Chapter 68 Fire
SOMA
I've never been lucky, and that's true again today. Brynne grabs her jaw, directing his tip to her lips. I choke on a sob, tears lining my eyes as I yank my door open.
How dare she talk about wanting to be friends with me? How dare he bring her to our house? I slam the door shut behind me, and someone clears their throat.
It’s Tristan. He’s on the couch, one leg on the floor, and the other pressing against the leather. Jade lies between his legs, tucked perfectly in his arms like it’s the safest place in the world. Maybe it is for her.
Jealousy coils in my lower belly and spills out through my voice in a harsh whisper. “Why are you here?”
He places a finger against his lips, staring down at Jade.
“It’s my room,” I say, my voice low.
Finally raising his head, he asks, “Are you okay?”
Tears line my eyes, and I storm to my room without a word. Why can’t someone love me? Without taking off my uniform, I plop onto the bed. For the rest of the evening, I hide in my room to give them privacy.
Hours later, someone knocks, and Jade enters. She doesn’t meet my gaze, and her foot drags across the floor.
“He’s gone,” she begins. “I’m sorry; I didn’t know he would show up.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I state, my smile small. With every second they spend together, I’m certain they are meant for each other. Tristan must also sense it. He’s different with her. Softer. “What does it feel like?”
“My lady. I don’t understand.”
“What does it feel like to have a mate?”
It’s less than a week until the next full moon, and I can’t help questioning everything. If there’s a chance Brynne isn’t my mate, I want to know what to expect when I meet my fated mate. If it means giving up this new title, I will.
“We haven’t confirmed,” she says. I cross my arms on my chest, and she clears her throat. “It’s beautiful. I think that as a maid, I shouldn’t be allowed to feel these things, but I feel them anyway. I don’t know how to describe it.”
“Do you think you love him?”
She bites her lip. “I don’t know. I don’t know what love is, but I feel so warm and happy when I’m around him. He’s sweet, and he listens to me. He read to me today.”
“That sounds… nice.”
Jade nods feverishly, and I dismiss her with a wave.
Brynne can’t be my mate, right? There has to be someone out there for me. Someone who’ll hold and defend me no matter the classes between us. That person isn’t Brynne.
Night falls without me stepping out of the room. I don’t want to see him or Helga, that’s if she’s still there.
The next morning, I’m almost afraid to leave the room. But I have to. That image is imprinted in my head.
Him. Her. The moment.
I dress slowly, acting on autopilot. All done, I make up an excuse to Jade about having an assignment and leave without her. Once in class, I zone out for most of the lectures. They are theoretical, so I can catch up later by reading the recommended textbooks.
Unfortunately, the class before lunch is dance. I can’t escape it without full participation.
Year 4, Year 5, and Year 2 students are already there. The moment Ms. Vale announces the rotation, I know I won’t survive. We need partners. Helga will automatically pair up with Brynne, and I don’t want to be there to witness it. At least she has the decency to keep away from me now.
At Ms. Vale’s instruction, students select their partners. Most juniors pair up with the seniors, while a few stick with their classmates. Helga stands alone in the center of the hall, twiddling her fingers. Brynne leans against the wall in the corner, watching the room with a sharpness that sends shivers through me.
As expected, no one approaches me. No one is bold enough to speak to me in Brynne’s presence, except Tristan. He strides toward me and offers me his hand.
“You don’t have to,” I whisper for only him to hear. He ignores that, and a relieved sigh travels through me. “Don’t worry, I won’t mention this to Jade.”
“Don’t think too highly of yourself,” he says. “Come.”
A chuckle spills from me. I place my hand on his, remembering what he said about not touching him without his permission. He tugs me toward the center of the hall to join the others. Brynne pushes off the wall, his expression darkening. If I didn’t know his history with Helga, I would have assumed he was jealous.
Tristan maintains his hold on my waist, drawing me into the moment with his smooth dance steps. He gives instructions in a flat voice, ignoring me when I complain it’s too hard, but slowing down regardless.
In his arms, I let myself relax and forget everything else. I forget about Brynne. I forget about Helga until it’s time for lunch, and the two of them show up at the cafeteria.
Kade and Sienna sit at the same table with Brynne and his girlfriend. Tristan disappeared after the dance lessons, leaving me to fend for myself. I stand by the spot I claimed as mine, contemplating ditching lunch when he shows up with a tray he dumps on my table.
“Seriously?” I mutter, sliding onto the bench beside him. “You’re doing too much.”
“Ungrateful idiot,” he mutters. But he doesn’t leave. His tray is packed full of varieties, but he drags mine closer and picks up my spoon to take a bite. I make a sound of protest, but he takes another bite and laughs. “This is fun. He’s going to combust.”
“Who?”
Tristan doesn’t bother with a reply, only gobbling my food. I give up on getting my lunch back and take his, but he doesn’t bat an eyelid. Whatever he’s playing at, I don’t know, and I’m not sure I like it.
The intensity of someone’s stare burns into me. I give in to my curiosity and glance up. Brynne watches me with a seriousness that’s almost diabolical. Helga sits on his lap, with his arm curled around her waist, while hers loops around his neck. Yet he focuses his attention on me. She’s silly to stick around someone like him. He looks bored. Annoyed.
“This is good,” Tristan murmurs, snapping my attention back to him. He’s being overly conversational, but I don’t mind the distraction. “You should try it with the sauce.”
My brows raise, and he clicks his tongue.
“Try it,” he demands. “Now.”
He hands me his fork with a piece of potato fry, and I dip it into the sauce. I look at Brynne while doing so, and his brows draw together.
Is he…? Wait.
After chewing, I tell Tristan, “This is good.”
He laughs. “I knew you had good taste.”
But we both know this has nothing to do with the food. Not anymore. When I glance at Brynne, Helga is off his lap. His chest rises, and his eyes narrow as I take another piece and offer it to Tristan. Brynne clenches his hands on his table, and I smirk. He’s upset. Good. That makes two of us.
“Fuck,” Tristan yells beside me. His voice cuts through my stare-off with Brynne, and I press the heel of my palm to my temple as drowsiness hits. “Soma, your hair is on fire.”