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My blood boiled at his words. At his assumptions of me. “What are you supposed to be, a hero? Does she look like someone who needs saving?”
“Anyone blinded by someone like you could use saving. She deserves better than you because all you’ll do is let her down time and time again. You already know that, though.”
I had enough of him and his attempts to make himself seem bigger than he truly was. I was ready to take care of him then and there, as my anger mounted higher and higher. Who was he to think he knew me? He didn’t know the first thing about me.
While I wanted nothing more than to fight and let him know I couldn’t be shamed or scared into giving up on her, there was a small part that believed he was right.
That I would inevitably hurt Sara as she had been before. That I wasn’t enough for someone as perfect as her.
But I knew better than to give in to that doubt. It was all a ploy. A tactic to make me feel like I was in the same league as Ryan.
I knew myself and what I wanted. It took some time to realize what I needed was right in front of me, but since establishing I wanted Sara more than anything, I wasn’t willing to let that go until she turned me away completely.
If she told me there was nothing between us and no chance for us to be together, I would do as she said and leave her alone. I would respect that decision, even if it devastated me and my wolf.
Regardless of how I felt about her, and that tether I felt, I wasn’t above her choice. I cared about what she wanted, and if that was her peace, then I wouldn’t be the one to deny her of that.
And if she decided she wanted to pursue us and what we might be, then I’d be the happiest man in the world.
“You think you’re invincible because you’re on the Task Force, but you’re going to learn that isn’t true very soon,” I returned, not backing down from his attempt at intimidating me. The smug look on his face was enough to have me moments away from striking him if I was provoked enough.
Noah bared his teeth at me, as if ready to flex his instincts. Neither of us was willing to back down.
“What the hell’s going on here?”
Noah and I barely tore our eyes away long enough to acknowledge Rowan was even there, but he intercepted the almost brawl with an arm between us.
“He cornered me,” I growled, growing more impatient as the moment carried out. “I’m only defending myself.”
Rowan seemed to understand what was happening as he glanced between us and pushed us apart.
“Save it for the spar,” he mumbled, not being as harsh on me as he could’ve been. “You’ll have more than enough time to duke it out in front of everyone. There’s no place for you to ruin the peace here just because you can’t get along. Got it?”
While my wolf was bursting at the seams, waiting to be let out, I held it in. I knew he was right. I needed to save that anger and put it to good use. At the very least, that moment was fast approaching.
Noah’s eyes lingered on me for another moment, flaring with his intent to safeguard Sara from me. But he growled and pulled back, storming around the building and toward the ring.
When he was gone, Rowan turned his attention completely on me. Expression stern, his words were surprisingly gentle in comparison. “You good?”
Sucking in a deep breath, I compartmentalized that fury and straightened myself out. I was close to losing that control again, but winning the fight was too important to risk it. I nodded. “He wanted to get in my head about Sara, but I’m fine.”
“Good,” he said, offering me a supportive clap on my shoulder. “Because you’re going to go out there and kick his ass.”
He cracked an amused, knowing grin.
I was ready to do exactly that.
Chapter 27 - Sara
Part of me was disappointed I didn’t win the scrying competition, but the rest of me was glad it was over. Beyond that, I was relieved to know why Griffin and I had been such a complicated topic before. Why he kept popping up randomly and seemed so significant for no reason.
But the reason was very clear to me then, and something in me couldn’t wait to finally have that conversation.
With my events out of the way, I could focus on the final event. The one everyone had been waiting for.
“Here, I grabbed you something to eat,” Cora said as she found me waiting near the bleachers. She passed me a soft pretzel and a small bag of candy floss.
“Thanks!” I murmured with a smile, grateful for the offering. While I wanted to chat with her, my mind was preoccupied by the spar that was about to happen. I nudged my shoulder toward the bleachers. “Want to find a seat?”
