Reckless Souls (Saints Academy, #1)(78)

whore. Get over yourself.” Selene’s voice carries all the way to me, and it’s then that I spot Xander

standing ramrod straight, hands clenched at his sides and the muscles in his back bunched together as

a low growl purrs from his lips.

Fuck.

Someone’s upset the big guy. My big guy.

My footsteps quicken as I move faster, trying to get to him before their standoff can escalate any

further. My hand tightens around the hilt of my dagger, ready to slit this bitch’s throat. Not for saying

something about me, I’m the only one she refers to as whore and it goes right over my head, but for

getting him riled up like this.

Someone moves to my side, and I quickly glance over, to catch a glimpse of floppy black hair

cascading over emerald green eyes. Khaos. “His eyes are flaring amber, Rhea. We can’t let him lose

it in front of all these people,” he whispers, squeezing my arm in some attempt at support, and I nod in

understanding.

Noise comes from Adonis and Hector to my right, tension running high between them as they drop

their daggers and push at each other, ready for some kind of fucking brawl, but I keep my eyes trained

on the more pressing matter at this exact moment in time. Xander. Once I have him calmed down, I

can figure what the hell is going on over there.

“Shut. Your. Fucking. Mouth. Bitch,” Xander bites, his breathing becoming more labored,

followed quickly by Selene’s cackling dancing around us. It grates on my fucking nerves.

“It’s not my fault you’re too busy watching her to notice what’s right in front of you. I’ve been

here this entire time. Adonis had me. I want this arrangement, Xander, and you’ll fucking give it to

me!” she screams, all whiny like the world owes her everything, but I force myself to block her out as

I barge through the few people circling around them, and plant myself firmly in front of Xander.

With my dagger in one hand, aimed down at the ground, I place the other on his shoulder. I rub

slightly as I look up into his eyes that have lost nearly all their flecks of brown, glowing more and

more amber as I begin to panic. Not. Fucking. Good.

“Hey,” I murmur, keeping my voice low as I ignore the screeching bitch behind me. “Focus on

me,” I add softly, and he thankfully, between my touch and voice, seems to loosen up a little, though

his teeth are grinding together so hard I think he might snap his own damn jaw.

“She just—”

“I don’t care,” I interrupt, moving my hand to his chest, above his heart as it thunders beneath my

touch. “Fuck everyone else, Xander, and just focus on me.” I use every ounce of self-control to calm

my breathing, making myself relax even though I’m strung the fuck out. “Match my breathing,” I

whisper, watching as his brows knit together, but I nod, encouraging him as his gaze fixes on mine.

“Excuse me,” Selene shrieks from behind me, and I cut my gaze to hers over my shoulder,

extending my arm and pointing my blade in her direction as I glare.

“I will slit your fucking throat if you don’t shut the fuck up,” I growl, my voice husky, deeper, as I

notice the slight change inside of me, my core reaction of anger igniting my own powers within me.

Fuck.

This is not helping at all.

I’m only going to make this worse when I cut her up for causing him such distress.

“Professor Riva, I will not stand for some lowly whore speaking to me like this,” the supreme

bitch squeals. He doesn’t respond to her as everyone quickly moves around us, heading toward the

new drama unfolding between Hector and Adonis as the latter swings his fist into the side of Hector’s

face, and everyone gasps as he falls to the floor.

What the actual fuck?

Does he not see the fucking situation his so-called brother is in right now? How the hell is this

helping?

As if sensing my internal madness with him and his poorly timed antics, he turns his attention in

our direction, before mouthing one simple word which explains it all.

“Go.”

Holy fuck. Is he causing a distraction on purpose? Protecting both Xander and me?

Before I can think on it any more, Khaos appears at our side, a hand on each of our shoulders as

he looks between us. “Let’s go, now, before this crazy bitch has you both destroying the entire center

in anger,” he mumbles, shifting us toward the exit, and I discard my blade, not caring how it falls as I

quickly follow after him. When I don’t sense Xander doing the same, I pause, looking back over my

shoulder for him.

I have no idea where Zen or Harmonia are right now, but priority number one is to get Xander out

of here before he fucking shifts and I break shit… or faces.

He’s still in place, standing directly across from Selene who stares at him with wide eyes, body

trembling as she feebly nods. It looks like Xander is talking, but whatever he’s saying isn’t filling her

with joy, instead it looks like fear.

“Rhea!” Khaos calls out to get my attention, and when I look at him he cringes. “Your eyes.” Fuck.