.”

I know for a fact that isn’t true since Natalie confessed to banging my dad, but I’m not ready to share that with Alexander or anyone else. I promised Natalie I’d keep her secret and thinking about my dad in that way is too gross for words.

So instead, I say, “Good luck with that,” and lift a hand to the boys.

Alexander nods toward a small white marble building on the other side of the pond, telling Ford they can chat behind the staff mausoleum. Ford follows him but keeps his eyes on me until the last possible second, trying to communicate something telepathically that I can’t understand.

But apparently Layla thinks she does.

“He feels like shit,” she says as we hurry through the trees between the two lawns and aim ourselves for our dorm. “He wanted to be the one to save you.”

I frown. “It doesn’t really matter though, does it? I’m okay, he’s okay. All’s well that ends well.”

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