by Sadie Moss
All three graduate with high honors, and I know they worked their asses off to achieve that. Dmitri is solemn, and so is Asher—except for a slight blush to his cheeks when his family and I start shrieking, the absolute loudest group in the crowd—but Cam saunters across the stage, saluting us all, and fist bumps Hardwick.
Because that’s Cam for you.
Dmitri’s family isn’t in attendance. I hate that they’re not here, but I’m not as upset as I might normally be about it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m pissed at them for not supporting their son—and I add their refusal to show up to my long list of reasons to hate them.
But part of me thinks maybe it’s for the best. They’d only make Dmitri unhappy, and he deserves to have this be a good day, a positive day. A proud day.
The Prince family and I all cheer just as loudly for him as we did for Asher and Cam. And even though he doesn’t blush like Asher or strut like Cam, his gaze cuts to me, and there’s warmth in his dark eyes.
We all head back to Portland to celebrate afterward. Asher’s family is huge, and they want to give him time with just his friends, so we get him for dinner and then they’ll take him and Cam for brunch tomorrow.
The guys, Maddy, and I go out for dinner and drinks, and as the night wears on, we end up at The Den, which feels fitting somehow. There are a few new faces behind the bar that I don’t recognize, but several that I do. Ajax is happy to see me, and the earth elementalist sweeps me up into a big hug. He must’ve forgotten what a pain in the ass employee I could be sometimes—I guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder.
Ajax sets us all up with a free round, and we settle into one of the booths near the back, drinking and talking and laughing. Inevitably, the conversation turns to the three graduates’ plans after school.
“We were thinking of getting a place in the city together.” Cam jerks his chin toward both Dmitri and Asher. “That way we can be close enough to the Griffin campus to visit regularly. And Portland’s not a bad place. There’s a pretty big magic community here.”
“You’re always welcome to stay at my house,” Roman says, “but that might be a bit out of the way for getting jobs.”
“Oh, man. We have to start thinking about careers,” Asher mutters. “I need another drink.”
I can’t stop the warm glow of happiness that spreads through my chest at hearing how their plans all seem to include me. The guys might not be totally sure about what happens next—hell, I know I’m not—but they all seem confident in our bond, our relationship, and I start to feel even more hopeful that we can handle all the changes coming our way.
It’s after midnight when we leave the bar, stumbling a little since we’re all tipsy, except for Roman, who’s the designated driver. I’m just about to offer the guys a tour of the infamous alley where Roman and I first hooked up when Dmitri freezes, staring at his phone.
I almost bump into him and grab his upper arms to steady myself, but he hardly even seems to notice. His body has locked up as stiff and still as a statue.
The other men stop, realizing something is wrong, and I walk around to face Dmitri, who’s still blinking down at the phone in his hand.
“Everything okay?” Roman asks.
“It’s my cousin,” Dmitri says, his voice tight and carrying an odd note I’ve never heard before. “He wants to know why—why I moved the wedding date up.”
Roman’s eyebrows shoot up, and Cam makes a startled noise as he and Asher whip their heads around to gape at their friend. I’m not even sure they knew about Dmitri’s arranged engagement.
I did know, so my reaction isn’t quite as intense as theirs. It’s close though, because as I process what Dmitri just said and take in the stunned expression on his face, a creeping unease shivers down my spine.
“What do you mean, the wedding date’s been moved up?” I ask, forcing the words past my lips.
“Exactly what it sounds like.” A muscle in Dmitri’s jaw jumps, and his whole body is still rigid. He finally drags his gaze away from his phone and turns it around to show me the text on the screen. “It’s been moved. The new date is set for this summer.”
Oh.
Fuck.
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Also by Sadie Moss
Magic Awakened
Kissed by Shadows (prequel novella)
Bound by Magic
Game of Lies
Consort of Rebels
The Vampires’ Fae
Saved by Blood
Seduced by Blood
Ruined by Blood
The Last Shifter
Wolf Hunted
Wolf Called
Wolf Claimed
Wolf Freed
Academy of Unpredictable Magic
Spark
Trials
Thief
Threat
Hunt
Clash