Page 68 of Savage Hope

Blaze’s voice carries through the open air, sending a shiver down my spine as I turn my attention toward the vampires. The man in question stands dead center, a smug look on his face as he raises an eyebrow at me.

Me?

What the hell did I do?

I run my tongue over my bottom lip nervously as the professor follows my line of sight.

“You want me to allow different pairings?” she asks, planting her hands on her hips, eyeing each quadrant to see what they have to add.

“We’re open to it,” Lincoln hollers, snapping my attention their way to see him eyeing the vampires with a vengeance in his eyes that looks as though it will never be soothed.

“Humans?” Drummond hollers, and a few of them nod in response. I take a second to try and find B among the group, but he’s nowhere to be seen. “Witches?” she adds, turning her attention our way, and I gulp.

I don’t want to have to fight anyone if I don’t have to, but survival is survival. I’ll do what it takes.

“We’re ready,” a girl hollers from the front of the class, and I stiffen.

I know exactly who she is, a simple statement and flashbacks from last night flood my brain.

Tilting my face at Bryony, she looks dead ahead, but the slightest glimpse from the corner of her eyes tells me she knows. She just can’t admit it.

“Okay then, may it be at your own peril. Remember: no permanent injuries, and when someone submits, you call it. Anyone seen breaking these rules will face Professor Whitmore.”

I’m frozen in place for what feels like an eternity, listening to the professor read name after name off the list, waiting with bated breath for mine to be called.

“Bryony, witch, paired with Lincoln, wolf. Minnie, wolf, paired with Tatum, wolf. Asher wolf, paired with Blaze, vampire. Wylder, wolf, paired with Polaris, witch.”

My gaze snaps to the wolves, landing on the cropped-blond beast of a man to find his eyes already taking me in. A wry smile transforms the anger from his face and I gulp.

He nods to his right, and with my lips pressed together nervously, I follow his silent order. I cut through the moving bodies, each finding their own marked square, until I’m standing in the same area as Wylder.

His eyes are set on me, but my nerves make it impossible for me to look at him right now. Instead, I peer over his shoulder, watching as a few wolves face off with some vampires. The animosity between them is palpable.

Eager to avoid the pent-up strain consuming the air, I finally relent and turn to Wylder. There’s an amused grin on his face. “I?—”

“Witch, right?”

The sudden appearance of Lincoln has us both surprised, but his pointed look is aimed at me. “Uh, yeah.”

“Good. I’m looking for someone.”

“Someone?” Wylder interjects, frowning at his friend, who nods.

“Yeah.”

“I’m sure she might be able to help you, but a name would be a good start, Linc,” he grumbles, rolling his shoulders back while Lincoln scrubs at the back of his neck nervously.

“Well, I don’t have that.”

He’s looking for someone and doesn’t know their name? I don’t understand.

“Uh, I don’t know how I can help you without it. Besides, I don’t really know anyone’s name to begin with,” I add, and he shakes his head dismissively.

“Her name doesn’t matter. She had midnight-black hair, bright blue eyes, and…and that’s all that matters. Have you seen her in the witches’ dorm? I’ve spoken to the rest of the quadrants, and no one has a clue, and I haven’t seen her since the full moon party.”

Holy crap.

He’s talking about me. He’s looking for me.

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