Page 6

CHAPTER 6

Malakai

The night air is crisp, cold enough to sting, but it doesn’t bother me. I lean against my car in the barely lit parking lot, the engine still warm under me, and flick my cigarette into the darkness. The lot’s mostly empty except for a few scattered cars and the occasional sound of tires crunching gravel. Perfect for what’s about to go down.

I hear Alex’s footsteps before I see him. He’s walking fast, like he’s late for something important, and when he steps into the glow of the streetlight, I can see the tension in his shoulders. He looks like he hasn’t slept; his face is pale and drawn. Good. He should be nervous.

“Callahan,” I call out in a low voice. “You’re late.”

“Sorry,” he mutters, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets as he approaches. “Practice ran over.”

“Practice,” I repeat, letting the word roll off my tongue like it’s a joke. From the look on his face, I know it's a lie. Some of the guys were supposed to be practicing today, but Alex wasn't on that list.

Pathetic little liar—doesn't he even realize how useless it is, lying to the team captain?

“You think that’s going to matter when you’re out there skating with the real predators? This isn’t about practice, Callahan. It’s about proving you belong.”

He stops a few feet away, his eyes flicking to the ground. “I know. That’s why I’m here.”

“Is it?” I raise an eyebrow, lighting yet another cigarette and taking a slow drag from it. “Because you didn’t exactly scream ‘Pantheon material’ the other night. You remember that, don’t you? Or is it all a blur?”

Alex's jaw tightens, but he doesn’t say anything. That’s what I thought. The little fucker is angry, but a desperate fool like him can't exactly raise hell in a parking lot with me around. I'll squash him under my feet.

“You broke your little abstinence vow at the party,” I say, my tone casual but sharp. Alex's brow twitches, and I smirk. “Didn't think I'd know about your little vows? I do my research."

I wait for him to say something, but he's almost gaping, clueless on how to react. I sigh. "You looked like you were having the time of your life at the party. Took a hit from Nate’s joint. Knocked back a few too many shots. And let’s not forget the blow job from the blonde... who was it? Whoever, it doesn't matter. Real shining example of self-control, huh?”

Alex’s face turns crimson, and he shifts uncomfortably. “I didn’t?—”

“Don’t,” I snap, cutting him off. “Don’t lie to me. We both know what happened. And so do a lot of other people, thanks to the pictures floating around. You’re lucky they’re only circulating within the Pantheon.”

His mouth opens, then closes, like he’s scrambling for an excuse and coming up empty. “I didn’t know that there were... pictures.”

“Of course there are.” I shrug. “This is The Pantheon, Callahan. We don’t deal in trust. We deal in leverage. And right now, I’ve got plenty of it.”

He looks like he’s about to be sick, but I’m not here to hold his hand. I’m here to see how far he’ll go to save himself.

“Which brings me to the reason we’re here,” I say, flicking the cigarette away and crossing my arms. “You want in, right? You want the connections, the opportunities, the chance to make your daddy proud?”

“Yes,” he says quickly, his voice a little too eager.

“Then you’re going to have to prove it.” I take a step closer, towering over him. “We don’t let just anyone into the Pantheon. You’ve tasted the benefits, but now it’s time for the sacrifice. For the ritual.”

He swallows hard. “Wha—what happens during the ritual?” I have a feeling that's just the first of his many questions about the Gods and Lambs ritual.

I smirk, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make him squirm.

“It’s a hunt,” I say finally, keeping my tone deliberately vague. “A way for us to see if you have what it takes.”

His brow furrows, and he shifts uneasily. “What kind of hunt?”

“What's the fun in me revealing everything now? Let's just say we play catch. The Gods catch the Lambs, and you know what happens to lambs if they're caught, don't you?"

He frowns, nervousness apparent on his face. “Okay, but... like, what do I have to do?”

I shrug, keeping my expression unreadable. “You’ll find out when the time comes.”

“But—”

“Callahan.” My voice sharpens, and he flinches. “This isn’t twenty questions. You want to know what happens in the ritual? You show up. You do what you’re told. That’s it. The important thing is, you need to make a sacrifice.”

His face pales, but he presses on, his voice wavering. “What if... what if I can’t do it? What happens then?”

I chuckle, low and dark. “Failure isn’t an option.”

He looks at me like he’s trying to decipher some hidden meaning in my words, but I don’t give him anything more. I need him on edge, second-guessing himself at every turn. That’s how you break someone—you make them question their own resolve until they don’t know which way is up.

I let the silence stretch, watching as he shifts from one foot to the other, the tension building. Then he finally asks, "What's my sacrifice?"

“Your girl.”

He freezes, his face a mix of confusion and fear. “What?”

“Raven,” I say, spelling it out for him. “She’s going to be your sacrifice.”

His eyes widen, and he takes a step back. “No. No way. I can’t do that.”

“You can and you will,” I say, my voice cold. “Because if you don’t, I’ll make sure everyone knows what went down at that party. The drugs, the drinking, the girl—all of it. How do you think your daddy’s megachurch would feel about that?”

He looks like he’s about to argue, but I cut him off again.

“Relax. It’s not like we’re going to hurt her. The Gods and Lambs ritual is... symbolic. She’ll participate, and you’ll take the credit. Simple.”

“What... what happens if she gets caught?” he asks, the worry more prominent in his voice than the determination he should be showing. I'll take it, though. Watching my victims squirm with worry is one of the best things in life.

“She won’t,” I say, lying through my teeth. “Not if you keep your mouth shut and follow my lead.”

He hesitates, his hands clenching into fists. “She trusts me. She’ll do it if I ask her, but... this feels wrong.”

I lean in closer, whispering the next words with an added coating of malice. “What feels wrong, Callahan? The fact that you’re putting her in this position? Or the fact that you’re willing to do it to save your own ass?”

He flinches, and I know I’ve hit a nerve.

“You’ve already shown us who you are,” I continue, my tone like ice. “You broke your vows, you crossed lines, and now you’re standing here, pretending to have a moral compass when we both know you’ll do whatever it takes to protect yourself. Don’t waste my time trying to play the hero.”

He’s silent for a long moment, until his shoulders finally slump in defeat. “Fine,” he mutters. “I’ll do it.”

“Good boy,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder. “Now go back to your dorm and figure out how you’re going to convince her. And Callahan?”

He looks up, his eyes hollow.

“Don’t fuck this up.”

As he walks away, I lean back against my car, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth. He cracked, just like I knew he would. And Raven? She’s the perfect pawn in this game.

I light another cigarette, the cold air biting at my skin, and laugh to myself. This is going to be fun.