Wrong love

Chapter Thirty-Two: Worth the Trouble

The next morning, Jace walked through the crowded halls of school with one goal in mind.

Find Elara.

He wouldn't admit it out loud.

Especially not to Mason.

But after what happened with Max, after the Smoke Demon, after the attack...

he needed to see that she was okay.

The moment he spotted her at her locker, something inside him relaxed.

She was there.

Alive.

Healthy.

Well... mostly healthy.

The bandage beneath her shirt was still there.

But she was smiling.

Talking to Sydney.

Existing.

And somehow that was enough.

Mason noticed immediately.

"There she is."

Jace rolled his eyes.

"Shut up."

"You've been looking for her since first period."

"I have not."

"You literally walked past your classroom."

"That was one time."

"Twice."

Jace groumbled something under his breath.

Mason looked far too pleased with himself.

Across the hallway, Elara noticed him.

For a brief second their eyes met.

She smiled.

Jace smiled back.

Then immediately pretended he hadn't.

Mason almost died laughing.

By lunch, things were peaceful.

Which should have been the first warning.

Because peace never lasted.

Especially around Jace Ryder.

The trouble arrived in the form of Xavier Blackwood.

A wolf.

A jerk.

And one of the few people Jace disliked more than Max.

Which was saying something.

Xavier was tall, athletic, arrogant, and completely convinced everyone loved him.

Nobody did.

At least not anyone sensible.

The teacher had stepped out of the classroom for a few minutes.

The room buzzed with conversation.

Elara sat quietly, working on an assignment.

Then Xavier walked over.

The grin on his face immediately annoyed Jace.

"Hey, new girl."

Elara didn't even look up.

"I'm not new anymore."

"Still doesn't change the fact that you're weird."

A few students laughed.

Elara finally raised an eyebrow.

"Did you come all the way over here just to embarrass yourself?"

Several students laughed harder.

Xavier's grin twitched.

Jace smirked.

Good answer.

Unfortunately, Xavier wasn't finished.

"What? Think you're tough now?"

Elara shrugged.

"Compared to you? Probably."

More laughter.

Now Xavier looked irritated.

Jace was enjoying this far too much.

Then Xavier leaned forward.

"Maybe someone should teach you some respect."

Elara slowly closed her notebook.

The room immediately sensed danger.

Because the expression on her face was never a good sign.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Oh?"

"Trust me."

Xavier laughed.

"Or what?"

Before Elara could answer—

A chair scraped loudly across the floor.

Everyone turned.

Jace stood.

The entire room fell silent.

Even Xavier blinked.

"Oh great."

Xavier sighed dramatically.

"The mutt has arrived."

Jace smiled.

The dangerous kind.

"The only reason you're still talking is because nobody's told you to shut up yet."

The classroom erupted with gasps.

Xavier's face darkened.

Elara immediately recognized that look.

This was going badly.

Very badly.

Xavier stepped forward.

"You got something to say?"

Jace nodded.

"Yeah."

He pointed toward the door.

"Leave her alone."

The room became completely silent.

Nobody expected that.

Least of all Elara.

Xavier laughed.

Then shoved Jace.

Wrong move.

Very wrong move.

The next few seconds happened so fast nobody could follow.

Jace shoved him back.

Xavier swung.

Jace ducked.

A desk tipped over.

Someone screamed.

Someone else started recording.

The fight exploded.

Desks moved.

Chairs flew.

Students scattered.

By the time teachers arrived—

Jace and Xavier were both on the floor trying very hard to destroy each other.

An hour later...

Jace sat outside the principal's office.

Bored.

Annoyed.

And completely unrepentant.

The principal had spent twenty minutes explaining why violence was bad.

Jace had spent twenty minutes pretending to listen.

Eventually the office door opened.

"You're lucky."

Jace stood.

"So I've been told."

"No suspension."

"No expulsion."

"Thank you, sir."

The principal pointed toward the hallway.

"Go."

Jace didn't need to be told twice.

The moment he stepped outside—

He stopped.

Elara was waiting.

Leaning against the wall.

Arms folded.

The second she saw him, she stood up.

Relief flooded her face.

"There you are."

Jace blinked.

"You waited?"

"Obviously."

Then without warning—

She wrapped her arms around him.

Jace froze.

Again.

Why did she keep doing this?

Not that he minded.

Slowly, he hugged her back.

For a moment neither spoke.

The hallway around them faded away.

When they finally separated, Elara immediately smacked his arm.

Hard.

"Ouch!"

"You idiot."

Jace looked offended.

"What did I do?"

"You fought Xavier!"

"He deserved it."

"That's not the point."

"He absolutely deserved it."

Elara rolled her eyes.

"Do you know how worried I was?"

That made him pause.

Because she sounded sincere.

Genuinely worried.

And somehow that mattered.

A lot.

"You thought I got expelled?"

She nodded.

"Or suspended."

"Please."

Jace placed a hand dramatically on his chest.

"I'm too charming to get expelled."

Elara groaned.

"You're impossible."

"I know."

A smile slipped onto her face.

And Jace couldn't stop smiling either.

Then she shook her head.

"Still."

"What?"

"Thanks."

Jace looked confused.

"For what?"

Her expression softened.

"For standing up for me."

For once...

Jace didn't have a sarcastic answer.

Instead he shrugged.

"Anytime, Blue black."

Elara smiled.

And somehow that smile made getting punched by Xavier completely worth it.

At least...

that's what Jace told himself.