Chapter 29 29
POV LOIS
“It seems so—the D wing, Monday to Thursday. On Fridays I’m in the T wing. Only two hours though, the rest is here. Which one are you in?”
“The A wing, that’s where the students doing a specialty are. The D wing is only for first years, and the T wing is the preparation for the Lunas who have already been chosen.” So that class would only be on Fridays. Thank goodness it was only once a week—and only two hours. “Should I walk you? I want to know which classroom you’re in. We need to catch up on so many things! And who’s the big guy?”
“This is Dexter. He makes sure I get to class alive, at least.”
“You’d better take good care of her, my friend is worth gold.” She playfully punched Dexter, though he didn’t find it amusing. “You got yourself a grumpy one. And tell me… what do you think of all this, Lois? Emmanuel? Seriously? You’re lucky, you got a big catch. And you didn’t tell me anything!”
“Because I didn’t know— it all happened right when I was leaving, Viviana. And after that, I didn’t see you again.”
“I knew you wouldn’t hide something like that from me, Lois.” She kissed my forehead. “You need to relax, you’re really pale. If Dexter is with you, nothing will happen. Let’s get you to your first class.” She took my schedule sheet. “And where’s Emmanuel? He’s second year, right?”
I thought I’d heard them say that—they were in second year.
“Which… wing are they in?” I asked carefully. I had to hide my interest in Ezequiel, because publicly the only known mate was Emmanuel. The fact that I had two—that Ezequiel was also mine—was still a secret.
“Ezequiel and Emmanuel are in the same one. The second-year wing is the S wing.”
Ezequiel.
He was just a few meters away from us.
My whole body tensed before even seeing him—I felt him first, knowing perfectly well it was him.
When my eyes finally found his face, he had an expression I hated. I needed the face from the train, from the party, from the bed, from the quiet space between the three of us—not this cold mask he now seemed to wear permanently.
“Good morning, Dexter,” he said, frowning even more when he saw Viviana.
“Good morning—Ezequiel or Emmanuel?”
“Ezequiel,” he confirmed. “Lois, can we talk for a moment before you enter class? There are about five minutes left.”
“I’m talking to her right now, and I’m the one taking her to class,” Viviana interfered, but Ezequiel didn’t spare her even a glance. His eyes stayed on me, waiting for my response. He couldn’t stand Viviana, and he didn’t bother to hide it.
“Viviana, I think I need to speak with Ezequiel. We’ll see each other later? You know where I am and my schedule.”
“Come on, Lois!” She raised her arms, clearly unhappy with my decision.
“I’m sorry.” I apologized. Dexter began walking and I followed, entering my assigned wing for the first time.
Before I realized it, our steps shifted direction, away from Dexter. Ezequiel opened a door and I stepped inside first. The room had only desks, a huge chalkboard, and various informational posters on the walls, plus a single window—and only one entrance, the one we came through.
He closed the door… and the room became nothing. Instantly, Ezequiel’s presence wrapped around me, as if he were pressed against me, even though he stood a few steps away, hands clasped behind his back, eyes fixed on me.
“I see you’re caught up,” he said quietly. “Why are you scared if Dexter will be with you?”
I wanted to ask different questions.
Where were they staying? In the building from before? Or the house where I’d slept that night?
Would we ever see each other? How did this work? Would we have contact at all? Did they know about my parents or was it still a secret?
Where was Emmanuel?
Did they… want to see me? Did they think of me at night the way I thought of them?
Maybe my questions were silly, but I wanted all those answers.
Would he really keep his distance from me?
“Ezequiel, are you still angry?”
“I’m not angry.”
“It’s written all over your face. I’m sorry. I’ve made you an angry person. And you used to look so good before.” I lowered my gaze, feeling completely guilty.
“There may be a way for you to fix that, Lois.”
“Then you are angry— and it is my fault.” I turned my back to him. My bag felt heavy, full of things I probably didn’t even need— I had even packed a knife. A sharp one. That’s what fear did. Here, I wouldn’t be able to hide anywhere. My fear could be smelled from miles away. “What can I do for you?”
“You live on the opposite side from us and we haven’t been able to change that. It’s been impossible. Emmanuel is trying right now to fix that, but I’m afraid he won’t succeed. Do you want to be closer?”
“Only to be near people I know—don’t get confused.” I was dying to be close. I craved it. Even now, with Ezequiel here, I didn’t know what he was waiting for to kiss me, touch me, use this classroom for something productive and pleasurable. These minutes were being wasted if we weren’t doing those things.
Resist, Lois! Don’t let the bond pull you in.
Those thoughts weren’t mine—they belonged to the union that was still one step from being completed, and my body demanded it. It felt like being in heat, being pulled toward him.
He smells… good.
Lois! You dragged them into this and decided to pull away! So pull away!
“If that’s what you want… you can talk to the director at the end of the day. Tell him there’s an empty room and your roommate will be Emma. This is the address.” He pulled a paper from his pocket and handed it to me. “Tell him you’ll be staying there.”
“And if he says no?”
“Tell him you’re afraid of being alone and that you don’t want a man living in your house to guard you. That will make him accept.”
“Are you sure?”
“No. But it’s worth a try. Now come on, your class is about to begin.” He headed toward the door.
Was he really going to ignore me?
Did he truly feel nothing when we were alone?
“Ezequiel…” He wasn’t going to insist I change my decision. I knew that. But… he also said he’d take care of me when Iwent to him. Now I understood what he meant.
I couldn’t resist. I wasn’t strong— I wasn’t.
I needed them.
How much longer could I take this? How much longer before my body burned alive from wanting them?
He had been right about one thing.
This wasn’t the easy path.
It was the hardest of all.
“You want a kiss, Lois.” More than that—but the time and place only allowed for a kiss.
I tilted my face and closed my eyes. I wet my lips, feeling the heat of his body as he came closer.
A kiss.
Just a kiss.
My body pressed against his in every way possible—my hands, my legs. He held my weight, the desk held my hips, and he held me.
A kiss.
Just a kiss.
A kiss as hot and wicked as hell itself, so addictive that tears slipped out when it ended, wanting more.
“More,” I said without even realizing.
“You need to get to class, Lois. And I need to leave this wing. We’ll be here before your second class. Ignore everyone and don’t be afraid— they’ll smell your fear and want to bother you. But nothing will happen. Don’t worry.”
“If you give me another kiss…”
“Then you won’t make it to class.” He smiled. He looked sweet, happy, sincere. He looked like Ezequiel. He wiped my tears with his thumbs, and when he wet his lips I thought he would kiss me again, but he didn’t. He pushed me toward the door and opened it. The hallway was full of people and outside stood Dexter, waiting for me.
I left with him, without looking away from Ezequiel’s smile.
That alone made me feel calmer.