Lights flickered, and then the forest appeared on the white cloth behind the stage. It was a projector screen.
Oh, Mother Mage, please don’t let me do anything stupid on live TV.
Dozens of little squares appeared, each one broadcasting a different patch of trees, and the four corners of the screen showed flags.
“You have sixty seconds to plan your strategy with your teammates. When the horn blows, the games begin, and I suggest you run to find your territory.”
My stomach dropped as I turned to face Nolan. “Okay, here’s what I think we should—”
“You think you’re in charge?” Fury glittered in his eyes. “I don’t answer to you.”
“What’s your deal, Nolan? We’re supposed to be a team.” When he said nothing, only sneered, I pressed on: “I know you and your mom have always hated me and my dad. But are you going to let jealousy screw up this game? Lose because of it?”
If he wanted to spend our sixty seconds together fighting, then so be it.
He shrugged. “I don’t like people who are born into privilege. Status needs to beearned.”
I laughed. As if his mother had ever challenged my father and won. “Itwasearned.”
He nodded. “And tonight it will be again.”
I glared at him, incensed at his stupidity, but before I could reply, I overheard Daybreak Clan next to us talking loudly.
“Let’s take out the green flag first. There are only two of Crescent. They’re weak.”
Looking at Nolan, I raised my eyebrows. “We should both defend the flag first, let the teams come, and when they see we are united, they’ll go for other flags,and thenwe can separate and go on the offense.”
He laughed. “You do whatever you want. I’m going for Midnight’s flag.”
“Nolan!” I shouted. This idiot was going to screw this up for the both of us. How did he even make it through last year on his own? The only thing I could think of was that he was the only air element in the school. So he had an advantage with that.
Before I could say any more, Rage walked right up to me, stealing the breath from my lungs, and Nolan walked away.
“Nai, I need to talk to you.” His voice was rough, and his eyes reflected remorse, but I shook my head. I couldn’t do this right now.
“Go plan with your brothers.” He had sixty seconds to plan with his brothers, and he was going to waste them on me? My voice held barely-contained fury as I met his gaze. “I’m not doing this right now.”
The horn sounded, and before he could say anything, I took off after Nolan, running away from Rage, away from my mate problems, away from the marks.
Guilt twisted my stomach, and I glanced over my shoulder. I’d expected to see him tearing after me, but instead, he stood where I’d left him, head hanging low.
Pushing it from my mind, I hit the thick tree line. The second I dipped into the woods, Rage’s scent washed over me. Less strong, I picked up the smell of other males: Honor, Noble, Justice. I noticed little strips of their bedsheets tied to trees. We were in Midnight territory.
A black Midnight wolf blasted past us, probably to make it to the center of the territory and protect their flag.
I couldn’t tell them apart, except it wasn’t Rage.
I veered right, and Nolan went left. Running to the edge of Midnight territory, I inhaled as I scented new fragrances.
Harvest.
Fiona’s scent washed over me, and then Nell, Rue, and finally Kaja, the forest permeated with my bestie’s vanilla and sage scent.
I pumped my legs hard, desperate to find our flag. I curved to the left, assuming the four territories were set up in a circle. My heart thundered against my ribs as I plowed through the woods. Relief washed over me as my own scent filtered past.
Crescent.
But I wasn’t alone. Footsteps pounded behind me. I considered shifting, but it could take too long, and my elemental powers were more reliable, at least for me. And wasn’t that the point of the game anyway? To show our elemental powers?
