Sauter (Ironside Academy, #3)(95)
“I’ll video call you three days into the break,” Teak assured. “You’re not just your father’s responsibility anymore. Now you’re … Ironside’s.”
“You were about to say yours, weren’t you?” Charlie teased, sending Isobel a wink.
“Also mine.” Teak sniffed, looking Isobel over. “Give me your phone. You’ll need my details for our online sessions.”
After they exchanged information, the panic dropped back into Isobel’s gut, and she found herself with nerves dancing all the way to her fingertips.
“You’ve got this,” Charlie muttered, patting her on the shoulder before opening the door and striding out.
The hallway was blissfully bare, and she slipped into the elevator with Teak and Charlie, wishing she could just follow them all the way to wherever they lived and never have to face the Alphas again, but there was no such luck.
It wasn’t just Cian and Oscar waiting for her.
The rest of the Alphas were gathered in the family centre, spread out around three of the tables with Kalen and Mikel leaning against the wall between two of the windows looking out toward the front of the academy.
“Well, well, this is surprising.” Teak stopped as soon as she exited the elevator, her gaze drifting over the gathered men, taking in their carefully guarded expressions. “Professor West, Professor Easton.” She turned her attention to the tall bodies at the back of the room. “Can I help you?”
“No,” Mikel replied, “we’re good.” His tone wasn’t harsh, but it wasn’t sugary sweet either. He examined Isobel closely before settling his attention back on Teak. “Is there anything I need to be aware of?”
“What could you possibly need to be aware of?” Teak feigned ignorance, putting on a calm, confused demeanour.
It made Isobel like her that much more.
It wasn’t every day she saw a Sigma stand up to ten guarded Alphas, all radiating tense, overwhelming energy.
Actually, it wasn’t any day.
“Carter is one of my Alphas.” Mikel nodded toward Isobel. “Her welfare is my concern. Is there anything I need to be aware of?”
“Um, Carter is a Sigma,” Charlie inserted, raising her hand.
“You should prepare emergency paperwork for some of your Alphas to travel if the need for a surrogate arises,” Teak said, surprising everyone. “Have them ready to be filed. It would appear that Isobel’s father hasn’t arranged a care plan for the summer break.”
“She’s going home alone?” Cian growled, jumping up from the edge of the table he had been sitting on, his tattooed hands curling into fists, which he quickly shoved into his pockets.
Pockets that pulled the material of his pants tight around his crotch.
Which reminded her that his dick had been in her mouth an hour ago.
Shit shit shit.
She sucked in a deep, shaky breath, looking away from Cian. “I’m going to be late for my next—”
“You’re with me right now,” Mikel interrupted, a hint of iron to his tone.
Kalen pushed off the wall, stalking closer. “Thank you.” He aimed that at Charlie and Teak before stopping short of Isobel and returning his heavy stare to them over her head. “We’ll make sure the paperwork is ready.”
“Right. Well … okay. I’ll be speaking to you soon, Isobel.” Teak squeezed her shoulder quickly before striding for the entrance, her heels clacking hastily.
“Later, kiddo.” Charlie waved at her, flashing an unbothered smile before following Teak out of the family centre.
Moses was having a hard time wrangling his emotions under control, and as soon as the other Sigma walked away, he lost his grip on the barrier he had been hoarding it all behind—something they had all been practising lately.
He felt the crack in his efforts, felt the pressure in his chest ease as some of it slipped out. Isobel didn’t even flinch, even though he was sure several of the others had probably just done the exact same thing.
To stand there and get battered by anger, worry, and confusion from ten different angles wasn’t an easy thing to do, but the girl was a professional sponge. She rubbed her nose with the heel of her palm, eyes diverted to the windows as they all fell into silence.
“Luckily, the film crews are tied up at the moment following around their picks for the Icon winner this year,” Kalen groused out in a terse voice, though his scent didn’t match the burning, smoking sugar he emitted when he was angry. He stroked his chin, considering Carter. “I think we could probably keep you here without them interrupting. Until you finally tell us what’s happening, that is.”
Isobel squared off her shoulders, setting her jaw as she tried to muster the energy to face them all. Usually, Moses liked the fight in her. The stubbornness that matched his. The steely backbone he liked to bend just a little too much for his own comfort. But not right now.
He didn’t want her to have to fight when she was scared.
He would rather do that for her. He would do it for everyone, if they let him.
“Look …” She started to pace across the tiled stone floor, her steps hurried and nervous. “This is getting a little complicated. I … I thought … with the surrogacy thing—” She cut herself off, shaking her head like she was already disagreeing with the train of thought she had just gone down.