She concentrated on making her body flow easily with Gabriel’s, each roll and spin beautifully executed, every tiny movement precise and exacting. It helped that Gabriel was a sensational dancer, easily moving and influencing her body to keep them both in sync. Even the smallest movements of their hips and hands were aesthetically pleasing when they pulled them off at exactly the right moment, in perfect coordination. Gabriel’s skill made them seem like they were sharing the same brain, their bodies reacting to a single command instead of two people moving independently.
As soon as the second verse was introduced, they separated, Elijah joining in on her other side as they started the three-person choreography. The style of dance was contemporary fusion, throwing in some difficult acrobatic work with a more casual lyrical and hip-hop style. It meant that she was using every inch of her body, from her posture to her acrobatic strength, her timing and precision, her full body extensions and even the arrangement of her hands and fingers.
It was harder when they weren’t touching and couldn’t see each other in the practice room mirror, and the effect of the dance wouldn’t work unless they were in perfect synchronisation, so she tuned out everything to listen to the music, making sure she was always on time.
When the verse changed again, she spun toward Elijah, Gabriel stepping off to the side to watch as Elijah caught her, and they melted together as easily as she had softened into Gabriel.
Elijah tossed her up as the song slowed into the bridge, lifting his leg into a ninety-degree angle and angling his upper body to form a straight line from his ankle to his head. He caught her against the line of his body like he was a shelf, and she balanced there, crossing her ankles and folding her arms behind her head in feigned ease, gazing up at the sky despite the rain that spattered her face.
She heard cheers and whistles from the bank, and then Elijah rolled her down again. She found herself smiling like an idiot the longer they danced, and when they separated into three again, she chanced a quick glance to the Alphas on the bank, spotting Theodore’s wide, bright smile and Kilian’s beautiful, happily curved lips before she was forced to refocus.
Her smile faded a little as her concentration kicked in again. They were moving closer to the final stage of the choreography.
This was the only part they hadn’t practised.
Elijah had said it was because they wanted to save it for the final video, but she suspected he was refusing to practise it on the hard floor in case she hurt herself. At least on the platform, one of them would be able to push her off course and into the lake if things went wrong.
Elijah picked her up and began to spin, his arm hooked around her hips as she bent forward, reaching out and turning herself limbless like a rag doll. He spun and spun and then released her, and her mind went blank.
This was the part where she needed to trust them. To not lock up her body and try to twist to safety, but it was over before she could even consider how many different ways Gabriel would be able to knock her into the lake if he wasn’t going to catch her successfully, and the probability of her hitting the platform instead.
His arm slipped through the narrow space between her thighs and stomach, hooking her onto his arm and continuing the spin Elijah had abandoned, drawing out another round of cheers from the lake.
He spun her gently to the platform, a doll set aside to rest, and the song ended, just like that.
One of the best moments of her life, over in a flash.
“You guys!” Kilian bounded onto the platform, almost knocking over Cian. “That was insane! You did so well! Holy shit!” He picked up Isobel, and when he set her down again, she found Gabriel and Elijah both smiling at her.
Full, stunning smiles.
“Thanks,” she managed, her throat tight. “For doing that with me.”
“Won’t be the last time.” Gabriel rested his hand on her head. Maybe it was his version of a hug. “Get used to it. This is your life now.”
She had never loved her life before, but she suddenly had the feeling that she did now. At least her heart felt like it was going to burst, and she couldn’t stop smiling.
A brief flash of terror bubbled up, reminding her that Ironside wasn’t safe, that people were still trying to hurt her, that the world she lived in was far from perfect and even the Alphas could leave her one day, but for now, she pushed the terror down and decided to savour the moment.
She never wanted to forget this.
“That was incredible.” Theodore dragged her off the platform, tucking her beneath his arm and leading her back to Kalen and Mikel, who seemed …
Impressed?
By her?
“You only saw that choreography today?” Kalen asked as soon as she was within earshot.
More students had gathered, but they were keeping their distance from the two Alpha professors.
She nodded. “Elijah and Gabriel are really good teachers.”
“They are,” Mikel agreed. “But you’re the one who just showed us choreography most professional dancers would need to spend weeks in back-to-back workshops to pull off as effortlessly as you just did.”
“No, no.” She quickly waved her hands before her. “That was really hard, not effortless at all.”
Oscar stepped forward, gripping her cheeks with one hand and puffing out her lips. “Take the compliment. You were great.”
“Aw coo hay doh beeh,” she tried to speak, and he shook his wet head, giving her a severe look.
“You could have done better?” he guessed.
She nodded in agreement.
He released her. “I don’t think so. You’re pretty when you smile. Anyway.” He glanced at the others. “I’m going to shower and change. Who did we decide is getting dinner?”
“We’re getting it,” Niko announced, approaching with Cian and Kilian. He glared at Oscar for a moment, as though the other Alpha’s uncharacteristically easy-going mood was grating on his nerves before he shifted his attention to her. “Anything you want, Isobel? We’re picking it up from the dining hall so we can all relax tonight, since it’s our last night.”
She found herself shaking her head numbly, all of the happiness draining out of her. Tomorrow was Consolidation Day. Her father’s threat to take her away from the Alphas and stick her with Bellamy refused to dislodge from her brain.
She scanned the faces of the other students who had gathered and spotted Rayne—one of the second-year Betas, who Bellamy usually hung out with—huddled beneath an umbrella with a few of her friends. Isobel started toward them, breathing out a sigh of relief when Bellamy stepped out from behind another Beta, tucked into a leather jacket with the hood pulled up to ward off the rain.
“Nice job, Carter.” He eyed her as she approached. “I take it you’ve spoken to your dad.”
“It’s not happening,” she said, stopping before him, her hands planted on her hips.
“Not what I heard.” He shrugged, his light green eyes twitching over her shoulder to fix on whoever had stepped up behind her.
She turned her cheek a little, smelling something warm and resinous, with a tinge of smoking sweetness that curled around her like a warning. A very grumpy Theodore.
“Kane,” Bellamy greeted. “I think Wallis was looking for you.”
“A better question is what are you doing looking at Carter,” Theodore shot back. “She has more than enough surrogates.”