“We were supposed to share you tonight,” he whispered. “But guess who just lost the privilege?”
“Worth it,” Oscar grunted, striding away to stand with Kalen and Mikel—Moses following him. The two professors were both eyeing her like they could smell her from twenty feet away. Or maybe they could just smell her on Oscar. She dropped her eyes, trying to shove away her nerves.
As much as she had enjoyed Moses, Cian, and Oscar making her body feel so good, she was starting to get overwhelmed again, and she really needed a moment to settle herself.
“Don’t get too excited, though.” Theodore straightened away from her, flashing his superstar smile. “You’re getting cuddles and treats and nothing else.”
“Treats?” She winced, but somewhere inside her chest, there was a little spark of happiness flaring to life. “I’m not a dog.”
“No.” He reached out like he was going to touch her face, but then he clenched his fingers into a fist and dropped it back to his side. “You’re a brave fucking girl who deserves some caramel chocolate, a massive hug, and a funny movie.”
That spark burned brighter, her smile taking over her whole face. “Okay. Sounds good.”
“Green?” he asked, smirking at her.
“So green.” She could have hugged him in front of everyone, she was so relieved.
“There’s my girl. Now go kick some ass. If this doesn’t break the internet, then we aren’t doing our jobs properly.”
19
Isobel Bloody Carter
Theodore helped her onto the floating platform, which didn’t wobble and sway as she had expected. It felt secure, like walking on concrete with a few millimetres of water layered on top. She moved to the middle as Elijah and Gabriel set up speakers along the edge of the lake. Even during their run-throughs in the practice rooms, they had still used headphones.
Cian moved to the bank before the platform, setting up one camera to record them front-on and making sure it was protected from the rain before he lifted a second camera to record them while he moved around. They were taking it so seriously, and it made her want to do really well for them.
All the Alphas had come to support, just like they did with Theodore’s debut … except this time, they weren’t just supporting Elijah and Gabriel. They were supporting her too.
Mikel and Kalen both nodded at her, silently encouraging her, and she took up position, one leg pointed behind her, her arms wrapped over her chest, her head lowered as the rain pattered down around her. Elijah and Gabriel moved to either side of her, and Cian raised his arm.
“Music starting in three, two …”
Obsessed by Jake Daniels began playing, and she moved immediately to Gabriel, Elijah backing up to the edge of the platform. They came together easily, their movements light and fun, sharp and clean, timed impeccably to each beat of the song. The choreography was actually quite difficult and nuanced—especially on a floating platform in the rain—but the beauty of it was in making it look simple and playful.
She concentrated on making her body flow easily with Gabriel’s, each roll and spin beautifully executed, every tiny movement precise and exacting. It helped that Gabriel was a sensational dancer, easily moving and influencing her body to keep them both in sync. Even the smallest movements of their hips and hands were aesthetically pleasing when they pulled them off at exactly the right moment, in perfect coordination. Gabriel’s skill made them seem like they were sharing the same brain, their bodies reacting to a single command instead of two people moving independently.
As soon as the second verse was introduced, they separated, Elijah joining in on her other side as they started the three-person choreography. The style of dance was contemporary fusion, throwing in some difficult acrobatic work with a more casual lyrical and hip-hop style. It meant that she was using every inch of her body, from her posture to her acrobatic strength, her timing and precision, her full body extensions and even the arrangement of her hands and fingers.
It was harder when they weren’t touching and couldn’t see each other in the practice room mirror, and the effect of the dance wouldn’t work unless they were in perfect synchronisation, so she tuned out everything to listen to the music, making sure she was always on time.
When the verse changed again, she spun toward Elijah, Gabriel stepping off to the side to watch as Elijah caught her, and they melted together as easily as she had softened into Gabriel.
Elijah tossed her up as the song slowed into the bridge, lifting his leg into a ninety-degree angle and angling his upper body to form a straight line from his ankle to his head. He caught her against the line of his body like he was a shelf, and she balanced there, crossing her ankles and folding her arms behind her head in feigned ease, gazing up at the sky despite the rain that spattered her face.
She heard cheers and whistles from the bank, and then Elijah rolled her down again. She found herself smiling like an idiot the longer they danced, and when they separated into three again, she chanced a quick glance to the Alphas on the bank, spotting Theodore’s wide, bright smile and Kilian’s beautiful, happily curved lips before she was forced to refocus.
Her smile faded a little as her concentration kicked in again. They were moving closer to the final stage of the choreography.
This was the only part they hadn’t practised.
Elijah had said it was because they wanted to save it for the final video, but she suspected he was refusing to practise it on the hard floor in case she hurt herself. At least on the platform, one of them would be able to push her off course and into the lake if things went wrong.
Elijah picked her up and began to spin, his arm hooked around her hips as she bent forward, reaching out and turning herself limbless like a rag doll. He spun and spun and then released her, and her mind went blank.
This was the part where she needed to trust them. To not lock up her body and try to twist to safety, but it was over before she could even consider how many different ways Gabriel would be able to knock her into the lake if he wasn’t going to catch her successfully, and the probability of her hitting the platform instead.
His arm slipped through the narrow space between her thighs and stomach, hooking her onto his arm and continuing the spin Elijah had abandoned, drawing out another round of cheers from the lake.
He spun her gently to the platform, a doll set aside to rest, and the song ended, just like that.
One of the best moments of her life, over in a flash.
“You guys!” Kilian bounded onto the platform, almost knocking over Cian. “That was insane! You did so well! Holy shit!” He picked up Isobel, and when he set her down again, she found Gabriel and Elijah both smiling at her.
Full, stunning smiles.
“Thanks,” she managed, her throat tight. “For doing that with me.”
“Won’t be the last time.” Gabriel rested his hand on her head. Maybe it was his version of a hug. “Get used to it. This is your life now.”
She had never loved her life before, but she suddenly had the feeling that she did now. At least her heart felt like it was going to burst, and she couldn’t stop smiling.
A brief flash of terror bubbled up, reminding her that Ironside wasn’t safe, that people were still trying to hurt her, that the world she lived in was far from perfect and even the Alphas could leave her one day, but for now, she pushed the terror down and decided to savour the moment.