I throw open the door to our room and stumble inside, panting and exhausted and covered in sweat from my lesson with Blaze as I toss my new chemistry textbook onto a side table. “I just had the best day,” I sputter out, each word seeming to come out on its own little pant. “Ariel!” Rafe shouts, fr
“Really?” I ask, perking up and looking around. “What happened?” “We got our specializations,” Ben says, beaming at me as he settles onto the couch next to Luca and I, sitting in my usual seat. “That’s amazing!” I burst out, delighted. But then I hesitate. “But also, what does that mean?” Ben
“What…what does un-sorted mean?” I ask, looking first at Luca and then a little frantically around at the rest of the boys, all of whom are equally a bit dour. “It just means that they’re deciding where Luca fits,” Jesse says, giving a shrug. “He’s sugar coating it,” Luca corrects, and I turn my
“Oh, I don’t need espionage training to notice when my prized possessions are missing,” I say, yawning and letting myself flop down on the couch pillows. “I grew up with Jesse. He stole everything. All of my toys.” “Lies!” Jesse calls from across the room. “…I only took the little ponies. The ones
When I open my eyes, I am indeed still wrapped up in Jackson’s arms. But we’re not in my little private nook at the academy – we’re sitting on a cliff’s edge, looking out over a moonlit sea. “It’s cool here,” Jackson murmurs, looking appreciatively out over the scenery. “We’ve only ever come here
“Gotta save some things for later,” he murmurs as I lift my head to look at him again, but then he smiles and dips his mouth lower, pressing a kiss at the hollow of my throat. “I’ve only known you’re a girl for like, two? Three weeks? It would be cruel of me to show you all the goods so soon – give
The run is as grueling as I knew it would be, with Rafe, Jesse, and Jackson each taking turns to backtrack and run at my heels, forcing me to pick up speed or get trampled down by their gigantic feet. By the end of it, I’m bending over with my hands on my knees, my head hanging, trying to catch my
Ben laughs, low and derisive. “Are you serious, Wright? You’re the one making leash jokes when you’ve got a literal guard keeping an eye on you all the time? Do you…are you unaware of what irony is?” Wright scowls and opens his mouth to retort, but Ben interrupts. “Also,” he says to the guard, h
Ariel bursts out laughing and gestures out to the rest of the roof. “Of all the interference to our plans, you’re going to point out this tiny, adorable, sleeping infant pup as the problem!?” Both boys look down at the little dark-haired baby, whose amber eyes flicker open to betray her mother’s w
Jesse sighs, glancing at his watch and then looking to the door, an undrunk glass of champagne in his hand. “Where the hell is your damn sister?” “Your damn cousin,” Rafe murmurs, draining his glass and then pouring himself another. “You’d better stop that,” Jesse says, turning his head to Rafe
She goes still for a moment and then laces her fingers with his, squeezes his hand. “We’re not dating or anything,” she snaps. “Just…because you got all rejected and stuff. I didn’t come running up here just because you’re single – I thought you were going to die –“ “Sure, you didn’t,” Jesse says,
“I love you, Jesse,” Midnight whispers, watching him, her little mouth trembling, her entire body feeling weak. “I love you too, Mids,” he replies. “Always.” She nods once. And then disappears. Midnight fights hard against her emotions as she flits through the castle, moving back and forth bet
“I’m saying,” Midnight says, freely crying now, cupping Jesse’s face in her tiny hands. “That I – I don’t want to have your pups, Jesse. Ever. Ever. I don’t want them.” She shakes her head, vehement. “I think I’d be a bad mom. I’d leave them at the grocery store and forget they were there. I – I jus
She has to admit though…the stars are a pleasant addition. Midnight’s wolf gives a little worried howl, sprawled out in her soul, her little legs too weak to carry her much or far these days. But Midnight smiles a little and strokes a mental hand over her wolf’s fur, pleased to see her free and cl
“What,” Jackson asks, frowning down at the little rectangular stone in his hands. “Is it like, special?” “Jackson!” Midnight hisses, standing on her toes to smack him on the chest. “They’re invaluable! This is only the second I’ve ever seen in the world! And I only know of one besides that other o
I laugh, pointing at the big plate of apple pie on the table. “Well, I’m glad to see that you’re feeling cheerful,” I say, grinning at her. “I am!” she says, happily plopping down next to Jesse and reaching for the pie, pulling it all onto her lap and digging in with a fork. “I don’t think that an
Jesse’s eyes open first, and then Midnight’s, slow and sleepy. “How do you feel?” I ask quietly, leaning towards her, able to see her better now in the dawn light that streams through the windows. “What happened?” Jackson asks. I turn to see him standing at the door and I smile, reaching out a h