Page 73 of The Beast's Heart

Realization dawns. “That fight on my first day. It wasn’t about the games. You… you must have thought I was a complete charlatan, incapable of teaching them.”

“I was worried.”

“But you let me stay.”

“Selfish reasons. I didn’t want the bad press.”

His features are all soft focus now I’ve lost my specs. They’re hard to read.

“And,” he adds, glancing down, “I realized pretty quickly that you were exactly what the kids needed. I wanted you to stay.”

Before I can respond, Ray appears at my side again. “Here, sweetness.” I blink up at him. He’s offering me a mug. “Tea just the way you like it. Drink up.”

The tea is heaven sent, warming me from the inside. I manage to take a few steady breaths. “I didn’t know the storm would get that bad. I’m so sorry you had to come looking for me.”

Ray squeezes my shoulder. “It’s not your fault. Weather can change on a dime up here.”

Footsteps enter the kitchen and I tense, suddenly fearing that the children might see me like this. I know before I look over my shoulder at the blur by the doorway that the steps are too heavy to be theirs.

“What’s going on?” Geoff asks.

“Jonathan got caught out in the storm,” Ray says.

“Hey, can you get him some dry clothes?” Adam asks. “There should be some in the laundry.”

My clothes…I feel nauseous.They’re gone.My eyes fill with tears again.

Adam tilts my chin up. His face is close enough to mine that I can see him searching my gaze, trying to read what’s upset me. I’m too embarrassed to say anything. His thumb brushes against my bottom lip and my stomach lurches.

“I found this,” Geoff says, suddenly close. I jerk back from Adam and Geoff thrusts a dark blue mass of fabric at me. “Think it’s yours?”

I can’t make out his expression, but his voice sounds pissed. My fingers close on the fabric and I immediately know it’s not mine. It’s cashmere. One of Adam’s jumpers. One I’ve admired and longed to touch. Any other time, I may have been amused by the irony.

Adam takes my tea while I unwrap myself from his jacket and pull the jumper over my head. I’m aware of Geoff’s eyes on me as I do so.

“What were you doing out there anyway?” he asks.

Ray answers for me. “The Beast here frightened the bejesus out of him and sent him fleeing.”

I sink down into myself. Geoff laughs and my insides shrivel as renewed shame washes through me. Scrawny, crying, cowardly.

“You see, Teach. This is what I mean,” Geoff says. “This would never happen if you were an alpha.”

“What the fuck did you just say?” Adam asks.

I flinch, but Geoff seems immune. “Stand down, Beast. It’s just a joke.”

“No one’s laughing.”

“And on that note,” Ray says cheerfully, “I think the two of us should be going.” Their blur moves off to Geoff’s side, shepherding him away. “Geoff, I need your help in this direction.”

“Fuck off. I’m leaving.” He heads towards the door. “Enjoy whatever the hell this is.”

His footfalls echo as he heads out of the kitchen and back across the hall. Ray starts to follow.

“Ray, wait.” My voice still sounds weak and raspy. Ray’s blurry form pauses. “Can you check in on the children please?And make sure Lily-Iris knows not to let them come down here? I don’t want them to…” see me like this. “Maybe you can tell them I’m not feeling well?”

“Of course, angel. You get nice and toasty warm now.”

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