“What!?” Luca says, starting to sound freaked out. There’s a little tussle behind me and I glance over my shoulder to see Tony frowning and giving Luca a little shove. Luca bares his teeth at Tony, but Rafe casually moves to step between them, giving me a nod. I turn back to mom.“Is that it?” mom a
I have to admit, when it’s just me and Jesse on the run with the paintball gun, it’s way better. Rafe and Jackson concentrate a great deal on training, on pushing, on ensuring that we reach new goals and strengthen our bodies. But with Jesse?It’s just fun.“I got you!” I shout, dashing after him up
But our warm moment is short-lived as the doors to the hall open and Rafe and Jackson walk into the room, both of their faces stern and worried.My breath leaves my lungs a bit as I watch them – as we all watch them. Rafe and Jackson, side by side, look like…I don’t know, like warriors out of a myth
I stare at my name’s spot on the list, alone under Redman Blythe’s, completely shocked, as our entire table erupts in protest – just like every other table in the breakfast hall.“Jacks!” I hiss, turning to him. “You didn’t pick me!?”“Of course I picked you, Ariel,” he snarls, his voice low, leanin
My brother and my mate each take another menacing step towards Blythe, who falls back, even as he glares at them. “All right,” Blythe says, his face twisting nastily, “I came over to introduce myself to my recruit, but this is getting to be too much.” He snaps his head back to me now. “See you at th
But as soon as I begin to pull on my bond with Luca, I feel an immediate…stop. Or a plug, or a…dam or something.I turn to my mate, frowning up at him. Luca, I say, directly into his mind, making him turn his eyes to me. Can you please open the bond? This is…important to me. He clenches his teeth a
Luca hesitates, starting to close down the bond a bit.“Please,” I beg, shaking my head at him. “Don’t get freaked out – this is…this is part of who I am.”Luca stares at me for a long moment but then nods, re-opening the bond.Jackson takes my other hand and I turn my head to him, eager warmth buil
“Can you…can you move it, Ari?” I hear my mom whisper, and I glance to the side to see tears streaking down her face, her fingers pressed delicately to her lips as she stares up at this incredible thing that we’ve created.I turn back to the fire, concentrating, and as I sway slightly to the left…ye