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He waited a second longer. Waiting for what? I wasn’t sure. I sure as all hells would not change my mind.

“You heard her.” Wolf opened the door as wide as possible. “Get the fuck out.”

Lanson spun on his heel and marched out, but not before whispering, “You two deserve each other,” with his fists clenched and teeth grinding.

Wolf closed the door behind him, nearly clipping the back of his heels.

“I’ve always hated him,” he said matter-of-factly. “You’re right. He’s a coward.”

I closed my eyes, feeling a sudden wave of nausea. “I’m an idiot,” I mumbled.

“Don’t you dare start with that, Huntress. Don’t put this blame on yourself.”

“Hells, I was bleeding out in the middle of the courtyard all alone, Wolf. He’s afraid Headmistress will find out I killed Ryder. He ran away like a scared rabbit.”

“Then let him,” Wolf said, softening his tone. “He showed you what you needed to see. Be grateful it was now and not after you bonded.”

I sat up and pulled my knees to my chest, resting my forehead against them as I groaned. “This is all such a shit storm.”

“You should shower and get that blood off you. We have a lot of work to do today, only two weeks before the test begins.”

My mind raced. “What?” I asked. “You mean, we? As in…”

“You lost your partner, and I’m available. As much as it pains me to carry you through the damn test myself, we’ve already established that I don’t want you dying here. It’s your only option.”

I stared at him, unable to form words. He actually wanted to partner with me?

“You’re willing to bond with me?” I asked. “I was under the impression you weren’t interested in bonding.”

“I didn’t say I wanted to bond with you,” he argued, moving to sit in the small chair at the edge of the room. “I said I would partner with you. Big difference.”

“Why partner at all if you’re not willing to bond?”

“I watch your back, you watch mine. Assuming our enemies will be running around everywhere during the final test, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to have someonewatching my back. But bonding with you would mean sharing my emotions with you, and trust me, you do not want to feel what I feel.” He shifted in the chair, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on his knees as he stared intently in a way that sent a chill through me. “Unless, of course, you’d prefer to die. Because your idiotic decisions are making me believe that.”

“Of course not,” I spat. “I’m just surprised. I thought you’d rather die than partner with anyone.”

He shrugged. “You heard Headmistress. The odds of passing the Transcendent without a partner are low. It’s you or nothing.”

“You healed me last night.”

He didn’t blink. “Yes.”

“Headmistress said that was rare. Close to impossible, even.”

“Yeah, well. She doesn’t know the power of angels as well as she thinks she does.”

A small smile flickered on his lips, one that made my chest warm. “Thank you.”

“It’s our little secret, Huntress.”

He stood and walked out of the room, giving me privacy to wash the blood from myself. It was incredible how much the wound had healed. I couldn’t even walk last night, and now?

Wolf wanted to be my partner for the final test.

I actually had a chance to pass.

The pit in my stomach grew with every step I took toward the study chambers. After a day of hiding in my bedroom, Wolf all but forced me to get up.