Page 34

Chapter thirty-four

Kit

The crowd starts to murmur around us. My paranoia increases as I catch a couple of side-eyes.

“Ryann, there’s something going on.”

She drags her distraught eyes from the ice. The Zamboni is doing a round, and they’ve dug Raider’s blade out. The game will start soon. I check my phone again and notice that she’s got hers in a death grip.

The spectators around us are shifting and pointing, the whispers are getting louder. My panic rises and falls, threatening to drag me under.

“What is it?”

She looks around and glares at the fat, bald man beside her.

“What?”

He glances down at his phone and back up.

“Nothing.” He looks away, turning to his companion and whispering something that makes the two of them chortle. Goosebumps break out across my skin, and I feel like a thousand eyes are on us.

“I think you’re right. Something is up,” Ryann murmurs in my ear.

I turn my head on a stiff neck and watch the people around us, trying to discern what it could be. This is too familiar. I’m waiting for them to attack. I know they won’t, in theory, but my fear won’t let me believe otherwise.

Ryann sits back calmly, her legs stretched out, arms folded under her breasts. Our shoulders touch, and I lean into the strength of her .

My breathing is choppy, and I twist the edge of my shirt until it’s all tied up and wrinkled.

I dart glances around, but no one is moving. It’s just this overwhelming sense of menace.

I glance at the person in front of me and go completely still. What the actual fuck? I lean forward and grip the back of the plastic seat hard. I angle my head and lean in closer.

“What the actual hell?” I snarl and reach forward, snatching the beta’s phone.

“No way!” I snarl in absolute outrage. Image after image of Raider with an actress has gone viral online. The R-rated photos and video are spreading like wildfire. According to this article, the actress, Isla Bellann, secretly filmed it and did a reveal all. I read the article, ignoring the man shouting at me.

Raider Raines was over there fucking her a week ago, apparently. I seethe and hold the phone out to the guy who’s watching me like I might attack him.

“What’s going on, Kit?” Ryann asks quietly. She’s been distant all day, and it’s making me nervous. I don’t want to leave her, not even for a second, but Raider needs me.

“Nothing but bullshit drama. It’s an easy fix,” I soothe.

She looks at me and seems to sense what’s going on. “Go. I’m staying right here. Nothing will happen to me.”

I’m torn, but in the end, I nod and grab the back of her head and kiss her hard.

“Do not move.”

I take one last look at her and then run. It takes me forever and far too long. The game starts, but I’m running in the nearly empty halls, searching for Callan or Raider or both.

My phone buzzes, and I pull it out, opening the text message. It’s from Raider. He says he’s outside in an ambulance.

FUCK! How bad is it?

I spin in a circle and call Callan. He doesn’t answer me.

I run for the exit and rush outside, searching for an ambulance, but I can’t see any. Just miles and miles of cars parked. Have they left? Where is my alpha? I see security run towards a massive group of people fighting. The ball of bodies rolls away from the entrance and out of sight.

I run my fingers through my hair and pull it. What should I do?

I lift my phone to call Ryann when a hand grabs my upper arm in a bruising grip.

“What are you doing? Let me go!”

He doesn’t answer, just keeps dragging me. Fear turns my stomach to jelly. I pull and claw at him, but it does nothing. I let out a sob, but the fingers tighten as if my fear enrages him .

I catch a scent of hay, and my panic explodes, but I’m just dragged along until I find my feet again. The mystery assailant drags me into the shadows and swiftly starts marching me away from the stadium. I pull and try to yank free, opening my mouth to scream, but the alpha turns and barks at me. I fall silent, moving without protest after him.

I know who this is. He’s my worst nightmare. All my fears. The one person who I can never escape from. I still have scars on my body that he gave me.

Our history goes too deep to ever think I could escape Freddie Sanders.

My head feels sluggish, and fear is just about all I know. I’m only just aware of where I am, but I can’t think of what to do to get free.

I can barely breathe.

“Did you think you could get away from me? We’ve got a past, you and I. Coming out here acting all uppity and better than me. It’s not fair. You don’t deserve it.”

“Freddie,” I whisper. “Let me go.”

“Not until I teach you a damn lesson.” He holds up Raider’s phone and then drops it to the ground and crushes it beneath his shoe.

Panic turns the edges of my vision black. I could open the bonds, but we discussed it. We didn’t want to burden Ryann with our fear, and Raider is hurt. She would feel everything. Me, Raider, and Callan, all our emotional mess would be poured into her.

“I’m sorry, Freddie,” I say out of habit.

“Not yet, but you’re going to be.”

“Why do you hate me so much?” I shout. Not that it matters, there’s no one around to hear.

“Cause you’re unnatural. Weird. Small and weak. Girly. Why do I need a damn reason? You just aren’t right. It’s our job to separate the weak from the herd and make it so they know their place.”

This toxic bullshit is the same shit I heard his father preach. It sounds more sinister coming out of his son’s mouth.

I finally get a look at his face. He looks awful. His skin is sallow and pockmarked, he’s got thick, patchy stubble on his face, and his mud brown eyes are cold and lifeless.

He looks like the monster he was on the way to becoming.

Is there any way to reason with such vile hatred? Can it be talked through? Can it be untaught? Is there any mercy left in him?

Why am I so afraid?

Because he hurts me. Because he’s done it most of my life. One day, he will go too far and kill me.

I feel numb and glance back at the stadium, getting further and further away from the pack that needs me .

No! Ryann!

I pull against him, but he whirls and hits me with a closed fist.

I fall to the ground, staring up at him. Nothing’s changed. I’m still the weak Kit, and he’s still my nightmare.

Nothing has fucking changed.