Page 49 of Just One Bite

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Olivia

“What’s coming?” he asks as we stare at the darkening sky.

It’s bad. The weight of it is smothering.

We can’t run from this. It’s inevitable.

“I did what you asked.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and grip the sink inside the girls’ restroom. It’s the one in the courtyard that’s covered in moss and surrounded by a huge garden that’s riddled with bees and snakes.

My fingers clutch the file folder in my hand, holding it up to the mirror to test it. I can see the contents clearly but in the mirror's reflection they're blank.

I awoke this morning, refreshed and eager to talk to Mrs. Vix, when I noticed a folder sitting in a sweeping of dust on the ground by my door. The front was labeled: For Rabbit. Love, your biggest fan.

Inside the folder is a detailed account of Parker’s life littered in red.

What would you believe? is typed in red at the top of the report.

The truth is in black, and the lies are in red.

It details doubt surrounding Parker and his rise to team captain: vague accounts from faked sources detailing Parker’s family using money to get him the position on the team and how they’re using that to get him in the pro Rage league.

There’s a picture of him patting Ryker on the back, and notes on Ryker’s family’s involvement in gambling, and a formal news story with eyewitnesses attesting to the story that Parker and his family are involved in some illegal gambling scheme.

It’s all fabricated to ensure the reasonable doubt of the public.

And it would work.

Parker wouldn’t be allowed on a pro team, and whoever this is could ensure that.

At the bottom it reads: This file is enchanted for your eyes only. Tell him or anyone else and this goes out on immediate release. Don’t test me, Rabbit. This is a win-win situation for me. Check your phone for the next instruction.

The first thing I tried to do was type what was happening into the notes in my phone when an anonymous text popped up:

I see you got my present.

The number was already programmed in as Your Biggest Fan.

It was convincing enough for me to follow the instructions to call the anonymous number and receive my next task: break up with Parker in a public space and admit to the fake relationship immediately or the file will go out.

An unidentifiable, robotic voice speaks on the other end of the phone. “Good. Your next step is to take the ferry to The Hunting Grounds tomorrow. They’ll be expecting you. The details of The Hunt are in the back of the folder.”

“Fine.”

I stop and stare at myself in the mirror, wiping the smudged mascara from the corner of my eyes.

Parker being targeted is my fault. If he’d never stuck his neck out for me and my sisters, none of this would be happening to him.

I don’t know who it is. Parker has enemies coming from every angle.

Another tear falls when I think of the look on his face in the common room. There has to be a way around this.

“But only if I have assurance that this will be over once I do. I’m not playing this game with you forever,” I say, hardening my words.

“I’m just glad you’re playing. After The Hunt, you’ll be someone else’s mate, and it should be the least of your concerns …

but yes, I can provide you assurances. At the west corner of Languid Lake, there’s a tower of quartz you won’t be able to miss.

Come alone. If you don’t, I’ll know. And bring something sharp. ”

Someone’s else mate. My stomach sours as the plan comes into view. It’s about more than humiliating Parker. This person wants to separate us. I’m so numb I don’t contemplate the thought of another man’s teeth on my skin.

“What is it?”

“You’ll see.”

The sun is past the high point in the sky by the time I make my way back to the trail that leads to the courtyard. I suck on the blood on my thumb.

“Place your blood on the stone. And secrets done will be yours alone.”

The Secrecy Stone is riddled with blood smudges from the top of the magical stone to the bottom.

I almost thought it was a joke when I showed up, but marked with a black marker was a place for my fingerprint on top of another.

It’s smudged on purpose. A quick search of the stone on the forums and school newspaper brings up stories spanning from the start of the university.

The founders first used the stone to keep the location of Doxlothia a secret until it was safe to share. All secrets have a beginning and an end point with the stone.

I stared at it for a full five minutes, fighting the urge to turn back.

Whoever did this is thinking steps ahead of me.

Could I risk Parker’s entire reputation?

I played through all the scenarios I could think of before placing my bloody fingerprint on the stone.

Nothing is worth risking more harm coming to Parker because of my actions.

