CHAPTER 6

LYRA

I try not to panic. Panic will make me say things and will make it obvious that I am lying. I can’t let that happen.

“We haven’t met before,” I say. “At least I don’t think so. I’m from the orphanage.”

But his gaze is sharp and unreadable. I feel like I’m holding my breath, waiting for the subject to drop.

“Why do you want to do this?”

I hesitate for a moment. The truth is simple, but saying it aloud makes it feel raw.

I meet his gaze and answer. “Because I have to. If I didn’t learn how to survive on my own, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”

He studies me, his eyes almost seeing through my mask, but still, I can’t tell what he’s thinking.

He looks thoughtful for a moment, then asks. “An orphan showing up here… Did you surrender in a fight?”

I stiffen. It is a damning word, ‘surrender’.

He can never understand it. He is a strong Alpha. The idea of surrendering would never even cross his mind.

“I wanted to survive,” I admit, my voice quieter than before.

For a long moment, Zachary and I are quiet. I fully expect him to embarrass me again. I have seen his temper, I know what he is like.

But then he nods. His expression is hard but not disapproving.

“You’re honest,” he says. “That’s good. A real fighter fights to survive. That’s what matters in the squad.”

Honest?  If he only knew…

“I like people who fight desperately to survive,” he says, his voice softening.

That’s what the questions were for then. He hadn’t been testing my pride. He was testing my resolve. My desire to fight to survive in the wilderness. To keep a team alive in the wilderness.

Is he really the same arrogant jerk from yesterday?

I sneak a glance at him, feeling confused.

“You can’t tell anyone who’s on the team about me,” he says firmly. I don’t question him, I just nod.

I understand why he needs to keep his involvement in the squad a secret. I need it too. We both have our secrets.

So this makes us even.

“It’s time for the test,” Sloane says firmly. “Let’s get started.”

***

Sloane is absolutely ruthless in battle. The moment we face off for a sparring match, I know I don’t stand a chance.

She moves too fast for me to react. Within seconds, she has me pinned to the ground. Her knee presses into my stomach, her arm locks around mine in a position that promises pain if I so much as twitch the wrong way.

I let out a breath as she got off me, pushing myself up.

“No training, little experience… but very flexible,” Sloane notes thoughtfully.

I hold my breath for a moment before she gives me a small nod.

“You can join us,” Sloane says. “We’ll train you until you’re ready to go out into the wastelands.”

That was easier than I had expected. She is giving me a chance, which is all I needed. If she’d sent me packing, I don’t know what I’d have done.

I look at Zachary, and he grins at me, amused.

“Don’t worry,” he reassures me with a smirk. “In this team, Sloane makes the decision.”

I raise an eyebrow. He takes orders from Sloane?

Sloane smiles, enjoying my surprise.

“It’s my team after all,” she says quietly. “You’d do well to remember that.”

Before I can say anything further, two figures step forward to join us.

“Ah! And here are our last two members of the crew,” Sloane says, glaring at them. “Late. As usual.”

“We’re going to pay for this later, aren’t we?” One of the figures asks, grinning and leaning on the other’s shoulder.

“You know it,” Sloane grumbles, then turns to me. “These two are Jasper and Julian. Our delightful set of twins.”

With a mischievous grin, Jasper throws his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into a hug. It is tight enough that I am certain there is no escape.

“Welcome to the team, newbie!” he declares, not even bothering to ask my name.

I tense instinctively. It had been a long time since I let anyone close enough to hug me, and I am caught off guard by the sudden contact.

The other twin, Julian, chastises his brother, sighing as he adjusts his glasses.

“Jasper, let her go.”

“What? It’s a friendly hug!” Jasper grins but releases me. “She’ll get used to it. You’ll get used to it, yeah? Welcome aboard.”

The difference between the two twins is stark. Jasper seems to be bright and outgoing, while Julian is a little more reserved.

“Great,” I mutter. “So I’ve joined a team of lunatics.”

Jasper giggles like a hyena. “You catch on fast.”

“Alright, you two! Time for training,” Sloane says, clapping her hands together to get their attention.

Jasper groans, “Really, Sloane? Training already?”

“I don’t recall asking for your opinion on the matter. Fall in,” Sloane says.

Training with Sloane is intense. She doesn’t go easy on me because I am new. Every strike, every correction, every command is sharp and to the point.

Julian stands to the side, quietly recording my movements and taking notes. It is a little strange, but I know it was for the benefit of the team as a whole.

Jasper doesn’t hold back with me either. He is relentless in his teasing. He challenges me over and over, but it is more playful than anything else.

“You’re fast,” he admits after sparring with me, smiling ear to ear. “But I bet you can’t beat me in a real fight.”

“I just lost to Sloane in under a minute,” I point out dryly, panting. “What makes you think I can beat you?”

“Optimism,” Jasper replies, winking.

Sloane sighs. “Jasper, let her up.”

“But she’s so fun to play with, boss. Just a bit of initiation teasing,” Jasper protests.

Zachary, who had been watching from the sidelines, steps in. “Jasper. Enough.”

Jasper rolls his eyes but backs off. I smile at Zachary, and he nods in return.

By the time training ends, the sky is starting to darken and the team is starting to gather under a tree.

Jasper waves me over. “Why not stay a little longer? Julian’s a hell of a cook!”

I hesitate. Sitting with them, eating with them… it feels personal. I don’t know if I can trust myself to keep up with all of my lies.

“Stay,” Zachary says.