Page 21 of Balance

“Because he took advantage of you,” was Anthony’s quick response, but the lie was heavy in his brown eyes. “And he let Kiania bond with you.”

Well… “Besides that.” I frowned, not liking the way my question was answered, yet unanswered.

This issue predated Julian finding out about either of these things. He’d lashed out at Finn from the very first moment he’d seen the two of us together. And although it was understandable that Julian might be mad, since Finn had been hurting me, there had been a hatred within him that didn’t exist with the other boys.

“There’s something else.” I pressed my finger into Anthony’s chest, frowning at him. “How is Damen protecting Finn?”

Anthony grimaced, and he wiped his hand down his face. “It’s not my story to tell.”

Well, then he shouldn’t have started talking about it in front of me. How rude.

“Three years ago, Finn beat a man into a coma.” Xavier shrugged, apparently not under the same reservations as Anthony. “He targeted a shifter using his abilities, and that kind of violence is forbidden. His victim never fully recovered. Julian takes Finn’s lack of oversight personally, especially sinceAnthonydidn’t do his job.”

Anthony glared at Xavier. “That’s not why he’s mad.”

“Maybe not the whole reason.” Xavier waved his hand in the air, stepping back. “Stop glaring at me, I’m leaving.” He bowed slightly in my direction. “Goodbye, mistress. Until next time.”

Xavier strolled off, not even looking back, and my attention returned to Anthony, who continued to scowl after the retreating man.

Sound began to fill the space around us—another break in between classes—but I didn’t care if we might have an audience.

Finally, I was getting answers.

“Is that why Julian hates Finn?” I dared Anthony not to respond this time.

Anthony sighed, the anger fading from his posture as his hand dropped back to his side. His expression was torn, as if he would rather do anything than talk about this subject. “Yes. But it’s complicated.”

“What’s so complicated?” I asked. “What happened?”

Three years ago? We were in our sophomore year of high school then.

“Xavier spilled it already,” Anthony replied. “I was supposed to be keeping Finn in check, but he always avoided me. He always had a chip on his shoulder and was impossible to keep track of. I did my best, but I’m not a babysitter and we went to different schools. One day he went looking for a fight, found one, and almost killed them before Julian got involved. It was not a good time. In the end, Damen and Julian got into it because Damen didn’t feel like Finn should be judged.”

Unease began to stir in me. Finn had been in fights throughout the time I’d known him. That was nothing new to me.

However, he’d neverstartedthe fights. In most cases, he acted in my defense and never was the aggressor until the day he’d attacked me at Professor Hamway’s house.

What in the world would possess him to attack someone unprovoked?

There was something terribly wrong about this story, something I couldn’t ignore. Had I really been that off in my initial judgement of Finn as a person?

“Don’t worry about Finn.” Anthony’s grin didn’t reach his eyes. “There’s only two people in the world who can stand up to him now, and you’re looking at one of them.”

Chapter Seven

Bianca

Test

“Oh, here you are!” Damen greeted me at Dr. Stephens’s door with a grin, wrapping his arm around my waist as he pulled me to his side, claiming one of the cups without even asking which was his. His scent was warm spice, and his presence wrapped around me like a blanket.

I watched him, warmth touching my face, as this sudden burst of attention took my breath away.

He’d been distant for what felt like an age, but now, something seemed to have changed.

Lord, Damen’s moods were more difficult to decipher than trying to perfect shrimp and grits.

Besides that, why was his focus shifting up and down the hallway—it was as if he expected something bad to happen? We were on campus, and Titus had been very firm on the fact that this place was safe.