“If we’d rather sit the challenge out, will we be disqualified and sent home?” Alaric asked.
I was surprised at his question. Alaric wasn’t the type to back down from a fight. Even though he knew he wouldn’t win this season of the Games, he wanted to stay and complete the challenges.
But then I noticed Poppy’s wide-eyed gaze staring hopefully at the cat shifter. Had Alaric asked the question for Poppy’s sake?
“Let’s ask the bachelor himself,” Gaius suggested. “Thystle, what do you think?”
Thystle stared right into my eyes, as if challenging me. It was almost a threat—you’re not allowed to refuse.
My dick twitched at Thystle’s dominant gaze. At the same time, I swallowed the lump in my throat. Thystle didn’t ask me to sing. He demanded it from me.
I didn’t know if it was my dick or my brain that took over, but I nodded without thinking.
That satisfied Thystle. The spell over him broke, and he smiled normally.
“We won’t force you. Anyone can withdraw from the challenge without penalty,” Thystle clarified.
Poppy let out a shaky sigh of relief, slumping against Muzo as if all his bones melted. His friend gave him a supportive pat on the back.
As everyone else took their seats, I stood frozen to the spot. My heart gunned into overdrive. I couldn’t tell if I was terrified or excited. Maybe both.
Thystle strode towards me. He caught my wrist and lowered his voice. “Matteo. Tell me how you feel.”
“About what?”
His amethyst gaze flickered to the stage, then back at me. “This.”
I parted my lips but couldn’t find the right words. The inside of my brain was chaos. It felt like a lump of taffy being stretched in every direction.
Thystle captured my hands and held them gently. “You can do it. We both know that. The wholeworldknows that.”
I sighed, staring down at the sand. “I don’t know how to describe it... It’s almost like shifting. Aquila is clawing at the surface. He wants to break free. But Matteo shoves him down every time. It’s like we can’t coexist without something going wrong.”
Thystle frowned. “Why? Because your so-called friends were shitty to you one time?”
“Ouch,” I said with a wry smirk. “But... yeah.”
Thystle shook his head. “There’s no wall between you and Aquila. You want to create music. You also want a family. A mate.” He leaned closer so I saw every lilac speck in his mesmerizing eyes. “Your fated mate is standing right in front of you, and my egg is growing inside your belly as we speak.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. Did the body mics catch that? If they did, Thystle didn’t seem to care. His concern was solely focused on me.
“You will never want for anything, and I willalwaysbe here for you,” Thystle promised in a low growl that sent a shiver down my spine. “So, let Aquila fly free.”
My throat thickened with emotion. I took a deep breath.
“All right,” I said.
Thystle’s eyes flashed. He gave me a quick, fierce hug. I could tell he wanted to cling to me longer, but wrenched himself away and nodded towards the stage.
“Go,” he commanded.
I turned to leave, but Muzo had already scampered on stage and took the mic. It didn’t take long for him to launch into a confident yet screechy rendition of “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO.
“Maybe I’ll wait until he’s done,” I told Thystle with a grin. Raising my fist, I called, “Go, Muzo!”
The jackal shifter happily absorbed the praise like a sponge and sang louder.
Thystle winced at all the wrong notes—which was every single one. He sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t wait... But you’re a good friend.”
