Page 24 of Brutal Reign
“You shouldn’t,” I reply coolly, folding my arms across my chest and lifting my chin, looking him dead in the eye. “You’d lose.”
“We’ll see about that,” he huffs.
Jake abruptly turns on a heel, stomping away down the aisle of bunks while I remain standing there frozen, head held high with false bravado.
He wouldn’t actually do it. Jake’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but surely he’d have enough sense not to place himself directly in my dad’s line of fire. Then again, hedidjust try to pulla move on me, so maybe he doesn’t care about the consequences of crossing his Alpha.
My mind spins, guts churning as I watch his figure cut through the darkness of the barracks, moving toward the exit.
I can’t engage in a challenge for Alpha rank. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I literallycan’t. It’d be a damn bloodbath, and my pack would never look at me the same way again. If they even stuck around afterwards.
I blow out a breath as Jake storms through the exit doors, my relief tragically short-lived when seconds later, I see two tall figures entering the barracks. Though I can’t make out their features through the dark, I’d know those silhouettes anywhere. They sweep through the shadows in quick strides, making their way closer while my pulse picks up speed.
Why the hell are they here, and why are they coming over?
I pivot to face my cubby as my heart pounds in time with their approaching footsteps, busying myself with grabbing my toiletry bag and pajamas to change into. The steps halt, and I can feel the ominous presence of Seb and Ace standing beside me, their stares practically searing into my skin.
“What happened with Jake?” Ace asks, his voice a low, velvety rumble.
I pointedly ignore him, continuing to rummage through my cubby idly even though I’ve already got my pajamas and toiletries in hand.
“Why did he seem in such a hurry to leave?” Seb presses, his shadow falling over me as he shifts closer.
“Just wanted to get back to the bar, I guess,” I reply blandly, giving them something so they’ll leave me the hell alone. I turn at the waist, finding the two of them hovering in the aisle, blocking my path. “Move.”
Ace steps aside, but Seb darts a hand out, fingering the broken strap of my top dangling down over the front. I suck in a breath as his eyes dart up to meet mine, blazing with liquid gold.
“Did he do this?” he demands, the threatening edge in his tone making the little hairs on the back of my neck prickle.
“Leave me alone,” I grumble, swatting his hand away.
His stare remains locked on mine, and it’s all I can do to keep from squirming beneath the intensity of it. Sebastian Walker is intimidating to look at in the light, but here in the dark, the way the shadows cling to his sharp features is downright unsettling. His pronounced jaw is clenched tight, the vein on the side of his neck straining as he growls, “Answer me.”
“Since when do you care?” I scoff, puffing out my chest even though his prickly demeanor makes me feel like curling in on myself.
“That’s not an answer,” he deadpans. “Try again.”
My heart slams against my ribcage, breaths shortening and palms going clammy. I hate the way I react when Seb’s all up in my space– or Ace, for that matter. Having both of them here is a double whammy, and suddenly I can barely even think straight. My body and brain have a major disconnect as far as these two boys are concerned.
“Why are you even here?” I snap, rocking back on a heel to glance between the pair of them. “Shouldn’t you guys be back at the bar in the DJ booth?”
Seb finally breaks that harsh stare, eyes flickering toward his friend. “Ace had a migraine coming on, had to get away from the music,” he mumbles.
“Well you’d better go take care of that, then,” I quip, waving a hand.
“River, I’m not fucking around here,” Seb warns.
“Neither am I, so move the fuck out of my way.” I sidestep to go around him, but he mirrors my movement, blocking myretreat and sending my inner wolf surging to the surface in defiance. I snap my head up, cutting him a threatening glare.
“Just let her go, man,” Ace sighs, falling back. Probably wise, since I’m two seconds from kneeing his buddy in the balls. “It’s not worth it.”
Fuckingouch.
I keep my expression blank, not letting Ace’s words affect me.At least not in any way I’ll actually let him see.They’re what it takes to finally get through to Seb, though, so I suppose I should be thankful for the way he’s picking at the scabs on my heart.
Seb jerks back with a frown, creating a space to let me through, and I should just walk away. Ishould, but Idon’t, because Ace’s statement is still festering like a wound and I just have to open my big mouth and deliver one last parting jab.
“Oh, I’m definitely worth it,” I remark, licking my lips suggestively as I slide my gaze between my former best friends. “Too bad neither of you will ever get the chance to know.”