My teammate grumbled and tossed it over the net. Kaskian caught it. With a boastful grin, he tossed the ball straight up, then leapt after it. Before I could even think to intercept the ball, Kaskian smacked it hard into the sand on our side.
“Another point for the left team!” Gaius called.
Now I understood. I needed to hit the ball onto the ground on the opposite court.
And I was very good at hitting things hard.
Kaskian took control of the ball again. He suddenly met my eyes, then nodded conspiratorially.
Wait a second,I thought.Does he still think I’m on his side? That I’m going to let him win Saffron?
My chest constricted with sudden jealousy. That pissed me off. Kaskian wanted Saffron’s love, while I wanted to kill him. But the reason was unimportant—Saffron wasmytarget. That had to be why I was so annoyed.
I didn’t know why I wanted to win, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let Kaskian do it.
Gearing up, he threw the ball and leapt high into the air.
Suddenly, as Kaskian got out of the way, something caught my eye.
Way at the back of the opposite court stood a white-haired young man. He looked just familiar enough that it turned my blood to ice.
I froze, staring at him. Meanwhile, Kaskian had served the ball. I didn’t move as it flew over my head and slammed into our court, gaining another point.
“Dude, what’s wrong with you?” my teammate berated me. “You didn’t even try to volley it!”
Similar complaints rang out on my team. But I barely heard them. I furrowed my brow, concentrating on that small figure lurking warily at the back of the opposite court.
It can’t be him… There’s no possible way.
Then the white-haired omega caught my eye. His warm brown gaze widened until recognition dawned on his face.
My pulse raced. My world turned on its head.
It is him,I realized. A slow wave of hope flowed through me.I’d never forget those soft eyes.
Kaskian grunted with effort as he served the ball again. A thunderoussmackfilled the air, a testament to the grizzly’s power.
Without looking at it, I caught the ball in one hand. My fingers clenched it so tightly that my nails punctured the skin. It deflated.
“What the hell?” Kaskian snapped. “Ref, that’s a foul!”
As air escaped the ball, I couldn’t stop staring at the white-haired omega. I was entranced, as if in a dream—or like I was seeing a ghost.
My grumbling teammate took the now-useless ball from my hand, replacing it with a fresh one from the sidelines. Everyone on my team kept their distance from me.
I understood why these strangers treated me like an outsider. What I didn’t understand was why the white-haired omega kept his distance from me.Why didn’t he rush up to the net to greet me? Hedidrecognize me, didn’t he?
Hells, maybe the heat was melting my brain and he was a completely different person. I couldn’t be sure until I got close enough to smell him.
Unless I called out his name and—
Kaskian snarled as he smacked the ball.
It hit me square in the face.
The impact was hard enough to make my ears ring. Agony exploded across my nose. As I stumbled back, roaring in pain, I tasted the coppery trickle of blood on my tongue.
My instinct to fight kicked in. It took every ounce of willpower not to shred the net, and Kaskian’s face with it. Instead, I grabbed the fallen ball and launched it back with a vengeance.
