Odette took a breath. She didn’t finish her sentence, but everyone around us heard her words.
She hadn’t left Russia to attend Arcanea University. She’d come back for Theo.
Emma’s features rearranged into porcelain glass, fragile and hopeful. “It was worth it. Odette, Theo is your mate.”
I expected some grand revelation to come upon Odette, but it didn’t happen. Odette wiped at her face. “No. Don’t lie to spare my feelings, Emma. I thought there was something between us, but I was stupid. There’s nothing there. And I’ve moved on, so don’t try to get involved like you always do! You like sticking your nose into other people’s business, and I’m just sick of it!”
“It’s the truth!” Emma objected.
“Theo tried to say the same thing, but I know he’s lying. If he loved me, he would’ve told me by now. He’s been nothing but friendly toward me. That’s not how a mate acts.” Odette sniffed. “Now he’s trying to make me feel better by tossing himself at me, when I know he doesn’t care. It makes me feel pathetic.”
This was all wrong. Odette took Theo’s passiveness for apathy. She thought he didn’t love her.
What a terrible mess.
“Odette, Theo does love you,” Emma pleaded. “He told me himself.”
Odette shook her head so rapidly, I imagined it flying off her shoulders. She put her hands over her ears and said, “I don’t believe you. I don’t feel anything for him anymore. If we were mated, I would feel the bond, and I don’t. I’m involved with someone else now. Please, Emma, keep your distance.”
Odette tore off. She ran through the crowd, darting between bodies on her way out of the Rec Room.
“Odette, wait!” Emma cried. She got off my lap, and I jumped up to go after her.
We wove around the room in our chase, but Odette disappeared into the crowd. Emma and I got turned around. We circled in place, but didn’t see Odette anywhere.
We’d lost Odette. Damn it. Emma turned toward me, tears brimming in her eyes. “Do you think she’ll ever forgive me?”
I wrapped her in my arms and gave her a hug. “She will, Emma. You did the right thing. Give it time.”
Emma closed her eyes and leaned against me as people moved around us. I held her for a long moment, until her breaths calmed. I didn’t pull apart from her until I felt a tap on my shoulder.
“Hey,” Theo said. There were dark bags under his eyes, and lines spanned his face. He looked like he’d been up all night.
“Are you okay?” Emma asked softly.
“She doesn’t believe me,” Theo said hollowly. His voice sounded like one of a ghost. “I waited too long.”
“We know,” I said, and I grasped his shoulder. “But she will believe you eventually. You can’t give up on your mate just yet.”
Theo stared at the floor, and Emma said, “Well, at least you got her treatment, right? So she can recover from her disorder.”
Theo’s tone remained grave. “I tried. But she doesn’t want to get help.”
“What?” Emma stammered. “Did you tell the company?”
“She’s over age. I can’t make her get help if she doesn’t want it,” Theo said helplessly. “And at the ballet company, having an eating disorder is almost a sign of commitment to your craft. She’s practically been praised for her devotion. That ass she’s with— the director of the company, Igor— he thinks it’s fine.”
“That’s just sick,” Emma spat.
Theo shrugged. “Hey, it’s ballet. You know how it is.”
“What about her parents?” I asked.
Theo frowned deeper, if that was possible. “Her father isn’t around much these days. I’ve told her mother, but... being a former prima ballerina herself, she doesn’t see anything wrong with it.”
My stomach churned. I was an athlete as well, and I knew you had to make sacrifices for your sport, but this was going too far. Her own mother wouldn’t put an end to this? It was beyond cruel.
Emma leaned into me. In a helpless voice, she whispered, “What are we going to do?”
“We’ll be here for her,” I said. “Odette needs support at a time like this. She has to know we’re not giving up on her.”
Theo nodded. “I feel like I ruined everything.”
“Don’t despair. You still have a chance,” I insisted.
Theo didn’t say anything more, just slunk off. Disappointment grew within me for my friend. I knew how much he cherished Odette, despite doing his best to hide his feelings. Now it’d blown up in his face.