Page 29

T he War Camps are as horrible as I remember them. But at least I’m not getting glares from dozens of men who hate the fact that I’m female. Now they’re just looking at me in confusion.

We head inside the same tent we had last time, and I follow my mates to the back, walking towards my old bed. But I’m quickly diverted when Cyrus ushers me to the opposite side and to a bed in the middle of two others.

“This is yours,” Cyrus says and sets his stuff on the bed beside me. Knox takes the one on my left. Malakai takes my old bed with Theon beside him.

An older male, with short, black hair sprinkled with gray steps into the tent and narrows his eyes on everyone.

“All Shadows, including females, to meet in the green zone. Trials start early.” He turns without another word while I try to figure out where the green zone is.

I look to Knox. “Green zone?”

He smiles. “Safe territory just before the black zone.”

“Hollow territory.” Theon comes around me, answering my next question.

I raise a brow. “Any other zones I should know about?”

“You already know the red zone.” Knox frowns as if remembering how I know that.

“And don’t ever want to visit it again,” I mumble, earning myself a smile that does funny things to me.

“There’s also the gray zone. It’s safer than the black zone but still dangerous. And then there’s the blue zone where the commander and higher ranks are stationed.”

If Commander Talos is there, I’m definitely staying away from it. Something about that man makes my skin crawl.

“Get changed and we’ll meet you outside,” Cyrus says.

I head to the bathroom, and quickly throw on my black trousers, top, and boots.

Throwing my hair in a high ponytail, I make my way outside where the guys are all still waiting for me.

With their backs to me, I get a good look at them. Damn, those are some good genes. All broad-shouldered, strong but agile, powerful yet fucking carved like Greek gods.

Knox turns around and catches me. “Come on, stop checking us out.”

“What’s the point in having four good-looking mates if I can’t look?”

My eyes eventually move away from their backsides to find them all staring at me.

“What?”

Knox comes over and takes my hand, pulling me along.

“If you don’t stop looking at us like that, you can’t get angry when I drag you back into the tent and fuck the consequences.

” He glances down at me, a hungry look in his heated gaze that I try to ignore as we move through the groups of males that all look ready for war. I guess, technically, they are.

It’s takes us a few minutes to get to the green zone, a large expanse of sand and nothing else. Just like everything else here.

Lining up beside Knox and the others, I glance across from us and freeze.

Wings . I see lots of wings. And they’re all attached to very attractive males.

“Sena… Stop looking at the enemy,” Theon growls.

“But… they have wings.” Black, feathered wings.

“Yeah, like fucking insects,” Knox grumbles.

“I think they’re pretty,” I say, and as if hearing me, a few of them look over and smile.

Four glares burn a hole in the side of my head. I hide my smile as Theon growls and moves in front of me, completely blocking my view of the wings.

Dropping my smile, I take my time to drag my gaze down and back up his body. Slowly. “They may be pretty, but you’re hot as fuck.”

I let him in, let him feel exactly what I’m feeling right now—the heat, the hunger, the ache —before leaning up and placing a quick kiss on his lips.

His eyes smolder, and a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth.

“If they keep looking at you like that, I’m going to rip their fucking heads off. After I tear their pretty little wings out,” Malakai grits out, and Theon whips around in the winged male’s direction.

He takes a step toward them when we’re all called to attention.

Theon snarls over at them before getting back in line.

“The trials this year will be a little different than the previous years. We have a lot more entries than ever before. So, to keep it fair…” He glances around with a cruel smirk.

“… and brutal, there will be two stages to the first trial to cull the weak. All those wishing to enter the war games will need to bring me back the head of a female terrigon before the time is up.”

“Fuck,” Malakai whispers.

“What?” I ask.

“The females are more guarded,” Knox explains. “More vicious. And fucking harder to kill too.” He shares a look with the others. “It won’t be easy.”

“One more thing,” the higher-ranking male says, gaining everyone’s undivided attention once more.

“All Shadow females have been previously tested and are more than capable of handling themselves. Therefore, all must also take part in the first trial tomorrow alongside their Shadow companions. If they don’t, then neither will their Shadows. ”

Fuck. The guys freeze around me, the tension in the air skyrocketing.

“Get some sleep. After tomorrow you won’t be getting any for a while.” He heads off while the crowd gets louder and louder.

Malakai, Theon, Cyrus, and Knox stare at each other as if having some silent conversation.

“I’m starting to feel a little pissed that you don’t think I can take care of myself,” I tell them, wondering if I should go hang out with the winged males instead.

“Have you ever gone up against a group of terrigons?” Malakai says with not a drop of humor in his voice.

I open my mouth to point out the forest attack, but he beats me to it.

“Not younglings, actual adult terrigons?”

I’m about to say yes but realize that was my past and not the old Sena’s, and I’m not about to open up a whole spiel of questions and suspicion when we’re only starting to get along.

