Page 153 of Twisted Ties

“If you actually acted like you should, little piggie. If you showed respect, if you did what you’re meant to do–”

“Spencer, you had hundreds of people cheering out there for you today, chanting your goddamn name. Who cares if I was there or not?”

“I care,” he says, holding my eyes, his chestnut gaze softening. “I wanted you there.”

“Why?” I ask incredulously.

He opens his mouth, “I …” I tilt my head to the side, waiting for his explanation, that hook wanting me closer to him. Then he closes his mouth, his jaw stiffens, and that same steely expression returns. “Where were you?”

I hesitate. I’m not telling the truth. Not the whole of it anyway. “I was with Azlan.”

His lip curls and disgust fills his eyes. “He’s old enough to be–”

“We had this conversation already, remember? He’s also my fated mate. Remember that bit too?”

“Then why aren’t you with him, little pig?” His eyes flit down my body. One strap of my dress is broken, the hem is ripped and there’s blood on the skirt. “If I found my fated mate, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight. I’d have her by my side every minute of every day. I wouldn’t let any fucker hurt her. I wouldn’t let anyone lay one single finger on her ever!”

“Really?” I say, feeling that sensation in my stomach. I’m so damn confused.

“Really,” he says.

“And yet you stood and watched while she–”

“You’re not my–”

“No, I’m his.”

He growls, the noise low and rumbling in his chest. I stare at him, that earlier thought from the match flitting through my mind again.

Wolf.

I shake my head.

“Spencer?” a female voice calls out from the party, and when his head turns that way, I take my chance and hurry away, not waiting for him to finish the job Summer started.

49

Stone

In the distanceI can hear music and laughter, cheering and chanting. The entire campus is celebrating the Arrow Hart victory. But I ducked the formal dinner with the Aropia Magical University congregation, choosing instead to sit out here on the steps of my cabin, nursing a beer and gazing out across the meadow.

Maybe because I know she’ll come. I have that feeling.

I sense her far across the meadow before I see her, before I hear her.

“Rhi,” I call out and she crosses the meadow. As she comes nearer, I see there’s mud smeared across her face, her hair is a mess, her dress ripped, blood on her hands. I bolt up onto my feet and sprint towards her.

“What the fuck happened?” I say, skidding to a halt in front of her and twisting her towards me.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I do,” I say, alarm and anger colliding together in my gut. “What happened?”

“Just some assholes being assholes.”

“Did they hurt you?” I swallow and lift her chin so she’s forced to meet my eye. “Did they … Where the fuck was Azlan?”

“It was Summer and her girls. And I’m fine,” she says, touching her scalp. A clump of hair is missing.