“How do I know it’s your blood?”

“It won’t work if not,” the voice hummed on the other end.

"I'm not doing this if I don't know if you'll keep your promise."

"Fine. I'll go first. Hold the phone up to the stone.

" I turned my phone to face it. "I ,the creator of this secret, will keep this secret and seal it into the stone.

I must not tell anyone or release the information contained in the file or any other damaging information on Parker Owens .

This information cannot be released by me or anyone else for the term of our arrangement and will be destroyed once the condition is met. "

The stone illuminated briefly as the arrangement set .

“Now, repeat after me: I, Olivia Osborne, will keep this secret and seal it into the stone. I must join The Hunt and stay until completion or suffer my consequence of the release of the file on Parker Owens.”

I reluctantly said the words and the stone glowed again.

“What is the point of this? Making me enter The Hunt won’t gain you anything.”

“Do you really think he’ll want you after you agree to be someone else’s mate?”

My heart sinks as the castle comes into view, and the memory fades.

When I reach the edge of the treeline and the familiar weight of safety, I try to type out the words to explain what’s happening, but my fingers won’t move. The stone vow worked.

Another text comes through: Told you, Rabbit. Now be a good girl and keep our secret.

“Skipping class now?”

Parker’s voice is next to my ear, and I gasp. He’s leaning against a tree, his blazer open and his hair messy like he’s pushed his hands through it over and over again. He pulls a vial of potion from his pocket and swirls it in the air.

“I thought I’d bring my girlfriend a little gift from our class project.”

“I’m not your girlfriend anymore, remember?” Parker’s entire livelihood is at stake. This time, I have to protect him.

“Still my lab partner, though.” He smirks, eyeing the people passing on the lawn. “Come on, try it.”

I stare at the potion bottle in his hand. Maybe he’s on to something. Maybe this potion could override the Secrecy Stone and let me say what I need to say.

Hope flutters in my chest when I reach for the bottle, but Parker catches my hand and inspects my palm and moves a finger over my thumb.

“The Secrecy Stone, huh? Tsk.” He sighs, then brings my hand to his face and licks my thumb to heal it.

“You should ask before you do that.” I still don't know how closely I'm being watched.

“And maybe you should have told me what was going on before you agreed to a secret vow, Olivia.” His gaze darkens and sears into mine. “You should have just come to me. We could have figured it out.”

His nostrils flare, and he grips the tree beside me. Maybe he’s right, but this is his future. Everything he’s worked for is on the line. Being on the pro Rage team is his dream, and I have to support that dream like it’s mine.

He gives me a bottle of potion. “This is a long shot but might help.”

I pop the cork and take a quick sip. Its power falls over me like a fine mist, and I’m lighter. Open. Like my skin is buzzing. My feet stumble back, and the bottle slips from my hand, spilling to the ground.

“It’s okay. You’re safe.” Parker steadies me.

“I know.” The words pass from my lips quickly. It’s as if the pause before I think the words is gone. “I’m always safe with you.”

“Tell me what’s going on.”

My mouth moves to say the words. They’re framing you. I didn’t have a choice.

“I can’t.” I wish I could relay the words through our bond.

He sighs. “It was worth a shot. Can you tell me who it is? Is it Barrett? Aster?”

“I don’t know who.”

“I wish you would have told me. Why didn’t you just come to me first? We could have figured it out.”

Pressing my fingers to my forehead, I steady my swirling head. The potion is working, though thoughts are popping up one after another too fast for me to catch them.

“No, we couldn’t because this is doomed.” My eyes widen as I say the words that feel true. The words flow from my mouth with gentle ease. “This was never going to work out.”

I can’t believe I’m saying it. Maybe I’ve always known this wouldn’t work.

“You really believe that?”

“Parker, if we bond, this is going to be your life. People will always use me to get to you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do. This is proof. If it’s bad now, can you even imagine if we complete the bond?

Maybe it’s better this way … Maybe we aren’t supposed to do it.

It’s obvious the universe will do just about anything to prevent it from happening, and I think we should just let it keep us apart.

