“What is it?” Zane demands.
“I don’t know. It’s just a bracelet.” I start to fiddle with it, seeing if I can figure out how to take it off.
“Don’t touch it,” Zane says urgently. I freeze. “Don’t mess with it until we know what we’re dealing with.”
Evie turns to me, her face pale. I feel like my face matches hers. “What is it?” she whispers to Zane.
“I don’t know, but I don’t think it’s just a regular bracelet.”
“Why not?” I ask.
He meets my gaze. “There’s no way she made the trip here and sought you out and put herself in danger just to pass on afriendship bracelet.” His voice is harsh and so not what I’m used to from him. I study the bracelet and get a bad feeling. “Can I just take it off?”
“No.” His answer is swift. “We have no idea what will happen. For all we know, you could die when we take it off.”
I stare at him in horror. “Zane!” Evie shrieks.
He grimaces. “Sorry, Tessa.”
Quint walks out of the men’s bathroom and sees us gathered. “Hey, my peeps. Are you ready to head back—” he stops. “What’s wrong?”
“Sam showed up,” Zane says.
Quint’s eyebrows rise. “Is everybody okay?”
“Tessa’s not,” Evie says, picking up my wrist and showing him.
Quint stares at the bracelet on my wrist. “What is it?”
It’s Zane that answers. “I don’t know. Any ideas?”
Quint steps closer. “May I?” he asks, far more serious than I’m used to from him. I just nod, having no idea what else to say. Zane closes in on me and Quint, and I try not to feel weird with both of them so close.
“Don’t try to undo it,” Zane warns in a low voice.
Quint gives Zane a somber look. “What are you thinking?”
“I have literally no idea. I reached out to my dad. He was already on his way for the game.”
“Slater’s game?” I question.
Zane nods. “He got delayed because of some work stuff, but he’s almost here now.”
“He’s the...” I change my words when I notice there are people all around us. “He’s the one in charge, right?” Slater told me Zane’s dad is the alpha.
Zane nods. “He can give us an idea what to do, if anything.” My nerves start a happy dance, and I feel like I'm going to be sick.
A thought hits me. “Don’t tell, Slater.” Zane and Quint both give me matching wary expressions. “Not while he’s playing. Let him finish the game, and we’ll go from there.”
Evie squeezes my hand but doesn’t say anything. “Okay,” Zane agrees. “We’ll let him play for now, but if he sees we’re all gone, he’s going to figure out something’s up.”
I lift my chin. “Then we all go sit in those seats and watch the game.” I start back towards our seats.
“Tessa,” Evie starts.
“My dad will be here in like five minutes. The game won’t start back up for a few minutes anyway. Let's just sit tight a few more minutes,” Zane says calmly.
I agree, but my insides are churning. I don’t look down at my wrist, but I do take stock of how I’m feeling. I really don’t feel any different. “I really think it’s just a normal bracelet. Why she went through all that, I don’t know.” I turn to Evie. “What happened with her and Jace anyway? I mean you told me they were awful to you, but you never really told me any more than that.”
