“Fuck,” the stranger mutters and lifts his hand, whacking me hard on my back, and I cough the ball out with a gasp for air. The ball bounces across the floor but I keep coughing, struggling to my feet. The stranger hands me his drink, and I take a desperate sip before realising it’s something alcoholic and very fucking strong.
My throat burns, and I throw it back at him, glaring. “You meant to give someone water when you made them nearly choke!”
“I will remember that, and you just wasted expensive demon vodka,” he responds with a smirk. “I’m not sharing with you again.”
I can’t place his accent, maybe it’s a little Scottish, but it’s unusual. Actually, as I stare at the wolf shifter, I can’t quite place what pack he is from. He is definitely not a Stormfire wolf, that’s for sure. So it means he must be from one of the other two packs. He’s not from Caeli because I just recognise them, and he doesn’t have that feel to him. That means he must be from the Rivermare pack or the Terraseeker Pack. I’ll be able to tell for sure when he shifts because of his colour. My wolf’s senses smell something like seawater in his hair, making me think of Rivermare. They’re blue wolves and they’re fast swimmers, and as far as I know, most of them are blonde.
His eyes lock on mine once more. “You can sit down. I’m not throwing you under the bus.”
Hesitantly, I settle back down, my appetite gone. “I have no idea what you’re talking about with this alpha. I’m just here for the trials. You’ve got the wrong girl.”
He smirks at my bluff. “No. I don’t.” He leans forward, pinging the strand of my hair that was once white. “You can dye that white piece in your hair, girl, but it’s not hiding anything real. See, I share an old love interest with the alpha, and we all hear that he’s looking for some wee girl with a white streak in her hair. A wolf who smells like snow. Like Caeli. The reward is pretty high. In fact, if I outed you right now to his son, I would be rich for the rest of my life.”
“Don’t be a dick,” I growl, throwing a nervous glance around to make sure no one is listening.
Fortunately, everyone seems too busy getting drunk to pay us any attention. It doesn’t stop my heart from thrashing, though.
I glare at the male slouched in front of me. “That monster murdered my parents and tried to kill me for nothing. I never got to say goodbye. Do you have any idea what that is like?”
He stares at me with an intensity I don’t know what to do with. “Aye, I do.” We fall into silence until he laughs. “You’re something special, girl. Did you ever learn that calling someone a dick before you’re about to plead with them isn’t a good idea?”
I rest back in my chair. “If you were going to hand me in, you just would have done it. What’s the point of coming over and telling me?”
“You’re smarter than you appear,” he says, resting his hands behind his back. “I have no interest in giving the alpha what he wants when all he does is take from the world. And nonetheless, I’m not exactly meant to be here either.”
“What does that mean?”
“My name is Alaric.” A smirk curls his lip. “Look at that, Autumn, we both have fake names that start with A. It’s like the Crescent Mother brought us together.”
“Why are you hiding?” I ask, ignoring his comment about our goddess. I fail to see why she’d bring a shameless, albeit handsome, blackmailer into my life.
“Secrets, darling.” He winks at me. “We can share yours but not mine.”
I just manage to keep my temper from seeping out. I don’t want this asshole to see he’s getting under my skin. “What do you want from me?” I demand instead, my tone only slightly harsh.
The male thinks for a moment, then he says, “I need someone to have my back, and there’s no better person than you, the other person hiding here. And in exchange, I’ll have your back and not tell anyone you’re here.” He lowers his voice and leans closer until his masculine, watery cool scent washes over me. “Fun deal, right? We could even add in some special benefits, if you like. I’m not opposed to that.”
“Well, I am. And I already have someone watching my back,” I counter, feeling breathless for all the wrong reasons.
“You mean the half-demon who’s been kicked out twice in these trials? Did he ever mention the reasons why he’s failed the trials twice?” He pauses and smirks when he finds the answer in my expression. “He’s a deadly fighter. Quick as can be, close friends with the prince, too. Doesn’t it make you wonder what exactly he did?”
In all honesty, it has, but I choose to lie. “No.”
“Trust me, it’s bad,” the male whispers, once more grinning at me. “Makes you and I seem like goddamn angels.”
“I thought you were the guy with the secrets?” I counter.
“Be a good girl and come when I tell you,” he warns me in a voice laced with dark promise. “Because otherwise, I’m giving in your secret as a distraction for my escape.”
“Fuck you,” I growl at him.
He leans in closer, until our faces are inches away. He really is flawless. “Not yet, but I do have a weakness for redheads.”
With that, he stands. I glance away for a second, feeling someone’s eyes on me. I start when I see the prince and Caspian are talking, both of them watching us, making it clear their conversation is about me. When I look over, Alaric or whatever his real name is has gone. I search around to see he has completely disappeared.
“What did I say about talking to people, songbird?” Caspian demands when he walks over a
