Page 34 of Villainous Fate

When I return, I launch the first one, missing my target by about a foot. My partner and I both hold, waiting to see if anything happens before I try again, this time hitting the first log and rolling it out of the way.

No explosion. No darts. No alarm. No change.

Well, shit… that takes most of those things off the table.

In the distance behind me, I hear footsteps approaching through the dense trees to our left.

Another team is on their way. We’re out of time.

I turn to my partner, realizing he heard the same thing and asking the silent question.

What do we do now?

“There’s no way around it now. It’s through that grid, or wait until the other team tries their luck,” he whispers, keeping his voice incredibly low to keep anyone from hearing.

“No fucking way. We were first. I’m not handing someone else our victory,” I state in a hurried whisper, making the decision then and there. “Let’s go, I’ll lead. If anything happens, avoid the trap. We can worry about rescuing me once we know what we are dealing with. Cool?” I ask, seeing his mask fall and surprise flash across his features along with confusion. He nods, not recovering his mask and keeping his orange-flecked eyes locked on my movements.

Stepping carefully between the lines, I edge myself closer to the last grid, hoping whatever happens here won’t hurt my chances of surviving the next few weeks. When I’m as close as possible, I release the air pent up in my chest.

Alphas lead.

My wolf stands ready within me, and I have to mentally remind him he can’t take over unless we are going to die. We need this camp.

My foot lifts into the air, and I aim to place it carefully next to the third branch I threw, but just as it connects with the ground, a black boot comes into view on the other side.

Weight shifting, the earth feels firm beneath my foot, and my eyes flip up to see my partner has stepped into the area with me.

What the fuck is he doing?

“Can’t have you taking all the glory,” he says, his voice low, but his face tells a different story. I want to push him on it, but knowing we’re this close to the guards, I hold my tongue, and we walk side by side through the last grid and up to the gate without incident.

The trap was no trap? That makes no sense.

We approach the two guards, who move out of our way, allowing us entry. Just beyond the gate is a large fire. Three men sit waiting beside it, though only one is an Alpha. His power radiates off of him, and we focus our path toward him.

He sits casually, his long dark beard nearly hitting his chest, his hair pulled back and knotted behind him, the area by his ear shaved clean and tattooed. A scar is visible across his right eye, which is pure white, a stark contrast to the almost black pigment of his left.

At the sound of our approach, he turns his attention to us, scanning me first before turning his gaze to my partner. His expression doesn’t change but gets colder somehow as he addresses us for the first time.

“Dieci, you continue to surprise us all,” his voice is graveled as if he’d been shouting and lost most of the pure sound, but there is a resounding hatred in his words, which I don’t miss.

Dieci?

My head snaps to my partner. No. Fucking. Way.

He doesn’t react. Doesn’t change his stance or look my direction. The only reason I know he heard the man is the small tick at his jaw.

He can’t be…

“You’d think you would have learned by now not to underestimate me, RamRod. Guess not all of us are that quick,” he replies, nothing but malice in his voice.

My partner is Deacon. Fucking. Marlo. Dieci. The only wolf to ever complete his Awakening in ten minutes. He’s a legend, and he’s only eighteen.

I guess if I needed an ally, the most hated and feared Alpha in the region might just be the best bit of fate yet.

“Code Phrase,” RamRod growls, not appearing to like the insult.

Deacon looks at me, nodding as if giving me the floor while locking eyes with me.

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