We should cut our ties now. Separate. Let all of this craziness die down. ”

“You’re doing it again. Why do you keep pushing me away?”

“Because this isn’t going to work.”

I’m a coward. I’m mortified by the words coming from my lips because I’ve hurt him. Parker’s shoulders droop .

“So you mean that? You want this thing between us to end?”

“Yes.” I struggle to get the word out.

If it saves him from me ruining his life.

He stumbles back, and I grip the tree for support.

It’s hard to breathe, and suddenly my skin is hot and miserable.

It’s all ending before my eyes. There won’t be any more kisses or any more of his smile.

It all hits me at once. Separating is the best option for us, but I can’t do this to him.

This is a nightmare. My breaths get shorter and faster.

I’m hyperventilating, and tears form in my eyes.

Before I can bolt, he pins me against the tree with one arm.

“Tell me, what do you need from me?” His voice is a low hum.

“What?”

“Your scent is screaming for me , Olivia. So tell me what you want …” His words are forceful, but his touch softens with his palm on my cheek.

My eyes nearly flutter shut from the relief.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

I shake my head, not able to say the things I need to. I don’t know what I’m doing. My heart is thumping in my ears, and I don’t know if it’s from the fear of his words being right or the proximity of his body against mine.

“Fine. You can’t say anything about your secret. Then tell me what you need right now.”

“I don’t get the question. I need to go—”

He presses in, pinning me with his hips, and his eyes lock with mine. “Not before you tell me what you want from me.”

He’s annoyed and thinks I’m being cruel. My stomach twists at the thought, and the familiar flutter of panic leaps under my skin.

“Our blood is the same now. You smell like me, and mixed into it is so much panic it’s making me sick.”

“This is just going to make it harder.”

I gasp when he palms my face with both hands. He kisses my temple. My cheek. High. Then low. My chin. My ear. I’m dizzy with him. Is it the bond? The potion? Love? Just the love I have for him rolling around in my insides making me think I’m going to be sick without him?

“Don’t think … feel … instinct on instinct. Tell me how to make you feel better. ”

I shake my head, not pulling away. I don’t want to. Because I need him. It’s agony when he falls away, and he must know because he presses in again.

I’m thinking of the future. How we’ll never get another night in bed together. How he’s going to marry someone else. How we’re going to be separated and there’s nothing I can do about it.

He’s kissing everywhere but my mouth in a desperate cadence, and it’s working. Every brush of his skin heals the ache in my heart. A tear falls and I sniffle, then he’s there wiping it. Holding me.

“Kiss me.” It comes out in a breath. My heart is bleeding the words. Don’t give up on me. Stay.

The next second, his lips are on mine in a wash of dizziness and pressure, and we fall into the brush.

I’m on top, fevered and hurried, grasping desperately.

His fingers brush through my hair, and my waist. I’m his.

He takes my bottom lip between his teeth, and I’m suddenly aware of how good he tastes.

It is what I need. There’s never been anything in my life like this, and I know once my lips leave his, I’ll never have it again.

He rolls me onto my back into the tall grass, and I think we’ll stay like this forever. Our kisses are doing all the talking—hot breaths and sighs of comfort. We both need it.

Parker fingers the buttons on my collar to snap it open and gain access to my neck, then kisses his mark. The sensation jolts me. It’s a reminder of his commitment. His mark on display.

My phone chimes, and I quickly separate myself. A picture of Parker and I kissing in the grass is posted at the top of the feed.

It’s captioned. Broken Up?

There are already two comments.

Doesn’t look like it.

He deserves better.

My phone chimes again. This time an anonymous text: Bad girl. What will your new suitors think?

He doesn’t know the worst of it yet. The thing I’m about to do.

“You need to stay away from me.” I gather myself, dusting off my skirt and the dirt in my socks.

“Do you really think he’ll want you after you agree to be someone else's mate? ”

Parker will disappear when he knows what I’ve agreed to.

“We can’t do this again. It’s over.”

I don’t look to see his reaction, and I can’t stop the tears as I run away.