Page 48 of A University of Betrayal

“I’m not absent-minded. Our father told us you were to be married.”

Great.So now the whole pack knew?

“There are supposed to be competitions.”

“What?” That was news to me. How didHunterknow about it? “What kind of competitions?”

I could vaguely remember my father’s phone call, but at some point, I hadn’t been able to take anything in, trying to process the most important words, which had pushed the rest of the conversation into the background.

“Your father invited the Rolanows.”

“How...” I began but faltered.

How did he know that? Alarik had found out only a few moments ago. There was only one explanation: Hunter’s father, Maverick, had already taken the position of closest advisor, probably because Alarik was so out of line that Father had had no other choice.

“You should know by now how close my father is to yours,” Hunter confirmed my suspicions and looked at me with concern.

Until now, I had only thought the two of them met often to play chess and discuss pack politics. Apparently, chess brought them closer than expected.

It hurt a little to know that Father was turning away more and more from Alarik’s advice, considering that Alarik had balanced him out.

“The Rolanow Alpha’s son will prove his dignity and strength by competing against us,” Hunter continued to enlighten me.

“You...”

It didn’t sit well with me that a man was playing against the pack members of the Senseque whose hand he wanted to ask for. This Rolanow son should compete againstme.

I shook my head because that thought was stupid. What would it say about me if I fought against a favorable match?

And yet, I felt like I was under someone else’s control, just like always. My father was planning to expand the power of the pack at my expense. In a normal family, that would have been questionable. But we weren’t a normal family. We were the Copelands. A powerful pack that had to defend its position from other hostile species and prove its loyalty to the Code and its traditions to the other packs.

“You were born with a great responsibility,” Father had said only a month ago.To Nash.The same was true for me, even if he didn’t say it.

It was all tradition. One that held my family and the pack together. If that was the price I had to pay, I would pay it. Albeit with suspicion.

“I could help you...”

Again, I looked at Hunter, confused. His dark brown eyes matched his mocha-colored skin and short-cropped afro. He was the same height as me, which was because I was just generally a little taller.

I shook my head. “Wait... What are you talking about?”

“If you don’t like him, I’ll make sure he doesn’t win.”

“Hunter...” My mouth fell open.

“I would.”

I was speechless. Had Hunter just told me he was going against the Code and rigging this contest?

“I can’t let you do this. If Father...”

“Hunter, what a coincidence. I was just looking for you,” Nash’s voice rang out from the left wing of the house, where Finn and Father lived.

Hunter turned his gaze from me to look at my brother. A smile spread across his lips.

“Sorry that I’m late,” Nash said, pulling off his shirt.

“It’s never too late to hunt,” Hunter replied, suddenly completely relaxed, walking over to Nash just to pat him on the shoulders.

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