Chapter 9
Jiselle
The night air was sharp against my skin as I stood in the makeshift training circle, my breaths misting in the cold.
The only sounds were the rustling leaves and the steady thud of my heart pounding against my ribs. Nathaniel stood across from me, his stance loose, yet deadly, his icy blue eyes unreadable as I caught my breath and tried to dull the pain in my ribs and legs from his blows.
Midnight training.
His terms, his rules. I should’ve known he wouldn’t go easy on me.
“Again,” he ordered, his voice as cold as the night around us.
My entire body ached, my muscles screaming in protest, but I gritted my teeth and pushed forward, lunging at him. The moment my foot left the ground, Nate moved–fluid, effortless. He sidestepped my attack, spun, and slammed his arm against my shoulder, sending me sprawling into the
dirt.
I gasped, the impact knocking the air from my lungs.
Weak and slow,” he muttered, his boots crunching against the earth as he circled me. “You’re fighting like a pup who’s never thrown a punch in her
life.”
I gritted my teeth, shoving myself up.
“Maybe because I haven’t been trained like you and Ethan, you ass.”
Nate exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. “Then maybe you should stop acting like you belong here.”
Anger boiled in my chest. That’s what this was about? I wasn’t strong enough, so I didn’t belong? Screw that. Screw him.
I forced myself upright, wiping the sweat from my brow. “Why do you even care?” I spat. “Why are you out here wasting your time on me if I don’t belong?”
Nate’s jaw ticked. His stance shifted ever so slightly, but he didn’t answer.
So much for our first training session. If he continues to be like this, I might just take up Max on his offer.
“Well?” I demanded. I took a step closer, fists clenched at my sides. “Is this about Ethan?” I pressed. “Is that why you’re pretending I don’t exist?”
His expression darkened. The cold air between us grew even sharper, cutting like a blade.
“You don’t matter to me, Jiselle,” he said, his voice a quiet storm, low and brutal. “You never did.”
The words hit harder than any of his punches. My breath caught, my body locking in place.
Liar.
He was a liar. I knew it. I could feel it in my bones. But knowing it didn’t stop the sting from sinking deep beneath my skin.
“Tell me the truth!” I demanded. “For once since we turned teenagers and you started treating me like crap, Nate, just give me the truth! Don’t you see that I risked my life entering this godforsaken place for you?”
“I didn’t want you to!”
“But I did!” I threw back just as harshly. “So tell me the truth, Nathaniel and don’t give me that bullshit about not wanting me! Because you wanted me very much two years ago that night, if I remember correctly.”
For a brief moment, his eyes darkened as if he was remembering. Then, he closed his eyes and heaved out a breath.
“Because I made a promise to your brother.”
To my brother?
“What promise?” I demanded. “What promise, Nate!”
“We’re done here,” was all he said, before turning on his heels and walking away, leaving me alone.
1/3
Fine. If he wanted to play cruel, I could play, too.
I threw myself at him again, this time faster, angrier. He dodged easily although his back was turned, but I spun at the last second and drove my
elbow into his ribs.
Nate grunted, stumbling back a step.
Shock flickered in his eyes, just for a second. Then, something even darker settled there.
But I had landed a hit. Finally.
“No, we’re not,” I hissed. “We still have thirty minutes.”
The academy cafeteria was buzzing with life as I sat beside Eva at our usual table, picking at my food. Two days had passed since the fight with Emari, and I hadn’t seen her in our room since. I didn’t question it.
She still glared at me from across the room at any given time she could, as if she was sizing up my head for a head shot.
Even now, her eyes were squinted in slits, focused on me as her friend yapped away beside her. I tried to avoid her, but she was so freaking obvious.
Growing sick of it, I flashed her a middle finger, and her eyes flared for a second in shock before narrowing again with a deeper promise of death.
Great.
My breath hitched as the scent of my mate filled the room, although he was so far away. Our fight from light night resurfaced, the sole reason why I hadn’t slept a wink, and why I was picking at my meals.
“Why the hell is she looking at him like that?” I heard Eva ask, shaking me from my thoughts.
“What?” I followed her gaze to Emari and saw the way she was looking at Nate now.
Her sharp eyes were fixed on him with something close to… interest.
What the hell?
I turned slightly, catching sight of Nate standing with Ethan. He looked the same as always–brooding, intimidating. But Emari’s attention was different today.
Was she doing this because of me? Because she figured out I was affected by him?
Before I could overthink it, I pushed my tray away. “I’ll be back.”
Eva gave me a curious look, but I ignored it as I made my way across the cafeteria, heading straight for my brother.
The moment Nate noticed me, his body tensed.
His reaction was immediate. A flicker of something deadly crossed his face before his jaw locked, his shoulders stiffening. He probably thought I was about to tell Ethan about our training.
I shook my head subtly, letting him know I wasn’t.
Nate’s jaw ticked, and without a word, he turned and walked away.
Ethan watched him go, his brow arching before he draped an arm around me and guided me toward an empty table. As we sat, a low growl rumbled from him when a male wolf walked past, glancing at me for a second too long.
I shoved his arm. “Would you stop doing that?”
Ethan smirked, unrepentant. “What? I’m just reminding them whose sister you are.”
“Overprotective ass,” I mumbled as I rolled my eyes.
“And why was Nate looking at you like that?” he asked, completely avoiding my former statement.
“Like what?” My heart raced. I couldn’t lie to my brother. Keep secrets, sure, but blatantly lie? He’d know.
So instead of waiting for his response, I asked him the question that I had wanted to from the minute Nate said it.
2/3
“Did you make Nate promise that he would never date me?”
had hours to mull over what this promise could have entailed, and that was the only reasonable explanation.
Ethan snorted. “Why? Do you want to date Nate?”
My heart stumbled in my chest. I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn’t come.
I couldn’t lie to my twin.
Instead, I lifted my chin. “Did you make him promise never to date me?” I asked again, more serious this time.
Ethan stiffened.
For a second, he didn’t answer. Then, slowly, his expression shifted–defensive, protective.
“Of course I did,” he said. “He’s my best friend. And you’re my sister.”
“You had no right.”
Ethan scoffed. “Are you kidding? Have you met Nate? He gets around, Jizzy. A lot. You think I’d let him of all people get close enough to break your heart?”
I flinched.
If only he knew.
“I am my own person, Ethan,” I said, my voice quiet but firm. “You don’t get to decide who I’m with.”
“Not my best friend,” he shot back. “And this isn’t about keeping you two apart for no reason. We’ve all been close since we were kids, but I know Nate, Jizzy. He’ll hurt you.”
I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.
Ethan studied me, then exhaled heavily. “Wait… do you like him?”
I looked away.
Ethan followed my gaze to where Nate was sitting across the room, arms folded, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else.
Ethan scoffed. “Jiselle, from the looks of it, he doesn’t feel the same. And this is exactly why I was trying to protect you from-”
“Stop protecting me!” I snapped, my voice louder than I intended:
The entire cafeteria went silent.
Heat rushed to my face as I grabbed my bag and stormed for the exit, ignoring Ethan calling after me.
As I reached the doors, I nearly ran into Max.
doors,
His smile vanished the second he saw my tears. His expression darkened, his posture shifting in that dangerous way I had only seen once before- when he was defending me.
Before he could ask anything, I pushed past him and ran, my vision blurring. I didn’t stop until I reached my room, slamming the door shut behind me and locking it.
Then, alone, I let the sobs break free.