I shake my head, and he sighs. “I hate this,” he admits.

“We’ll do what we always do, look out for one another,” Cyrus says and glances at me. “That just includes you now too.”

“Let’s get some food and rest. We’ll need it,” Knox says and takes my hand again and we get moving.

W ith a full belly of food, I head into the tent after the others. The guys block the bathroom off so I can have it to myself to shower and change.

Beat after a long day of nothing but worrying about tomorrow, I have a quick shower and get dressed.

Heading outside, I immediately hear Knox.

“Get that butt into bed now,” he orders, pointing toward the bed between him and Cyrus.

And just because I like to completely ignore every and any order he gives, I head towards Theon instead.

He makes space for me instantly and pulls me into him.

“Why does he get cuddles?” Knox mumbles, making me smile at the annoyance in his voice.

I’m not doing anything with half a dozen strangers around us, but just the feel of him makes me feel so at ease.

It’s been like that since he opened up to me. Anytime I’m around him, I always feel safe and relaxed.

I pause and glance up at him. “You’re doing that, aren’t you?”

He gives me a questioning look, not understanding where my inner rambles have brought me now. “Making me feel calm,” I tell him, and he gives me a small smile. But it might as well be a full one with it reaching his eyes and making him so damn handsome.

It’s rare for Theon to smile, but when he does, it’s fucking devastating.

“You were worried. I wanted you to be able to sleep,” he whispers while sliding his hand up my back, making me feel more than just relaxed.

“It’s not the first time,” I tell him while trying not to moan at the feel of his touch.

His gaze turns teasing as if he knows exactly what he’s doing to me. “I like that I can make you feel good.”

I bite my lip, thinking of all the other ways he can make me feel good, and his eyes draw to it, darkening with heat.

Without warning, he leans down and kisses me, a long languid teasing kiss that makes me want to consume him.

He pulls away far too soon, licking his lips and staring at me like he’s lost for words.

“I can feel you. Feel your desire,” he groans low and husky. “Block me out, Sena or I’m going to have to kill everyone other than my bond when I make you scream my name.”

I shudder, and he groans again, dragging me closer to his body like he can’t get close enough.

It takes longer to focus with him wrapped around me, but I eventually shut him out.

Closing his eyes, he presses a kiss to my head. I listen as his breathing slowly evens out, along with his heartbeat. But even listening to the slow, steady beat doesn’t help me fall asleep.

My mind races from the heat of his body to the thought of tomorrow and the worries and fears that come along with it.

I feel like I’ve only drifted off when I hear a low, familiar giggle, and my gut churns, telling me something isn’t right, instantly waking me up.

I listen out for where the sound came from and quickly figure out it’s coming from the bathroom.

Slipping out from Theon’s tangled limbs, I make sure he and the others are asleep before following the sound.

Using the small half wall to conceal me, I watch on as Arabella drags her eyes down a male’s body. He has his shirt off and looks like he was about to head into the shower. I’d turn aback around and let them do whatever the fuck they had planned if not for the look in his eyes as he stares at her.

There’s nothing but hate and disgust in his gaze. The same as Seth’s.

But not only that, there’s actual tears forming too.

“You killed him. Why the fuck would I want anything to do with you?!” he says.

Arabella smiles at him, a cruel smile that makes me want to punch her in the face. “And? We both know I can get away with anything I want. I already have. So, unless you want another of your friends to die, you’re going to do exactly as I say.” Her hand starts to move lower, and I see red.

I’m in front of her before I know it, grabbing her wrist and twisting it, snapping it with a crack. She opens her mouth to scream when I punch her straight in the nose, hearing another lovely crack.

She falls back to the ground, blood pouring from her now crooked, broken nose.

“You’ll fucking pay for that,” she whispers, a venomous glare on her face.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” I tell her getting down to her eye level.

“You’re going to stay away from anyone that doesn’t want your disgusting hands on them.

If you don’t, I’m going to break every fucking bone in your body.

And if that isn’t enough of a warning, I’ll start carving away at that face you think is pretty. ”

“You should’ve fucking died in the red zone,” she grits out, looking furious.

I freeze and narrow my eyes on her. “It was you.”

“You have no clue who I am,” she warns, but I’m well past fearing her or any other braindead female that thinks they can fuck me over again.

“I couldn’t give a flying fuck who you are.” I move forward and break her other wrist.

The male moves to the side of me, stopping me from going any further with a look. “She’s a companion for multiple Shadows including the general.” He glares at her. “She can’t be hurt by us, and she knows it.”

Arabella gasps in pain, holding her wrists close to her body. “You’ll pay for this.”

Instead of listening, I punch her again, “Next time I won’t stop.”

Her head rolls to the side, and she passes out.

I get to my feet, and the male looks at me with a frown.

“She’ll come after you for this,” he warns.

“Good,” I tell him. “I’ll be waiting.”