Chapter 677

I stare up at him, my temper firmly leashed, my jaw set even though I am absolutely filled with rage from head to toe. How dare he - how dare he not even listen to me!? When I have so much to give - and so much I can offer.

"Is that your final word on this, sir?" I ask. "You won't even allow me to demonstrate what I mean?"

"No," he snarls. "I would like you to demonstrate your obedience, like every other Cadet here."

When I feel my palms start to heat with my anger, my gift starting to make itself known, I check myself, force my anger down. My wolf curls herself in my soul, even though it takes a great deal of effort to do so, closing her eyes even as a growl slips from between her teeth.

The Captain takes this as affirmation, turning hard towards the door. Before he can go, though, I call out his name one more time.

He turns to me, slow, his expression letting me know that I am on quite dangerous ground.

I look down at the floor, steadying myself, forcing my breath to stay even. "Please, sir, about my safety in the Games, considering everything that happened in the Examination."

He stays silent and still, allowing me to continue.

I raise my eyes to meet his. "Considering that Blythe and Wright were partners," I says quietly. "I wont play tomorrow if you can't assure my safety. I don't know Blythe. I don't trust him. Them," I say, gesturing to my group of Alphas. "I trust."

The Captain straightens slightly, holding my eyes, I think realizing that this is a reasonable request - and perhaps also a concession he can make. "I will guarantee your safety, Cadet," he says quietly.

"Thank you,” I say, bowing a little, inhaling deeply as I do, letting it end there.

Rafe scoffs behind me, ready to protest, but I throw out a hand towards him, stopping him in his tracks as he strides for the door.

The Captain glares at us anew but leaves without another word, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Ariel," Rafe snarls, turning to glare at me now. "You should never have agreed to that - I don't want you in that Game without at least one of us by your side, if not all of us -"

"I didn't agree to anything, Rafe," I sigh, turning back towards the room and striding across it myself - heading for the bathroom, though, instead of the couch. Because m pissed as hell, and exhausted after crying so much earlier.

"Ariel!" Rafe barks after me. "This is not finished!"

"Yes it is!" I snap back, reaching for the door handle.

To my surprise, a hand appears on top of mine just as I reach the door - not stopping me, but making me pause. I look up into Jackson's eyes, wondering how the hell he got there so fast.

"Please,” he says, more of a growl that a calm request, clearly keeping a leash on his own frantic anger as well. "Come and talk to us, Ariel. We're not finished here."

“I need a minute to myself, Jacks,” I say, quite snarly myself.

He softens at that and sighs, lifting his hand up. "You're okay?"

"I'm okay," I whisper, reaching up to trace my fingers briefly across his cheek. "I just...need a minute. Truly. Are you going to be okay with that, if I take a little time to process my thoughts?"

Jackson sighs but then nods to me, letting me have my space.

Pet

I slip into the bathroom, not even letting my thoughts get very far, my wolf nipping each one off in turn. Because if myself fully indulge in everything that's going through my mind -how angry I am at the Captain, and how incredibly hurt at Luca's actions, how frustrated and scared I am about the war how anxious I am about the Goddess's timeline for my marks, and how frightened and thrilled I am in turn at the change in my magic and all the possibilities it presents...

God, I'm just going to spiral and go insane.

So I just flip the taps on the gigantic tub, and let it fill all the way to the top as I strip off my clothes. When it's finished, I walk down the little set of steps until I'm up to my

vers

shoulders, and take a deep breath, and sink to the bottom.

And when I get there, I open my mouth and scream my frustration out as loud as I can.noveldrama