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Syn’s hands ball into fists as the other male’s comment strikes a nerve. There’s more going on here, but now isn’t the time to be asking questions, especially as Syn takes a threatening step towards Bates and bares his teeth.
“Shut up and back off.”
Bates’s eyes gleam, and a slow smile stretches across his lips. He’s loving the fact that he’s getting under Syn’s skin so easily. “Why so protective, Syn?” he coos, tilting his head to the side. “You already had a mate. Are you looking for a replacement? Surely you can do better than a half-breed witch.”
He’s not just goading Syn now, but actively provoking him with cruel statements, ones I know Syn holds himself to anyway. Bringing up his mate, the one who died because of a mistake he made, is the final straw. They are going to fight, I can see it play out in my mind, but there’s an eagerness in Bates’s face. He wants this. Someone is going to get hurt, and I don’t want it to be Syn.
“Syn,” I call softly, reaching out and placing my hand on his arm. However, he jerks away from my touch as if I burned him. I won’t lie and say that his reaction doesn’t hurt, and I’m sure it shows on my face from Bates’s low, amused laugh.
Scott growls from his position beside me, reacting to my pain as his eyes narrow on the alpha.
This seems to snap Syn from his emotional state, clearing the haze from his eyes. He scans my face and finally realises that his reaction hurt me, confusion and regret warring for dominance. He doesn’t understand why he cares nor why I would be upset, yet he can’t seem to move past it. I’m not sure how I’m able to read him so clearly—maybe it has something to do with our connection, but I justknow.
Bates chuckles, finding our silent communication amusing. “It’s no good, witch. He’s emotionally broken. You can’t fix him.”
“You know nothing about him,” I sneer, pinning my gaze on the rival alpha, the desire to defend Syn so strong that I can’t stop myself.
I feel Syn’s gaze on me, but I don’t look away from Bates, not wanting to see his reaction after my outburst. However, Syn suddenly seems to remember that we’re not alone. Taking a step away from me, he growls and throws Bates a warning look before spinning on his heel and stalking out of the tent.
His healer throws her arms in the air in exasperation, watching him with a disapproving frown as he storms from the tent. She walks away, muttering something about temperamental, overdramatic alphas, and joins a group of her colleagues at the other side of the tent who are going through some paperwork. From the corner of my eye, I see as Healer Lilly’s head shoots up at something the other healer says, and before I know it, she’s storming over.
“You, get on the bed,” Healer Lilly orders Bates.
I’ve never seen such a petite female speak to an alpha this way, and from the look on his face, neither has he. Looking her over with raised brows, he laughs. However, before he can tell her where to go or do anything else, she gives him such a stern expression, that his smile instantly drops. “You’ve caused enough problems already. Get on the bed.”
To my surprise, he does as instructed, his gaze lowered as she draws the curtain around them, shutting us out.
Now that I can no longer see the alpha and we’re not in immediate danger, all of the fight drains from me. I’m so tired, and my strange, strained interaction with Syn hasn’t helped. I’m also still worried about Joel and Nicolai who have yet to appear, and honestly, I’m feeling a little lost. Scott seems to sense my mood and frowns down at me, placing his hand on the small of my back and directing me towards the tent exit. We’re just about to leave when another curtain opens farther down the tent and Jackson, Joel’s cousin and fellow champion for their pack, steps out and slowly strolls towards us. He smiles, flashing straight white teeth as he shakes his head ruefully.
“I thought I heard a commotion out here. Of course you’re behind it,” he teases, his smile wide, but there’s tension in his jaw and around his eyes. His gaze travels over me but in a respectful way that I know is just checking for injuries. He gives Scott the once-over too, noticing the way his hand rests on my back, but he says nothing about it. I don’t miss the fact he glances behind me as if looking for Joel.
“Don’t blame me.” I smile back, but it’s a tight, poor imitation of his. “I just want to survive these trials. It’s everyone else who’s trying to kill me.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, you’re not the most popular. Although, on the outside, you have more support than you might think.”
Nowthatis an interesting snippet of information. If I were sensible, I’d be asking him more about this and finding out what he knows, but I’m so worried about my mate and Nicolai that I can’t even think of that right now.
“Did you see Joel in there?” he asks, and although his tone doesn’t change, I can tell that he’s worried for his cousin. The fact that we’re not together is probably an indication that something happened to hold him back. Newly mated wolves tend to stay by each other’s side.
My chest tightens, and I nod slowly. “Yes, but only briefly. He went to help Nicolai, my friend. Did you?”
He sighs quietly, shaking his head, his expression turning guilty. “No. I just went straight to the centre, hoping I’d bump into one of you, but other than my partner, I didn’t see anyone. Although, I’m starting to think I should have waited.”
He must have won one of the top spots then if he didn’t see anyone. Come to think of it, I didn’t see him arrive since we got here, so he must have finished before us. I understand the guilt he feels. I’m feeling the same way for leaving them to face Bates alone. I deserve this feeling, the bond tight in my chest.
Seeing the worry etched into my face, his expression softens. “He’ll be okay.”
I don’t know if he’s talking about Joel or Nicolai, but I give him a tight smile and nod. I’m saved from making small talk as more injured champions file into the tent. I strain my neck as I look to see who’s arriving, but none of them are the males I’m looking for. Scott’s hand on my lower back moves in a small, comforting circle as I make a small noise of distress.
“We should get out of the way,” he murmurs quietly.
Jackson watches the interaction with interest but says nothing as he waves us off and limps back to his cubicle, climbing into his hospital style bed.
Leaving the tent, we walk down the path until we reach two large males who are guarding the entrance. Beyond them are the rest of the packs, who are gathered together in small groups and chatting excitedly as they watch the screens and the competitors appearing on stage.
I’m not quite sure what happens as we slowly walk towards those guards, but Scott seems to remember who we are, and his hand drops from my back, the small distance between us suddenly feeling like a chasm. The warmth has fled his expression, and he’s gone back to the independent, lone wolf he had been when I first met him at the beginning of the trial. In that arena, we saved each other and risked our lives, and that changed something between us. What has changed now that we’ve left the tent? A sick feeling goes through me at the possibility that it’s because we’re in public now and he doesn’t want to be seen sympathising with a half-breed witch. Bates’s slur rings in my mind, getting louder the more I try to ignore it.
Unaware of the turmoil and confusion swirling in my mind like a growing storm, he slows to a stop, pulling his assigned blankets closer around himself. He seems awkward, like he doesn’t know what to say to me. Finally, he clears his throat and meets my eyes, the tension in his face softening slightly.
