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
I follow Ben as he strides confidently towards the large circular desk at the center of the room. The librarian – a younger man than I thought would have the job – glances up at us but then does a double take when he sees Ben. He groans a little, leaning against the reference desk. “What is it thi
“Judge me not, Ariel, that librarian is cute. And not all of us are on a sex ban right now,” he says, dry, laughing a little. “Don’t hold the rest of us to your ridiculous standards. There’s a lot of hooking up at this Academy – just not in your room.” I ignore his glib remark – because honestly,
“It happened just how you described, Ari,” he murmurs, shaking his head as he recalls it. “Of all things, it seriously felt like someone threw a damn brick at my wolf.” I smile a little, remembering telling him that metaphor at the club after Luca’s boxing victory but hating that it feels so accur
I sit up straighter, surprised. “The one with the crown?” I ask, a little horrified at the idea. “Or – the one next to him?” “The one next to him,” Ben says, nodding seriously, and I feel a whoosh of relief – because the one with the crown…my wolf raises her hackles at his memory. There was someth
“My very lackluster current plan,” Ben continues on a sigh, lifting his eyes to mine, “is to study really hard.” I burst out laughing at this, shaking my head, because he sounds like me in this moment – diving into homework like it’s going to save the world. Ben grins, sensing the direction of m
“It doesn’t work like that, Ari,” Ben says, smirking at me. “What are you suddenly immune to all other men’s charms now that Jackson and Luca are in your life?” “Yes,” I say, my eyes falling half shut in derision. “Two is enough. I don’t need any more crushes.” “Well, if Rafe wants to make out b
When I walk into class, I grin to see that everyone else is here. Rafe and Jesse joke casually with Jacks while Tony lounges at his desk, his long legs sticking out from under it as he flicks through a book. Of course, my smile fades as soon as I hear Alvez’s voice to my left. “Very nearly late…