Elijah quickly took control of the session. Running through Isobel’s part of the choreography while Gabriel stopped and started the music for them, and then they did a few rounds with Cian filming, watching it back each time to perfect their mistakes.
She had been given challenges to quickly learn choreography before, but she was extra nervous this time. Oscar had called it “the group’s second debut,” and she was starting to realise that what they were doing would of course be bigger than an application for Lye’s class. It would be the first time Elijah and Gabriel had danced for the public, instead of hiding away in practice rooms and working on choreography with their headphones in.
It would also be the first time anyone would see her dancing with a partner. Even when Lye partnered people up for his class, she was always left on her own, and he ended up using her to demonstrate things for the rest of the students.
After their final run-through, Elijah picked up his phone to check the time. “We need to head out. The others should have finished setting up the floating platform by now.”
“Floating platform?” she asked, jumping up and down to keep her muscles warm. It wasn’t raining that much. What did they need a floating platform for?
“You’ll see.” Oscar dropped his arm over her shoulders, steering her from the room while Cian packed up the camera equipment.
Elijah fell into step on her other side, Gabriel waiting at the door for Cian.
“You two seem very friendly all of a sudden,” Elijah said, keeping his voice low as he glanced at Oscar. “What colour were you, Carter?”
“Fuck off,” Oscar shot back. “You don’t get to take notes on all her dance rehearsals.”
“Yellow,” Isobel answered, ignoring Oscar. “Because I didn’t want to be late.”
Oscar scoffed quietly, and Elijah’s lips twitched like he wanted to smile. “I see. So you did well, then.”
“Don’t you want to know how well Oscar did?” she asked.
Both Alphas chuckled.
“I think he probably did fine,” Elijah answered. “But I’m glad he went easy on you.”
“Hardly,” she mumbled beneath her breath.
“Didn’t know I was capable of going that easy,” Oscar crooned into her ear, before straightening.
“Then you should be ready for me soon,” Elijah stated, in such a matter-of-fact way that Isobel had to repeat the words in her mind a few times, positive that she had misheard him. When she tripped over her own feet, he caught her easily, that amused smirk still on his lips.
“I’m kidding, Carter.”
Cian and Gabriel caught up to them as they left the fitness centre, the five of them ducking into the rain and jogging toward the lake, where it seemed like all the other Alphas had gathered. Theodore and Moses were in the water, Mikel and Kalen standing off to one side, Kilian and Niko off to the other.
There weren’t many students lingering outside, but a few had begun to gather, huddling beneath the overhang of the old boathouse to observe what Theodore and Moses were doing.
“That should hold!” Theodore called out, climbing out of the water. “Need a hand onto the platform, Illy—” He froze, coming to a stop before her, his nostrils flaring.
Moses appeared behind him, dark grey eyes narrowing, his squared jaw clenching. Isobel refocussed on Theodore, apprehension eating away at her chest like a vicious parasite. His jealousy was a searing flash, like a hot knife stabbing into her skin, but as soon as she felt it, it was suddenly gone. He was schooling his handsome face, pushing wet tendrils of hair out of his eyes as he bent down to her eye level.
“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.