“Bite histhroat!”
What the hell are they saying?I thought angrily at the alphas shouting at us. Were they really that bloodthirsty here? In addition to that, I was an outsider. They should be rooting against me, notforme.
I stepped off of Virgil and let him back up, much to the apparent disappointment of those watching. Virgil got back on his feet and shook the dust out of his pelt before bowing his head. Not knowing what to do, I backed up and noddedathim.
“Aww!”
“What a fuckingboring…”
With their entertainment shattered, the alphas who had been watching immediatelydispersed.
Virgil shifted back to human form and dressed himself, then I didthesame.
“What was that all about?” I muttered, gesturing to the guyswholeft.
He paused. “The culture is like that here. I suggest you get usedtoit.”
I rolled my eyes. “Anyway, you conceded defeat,right?”
“Yes.”
“Then take me to my mate,” Igrowled.
“As you wish,” he saidquietly.
He led me out of the training ring and down the familiar path to the omega compound. But something was bothering me. Virgil was quiet, and not as haughty as he usually was. On top of that, our spar was strangely short lived, and he never once tried to attack me. Had he really never been flipped before? As one of Gunner’s First Order alphas, I had a hard time believing Virgil was truly that inexperienced incombat.
Or was there something elsegoingon?
It was almost as if Virgil had let me win onpurpose.
*
Walking down the cold, unfriendly hall of the omega compound made my skin crawl. This was no place for anyone to live, but knowing my mate had spent the last who-knows-long here made me feel sickened. He didn’tdeservethis.
Virgil stopped at the end of the hall, and my heart clenched with anxiety. I could only pray this wasn't a repeat of what happened yesterday. Maybe Niko had some time to think about it and had a change of heart. That was all I couldhopefor.
I stepped closer to the cell. Niko was inside, sitting on his bed and facing the wall with his back turnedtome.
Virgil stood off to the side with his arms crossed, watching us but sayingnothing.
I swallowed hard and took a step closer. He didn’t look like he was asleep; maybe he was justdaydreaming.
“Niko,” I calledgently.
Instantly Niko flinched and turned around with wide eyes. He gasped and began to tremble as if a murderer had just spoken to him. My heartshattered.
“Niko, please wait,” I said, holding out a hand. But that was a mistake. He saw my hand and violently flinched away from it, huddling in the back corner of his cell. It felt like my world was crashing downaroundme.
I glanced back at Virgil, half expecting him to say enough was enough and carry me away. But he just watched silently. This was my chance to plead with Niko. Trying to be less intimidating, I kneeled on the floor so that I was looking up at him. It broke my heart to see his wide eyes full of fear - all becauseofme.
“Niko, why are you so afraid?” I askedpleadingly.
He looked scared, then almost angry. His brow knitted as he said, “I shouldn’t speaktoyou.”
“Why?”
He looked to Virgil for support. “Because you’re an intruder to our pack and want to ruin our wayoflife.”
