Medein’s eyes glow white. She exhales with her mouth forming a large “O.”
My hair flaps in the strong wind that now whips through the hall.
Expensive vases, priceless sculptures and heirloom paintings fly off the walls and shelves and break on the floor. Glass rains as the stained-glass windows lining the building’s walls shatter.
Shrill screams carry throughout the hall as the audience descends into panic.
People scramble from their seats and topple over each other, pushing and shoving to reach the exit. Before anyone can escape, the door slams shut, trapping everyone inside. They bang on the doors pleading to get out.
Caleb’s eyes blaze gold as he stands in concern for his people. Like a predator stalking its prey, he slowly rounds the front of the table.
Tyler rounds the other side and mimics his movements.
Suddenly, the chaos pauses.
What I assumed to be years of collectibles lay in shambles on the floor because her talent could not be appreciated for what it was. The need to prove her worth in a room of mostly men was not lost on me.
Idiots. All of them.
I respect the heck out of her for forcing them to see it now.
Medein inhales deeply and a low rumble causes the shattered remnants to vibrate and shake.
Huddled in corners, people mumble amongst themselves about what’s happening.
The reparation of her destruction begins. Millions of multicolored pieces of glass, ceramic and art rebuild themselves piece by piece.
Once finished, there’s a pause and an exchanging of glances, then an eruption of applause, Caleb included.
Caleb’s eyes return to their normal blue and tension appears to roll off his shoulders.
The corner of her lip turns up into a sly smile. She’s made her point.
“I look forward to your call.” Medein dips her chin in a bow of sorts. She passes me, and I lower my head and growl when she gets too close for comfort.
I can appreciate her ability, and it’s nothing against her, but I don’t trust witches after what they did to me. And the thought of being enslaved to another witch is too much to fathom.
Her only reply is the clicking of her heels against the floor as she takes a seat. The rest of the audience cautiously return to their seats, bewildered by the cleared floor.
I lean slightly toward Caleb and pull on his shorts.
I’ll worry about my dignity later.
When he looks down at me, I disguise the fear in my voice with nervous laughter. “Come on, you’re notactuallygoing to choose a witch, right? I... I mean, that’d be just crazy...”
The corner of Caleb’s mouth upturns and there’s a twinkle in his eye. My laughter fades to a frown as I register the seriousness on his face. He struts over to Tyler and pats him on the back. “I think I just found my Luna.”
***
After every bachelorette was presented, Caleb had decided but not yet announced his mate his choice, it was time for Tyler to choose.
Tyler isn’t bad to look at. It’s just his personality that’s flawed. He calls out names from his list and tells them to step forward.
Three women step forward to stand before Tyler. All wolves, reserving the hybrid pair for the higher ups.
They stand tall, not uncomfortable in the slightest at being ogled at by him. He sits back in his chair, scanning them up and down. Tyler’s objectification of them as he flirts doesn’t bother me, but it’s Caleb’s flirting with Medein that has a surprising growl escape my lips. At the sound of my wolf’s lack of impulse control, the soft growl catches Caleb’s attention, whipping hishead at me. Puzzled, his brow furrows then he slowly drags his eyes to what I was growling at, then he grins at me.
What is he so smug about?
