CHAPTER 7: Verity

Senna’s POV

He dressed my leg with hands that didn't shake. He didn’t try to touch me again after. He simply walked back out through the gap in the thorns. I watched them close behind him, neat as a door.

Apparently my own wolf was on his side.

My wolf.

I hadn’t even processed that part of it yet. I had a wolf. I’d felt her awaken.

It was a foreign concept to me. I’d spend the better part of the last few years resigning myself to the fact that I was an empty shell. I was jealous of everyone else, with their wolves. Watching them shift felt like a knife twisting in my heart.

But I was one of them now. I had a wolf of my own.

And not just any wolf, a flora wolf. I didn’t fully understand what that meant yet. Flora wolves were said to be extinct. No one had heard about a flora wolf in a very long time.

Not only did I have a wolf, but my wolf was mates with Kalev’s. The man who engineered the games. The man who bought me to participate in this blood bath. Why would the Moon Goddess choose that man for my mate?  

None of this made any sense.

The dome held for another hour after that. Kulos and Thor didn’t talk to me about what had just happened. I don’t think they had the words. We were bone weary. So we just sat in silence, trying to catch our breath and recover as best we could.

After an hour, the briars started to brown and sag. They eased back into the cracked rock like they had never been there. I didn’t know why. Perhaps it was because my wolf was still young? Or maybe it was because our connection wasn’t strong enough yet to hold the vines?

The silver mark on my neck pulsed, faintly. I fingered it.

‘He's ours.’

The voice was clearer now. Not loud, my wolf didn’t seem to do loud. But it sounded like a whisper in my head. Her tone was warm and assured.

“No,” I told her. “He's not.”

“He is,” she replied. “I felt his wolf. His wolf is good.” She paused. “He's frightened. Not of us. For us.”

“He BUILT this,” I argued back, speaking to her in my head. “All of it. The Island, the cameras. People die here for sport. I refuse to be mated to a man like  that.”

She was quiet for a moment. Then, gently, like she was explaining something to a child, she said:

“I know what he is. I also know he's ours. Both are true. You'll see.”

"Senna."

Thor interrupted my thoughts. He his were locked on the silver mark on my throat. His expression said it all. He was cautious of me now.

“I don't know what to say,” I offered. “My wolf awakened. Then the briars. Then he…just…appeared. I didn’t have time to stop him.

"He’s the Architect." Thor said it like the word tasted bad. "He’s the man who runs the Games. How could you let him…"

"I didn't let him do anything." It came out sharper than I meant.

Thor's jaw worked. "I saw the thorns open up for him like he had a key. And I saw your face when he touched you.” He stopped and inhaled a deep breath. When he spoke again, it was quieter, which made it worse. "Senna. I've got brothers at home I'm trying to get back to. I went in with you because it made sense. I thought…we could help  each other. And I'm not sorry I did. But I need to know what I'm standing next to. Because if that man has a hand on you…"

"He doesn't." My voice was firm.

Did he? The mark throbbed like a second heartbeat. No. So we were mates. That didn’t mean anything. It didn’t mean I had to accept him as my partner.

"Thor. Look at me,” I said. “Three days we all stood in front of him while he paraded in front of us and spewed off the rules of the game. He’s from the capital. Nobility. Arrogant and entitled. Do you think I've forgotten that because some…some bond says he smells right?" My voice was shaking and I hated it. "I don't want this. I didn't ask for it. And I don't trust him. Please. Just trust me."

He looked at me for a long moment. Behind him, Julos was pressed against the rock, watching us both with huge eyes.

I couldn’t lose these people. I needed them. I needed their support. They were my only allies on this island. They had to see that I hadn’t chosen this.

And that when it came down to it, my loyalty was to them.

"Okay," Thor finally said finally. He let his shoulders relax. Not all the way, but enough. "Okay. I believe you." He narrowed his eyes. "But if he comes back…"

"If he comes back, I won’t hesitate to put an arrow right between his eyes," I cut him off.

This made Thor chuckle.

“Then let’s get moving,” Thor said. “The briars have died and people still know where we are. We have to find a safer place.” Thor turned away and started gathering what was left of our scattered gear. I let myself sit down before my leg made the decision for me.

“You're lying,” my wolf said. Her tone was  no unkind. It was observatory.

“I'm not,” I shot back.

“You are. To him, a little. To yourself too. But you can’t lie to me Senna. It's all right though. You’ll see. There's time.”

I pressed the heel of my hand against the mark like I could push it back under the skin. We started walking away from the ridge.

"What's your name?" I asked. I was surprised I hadn’t thought to ask before this.

She paused. Then she replied, her tone pleased, like she'd been waiting to be asked.

“Verity.”

Her name landed on me and a warmth spread through my chest.

"Yeah, well, we're going to have problems, you and me," I told her. “If you keep calling me a liar.”

“Yes,” Verity agreed, her voice serene. “We will have problems, Senna. But not with each other.”