How?
Why?
Is he working for Wade?
No, that doesn't make sense. Wade wouldn't send someone to find me. He'd come himself, desperate to maintain his image as the adoring alpha whose omega tragically disappeared.
"Who is he?" I ask Wraith, nodding toward the alpha figure on the floor. "Why was he following me?"
Wraith's hands move in a series of gestures I can't follow. I don't even think these are all real signs. He seems to be making them up as he goes.
"Wait," I say. "I know the alphabet."
He pauses, blinking in surprise, then starts fingerspelling, his hands forming letters with surprising dexterity despite their size.
N-E-W… W-I-N-G-E-R… V-A-L-E-K.
Ohfuck.
"Valek?" I croak. "The Ghosts' new winger?"
Wraith nods, looking pleased that I understood him, but his expression darkens when he sees the fear that must be writtenall over my face. He looks back at Valek, a low growl rumbling from his chest.
My carefully constructed hiding place, my meticulously maintained anonymity—it's all crumbling around me. Valek used to play for the Demons. It was a long time ago, but still. If word somehow gets back to Wade...
I'm not safe here anymore.
The thought makes my knees weak. Where else can I go? I have no money, no resources, no one to turn to. This arena has been my salvation, my fortress.
Now, it's a trap.
"I need to leave," I mutter, more to myself than to Wraith. "I need to get the hell out of here before he wakes up."
Wraith turns back to me, his expression unreadable as always with half his face covered, but there's a new intensity in his gaze. Then he bends down and picks up the fire extinguisher I dropped, hefting its weight thoughtfully in his hand as he looks back down at Valek.
Oh my gods.
He's going to finish Valek off.
"What are you doing?" I cry, lunging forward to grab his massive arm. "You can't just kill him! You'll get fucking arrested!"
Wraith stares down at where I'm holding his arm, then looks up at me with a slight tilt of his head, seeming genuinely confused by my panic. Then he points to me, shakes his head, then to himself, then nods and shrugs.
As if he doesn't care if he goes to prison for protecting me.
"No," I say firmly, shaking my head for emphasis. "Absolutely not. Not on my behalf.No."
Wraith hesitates, then sighs. He sets the fire extinguisher down carefully against the wall, then turns back to me. He points to me, then fingerspellsS-A-F-E. Then he points at the floor and shakes his head.
"I'm not safe here?" I translate, unsure, and he nods emphatically.
He points to me again, then to himself, and makes a walking motion with his fingers, suddenly unable to make eye contact.
"You... want me to go with you?" I guess.
Another nod, although he's clearly uncomfortable with the suggestion. He makes a house shape with his hands.
"Thepack house?" The words come out as a horrified whisper, my voice rising an octave. "With the rest of the Ghosts?"
